Title: Today 'They' Won the Battle
Author: Rhasa
Category: Drama
Keywords: M/A sorta
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Today 'They' won the battle, but the war is just beginning.
Disclaimer: Not mine. No money being made.
"Hang on, baby. Hang on."
Alec's arms ached with the dead weight of the unconscious X6 he was carrying. He could tell it was bad. Worse than bad. He made no apologies as he pushed and crashed his way through the crowded corridors that were bustling with frenzied activity that bordered on chaos. Feeling the limp body slip for the fourth time, he gave a little jolt to bring her still frame back towards his chest, willing himself to concentrate on hastily placing one foot in front of another without falling down a flight of stairs that led deeper into Terminal City and not on the fact that he could no longer detect the rise and fall of her chest.
"Out of the way!" He yelled to those who blocked the narrow passageway. "Hold on, baby. Not much further."
Reaching his destination he turned a corner at the end of a hallway and stopped. He allowed himself a moment to scan his surroundings before he head off for the far side of the vast room in which he had entered. He cautiously stepped around numerous people, but didn't fail to notice the looks on their faces. A sea of bloodied and injured Transgenics of all kinds watched him as he passed. Some looked fearful, some looked shocked and defeated, but most despite their obvious pain looked angry.
"Kyra! Kyra!" Alec called above the noise of the room as he approached a woman who was applying a heavy field dressing to what looked like an X7 series who had taken one in the upper arm.
She looked up at the sound of her name and glanced at the head of the woman Alec was carrying which had now lolled completely back. Grabbing the hand of the person next to her, Kyra slammed it onto the heavy combine dressing and said, "Hold here. Don't let go. Keep the pressure on to stop the bleeding," then took off like a flash across the room towards Alec.
She reached him just before his legs gave out, catching the woman as she dropped slightly from his arms and managing, somehow, to ease her down onto a vacant makeshift cot that stood close by.
Alec panted and swallowed hard. "She took one straight to the chest," he said as he ran a shaking hand through his hair. "She was conscious up until the outer perimeter and then she just lost it. I haven't been able to wake her."
Shuffling on his feet, Alec could still feel the adrenaline pumping through his system. He fought desperately for some sort of control over his emotions, but didn't manage to calm his breathing any. He looked down and watched as Kyra quickly pulled back the leather jacket of the patient in front of her and grimaced as he saw the ugly open wound that dominated her upper torso. Glancing to the woman's face he saw just how pale she had become, as Kyra's fingers moved to just below her jaw line in search of a pulse.
"Samuel," She yelled back over her shoulder. "I need resus now!"
In a brief second another had joined her and immediately began to work on the woman.
"She's not breathing," Kyra said softly to Alec. But it was something he already knew and so he just nodded in mute understanding of the seriousness of her condition.
Alec felt utterly helpless as he watched the two before him try and pull of a miracle. Lacking drugs, dressings and vital equipment he knew it was a long shot. Turning, he looked around the room once more. He could count twenty to twenty-five wounded and seven dead, but more were streaming into the makeshift infirmary by the second, most of the recent arrivals with minor injuries. The assortment of species was almost comical. There were freaks of all different natures with one thing in common. Despite having various different DNA sequences, whether it be human, cat, dog, snake, reptilian, fish or whatever, they all bled red.
It was a soft grasp on his shoulder that brought him back round to face the woman in front of him.
"I'm sorry, Alec. There was nothing we could do. She had lost too much blood and damage was extensive. Maybe if we had better equipment." Kyra's voice trailed off.
He looked into the woman's face once more and this time noticed just how peaceful she looked.
"Do you know her name?" Kyra asked.
"No. No. I don't think I even met her before tonight." Alec sighed.
"Her name is Anita, I think," Samuel said. "She only came in last week."
Alec hung his head, suddenly somehow more saddened now that he knew her name.
"Are you hurt, Alec?" Kyra's voice reached out to him as did her hand as it touched the front of his shirt.
He looked down to where she softly rested her hand and noticed for the first time the dark stain across his front. He was soaked through. "No. It's her. its Anita's blood. I'm okay," he said sadly.
"Well, okay. You should go now. Go change. Get some rest. I might need you later on to make a run."
Alec nodded his head, thanked the two softly and turned to leave.
He found her about an hour later. Still caked in what was now dried blood he had been searching, asking everyone, trying to trace her down if only to reassure himself that she wasn't hurt and injured like so many others.
He had lost her in the first few minutes of the raid, right after they realised that they had all walked into an ambush and right before the bloodbath had begun.
Now she sat before him, at the top of a secluded flight of stairs away from the command centre, with her head resting on top of her knees which were pulled tightly up to her chest. She had been crying and despite hastily wiping a few tears from the corners of her eyes when she first heard him approach, she couldn't hide that fact from him.
"I'm not real good company right now," she whispered as he took the bottom step on his way up to her.
"That bad huh?" he asked softly as he halted his ascent and took a seat.
