DEMONS.
( chapter twenty-two. )
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Edited 12/26/2015 @2:57 PM
Edited 07/25/2016 @2:06 AM
Edited 11/30/2017 @12:41 PM
FROM ACROSS THE TABLE, Andrea watched as Fury took out a picture of Pierce. She couldn't help herself, eyes carefully studying the man they were meant to put their trust into. Someone she had never doubted before.
Maybe she should have known better than to be cautious. But, it was like Nick had said; who could they trust? It wasn't as if she suspected him of taking up allegiance with HYDRA. Andrea simply figured that, if she watched Fury closely, she might be able to discern what he was feeling— what he was thinking.
Or something along those lines.
He was frusterated, that much was easy to see. But, beyond all that, Andrea could detect traces of disappointment in his most subtlest of tells. Whether his inability to catch onto HYDRA was the cause, or because Pierce had shown where his true loyalties lie, she couldn't tell.
However, Andy knew it had to have stung. By now, hurt was a familiar concept to the Jones woman. She liked to think that she was good at identifying it.
Fury had missed all of the signs (if there even were any) and now they were bordering on being just too late to stop them. That kind of slip-up was bound to leave its mark. God knows how Andy already felt it.
But, until she was dead, she refused to lose hope— simply because it was all they had left.
Nick passively tossed the picture onto the table. "This is the same man that declined a Nobel Peace Prize," he told them, finger pointed accusingly at Pierce's face. "He said, 'Peace isn't an achievement, it's a responsibility.'"
"You see," Nick said, looking around the table. "It's that kind of shit that gives me trust issues."
Andy could only afforr a half-hearted smile, reaching out to pick up the photo. The Jones woman turned it over in her hands, staring down at the picture. Anger burned in her chest. Volatile. Painful.
And it wasn't because she knew Pierce personally enough to suffer the betrayal. It was because she knew what kind of man he was from the start. He'd shown it to her; blatantly and openly, when he'd called both her and Steve into his office.
She wanted to break something. She should've known better than to not trust her instincts. It was infuriating to think that HYDRA still had the ability to make her question herself. To make her doubt everything.
At the very least, it was a comfort to know that she still had some killer intuition. Not that it had helped them much now. Staring at Pierce in the photograph, Andy felt rage stir inside her. All this time, they'd been right in front of her and she had no idea. Not even the slightest suspicion.
And now, they'd set her up for failure all over again.
Andrea tossed the photo onto the table and fell back against her chair. "We need to stop that launch," she said. "I don't care how we do it, but we need to do something." She was desperate and they were running out of both time and options.
"Well, the Council isn't exactly answering my phone calls anymore..." Fury's smile was sardonic. The situation wasn't exactly funny, but Andy still offered him a chuckle.
If they failed to stop Project Insight, it wouldn't be just her suffering under HYDRA's thumb. It would be millions. Andy felt her expression fall as she was struck with the realization. She was entirely aware of it as her leg began fidgeting anxiously, moving up and down.
However, her thoughts quickly settled as Maria pulled out a briefcase. She set it down on the table with a soft thud. The act was enough to catch everyone's attention fairly quick. Andy immediately leaned forwards in curiosity.
The Hill woman opened the case, revealing three identical microchips. It wasn't much, but Andy figured from the silence that this was the plan they'd been waiting for. It was foolish to hope for anything easy, she knew that. But, Andrea felt the weight on her shoulders lighten with the slightest sense of hope.
Any possibility to make things right was enough for her, regardless of the risk— or the cost.
"Care to share?" Sam asked, nodding at the case. His disdain for their sense of suspense was blatant. Andy couldn't blame him.
Maria nodded, capturing the last of everyone's attention as she began, "When the heli-carriers reach three thousand feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites— and once they do, they'll become fully weaponized."
No one needed any further explanation on what that meant. Andrea let her fists clench. Three thousand feet gave them such a small time-frame from launch. Whatever this plan was, it had to be executed fast.
"We need to breach those Carriers and replace their targeting blades with our own," Maria continued, gesturing back to the suitcase.
Andrea glanced at the three identical chips. "One microchip will do that?" She had to admit, the idea of backups was comforting.
Agent Hill shook her head. "No, one chip won't cut it. We need all Carriers linked for this to work. If even one of them remains operational, a whole lot of people are going to die."
