^{Human Territory.}

Where the last humans stand.
Human Territory Chpt. 1
Human Territory Chpt. 2
Human Territory Chpt. 3
Human Territory Chpt. 4
Human Territory Chpt. 5
Human Territory Chpt. 6
Human Territory Chpt. 7
Human Territory Chpt. 8
Human Territory Chpt. 9
Human Territory Chpt. 10
Human Territory Chpt. 11
Human Territory Chpt. 12
Human Territory Chpt. 13
Human Territory Chpt. 14
Human Territory Chpt. 15
 

"Really?" Aver pulled away from him and she looked up at him in the eyes. "You like them? The names?" She asked softly, and then smiled soon after. "I'm glad.." She whispered. "I was a little worried that you would think that they were.. well.. you know.. Silly." Aver laughed lightly.

"No, of course I don't think they're silly." Reid laughed. "It's cute. I like them." he nodded. "And hell... you're the one who's gonna be carrying them and going through the labor, so I think you should be able to pick the names." he nodded. "Sounds logical to me." He kissed her forehead and hugged her again. "Aver.. I can't wait. I'm so excited about the cabin.. and being with you." he whispered truthfully. "I love you so much."

Aver smiled widely without showing her teeth as she hugged him tightly, her hands gripping his shirt, not wanting to let go. "I love you too. I can't wait, either." She whispered back. "I just wish that there was some sort of fast forward button for our lives, though.. so we could skip everything and go straight to the cabin.." Aver said sadly, biting her lip. "But.. then again.. I guess if we skip everything, it will mean less time together won't it? Even if we'll be in danger." She sighed and hugged him tighter.

Reid smiled and nodded, finding that inevitably true. "Yeah.. I love spending time with you, Aver. Even if it is dangerous..." he chuckled softly. "But don't worry. This war is almost over. And when it is, we'll go back to that cabin and fix it, and be happy together." he whispered, then kissed her head.

Aver smiled up at him and her eyes then looked to the bed. She bit her lip and looked back up at Reid. "Can we.. lie down a little, Reid?" She whispered, not really implying anything. "I think I'll be more relaxed if we lie down and then go out, you know? Standing around makes me anxious.." Her feet shifted a little.

Reid smiled and nodded, then bent and suddenly lifted her off the ground, his arm under her knees and the other behind her back, like a bride, and he grinned, carrying her the two steps to the bed. "Of course." he whispered and kissed her.

Aver smiled and laughed lightly against his lips as she kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his neck as she held on to him while he carried her. "Lying down and nothing else, Reid." She whispered teasingly, her lips not parting from his once.

Reid smiled and nodded slightly, kissing her again as he gently set her down on the bed and climbed in next to her. "I know my boundries." he whispered and kissed her again. He smiled at her, looking her in the eyes and wrapped an arm around her waist.

Aver smiled and she wrapped one of her arms around his middle too. She buried her face into the deep of his neck and sighed lightly out of mere tiredness. Although she was worried too, she wanted to stay somewhat relaxed so she wouldn't worry or upset Reid. "We can do this everyday once the war is over.." She whispered, sighing again as her blue eyes closed.

"Every day." Reid repeated softly in agreement, smiling to himself. He hugged her slightly tighter and sighed too, after yawning of course, and his eyes closed. "This will all be over soon."

"I hope so.." Aver whispered tiredly as her grip around Reid loosened slightly and her head fell deeper down to his chest instead. She was worn out, it was easy to tell. Within a few minutes, Aver fell fast asleep, breathing gently.

---

Miracle nodded slowly, but kept her eyes on his. "Okay. But don't put it all on your shoulders. Alright? Don't stress yourself out." she whispered, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "Remember those massages I used to give you after school? Before a big football game?" she asked and winked with a smile. "Want one?"

Gray watched her, and he almost thought about saying no to her request, but really, he did feel that he needed to relax a little. So he nodded. He didn't say anything, though, but it was easy to tell in his eyes that he was thankful for her concern about him. He rose from his seat and kissed her forehead before he moved over to the bed and pulled off his shirt and took the gun from his pants and placed it carefully on the table beside the bed.

Miracle smiled at his bare back and got up from the floor, dusting off her hands, removing her wedding rings and setting them by the gun so they wouldn't hurt him during the massage. She then grabbed a bottle of hospital lotion, and smiled nudging him to lay down on the bed.

Gray nodded and layed down on his front on the bed like she had instructed him to. "If only things could be like how they were before, huh?" He asked quietly, sighing a little and closing his dull, blue eyes, his arms resting under his chin.