"I'm just." she trailed off as a few more tears escaped down her cheeks. This time she made no move to wipe them away. "I'm just tired of it. I'm just tired of being some great leader when I'm not," she said forlornly. "Just get. just get somebody else to do it."
"Well you're pretty much it. There isn't anyone else."
"Well, you know, people died out there! People died because I. because I didn't-"
"Know everything?"
"Yes," her voice broke.
"Nobody expects you to know everything but yourself, Max," he tried to say reassuringly. "Look, this was not your fault."
"Alec-"
"No. I mean it. It was not your fault. We were set up. We did everything going into to this to prepare. A major raid on the warehouse? It was a good plan, well thought out. The responsibility of this didn't just lie with you. It was a joint decision by all of us. Those who came along volunteered, but they knew the risks. We all know the risks. You can't blame yourself. Don't be angry at yourself. Be angry at White."
She took in his words and was a little surprised to find that they comforted her - just a little.
"I guess that's pretty arrogant of me isn't it?" she asked him after a moment's reflection on her behaviour.
"I wouldn't know. I'm usually too self-centred to notice," he joked back, offering her a small reassuring smile.
She really wanted to be able to return his smile, but she couldn't.
"We paid a heavy price today, Alec," she sighed.
"And we may pay a heavy price tomorrow, but it is a price worth paying, Max."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes."
She nodded and admired his courage and convictions. He had changed so much since they had come to Terminal City. She was secretly glad he was here with her now. His soft reassurance prevented her from spiralling downwards in self-doubt and recriminations. She was proud of the way he had grown, become more compassionate and less self-centred despite his jokes to the contrary. In a way she envied him. His personality changes had made him even freer, allowing him to develop a spirit, a soul that had been robbed of him when he was at Manticore. She had come to like this new Alec by her side, it seemed natural that he be the one to pick her up when she stumbled. Perhaps it was because for all their differences they were also a lot alike.
She looked down at him and noticed his head resting heavily against the handrail. He was tired, so was she. She stood quietly, and he opened his eyes to find her small hand outstretched before her. He took it and stood, enjoying the warmth her touch offered him.
"They won the battle, today, Alec," she sighed softly as he ascended the stairs and drew her to his side in a companionable embrace.
"Yes, Max. But the war is just beginning," he said.
They walked in silence towards the living quarters each grateful for the other's company and secure in the knowledge that even though there were to be more battles ahead, at least they'd never have to fight them alone.
The End.. I think.
Please review I would love to hear from you. [email protected]
Author's note:
This little piece and in particular the above 'stair' scene is a direct rip off of a TV series that aired in the 80's. Chocolate cyber cookies for anyone who can name the show I used.
"Hang on, baby. Hang on."
Alec's arms ached with the dead weight of the unconscious X6 he was carrying. He could tell it was bad. Worse than bad. He made no apologies as he pushed and crashed his way through the crowded corridors that were bustling with frenzied activity that bordered on chaos. Feeling the limp body slip for the fourth time, he gave a little jolt to bring her still frame back towards his chest, willing himself to concentrate on hastily placing one foot in front of another without falling down a flight of stairs that led deeper into Terminal City and not on the fact that he could no longer detect the rise and fall of her chest.
"Out of the way!" He yelled to those who blocked the narrow passageway. "Hold on, baby. Not much further."
Reaching his destination he turned a corner at the end of a hallway and stopped. He allowed himself a moment to scan his surroundings before he head off for the far side of the vast room in which he had entered. He cautiously stepped around numerous people, but didn't fail to notice the looks on their faces. A sea of bloodied and injured Transgenics of all kinds watched him as he passed. Some looked fearful, some looked shocked and defeated, but most despite their obvious pain looked angry.
"Kyra! Kyra!" Alec called above the noise of the room as he approached a woman who was applying a heavy field dressing to what looked like an X7 series who had taken one in the upper arm.
She looked up at the sound of her name and glanced at the head of the woman Alec was carrying which had now lolled completely back. Grabbing the hand of the person next to her, Kyra slammed it onto the heavy combine dressing and said, "Hold here. Don't let go. Keep the pressure on to stop the bleeding," then took off like a flash across the room towards Alec.
She reached him just before his legs gave out, catching the woman as she dropped slightly from his arms and managing, somehow, to ease her down onto a vacant makeshift cot that stood close by.
Alec panted and swallowed hard. "She took one straight to the chest," he said as he ran a shaking hand through his hair. "She was conscious up until the outer perimeter and then she just lost it. I haven't been able to wake her."
Shuffling on his feet, Alec could still feel the adrenaline pumping through his system. He fought desperately for some sort of control over his emotions, but didn't manage to calm his breathing any. He looked down and watched as Kyra quickly pulled back the leather jacket of the patient in front of her and grimaced as he saw the ugly open wound that dominated her upper torso. Glancing to the woman's face he saw just how pale she had become, as Kyra's fingers moved to just below her jaw line in search of a pulse.
"Samuel," She yelled back over her shoulder. "I need resus now!"
In a brief second another had joined her and immediately began to work on the woman.