Andrea felt the immediate drop in her stomach. It wasn't that she was disappointed, but the idea that so much of this relied on everyone doing their part scared her. This mission was heavy enough as it was, but she was willing to bear it all if she had to.
"We have to assume that everyone on those heli-carriers is HYDRA," Fury cut in. "We don't have time to waste on testing loyalties. Your job is to get past them, switch those server blades and maybe—maybe— we can salvage—"
Andy immediately cut her gaze to Fury. "No," she snapped, seething at suggestion. "We're not salvaging anything."
HYDRA had manifested itself within S.H.I.E.L.D for years. There was no way to tell who was loyal to which organization anymore and Andy refused to take that chance. She refused to allow HYDRA the possibility of not only destroying her life once more, but risking the safety of everyone around her as well. It was too big a risk.
She may have owed everything to S.H.I.E.L.D. and to Fury, but that meant nothing now. There was no way to recover from this. Her home was gone— and her only loyalties lay with what was left of her family.
From behind her chair, Steve stepped closer. "We're not just taking down the Carriers. We're taking down S.H.I.E.L.D. too," he agreed.
"S.H.I.E.L.D had nothing to do with this," Fury argued.
Andy scoffed outright. "No, it has everything to do with this," she insisted. "Operation Paperclip? Recruiting Zola? That was S.H.I.E.L.D's fault. There's no way around it. You said it yourself, we have no time to test loyalties."
Andrea paused to shake her head. "You gave us this mission and this is how it ends. S.H.I.E.L.D has been compromised, you said so yourself. HYDRA grew right under your nose and you never even noticed."
When he didn't reply, the Jones woman continued. "Who's to say that, even if you could salvage what was left, that HYDRA wouldn't just infest itself back into the system? Unless you can guarantee that within the next five minutes, I won't take that chance."
Fury held her gaze. "Why do you think we're meeting in this cave, Jones. I noticed." His one good eye swept over the determination set into her face, glaring.
Anger swept over her. "And how many paid the price before you did?" She sneered, hardly realizing what she was saying.
Nick's expression softened. "Look, I had no idea about Barnes—"
Steve didn't let him finish. "And if you had, would you have told us? Or would you have compartmentalized that, too?"
Andrea felt her heart writhe. She didn't need Fury to say anything. She already knew the answer. They couldn't save everything— or everyone. If she had to lose to win this fight, then so did he.
"S.H.I.E.L.D, HYDRA. It all goes,"
Andrea finished, unwavering as Fury looked between both her and Steve.
"They're right," Hill agreed, her voice cutting through the tense silence. Fury looked over to her, then to Natasha, before finally landing on Sam.
Sam lifted his hands, "I do what they do, just slower."
Fury fell back against his chair in defeat. "Well, it looks like you two are calling the shots now."
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The meeting ended shortly after, with everyone being given their designated roles. It was just a matter of preparing now. Whether it was for the fight, or the losses, Andy couldn't tell anymore. There was no in-between.
It all just felt like loss to her.
In the aftermath, it didn't take long for her to find Steve. Seeking him out hadn't even been a conscious effort, she just knew where to go. What she needed to prepare couldn't be found in strapping weapons to her body.
What she needed stood on a bridge, looking over the trees and the world below. The air outside was cool, almost relieving to Andy's tense shoulders as she approached. Still, despite the scenery, it was hard to relax into the comfort of a bright, beautiful afternoon.
And this wasn't going to be easy. It never was. Finding the words was hard, but mustering up the strength to say them was harder.
Steve knew she was there, but said nothing as she settled against the railing beside him. It wasn't until she finally looked at him that he met her gaze, unflinching. As he always had.
She couldn't hold the contact as she let her eyes drift to the trees below. "I wish there was something more I could've done," she admitted softly. "I should've known. I should've saved him."
It was difficult... to look at him and admit to the guilt weighing on her chest. But, she needed him to know that it was the truth. Andy couldn't leave him any room to doubt where her loyalties lay.
She had to tell him everything— right here, right now.
She closed her eyes, forcing herself to sift through those memories she could barely stomach. "I was there, suffering with him," she whispered. "And I'll blame myself every day, for the rest of my life, for letting HYDRA get away with what they did to us."