Miracle chuckled and climbed up onto the bed so she was kneeling over his back, her legs on either side of his waist, and she squeezed some lotion into her hands before beginning to gently rub and knead Gray's back and shoulders. "You're so tense." she whispered and massaged his shoulders. "Gray.. it's moments like this.." she whispered and leaned down, whispering close in his ear, hot and heavy, "that makes things how they used to be." She grinned and kissed his neck, then sat up again and went back to massaging him.

Gray's eyes remained closed, but still, even though he knew that Miracle was trying to help him feel better, he still felt very tense. He also felt.. afraid. Afraid of having to protect so many people from something so big and so dangerous. "Yeah.." He murmered back to Miracle, even though it was hard to tell if he was agreeing with her or not.

Miracle frowned slightly, but she tried to remain smiling. If anything, she needed to seem happy for him. "Gray.. Relax. You need only get us all to the base. Lead us there. Shimauma, Reid, Fletch, and even Max are able to defend themselves and others. I'll use my bow and arrow, and even a gun if you supply me one. Constance will have Karin, and Dokuja kicks major ass. The only ones I think we have to worry about defending are Aver and Nicole, and maybe Fletch because he's wounded." she explained. "Right? So, don't put this all on you."

Gray nodded slowly. "Yeah.." He repeated in a whisper and he turned his head slightly to look at her if it was at all possible. "Thanks, Mi-mi." He whispered. "I don't know if I would be able to get through this without you." His blue eyes watched her. "If I was never reunited with you, I doubt I'd be as strong as I am now." Gray said quietly. "You and Karin. You've both given me strength to carry on. I've got so much to fight for now that I'm with you again." He whispered, reaching out one of his hands to touch her cheek lightly as a small, thankful smile appeared on his face.

Miracle smiled softly too and rested one of her hands over his softly, then leaned down and kissed him. "I love you, Gray. And Karin loves you too." she whispered, looking over at the sleeping toddler in the other bed. "We're a family now, and nothing can change that. Especially not some dumb animals in a war." She stroked his cheek with hers next and kissed him lightly. "When this war is over, we'll be able to live in a little house.. with a green backyard and a playhouse for Karin.. A swingset.. a white picket fence and everything we need inside." she whispered. "Think of that, Gray. The little house we'll have, and watching Karin play on that swingset."

"I will.." Gray whispered, nodding at her words. "Every shot I fire will be one shot closer to being in that house with my baby girl and my wife." He whispered, smiling now, but with his eyes closed. It was safe to say that he was now relaxing thanks to Miracle's words and her massage.

Miracle smiled and nodded, beginning to hum that lullaby that she had sung to Karin, continuing to massage Gray's back and shoulders. She watched him closely, already feeling his tenseness disappear. Just relax, Gray. Everything will be okay.

Gray sighed as his eyes remained closed, his chin resting on his hands. He listened to Miracle's lullaby closely, and he had to stop himself from wandering off to the land of nod a few times since just lying there was starting to make him feel drowsy. No. Can't sleep. You've got a mission which needs to be completed as soon as possible. So stay awake. He ordered inside his mind. "Think Dokuja will be ready to go soon?" Gray asked sluggishly as he shifted a little.

Miracle chuckled and shrugged, ending her massage on his back with a final rub of his shoulders and dragging her fingertips down his arms. "I don't know. It depends on how much she wants that baby. If she doesn't want to lose it, she can't push herself." she warned. She rolled off of Gray's back and laid next to him, looking him in the eyes. "Then again, she is a hybrid, and it seems to me they recover and heal a lot faster than humans can, so she may be ready now."

"Hm." Gray sighed and nodded, giving her arm a gentle rub before he pulled himself up into a sitting position on the end of the bed. "Then I guess we'd better get ready to go." He said low, rubbing the back of his neck. "Don't get me wrong, Mi-mi. I want to spend as much time with you as possible, but right now.. we need to finish this." He whispered, putting his hand on one of hers gently and stroking her fingers with his thumb lightly before he stood up and pulled on his shirt. "Let Karin sleep a little longer.." Gray said softly, moving over to his daughter while he buttoned up his shirt. "I love you, my little girl." He whispered, pulling up Karin's blanket a little more.

Karin yawned lightly and shifted a little, but didn't wake up, her eyes closed softly and shifting beneath her lids in dream. Miracle stood up from the bed also and moved over to Gray, put a hand on his back. "Gray.. Just don't stress about it. Everything will be fine." she whispered. She looked down at Karin and leaned down, kissing her daughter's forehead. "Sleep sweet, baby." she whispered to Karin, then stood straighter. She gave Gray a soft look before turning and grabbing up her pack, refolding hers and Karin's clothes, Karin's sippy cups, food, tools, and medicines.

"I'll be in the main entrance with Fletch." Gray said quietly, sighing lightly before he picked up his pistol from the bedside table and took out some bullets from the drawer. He stuffed it in the back of his pants and gave Miracle a kiss on her forehead before he left the room, heading down the hall which was now free of the dead bodies of the dogs thanks to Fletcher. "Fletch?" Gray called out, edging around the corner which led into the main entrance.

