Incomplete in Chapters

Dropping Again

Felina takes no offense to my humor, and rolls her eyes, "I meant do you have a fever? Here, let me check." I lean back onto some guy sitting beside me and he grunts a little, but I pay him no mind, "If I behave do I get a hug?" She smacks my good shoulder and I whine.
"You're gonna get a hug regardless," she admits honestly. "What were you thinking?! Taking a bullet for me? You could have died! What would I have done if it was fatal? What would you have done?"

I shrug, "Died, I guess? Would have said my 'sorry-s' and my 'I-love-you-s' and my 'don't-forget-to-give-em-hell' spiel."
"Awww. You love me?"
"Bitch I took a fucking bullet for you. My shoulder hurts a lot, you know. I think it's infected."

Her warm smile drops immediately twists into a horrified tight-lipped frown, "Well, I think we should check it..." Her eyes drift away from mine to someone behind me and I turn around to follow her gaze.

There's a guy in the corner with a pair of glasses staring pointedly at both of us, "If you would like me to look at that shoulder I wouldn't mind." I glance at Felina and she nods her assurance, "He's the one who patched your shoulder. He's a doctor, don't worry."

"Ja," the man in question has a German accent and easily stands while the car is still in motion. He walks over the many stretched out legs to squat in front of me. "We should probably stop the car though. In case you feel nauseous?" He goes up to the wall dividing us from the person driving this van and bangs on the thin metal, "Stop the car, driver! A break is needed, else we will go crazy!"

The van slows to a stop and the sound of a door opening has the rest of us going still. When the back of the van opens, a man with sunglasses and a cowboy hat pops his head in, "Off you lads get, then. We'll camp here."

There's a collective sigh as people stand, ready to leave the cramped back of the van. Felina and I stay seated while the doctor waits by the exit. When everyone is out, Felina helps me stand and guides me to the exit.

"She can sit here," the doctor pats at the edge of the van. "I will ask the driver if he has any spare supplies. If not, then we will have to hope for the best." Felina nods along, looking grim.

"Chin up, fraülein," the Doctor reassures her, smile small and exhausted. "It might not be an infection. Bullet wounds sometimes feel like they burn, but it doesn't mean infection, ja?" Felina relaxed ever-so-slightly, smiling back, "Okay, thanks." He nods before he follows the others to the side of the road.

"Sit down already, Lin. Your hovering is making me anxious," I smack one of Felina's legs and she yelps, but does as suggested. "I'm not gonna die yet." Since she's sitting to my right, I wrap my good arm around her and pull her into a side-hug, "The worst that'll probably happen is I get my arm cut off. In which case, I'll still be a pain in your ass. Kay?" She giggles and snakes an arm around my waist, settling her head on my shoulder, "You're not a pain in my ass, but you are a pain. I've gotten used to it by now that I'd be kinda lonely without it." I scoff, "The fuck are you—a masochist?" She snorts, pulling away when the Doctor approaches the passenger's side of the van and pulls out a med kit.

"Wonderful luck," the Doctor stands in front of us, a happy smile on his face. "The man stays prepared, he says. Now, let's see that shoulder."

Turns out it isn't infected. In fact, the wound is healing at a rapid rate. The hole has been sealed, but the muscle and tissue around it is still tender.

"But why is it burning so much?" I poke around the wound, to which the Doctor smacks my hand down (again).

"Don't know, but stop messing with it! You are not doing it any favors— poking it like that. At the rate you are healing, it should be healed tonight or tomorrow morning. Would you like me to keep this to myself or...?" The Doctor looks at me like he's expecting me to agree, but I shake my head.
"Nah. You can tell 'em if they ask. I don't really care." I hop down from the van, the action making my shoulder jolt painfully. I hiss, "Shit that hurt..."
"Be careful!" Felina's touched my good arm, "You're still healing. Maybe we should make you a sling..."

"I can do that," the Doctor pulls off his coat and starts tying it weird. "Lean you head forward—there you go. Now, put the arm right here—no, no tuck it in—good. Is that okay? Too tight, loose?" I test the sling by relaxing my arm completely, and it stays firm. "Good," I confirm with him. "Thanks...I'll give it back to you tonight."

He waved me off, "No need. You can give it back when you're fully healed."

"But you'll be cold..."

"I'll sleep in the van. It isn't wise to sleep out in the open, anyhow."

Felina and I share a quick glance. "Is it alright if we join you," Felina asks, her shoulder hunching sheepishly.

"Not my van, but we can ask the good man who owns it." He jerks his chin at the fellow with that cowboy hat who's stretching with the others.

"By the way, what's your name? I'm Nile, and this is Felina." I introduce ourselves to the Doctor. He grunts a little, "Ludwig. But I would prefer if you called me Medic."

"Like the class in a game?" I snort as he sends me a slightly amused smirk.
"Yes, exactly like that," he agrees. "If going by that logic, I should cal you 'Valor,' no?" Then he regards Felina, "And you 'Grim.'"

We all laugh in good humor.

"Yeah, totally! I'm Valor, now. And you're Grim, okay Lin?" I nudge her and she shrugs, "Okay, Valor."