The memories were sharp, painful proddings against her temple. Constant reminders that, even if she had gotten him out, he would've never left it behind. She knew now, how the weight carves itself into you. A gaping wound, left festering.
And really, the most painful truth wasn't just that she couldn't save him— it was that she would've never been able to get him out. HYDRA would have never given her the chance. There was a reason they were separated, save for the few missions HYDRA was willing to risk.
A part of her soul— her heart— would always know him.
The tears escaped on their own before she could stop them. "I was so goddamn helpless that I barely got out of there myself," she sobbed.
Steve reached for her, but Andy shifted out of his touch. She didn't need his comfort. What she needed was to tell him the truth. Pain flashed across his features, but consoling each other could come later. With what they were about to face, she needed to lay every doubt to rest, to tell him everything.
It was almost hilarious, in a sense. For someone meant to be one of HYDRA's most dangerous weapons, she was so unstable. Unhinged. Incapable.
"I don't remember everything," she clarified, still not looking at him. "It's all in bits and pieces. But, I saw him. I saw him there, with HYDRA. We were trained at different bases, but they would send us on missions together and we never knew who the other was." Andy could feel that gaping wound of memories bleeding fresh.
She exhaled a shaky breath and looked up as if to keep that despair from escaping. It was so calm up there, as the sun began its descent ever so slowly. It felt peaceful, like calm before storm— and looking at it made it so easy to forget herself and everything that had happened.
But, she couldn't protect Steve from what she was feeling, and as they looked at each other, she knew he felt her burden.
"You can't blame yourself for what HYDRA forced you to do. You're as much of a victim as anyone else who's suffered because of them."
The words were meant to be reassuring, but all Andy could feel was wrongness. Victim. It felt wrong to call herself that; to be both perpetrator and casualty.
But, as Steve reached for her, Andy let herself believe it as he pulled her into a hug. Just for a moment she would lie to make herself feel— not right— but better.
Andy eased into the embrace, burrowing into the comforting gesture as she wrapped her arms around him. She couldn't bring herself to speak, to tell him, 'You're right.' Because he wasn't, not really.
When the sound of footsteps approaching was heard, the two pulled away. Andy swiped quickly beneath her eyes, ridding any evidence of stray tears before turning to face Sam. His expression was cautious as he looked at her, offering a gentle smile accompanied by a nod.
"I don't mean to interrupt, but we should talk about what happened," Sam told them, giving the pair a pointed look. They needed no further explanation about what, or who, he meant.
At the words, Andy couldn't help but tense. She wanted to say she was ready, that she could face the truth. But, she couldn't— at least, not yet. But, time was running out and she knew better than to demand room for her emotional turmoil. She had to be prepared to face whatever obstacles stood in their way.
Even if one of those obstacles came in the form of the man she'd promised to spend the rest of her life with.
"He's going to be there. You know that," Sam continued after a long moment of silence.
Andy could only nod. Her chest ached with a pain that wasn't entirely physical. HYDRA knew what kind of advantage they had with the Winter Soldier. Not just in his ability as a weapon, but in the sheer emotional impact he had with both Steve and Andrea. They would be stupid not to exploit it— and use that tie to slow them down.
"Look, whoever he was before," Sam paused, seeming unsure of how to continue without saying the wrong thing. But, there were no gentle words that could make Bucky's presence any easier to talk about.
So, Andy tried not to be too offended by what next came out of Sam's mouth.
"The person he is now, I don't thinks he's the kind you save," the Wilson man explained. "He's the kind you stop."
Andy pressed a hand to the creases of her forehead. She could feel both Steve and Sam's careful gazes on her. It was an effort to remind herself that Sam had a point. But, what if he was still in there? What if he had only buried himself beneath the torment, just like she had?
It was a false hope. Andrea knew better than to believe he could survive like she had. To think that their suffering was the same. For all they knew, there was no Bucky Barnes left in that body. Only cold and biting metal.
Just a weapon.
An ache nestled itself in her chest with the thought. It should have been her. She'd been given a chance to rebuild her life. Why couldn't that same chance be offered to him? Why couldn't it have been him instead of her?
Andy didn't look at Sam as she spoke, "I don't know that I can do that."
To separate that face and those eyes from everything she knew... it wasn't possible. It couldn't be. Those hands were home. They always would be.