"Over here!" Fletcher waved from his spot when he saw Gray turn the corner. "I've got everything loaded here, Whitey." He nodded down at the floor where many weapons were placed neatly in their correct groups. "Pistols, rifles, shotguns, knives, you name it, I've got it." He nodded, putting a hand on his hip. "Ammo is in those little belt bags over there. So whoever's gonna use a gun can wear one of them so they can reload as quickly as possible."

Gray nodded as his friend spoke, and his eyes looked around at the different weapons. "Well, then.. I guess this is it." He said low, biting his lip a little. "Think you could go get Max and Nicole? I'll fetch Reid and Aver and see how Dokuja is doing." He nodded.

"I've got it covered already." Fletcher winked at Gray, and wih that, he disappeared off into the west wing limping slightly to where Nicole and Max would be in one of the rooms.

Gray watched him go, and he headed off in the opposite direction to Fletcher to Dokuja's room. Once there, he knocked on the door three times. It would be rude to walk straight in after all. "Dokuja?" He called clearly. "It's Gray. Think you're up and ready to go?"

Dokuja looked up at the door, from where she was standing. Constance was still asleep in the warm bed, but Dokuja couldn't sleep after all the resting she'd done from fainting. She was currently pacing the room, finding any excuse to move. "Yes. Constance is asssssleep, though. You can come in." she called, wincing at her slight hiss. Damn Kinage's genes. she growled in her head.

Gray didn't really seem to notice any change in Dokuja's voice since his mind was too busy being filled with what he needed to do. He opened the door as quietly as possible as to not wake Constance, and he stepped inside. "You're up, that's great." He said honestly, nodding as his eyes looked to the raven hybrid. "Let her sleep. She's got an important job to do for me once she wakes up." Gray said softly and his eyes looked to Dokuja now. "I was wondering." He started, biting his lip a little. "You think that you could look out for Aver and Nicole for me? As well as the animals if any ambush us?" He asked quietly. "I was hoping that Shimauma would help too, but I haven't seen him to ask him yet."

"I'll find him and I'll tell him." Dokuja nodded softly. "Don't worry about it, I'll handle it, boy." she said, waving it off. She followed Gray out of the room and closed the door to let Constance sleep. "So when are we leaving?"

"As soon as we can." Gray answered simply as he walked on down the hall. "All of the dogs which attacked us are dead, so the animals don't know where we are right now. They had no one to report our whereabouts to them." He shrugged. "If anything, we should be fine if we head straight to the base today."

Dokuja nodded and watched Gray go, then turned and headed the opposite direction, looking out for Shimauma. "Shim?" she called occasionally.

"Yo." Shimauma stepped out of one of the rooms close to where Dokuja was walking and he closed the door behind him. He looked her up and down a few times and he nodded, letting out a "hm" as he did so. "So you're feeling better now, huh?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "How's he doing?" Shimauma nodded at her stomach.

When Gray came to Reid and Aver's door, he knocked on it three times also like he had with Dokuja's room. "Reid? Aver?" He called out, again, waiting to be let inside instead of walking right in. "You ready to go guys?"

Reid shifted a little from a sudden wake up call at their door, his eyes opening. He'd only been half asleep, but it was enough. He yawned, and shifted, pulling himself from Aver carefully and slowly, then walked to the door, rubbing his head and mussing up his hair. "Yeah?" he asked, wanting Gray to repeat himself as he opened the door. He peered out and yawned again, looking at Gray tiredly. "What?"

Dokuja smiled at Shimauma a little and put a hand over her stomach. "He's doing fine now. We're both a little hungry, but we're fine." she whispered. "Shim, we're leaving soon, and Gray wants me and you to protect the girls, Aver and Nicole." she explained. "We can do that, right?"

Shimauma blinked at her and he appeared to think about it for a moment, but he soon sighed and nodded slowly. "Yeah." He murmered and stepped over to her. "But my main girl who I'm gonna be protecting is you, alright?" He said low, looking down and putting one of his hands over hers on her stomach. "C'mon, let's go eat before we leave." Shimauma growled, sounding rather hungry himself as he took Dokuja's hand and headed off down the hall.

"Ready to go?" Gray asked Reid without smiling. His eyes were very dull too, but he didn't give off the impression that he was annoyed at Reid in any way. He just looked.. troubled, and almost as if he didn't want to leave at all now.

Aver shifted in the bed and her eyes opened. She blinked a few times before her eyes looked out towards the door where Reid was standing. "Mmh.." She rubbed her eyes and blinked again. "Who is it, Reid..?" She asked tiredly as she couldn't hold back a wide yawn.

