Rogue. (IN REVISION)

30

Leo pulled up in the Dune, dirt clouding up from the ground as he stopped, "What happened?"

"Your people attacked Fallon, she's bleeding from the head." Venner told him as he set Fallon inside the vehicle before he climbed in. "She was unconscious for about ten minutes."

"Where's Hawk?" Fallon asked groggily, not seeing her brother in the vehicle.

"I sent him on an errand. We'll meet him." Leo simply told her as he sped off into the night. Venner ripped off a piece of his sleeve and wet it with his container of water, dabbing her temple to clean the wound. "Ow! Stop it!" she growled, slapping his hand away.

"You stop it. I'm trying to keep you from getting infected!" He told her, annoyed.

"Well, you can stop now, I don't need your help." She took the cloth from his hands, and he protested taking it back. "My wife was a doctor, let me help."

"Will you both shut up!" Leo shouted over the two. "Let the man help you, dammit." Leo told his stubborn daughter.

Fallon sat back like a scolded child and let him clean her wound and tying another cloth around her forehead. Leo stopped at a small shed that looked rickety and unstable, the other two saw Faris and Hawk coming out of it. "Okay, we're ready to go."

"Where were you?" Fallon asked.

"Dad had some food stored away for the compound, he rationed them to keep them all content but..." He looked over his shoulder to see his sister's wound wrapped up and clean. "Since he's no longer the leader, he's taking the food." He hauled the two crates of food into the back of the Dune. The feelings were mixed around them, Fallon merely smiled and laughed, "Yeah, Fuck them." She held her aching head.

"Fallon, Shut up." Hawk flicked her forehead.

Seeing the expression on his father's face while driving to the border of Ecula, he looked like he had lost something dear to him, Fallon wasn't helping the situation with her blunt tongue.

He had been the leader of that compound for years, he had formed bonds with them, treated them like family and now he was an outcast. He was faced with the most difficult decision, to keep providing for the people or provide for the family he still had. Fallon looked over at her father and shook her head, staying quiet during the ride with Faris on her lap.

Ecula was a long drive and the nerves that were frayed from the ordeal that Fallon caused needed silence to recover. There was a small nagging voice in her head that told her this was all her fault. She brushed it away to refuse the emotions that came with it, she wasn't going to succumb to them.

Her head throbbed, hating the pain that had intruded into her head. She tried relaxing, watching the land go by, "Don't fall asleep." She heard Venner tell her over her shoulder.

"Why not?" She asked.

"You may have a concussion from that blow and seeing how hard it was thrown, you most likely do." He told her. Fallon shook her head and turned her back to him. "Fine." she unwillingly agreed. What was everyone's problem? She was merely acting on her instincts. So, what if what she did was a bit...unhinged. It's not like there weren't more people like her, right? Fallon shook her head from the thoughts that infiltrated her mind.

They all screamed at her saying that she was the worst person to live, she put her family in danger because of her selfishness. It was all her fault, this was her own doing. The pressure in her chest seemed to grow, feeling it stab he heart as they continued to torment her. She hated that pressure, why did it have to be so strong?

Why couldn't it just leave her?

Leo looked in the rearview to see his troubled daughter lost in torturous thought. He reached a hand back to her, placing it on her knee to comfort her as he kept driving. Her breath hitched in despair as she felt his familiar touch. She didn't deserve to be consoled; she wasn't worth it.

She breathed out one long breath to relieve the pressure in her chest, and she sighed. The pressure was gone for now, but it would be back with a vengeance. Faris felt her sorrow and nuzzled her side comforting her and licking her face.

"Good boy." She smiled, happy that she had escaped the clutches of her thoughts. The drive lasted for what seemed like hours and to keep herself awake, she climbed into the back to keep working on Gideon. Venner leaned over the back of the seat to keep an eye on her, his animosity set aside for the moment to make sure she didn't have any more symptoms.

"You can stop observing me." She told him.

"Do you have to be so crass all of the time?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes and didn't look back at him, "What is it?" She asked.

"Nothing, just keeping an eye on my patient."

"I am not your patient."

"And you're not head strong." He chuckled, teasing her. Fallon looked back at him a little irritated.

"Aren't you supposed to be hating me for bringing this thing with us?" She asked.

"Oh, I'm still angry about that." He replied. "That isn't important right now. How is your head?"

"It hurts." she said, finally fastening Gideon's arm back together.

"Any blurred vision?"

"If I had blurred vision, do you think I would be fixing-" She turned to make eye contact with him as he interjected. "Oh, you do have a concussion. A mild one but nonetheless."

"How do you know that?"

"Your pupils are different sizes." He pointed. The look of concern on his face made her blush, she didn't realize he was that close to her either. She cleared her throat and went back to tinkering, "So, how long should I stay awake?"

"Two hours at least but if you feel anything strange or I see any symptoms, another two hours."

"Perfect." she said sarcastically. "The one thing I want to do right now is the one thing I can't do."

"You're doing a good job of keeping yourself occupied. The hours will pass by fast." He informed.

(REVISED)