"He may not give you a choice," Sam said gently. That he knew better than to push the matter was a testament to how much he understood what this meant to her, even in spite of the short time they'd known each other.
"We have to be prepared to make the hard choices," Sam finished, "Even the ones that take a piece of us with it."
And they all knew who would make that choice— the only person capable of making it and seeing it through.
Andrea stepped back from the bridge's edge. She looked over to Sam, some half-hearted reply on her lips, but paused as she caught sight of Agent Hill. The agent only offered a solemn nod and something guttered out inside Andy's heart. She knew what it meant.
"Gear up," she told them, "It's time."
Andy didn't linger as she brushed past them. She refused to give Sam the chance to ask her again, or allow Steve the opportunity to offer himself up in her stead. That fight was hers and hers alone. They all knew it.
The pair were quick to follow after her, mercifully quiet, until Sam spoke once more. "You guys are wearing that?" He asked, nodding to the pair's casual outfits.
Andy looked at the loose-fitting t-shirt and jeans with disdain. It wasn't exactly fit for the fight ahead, especially in comparison to the military suit Sam would be donning. Not that they had many options now that their suits were under S.H.I.E.L.D's lock and key.
But, they weren't entirely helpless.
"No, I've got something much better for our compatriot," Andy replied, a grin settling on her lips as Steve eyed her carefully. "Can't let our symbol of peace go without his stars and spangles, can we?"
Sam smirked, "Definitely not."
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"And? Does it fit just like old times?"
Andrea was relishing in the taunts, grinning as Steve gave her a pointed look. After the group had stolen back his old suit from the Smithsonian, they wasted no further stops along their way to the Triskelion. While Steve had begrudgingly agreed with the old uniform, Andy herself had been afforded a durable cat-suit.
It was some spare of Maria's, with little-to-no insignia, save for the S.H.I.E.L.D. patch Andy had promptly ripped off. She'd securely strapped her throwing knives to their usual sheaths along her thigh, while the belt along her waist had been freed up for two pistols and ammunition. Aside from that, there wasn't much room for any extra weight.
However, her personal favourites were strapped tightly to her back; a bow and arrows Andy had fashioned by none other than Clint Barton himself.
The group had made it into the building with little resistance to speak of. Some guards scattered here and there, who had no time to react before Andrea was upon them. She refused to waste any energy in teleporting. She was skilled enough to move unseen by the agents stationed between them and the communications room.
As they neared and moved further down the hallways of S.H.I.E.L.D, Andrea turned on the device she'd been given. They paused just outside the door, allowing the device enough time to generate static inside all personnel earpieces. It would delay any warnings made before they could get control of the room and its operators.
When commotion was heard in response to the haywire comms, Andrea kicked open the door, quickly aiming her gun at the agents inside. Her friends were quick to follow, with Andy leading the way as she made her way up the steps. Every operator and agent immediately rose, hands raised well above their heads.
"Well, at least I didn't have to ask," she mused, unable to help her smirk. She brought the hilt of her handgun down at the base of a guard's neck, just as he inched closer to the panic button hidden beneath a desk.
The guard collapsed quickly, making room for Maria to set up the intercom. "Stand back from your stations and, please, if you don't want to get hurt, then get out," Andy ordered, the words being quickly followed by the sound of hurried footsteps.
Once Hill was done, she motioned for Steve to take over the intercom. The blond hesitated, looking to Andy in uncertainty. There was no guarantee whatever they said would be enough to sway the remaining agents unaware of HYDRA's infiltration. But, it was him they needed to hear it from. It was only through Steve that the good and right people might be able to find the strength to fight back against what they would soon discover was a massacre waiting to take place.
So, Andy reached for his hand and held it firmly. She didn't need to offer him any words, only the surety that she would be there for him, regardless of whether or not they were fighting alone. Andy had faith. People would listen, with or without HYDRA feeding them lies.
When she gave a firm nod, Steve squared his shoulders and faced the mic. "Attention all S.H.I.E.L.D. agents," he began, his words clear and without constraint.
Andrea couldn't help her smile, listening to the strength in his voice. She liked to think that it showed they weren't afraid to fight this battle with HYDRA, that they were prepared to do anything to protect this world from the wretched organization— and they were. No matter what it took.