Reid nodded at Gray and then stepped back to look at Aver. "It's Gray. We need to finish getting ready to go, Ave." he said softly and walked to her, leaning over her and kissing her forehead. "Time to get up."

Dokuja smiled at Shimauma and nodded, blushing a little at his words, his calling her his top girl. She squeezed his hands and her stomach growled loudly as well, reminding her that she hadn't eaten her food before the arguement she had with Shimauma. She rubbed her belly and smiled down at it, thinking of the baby growing inside. Thirty-seven to forty days, huh..? That's a pretty short time to be pregnant..

"Man, is that him talking?" Shimauma looked down at her and raised one of his eyebrows, referring to their growing baby inside her when her stomach had grumbled. "We'd better get you fattened up, huh?" He asked, giving her one of his crooked smiles when they stepped into the canteen.

Aver sighed and she nodded, giving a weak, but sincere smile to Gray who nodded at her and left the doorway to walk down the hall and back into the main entrance of the hospital. "I'm already packed.." Aver said softly, biting her lip as she picked up her backpack and put it on extra slowly on her shoulders. "Ready?" She whispered to Reid, watching him.

Reid smiled and nodded softly, kissing her softly and picking up his backpack as well, throwing it over one shoulder. "Sure you're not forgetting anything?" he asked again, grabbing her hand.

Dokuja blushed even more at Shimauma's comments. She knew her stomach was loud when it grumbled, but she hadn't thought it was that loud. Not to mention, she didn't appreciate the idea of getting "fattened up". She tugged on his hand a little an frowned. "You want me to be fat?"

Shimauma shrugged and he squeezed her hand right back. "I dunno. You're going to get fat either way, right?" He asked, giving her a pointed look and another shrug. "Besides, my dad always used to call my mom beautiful when she was pregnant with me since pregnant women are supposed to be the most beautiful creatures alive." He raised his other hand and made the quotes gesture with his index and middle finger when he mentioned beautiful creatures.

"No.. I don't think so." Aver whispered, biting her lip and looking around the room one last time before she nodded and looked to the door. "No.. I've got everything, I'm sure of it." She smiled up at Reid weakly and squeezed his hand when he grabbed hers. "Let's go." She whispered, and led him out of the room.

Reid nodded and followed her out, holding her hand until they met up with Nicole, Max and Fletcher. "Where's the guns, Fletch?" he asked with a smile.

Dokuja frowned at herself, looking down at her stomach. Well, I knew I'd have a big belly... I mean... I was pregnant before. Not so much that my stomach was showing, but... I read the books. she thought, rubbing her stomach again. "I wonder when it'll start showing?" she wondered aloud.

Shimauma shrugged. "No idea. I'm not much of a biologist. Or a girl. Sorry." He raised an eyebrow at her and let go of her hand so he could go over to the fridge to get some carotts and cucumber for himself to eat.

"Back thataway." Fletcher grinned, jutting a thumb in the direction of the main entrance. "I'm gonna teach this guy," He nudged Max in the arm with his elbow without looking at him, his grin still on his face. "How to use a shotgun." He finished, his eyes looking at Aver now. "Want to use a gun, girly? Or a knife maybe?"

Aver blinked at him. "I-I don't want to use anything.. thank you." She whispered softly, trying to sound as polite as possible. Despite having her dad's gun in her trouser pocket, Aver had never really liked weapons at all really.

Reid chuckled at Fletcher and Max, nodding, then patted Aver on the shoulder, hugging her to him. "This little girly happens to know martial arts, Fletch. Did you see the kick she gave to that mutt earlier? I think she'll be fine." he nodded, then smiled down at her. "Right?"

Dokuja blinked at Shimauma and shrugged. "Maybe I'll just ask Miracle later." she muttered, also foraging the kitchen for food. She found a box of chicken legs and she grinned, ripping the package open with her nails and throwing them into a bowl. She then cooked them lightly over the stove, but only for a few seconds before scarfing them down hungrily. "I'd rather eat a rat er somethin' but this'll have to do." she said with her mouthful.

"S'better than nothin', babe." Shimauma replied, also with his own mouth full of vegetables as he waved a cucumber around in one hand while he let a carrot travel through his fingers in a nifty trick in the other. It was something he had always done with a pen or a pencil when he had been studying at university.

"Wha-?" Fletcher looked down at Aver and he quite simply blinked at her. "You know martial arts?" He scratched his head. "Crikey. What else don't I know, huh? You got eleven toes on one foot or something?" He grinned at her.

Aver blinked back up at him. "N-no.. I just.. I had lessons when I was a little younger.." She whispered. When Reva was still with me that is. She forced me to do it. Aver thought, biting her lip. "Anyway.. can we uhm.. can we go.. now..?"