"She's not breathing," Kyra said softly to Alec. But it was something he already knew and so he just nodded in mute understanding of the seriousness of her condition.
Alec felt utterly helpless as he watched the two before him try and pull of a miracle. Lacking drugs, dressings and vital equipment he knew it was a long shot. Turning, he looked around the room once more. He could count twenty to twenty-five wounded and seven dead, but more were streaming into the makeshift infirmary by the second, most of the recent arrivals with minor injuries. The assortment of species was almost comical. There were freaks of all different natures with one thing in common. Despite having various different DNA sequences, whether it be human, cat, dog, snake, reptilian, fish or whatever, they all bled red.
It was a soft grasp on his shoulder that brought him back round to face the woman in front of him.
"I'm sorry, Alec. There was nothing we could do. She had lost too much blood and damage was extensive. Maybe if we had better equipment." Kyra's voice trailed off.
He looked into the woman's face once more and this time noticed just how peaceful she looked.
"Do you know her name?" Kyra asked.
"No. No. I don't think I even met her before tonight." Alec sighed.
"Her name is Anita, I think," Samuel said. "She only came in last week."
Alec hung his head, suddenly somehow more saddened now that he knew her name.
"Are you hurt, Alec?" Kyra's voice reached out to him as did her hand as it touched the front of his shirt.
He looked down to where she softly rested her hand and noticed for the first time the dark stain across his front. He was soaked through. "No. It's her. its Anita's blood. I'm okay," he said sadly.
"Well, okay. You should go now. Go change. Get some rest. I might need you later on to make a run."
Alec nodded his head, thanked the two softly and turned to leave.
He found her about an hour later. Still caked in what was now dried blood he had been searching, asking everyone, trying to trace her down if only to reassure himself that she wasn't hurt and injured like so many others.
He had lost her in the first few minutes of the raid, right after they realised that they had all walked into an ambush and right before the bloodbath had begun.
Now she sat before him, at the top of a secluded flight of stairs away from the command centre, with her head resting on top of her knees which were pulled tightly up to her chest. She had been crying and despite hastily wiping a few tears from the corners of her eyes when she first heard him approach, she couldn't hide that fact from him.
"I'm not real good company right now," she whispered as he took the bottom step on his way up to her.
"That bad huh?" he asked softly as he halted his ascent and took a seat.
"I'm just." she trailed off as a few more tears escaped down her cheeks. This time she made no move to wipe them away. "I'm just tired of it. I'm just tired of being some great leader when I'm not," she said forlornly. "Just get. just get somebody else to do it."
"Well you're pretty much it. There isn't anyone else."
"Well, you know, people died out there! People died because I. because I didn't-"
"Know everything?"
"Yes," her voice broke.
"Nobody expects you to know everything but yourself, Max," he tried to say reassuringly. "Look, this was not your fault."
"Alec-"
"No. I mean it. It was not your fault. We were set up. We did everything going into to this to prepare. A major raid on the warehouse? It was a good plan, well thought out. The responsibility of this didn't just lie with you. It was a joint decision by all of us. Those who came along volunteered, but they knew the risks. We all know the risks. You can't blame yourself. Don't be angry at yourself. Be angry at White."
She took in his words and was a little surprised to find that they comforted her - just a little.
"I guess that's pretty arrogant of me isn't it?" she asked him after a moment's reflection on her behaviour.
"I wouldn't know. I'm usually too self-centred to notice," he joked back, offering her a small reassuring smile.
She really wanted to be able to return his smile, but she couldn't.
"We paid a heavy price today, Alec," she sighed.
"And we may pay a heavy price tomorrow, but it is a price worth paying, Max."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes."
She nodded and admired his courage and convictions. He had changed so much since they had come to Terminal City. She was secretly glad he was here with her now. His soft reassurance prevented her from spiralling downwards in self-doubt and recriminations. She was proud of the way he had grown, become more compassionate and less self-centred despite his jokes to the contrary. In a way she envied him. His personality changes had made him even freer, allowing him to develop a spirit, a soul that had been robbed of him when he was at Manticore. She had come to like this new Alec by her side, it seemed natural that he be the one to pick her up when she stumbled. Perhaps it was because for all their differences they were also a lot alike.
She looked down at him and noticed his head resting heavily against the handrail. He was tired, so was she. She stood quietly, and he opened his eyes to find her small hand outstretched before her. He took it and stood, enjoying the warmth her touch offered him.
"They won the battle, today, Alec," she sighed softly as he ascended the stairs and drew her to his side in a companionable embrace.
"Yes, Max. But the war is just beginning," he said.
They walked in silence towards the living quarters each grateful for the other's company and secure in the knowledge that even though there were to be more battles ahead, at least they'd never have to fight them alone.
The End.. I think.
Please review I would love to hear from you. [email protected]
Author's note:
This little piece and in particular the above 'stair' scene is a direct rip off of a TV series that aired in the 80's. Chocolate cyber cookies for anyone who can name the show I used.