"This is Steve Rogers speaking. I'm sure you've heard a lot about me and my friends this past week. Some of you were even ordered to hunt us down. But, I think it's time you all knew the truth." Steve paused, letting the words sink in, alongside the realization of who exactly was addressing them.
Andy had to hand it to him, he knew how to capture an audience.
"S.H.I.E.L.D is no longer what we thought it was. It's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. As far as we know the S.T.R.I.K.E and Insight team are HYDRA as well." Steve's brutal accusations left no room for argument, no opportunity for his intent to be misconstrued.
Andrea bit her lip, gaze shifting to watch the security moniters. People all over had paused, frozen in wait for Steve's next words. He'd caught them completely off-guard.
"I don't know how many others there are," Steve admitted, "For all we know you could be standing next to a HYDRA agent right now. But, they have what they want; complete control."
"They shot Nick Fury and it won't end there, because if we launch those Insight heli-carriers, then HYDRA will be able to destroy anyone that gets in their way." The words were bitter and heavy in the air.
Andrea felt a shiver crawl across her skin; a mixture of awe and fear.
"But, not if we stop them. I know what I'm asking is a lot, but the price of freedom is high and it's a price I'm willing to pay. If I'm the only one, then so be it." Steve met Andrea's eyes once more.
"But, I'm willing to bet I'm not," he finished, letting the intercom fall silent.
Andrea's grin was immediate. "Way to rally the troops," she said, landing a solid smack against his shoulder.
But, in spite of her teasing, Andy was proud of him. For all that had remained the same. He would always fight for the sake of those who couldn't fight for themselves— would always take that risk, whether it was as a frail Brooklyn boy in that back-alley, or as Captain America. It didn't matter. He was who he was.
"You know," Sam mused, that same teasing tone to his voice, "If the whole superhero thing doesn't work out, I think you've got a real shot at the motivational-speaking business."
Andy scoffed, "Believe me, he's tried. Unfortunately, the man's a one-shot wonder."
Steve leveled them both with a blank stare, despite the smile inching across his lips. Andy chuckled, Sam joining in on the laughter as the group made their exit. They kept their movement quick as they hurried down the hall, leaving Hill behind to take care of communications.
With Andrea serving as guide, it took only minutes to arrive at the heli-carrier bay. It still wasn't enough. Whether HYDRA had known to launch earlier, or had taken their speech as a signal, she didn't know. But, the carriers were off-ground now, rising higher with every second that passed.
Andy cursed. If the launch had already begun, then they didn't have much time to get this done. Her only consolation was that she'd saved up whatever reserves of her energy she had left for teleporting. It was the only way she was getting on that carrier.
"Hey, Cap, how do we tell the good guys from the bad guys?" Sam asked, the question a well-needed interruption from Andrea's distress.
The group kept pace as they ran across the bay. There was a drop just ahead and, judging by their lack of slowing, Andy assumed that she was going to have to use the momentum to teleport the rest of the distance. Simple enough, if it weren't for the fact that she was teleporting into unknown territory.
This was going to require every ounce of focus she had. But, if Andy wanted to complete this mission and have the world come out unscathed, she was going to have to take that risk. Regardless of what it meant for her, or what it required.
Steve sighed. "Well, if they're shooting at you, they're bad," he said, hardly breaking a sweat. "So, don't get shot."
Andy rolled her eyes. "Pure genius we have, huh?"
"I expect nothing less," Sam smirked, shooting Steve a wink as he activated his jetpack. The mechanical wings unfolded quickly and Andy couldn't help her laugh as he launched into the sky.
With Sam headed for his carrier, Andy and Steve pushed forward before leaping off the platform. The plummet sent the energy inside of her roaring to life and Andrea clutched at Steve's hand, teleporting them safely to the ground.
They'd barely managed to get their bearings before the pair were immediately met with gunfire. Steve easily shielded against the bullets, while Andy teleported to eliminate the threat. After knocking out a sniper's kneecap, she grabbed his gun and took the liberty of using it against both him and his fellow agents.
"You know, this isn't exactly the right time for a disappearing act!" Steve's voice filtered through the comm unit nestled in her right ear, but he didn't sound too distressed.
Still, Andy winced. "Relax, Cap. I have your back," she told him as she settled into position. Her fingers moved easily against the trigger of the sniper-rifle. Without flinching, she shot down each and every HYDRA agent she could find.