"We need to wait for Gray and Miracle, not to mention the hybrids." Reid nodded. "Then we can go. Relax for a minute." He kissed her cheek and moved to the stock of guns Fletcher had set out. "Mm, I like this one." he muttered, pointing at a small pistol.

Dokuja nodded in agreement at Shimauma's words and shrugged, finishing off the chicken, having cleaned the bones entirely. "Mmm... that was good.." she whispered. "Is there anything else in there? Some steak maybe?" she asked and got up, going to check the fridge. She was surprised that there was. She grabbed a couple packages of the boneless steaks and ripped them open, throwing them into the pan as well and cooking them until only the edges were slightly dark, then peeled them off and munched on them hungrily. "Mmmm.."

Shimauma finished off his cucumber and he went to start on the carrot which he simply stuck in his mouth for a moment while he investigated the pantry. "Mnh." He grunted, not being able to speak at first. He took out the carrot and he reached out onto one of the shelves. "They got bread in here." He called out, grabbing the loaf and pulling the wrapping apart, only to frown and throw it over his shoulder at the horrible, mouldy stench which came from the bag. "Dammit.." Shimauma growled, chewing on his carrot now instead. "I can't wait until this thing is over. Decent meals are a must." He murmered.

Aver watched Reid's finger pointing at the pistol, and her eyes moved to look at it too. She was taking care of her father's pistol, even though she had really given it to Reid. But this was only really because she wanted her family to be somewhat with her when they were to fight the animals. Her lips pursed, but she didn't say anything since she was too busy looking at the knives now. There was a very handsome one with a silver handle. It certainly looked sharp, and very expensive, and it had a pretty floral pattern on the handle. Aver wanted to touch it, but.. something held her back.

"Take it then, Reid." Gray nodded, looking at the pistol which Reid had pointed at. He appeared from around the corner with Constance who was holding Karin very calmly funnily enough. The raven hybrid was watching the toddler in her arms closely, with a small, perhaps proud smile on her face. "Take whichever weapon or weapons you want. Just don't forget to pick up one of the belt bags." Gray added.

Miracle followed soon after, her pack over her shoulder and stuffed full of medicines and bandages, food and water, and Karin's necessities. She smiled at Reid and Aver, and nodded at Fletcher. "C'mere, Fletch, I wanna check on your leg before we head out." she said softly. "If it's well enough to walk on, that means it's well enough to reduce the bandaging. You'll be able to bend your knee." she smiled and sat in a chair, already pulling things out of her pack.

Karin, who was clinging to Constance with one arm around her neck, and the other on Constance's arm, her legs wrapped around Constance's hip. She was also studying Constance closely, smiling, and eventually she put a finger in her mouth, looking her in the eyes.

Reid chuckled at Gray and nodded, picking up the pistol and looking it over, checking the hammer, the cartridge, the barrel and the trigger. "Good, it's in great condition!" he said and turned, grabbing up the bullet belt with the right ammunition in it. "Anyone seen Nadia, by the way?" he asked conversationally, then looked at Aver and the knife she was inspecting. "You like it?"

Aver looked up at Reid and blinked at him, obviously shocked by how he had noticed her looking at the knife. "U-um.. well.. yes, but.." She began quietly, biting her lip. "I just don't know how to use one.." She twiddled her thumbs slightly and played with her fingers, unsure now of where to look.

"Nadia? Whossat?" Fletcher asked Reid with one of his eyebrows raised as he sat down on a chair in the waiting area of the main entrance near Miracle so she could look at his leg.

Miracle chuckled and looked at Fletcher as she pulled up his leg to take a look at it, being gentle as she pulled off her make-shift splint and cast. "Nadia is Dokuja's human name. You know.. the snake hybrid?" she asked softly, looking closely at his leg once the bandages were gone. "Try bending your toes for me."

Reid nodded in agreement at Miracle's words, flashing Fletcher a smile, then grabbed up the knife Aver was looking at. "It's nice... good and heavy." he murmered. He looked at the blade, flipped it into the handle, then flipped it open again. "Good reflex time." he nodded and flipped it several times in his hand, from handle to blade, blade to handle and back again, then twirled it between his fingers. "It has great balance." He smiled at Aver and caught it again with the blade in his palm and held it loosely towards Aver, offering it to her. "Just keep it, just in case."

Aver stared down at the knife in his hand, and her eyes moved up to look at Reid's, her mouth slightly open in awe. "W-when did you learn how to do that..?" She whispered, referring to how he had done the tricks with the knife. She slowly reached out her hand to take it from him, but she didn't since her hand simply hovered over the knife hesitantly while she bit her lip. I might end up hurting myself with it instead of hurting one of the animals.. Aver thought solemnly.

