Sweet Dreams

Chapter 7

After the night ordeal, the trio started back out on their journey. Carl was leading them to an abandoned train field that led right up the mountain. Their only problem was that guards were heavily guarding the only functional train. Carl had suggested that he'd make a racket and distract them, so that's what he had set out to do.

Now Lara and Nate were waiting for his signal.

"Dammit, where is he?" Lara whispered peering over the small brick wall the two had hidden behind. Nate was checking the ammo in his gun, sliding the magazine back in with a click.

"Maybe he snitched on us,"

"He what...?"

"He backstabbed us,"

"Oh,"

Nate laughed quietly as Lara peered back over again. Nate mentally sighed, pulling her down a little, "Calm down—"

Two cracks echoed through the area, followed by what sounded like Carl screaming. Nate's eyes widened, his eyebrows shooting up, "Well well well, he pulled through,"

The two looked over the wall as the man ran into the train field, shooting behind him wildly. Carlos then continued to 'trip' and yelp in pain, scrambling backward. The four guards that had been in front of the train ran over to him, two helping him up while two covered his back. Lara and Nate couldn't make out what they were saying but didn't need to.

The two bolted towards the red train, their footsteps making the guards turn and shoot. Lara dived through the door, looking behind her as Nate rushed closer. Bullets whizzed through the air, and some were coming too close. She nearly had the last one too, her arrow whizzing through the air towards the target.

Then came another crack.

"Argh!" Nate screamed, falling to his side and clutching his waist. Lara's heart began to beat as she saw his shirt begin to dye red from under his hands and begin to pool beneath him.

"Nathan!" Lara cried, hopping off the train and running towards him. He groaned in pain, scrambling to him feet as his vision waved. Lara put his arm around her neck and helped him onto the train, trying her best to avoid the backup. She pressed multiple buttons in an attempt to start the train, finally hearing the wheels start to chuck. She heard somebody jump on behind her. She gripped her pistol and whipped around.

"Whoa whoa!" Carl yelled, raising his hands, "Don't shoot!"

Lara didn't have time to do otherwise. She holstered her weapon and ran to Nate's side, ordering Carl to pilot the train. Lara fell to his side, ignoring the blood soaking into her trousers. She took a breath, steadying her shaking hands. Nate looked up at her and laughed painfully.

"My insides must've been grazed by a bullet,"

"Where did they get you?" Lara asked, watching as Nate lifted his hands off his waist. Lara took a breath, lifting up the dirty and bloodied blue fabric of his shirt. A bullet hole was in his side alright, pooling fresh blood. She swallowed as she looked into it, relieved to find no bullet inside. She heard Nate's nails scrape along the metal.

"O-okay, okay. The bullet went right through, but I'll need to cauterize it..." she mumbled to herself. Nate looked at her warily.

"You have... to what?" he gasped, watching as she took out one of her arrows and heated it up with the lighter she had. She waved it around, heating it up as much as possible. Lara took a breath, gripping the American's hand. Nate's eyes widened when he realized what she was about to do.

"Oh god..."

"Okay—"

"Wait! Here, bite down on this." Carl ordered, giving Drake a folded leather belt. Nate took it and slid it in his mouth as he began to feel the heat of the arrow. Lara took a breath, gripping the shaking arrow with both her hands, "Sorry."

She plunged the arrow tip into Nate, who let a muffled cry of agony in response. Lara knew first-hand how it felt to have a flaming arrow stabbed through her gut. It hurt like hell and had a higher chance of infection. Nate began to gasp, his eyes shut tightly. Lara blocked it all out as she pulled the tip back out. She looked back up at her partner, trying to keep her apologetic tears from falling. Nate had blacked out.

"Hey..." Carl murmured, crouching down to Lara. Lara looked up at him, her eyes soft. He put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it softly, "You did well." Lara smiled softly in return, getting up and looking around for a first-aid kit. She spotted one beside the fire escape and grabbed it, taking it down beside Nate. She opened it and much to her luck found it fully restocked. She took out some gauze, bandage wrap and disinfectant.

It took a good half an hour before Lara was finished tending to Nate's bullet wound. She had disinfected and dressed it, and now he was laying against the train wall with one of the first-aid's tinfoil blankets. Lara was watching him from a distance, in case he needed any help. They were getting closer to the entrance, which was supposedly high in the mountain. A cool breeze drifted in through the shattered windows, making Lara shiver and rub her arms.

"Ngh," Nathan moaned, waking up from his unconsciousness, "Ow..." Lara jumped at the noise, waking her from her state of light sleep. Nate lifted his head, blinking to clear his blurry vision. He looked around like he was confused as to where he was. He shifted slightly, before grunting and shifting back to where he was, the crackling from his blanket catching Carl's attention. Lara pushed herself to her feet.

"Stay still," she said strongly, crouching down beside him. He still looked bleary eyed, and in pain, but it looked better than a rotting corpse. He shut his eyes tightly, his hand moving to hold his side. Lara felt guilt crawl back up her spine as he winced.

"Where...are we?" Nate asked, his eyes drifting to the cracked window of the train, where snow had started to drift in. Lara followed his gaze, and then to Carl, who was watching them quietly. He also turned and looked out the window briefly.

"I'd say we're nearly there. You should rest, you need it,"

"I'm fine..." he grumbled, shifting his arms and legs so that he could start to get up. Lara swiftly pressed him back down, careful not to hurt the man.

"No, you're not Nate. Now, stay still and rest," Lara warned, folding her arms. Nate looked at her and sighed, clearly annoyed. He looked like a child. Lara smirked.

"I'll rest too," she murmured, lying beside him. Nate's eyes widened in shock, as did Carl's. Lara furrowed her brows, "Look, this is a one-time thing. I get tired too,"

Nate rolled his eyes, leaning back against the wall beside Lara. She seemed unfazed by the fact that she was lightly blushing, and Nate smiled before shunning himself. They both needed to stay focused; they were nearly free from the Island. They could make fun of this later.

"I'll wake you when we get there," Carl whispered, turning back to the console.