"Ah. Gotcha." Fletcher nodded at Miracle's explanation of Dokuja's real name, and he looked down at his foot on the end of his broken leg. "Alrighty, here we go." He growled, wincing a little before he very slowly, wiggled his big toe, his others following afterwards. He looked up at Miracle and grinned. "How's that for a slice of fried gold?" He winked, obviously proud.

"Very good!" Miracle nodded and laughed. "Very nice. Now we're going to very slowly roll your ankle. If it starts to hurt, say something and we'll stop, alright?" she asked, grabbing just above his ankle in one hand and her other hand under the arch of his foot. "Twist to the left.." she whispered and slowly started to turn his foot, urging him to turn it with her. "Use your muscles."

Reid chuckled and shrugged. "I learned that from Drake, who learned it from dad, who learned it from his sergeant in the military right before he came home." he said proudly. "I cut myself maybe fifty times before I got it right." He gently grabbed her hand with his free one and held it as he folded the blade of the knife away into its handle, and placed it in her palm. "Take it. It suits you."

Aver blinked down at the knife in her hand and she simply kept her gaze on it like she was a stone statue. She looked almost horrified, yet she pursed her lips slightly and gripped the knife's handle tightly down by her side, trying to look as confident as she possibly could. Thinking that Fletcher would probably be a good source of entertainment until they left the hospital, Aver turned to watch him with Miracle.

"Yeah, yeah.. master at work, watch out." Fletcher scoffed, waving his hand in front of him as if a foul smell had passed under his nose. He grimaced slightly before he very slowly, like Miracle had instructed him to do so, rolled his ankle to the left. Fletcher gasped when he did, but it wasn't out of pain, but out of glory. "Bloody hell!" He beamed. "Doesn't hurt! Not one bit! They put something in that bacon? 'Cause it's bloody cured me!" Fletcher laughed, moving to stand up, only to fall back down in his seat after he let out a loud groan of pain. "Or maybe not.." He murmered, rubbing his leg. "S'just a bit rusty.. I haven't stood on him properly for days, so." He shrugged.

Miracle laughed and shook her head at him, grabbing up his leg again. "It may have been your knee that got hurt, Fletch. Try bending your leg at the knee, slowly." she said again, holding his calf in both hands and watching him. "If it is just your knee, we can reduce your cast from a full-leg to a half, wrapping only your knee, like a brace."

Fletcher looked up at Miracle, and his eyes looked down at her hands and where she was resting them. Eventually, he exchanged glances with Gray who was watching him with one of his eyebrows raised and his arms folded. "'Ere, Whitey.. do-" Fletcher was stopped by Gray who thumped him hard on the back of his head.

"Don't even think about it, sergeant." Gray said low, his voice sounding somewhat half serious and half amused. "The sooner you get your leg wrapped up, the better. So come on, get a move on." He sighed and brought a hand through his hair. "Ah. Here they are." Gray said once he had turned and seen Shimauma and Dokuja walking from the canteen.

Fletcher frowned as he rubbed the back of his neck and looked up at Miracle with rather annoyed eyes. "Eh. Can't be helped." He shrugged and looked down at his leg again. "Here goes." Slowly, Fletcher began to bend his leg, but stopped instantly and let out a sharp hiss. "No no no! Wah!" He groaned, shaking his head and clenching his fists. "Bloody hell that hurt like a mother!"

Miracle nodded slowly and carefully felt around his knee cap. "You're slightly swollen. It was your knee after all. Thank goodness. It would have taken longer to heal had it been your thigh bone." she said softly and began to wrap his leg with padded bandages and tied them tight. She then splinted his knee on both front and back so it would stay straight before wrapping the splints tight to his leg. "There. You can walk, but don't bend your knee." she said softly. "We'll take a look at it again in a couple weeks."

Dokuja smiled a bit bashfully at Gray and nodded, looking at Reid before looking down at the array of weapons. "Sweet!" she said excitedly and pulled her hand from Shimauma's, running to see the different knives. "Oh, I love these!" she said, picking up a butterfly knife and twisting it around.

Gray watched Dokuja inspect the butterfly knife with the small hints of a smile and he looked to Shimauma. "Take whatever you think you can use well." He nodded with a small shrug, his own gun in the back of his pants as usual with it's bullets in his pocket. "Once everyone is equipped, Constance will leave with Karin first." Gray instructed, looking at the raven hybrid who nodded at him, but funnily enough, she wasn't smiling. She seemed to know the seriousness of the matter.

"Eh." Shimauma scoffed as he took one look at the guns and knives on the ground. "I've got my own." He said gruffly, looking at the butterfly knife in Dokuja's hand. Of course, he was referring to his eyes and feet.

Dokuja looked at Shimauma and laughed, dropping the butterfly knife back onto the pile. "Me too!" she giggled. "I just like them." she shrugged and went to Reid. She ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek, making him laugh and blush, giving her a small, but playful, shove. "Don't worry, I'll keep a close eye on Aver for you." she said to him and smiled at Aver. "It's mine and Shimauma's job to watch Aver and Nicole. So I think they'll be okay." she winked.

Reid laughed and nodded, smiling at Aver. "Me too. It's always my job to protect Aver." he said softly and smiled. It was obvious that no one thought Aver couldn't protect herself, but that they loved her enough to want to protect her anyway. He walked to her and hugged her from behind, wrapping his arms around hers. "I love you." he whispered in her ear.

Karin, who'd been watching her mother work on Fletcher's leg for the past ten minutes, let out a whine and opened her arms towards her mother and father. "Mommy! Daddy!" she whined, squirming in Constance's arms. She had a bad feeling and wanted a hug.

Miracle looked up from finishing Fletcher's leg and frowned at her daughter, giving a look at Gray that asked, "Can I give her a hug before she goes?"

Gray nodded at Miracle, but to be honest, he didn't really want to hug Karin as if he would never see her again. He would see her again, and he would protect her if it was the last thing he did. His eyes moved to look at Shimauma and he moved over to him to stand by his side. "I'm guessing that Dokuja has told you the plan." Gray murmered without looking at him since his eyes stayed on his wife and daughter now.

"Yep. I'll see what I can do." Shimauma replied gruffly with his arms folded, his own eyes on the deserted streets of New York outside. "If anything fucks up, then we'll just have to deal with it." He shrugged and sniffed.

"Y-you're watching us..?" Aver asked Dokuja softly, biting her lip a little. Reid was a bodyguard figure to her, sure, but another one? His sister? I guess it does make me feel safer.. She thought, her eyes looking rather thoughtful as she blinked up at the snake hybrid since she was taller than her.

Dokuja blinked down at Aver and raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "Yes, I am." she said and smiled softly. She looked more friendly when she smiled. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you or Nicole. Reid would kill me." she chuckled.

With Gray's blessing, Miracle walked away from Fletcher after giving him a hug, and to Constance, taking Karin from her. She hugged her young daughter and stroked her hair, closing her eyes. "It's okay, baby. Everything will be okay. You're going to go with Birdie for a little while, okay?"

Karin whimpered and clung to her mother, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Mommy... I want to go with mommy!" she protested, her arms wrapped tight around Miracle's neck. "Daddy!" she cried again, reaching one hand out towards Gray.

Miracle sighed and slowly turned to face Gray, frowning at him. "Come say goodbye to your daughter." she said softly, rubbing Karin's back.

Gray looked at his wife and he simply shook his head. "I'm not saying goodbye to anyone, Mi-mi." He replied, his voice sounding rather soft too. "We'll all meet at the base, completely wound and bruise free. I promise." Gray didn't seem to care much that everyone was watching him at this point, because when he promised something, he would always keep his word, no matter how close to impossible it would be to losing it. "Look after my daughter, Constance." Gray said to the raven hybrid who nodded, but didn't smile as she stepped up to Miracle, ready to take Karin back. "Sergeant?" Gray looked at Fletcher who blinked at him, but nodded and stood up.

"Ready for all commands, Officer White." Fletcher said, his shotgun under his arm vertically and down his side. There was no moral jokes now when it came to a mission like the one which Gray had set up, and Fletcher was always half serious when it came to his job. He actually didn't look like Fletcher at all, just standing there without smiling.

Shimauma watched the two military members and he spoke to Dokuja out of the corner of his mouth without looking at her. "Guess it's time to go." He murmered quietly.

Aver, who had swallowed rather hard out of nerves when Gray began to speak and act more like an officer, moved closer to Reid, even though he was already hugging her from behind. It was real. The war.. the hybrids.. the animals. It was kill or be killed out there in the city, and Aver knew it. Please let everyone live. Her voice whispered inside her head.

Reid snuggled Aver's neck and shoulder, giving them kisses, and he whispered, "You'll be alright. Everything will be okay." He kissed her again and gave her a squeeze, then got his hands on a tommy gun. "Ready when you are, Gray!" he said and nudged Aver towards Dokuja.

Miracle frowned at her husband rather angrily, but nodded and gave Karin's forehead a kiss, hugging her one last time. "Stay with birdie, Karin. You'll see me and daddy again soon." she whispered. She reluctantly handed Karin back to Constance, despite Karin's protesting screams and grabs at her mother.

"NO NO NO!" Karin screamed, squirming in Constance's arms and grabbing for Miracle again, also reaching towards Gray. "DADDY!"

Gray closed his eyes and he sighed heavily before he moved on towards the doors of the hospital. With the gun in the back of his pants and two extra ones in the inside pockets of a black jacket he was now wearing, Gray stepped out of the hospital with Fletcher following behind him, limping slightly. Gray looked over his shoulder at Constance in the main entrance, and while trying to avoid his daughter's eyes, he nodded at the raven hybrid as a signal for her to go on ahead.

Constance nodded back at him and she smiled at Dokuja and Shimauma a little before she held Karin to her chest tightly, but not too tightly and ran out of the hospital through the doors, her black wings out and beating against the air with hefty slaps. "Fly.." Constance whispered, closing her eyes as she soared up into the air and straight on towards the military base over the buildings which still remained standing in the city.

"Us next. C'mon." Shimauma muttered, pushing Dokuja slightly in the lower area of her back after he had watched Constance go and after Gray and Fletcher had strided out of the hospital also. He wasn't really afraid about getting himself hurt since he was too busy worrying secretly about protecting Dokuja and his unborn child.

Dokuja nodded and grabbed Aver and Nicole's arms, pushing them slightly. "You girls stay between Shimauma and me, and Reid and Max will be in the back. Stay together!" she said softly. "And whatever you do, DON'T scream."

Nicole, being naturally a nervous person, whimpered at not only Dokuja's touches, but her words. "W-what do you mean don't scream?" she asked shakily. "What'll happen?!"

"Shut up." Dokuja snapped and pushed them out of the doors, motioning for Shimauma to walk on the other side of them.

Reid smiled softly at Aver and nodded for her to go on, carrying his gun and handing one to Max, taking up the back of the group. "Ya hear that, Max? Stay quiet." he whispered as they followed Gray and Fletcher out of the hospital, behind Miracle, Dokuja, Shimauma, Aver and Nicole.

Aver closed her eyes as she stepped out of the hospital with the knife in her hand which she clutched extremely tightly until she could feel that her knuckles would probably be turning white now. She stayed close to Dokuja, feeling that if she was related to Reid, then she would indeed, be safe.

Shimauma on the otherhand, who didn't know who Nicole was at all, simply kept a firm grip on her upper arm while his eyes seemed to glare at nothing in front of him. It wasn't because he was annoyed at the fact that he had to actually protect someone else other than Dokuja, but it was because he would more than likely have to face the animals again at some point or another.

Gray looked up to the sky, and when he saw Constance's shape grow smaller and smaller, and eventually fade into the distance, he sighed and looked ahead of him instead, his hand moving to take out a gun from one of his inside pockets. He cocked it back so it was ready to fire, and he held it down by his side. He walked quickly, and so did Fletcher who was right by his side, looking rather serious as well. There were no signs of any animals just yet, but they weren't careless. They wouldn't be in the military otherwise.

Miracle kept an arrow taught in the string of her bow, her eyes open and her feet careful as she walked behind Fletcher and Gray, her ears alert. I hope Karin is okay... she continued to think, glancing at Gray's back every once in a while, somewhat angrily. I can't believe he wouldn't hug his own daughter goodbye.

Dokuja also kept her eyes on the surrounding area. She could feel Aver walking close to her, but she didn't protest. Aver was important to her younger brother, so she would protect her like she promised. "Don't worry, Ave. Reid is right behind us." she whispered.

Aver's lips pursed slightly, but she nodded at Dokuja's words which reassured her greatly. It was obvious that she was frightened, but she tried her very hardest to appear as tough as a lump of bricks if it was at all possible for her. But the fact that Dokuja had used the same nickname as Reid reassured her even more, and her comfort around the snake hybrid was showing a lot more.

"We ought to make it to the base in forty five minutes if we speed up our pace a tad." Fletcher said low to Gray who nodded his head only slightly to show that he understood and had heard the sergeant speak.

"Speed up a little, everyone." Gray called low as he did just that. Everyone would hear him perfectly of course since there weren't exactly any birds chirping, pedestrians or passing cars in the city. It was completely dead.

Miracle sped up immediately to stay with Gray and Fletcher's pace, her grip on her bow and arrow tighter and her eyes more alert. She looked back to make sure everyone was still behind her, making a mental check-list. Shimauma and Dokuja, Aver and Nicole, Reid and Max in the back... Okay.. Everyone's here. Even though she knew where Karin was, it was a little unsettling to not see her in the group behind her. She frowned, sighed and looked ahead again.

Dokuja gently grabbed Aver's arm and pulled her into an increased pace, calling back for Reid as well, who nodded and gave Max a light nudge to get him to speed up as well. We're not too far..

Around forty five minutes later, just as Fletcher had predicted, the group eventually found the military base. Everyone was unharmed and no animals had ambushed them, so Aver felt rather calm and at ease considering that she had arrived somewhere where she was guaranteed that she would be safe and protected.


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