Andy tried not to think too much about the damage caused— she didn't outright kill them, but doubted she would feel remorse either way. These men had made their choice. They had put their lives above those of the innocent and, for that sin alone, their own lives were now forfeit.
Andrea wasn't going to lose sleep knowing HYDRA blood had been spilt today.
When she was done, the Jones woman rose from her post and teleported back to Steve. Now that they were rid of the most immediate threat, Andrea fell into step beside him and tried not to focus on the exhaustion creeping over her. She had limits, she knew that, but pushing them was a risk she was going to have to take.
Before Andy could dwell more on her dwindling energy, Steve's hand reached out to grab her arm. He pulled her to the side, forcing the two to quickly dive over supplies and cargo to take cover. Andy listened closely as the agent they hid from drew nearer. When they were finally close enough, she acted.
Andrea reached out, grabbing the man by the shoulders before bringing his chest down onto her knee. Their grip on the gun loosened as they clutched for their cracked ribs. While he choked for air, Andy took the time to maneuver her elbow onto the back of his head to knock him out.
The agent collapsed, but not before Andrea swiftly reached out to steal one of his grenades. As he landed with a thud, Andy tossed the stolen item before another approaching group. The explosion that followed marked Steve and Andy's escape signal and the pair quickly abandoned their cover.
The duo broke into a sprint, heading towards the heli-carries once more. She hoped the explosion would prove to be a good enough distraction, leading agents on the ground away from the open spaces and towards the cargo area. Searching every corner and crevice would keep them busy for a while.
It seemed to work too, as she and Steve were saved the effort of dodging bullets on their way. Momentarily, Andrea stole a glance above, watching as Sam tried to get onto the first heli-carrier. It proved to be a futile effort when the Wilson man was forced to flee, followed closely by a quin-jet opening fire.
"I think I found those bad guys we were talking about," Sam joked, drawing out a breathy laugh from Andy as she picked up her pace. At the very least, he was out-maneuvering the quin-jets range.
Andrea continued to pick off the HYDRA agents that came across their path, while Steve blocked the stray bullets long enough for Andy to eliminate the shooters. It was hardly light work, but the lack of organization in their defences were a clear sign that some form of delay was occurring within their ranks. It had to be a result of Steve's reveal.
"Alright guys, I'm in," Sam reported, but the words were quickly followed by a curse. Andy looked up once more to watch as another quin-jet joined in the chase.
Sam was forced to abandon the carrier, dodging the bullets that were headed towards him.
Andrea glanced at Steve, whose only response was to nod in agreement. Regardless of his obvious concern, they both knew she was more useful guarding both their backs. Andy didn't give him much time to reconsider his decision as she teleported either.
"Don't worry, Sammy," Andrea grinned as she arrived within the quin-jets cockpit. "I've got your back, too." Before the pilot could even realize what had happened, Andy destroyed the steering controls and left the scrambling pilot to deal with the awaiting drop.
Once she was back by Steve's side, Sam's reply came, "Back on board. Thanks, Andy."
As the Jones woman fell back into step with Steve, she heard Sam report back his quick success in replacing the targeting blade. But, there was no time for celebration. Ahead of the pair, she could see agent's readying their guns in the distance.
"Eight minutes," Hill warned.
Andy felt her jaw tighten as she teleported ahead of Steve. She did the best she could in warding off the threat, even going so far as to use her abilities when she knew she shouldn't. But, the groups kept on coming and she had her own mission to complete. Steve knew it, too.
"Just go!" He called out to her, "I'll be right behind you." Andy still hesitated, even in spite of the fact that she knew Steve could protect himself.
He paused then, coming to her side as she met his gaze. "I'll be okay," he reassured her. "We're not in Brooklyn anymore. You don't need to protect me now." He reached out to take her arm, holding it comfortingly.
Andrea knew he was right; knew that Brooklyn was a lifetime ago. Still, it was an effort to smile as she said, "Just don't do anything stupid until I get back."
Steve grinned and it was a smile that reached his eyes. "How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you." Andrea laughed, allowing him to gently shove her along.
"Go on," he told her, giving the Jones woman one last smile before she disappeared from sight.
Andrea hoped that he was right— and that they really had changed for the better, because she knew in her heart that she would be lost without him. He was the last tie to a life that had faded out of reach. The last of her family. Her home.
And she would risk losing this second chance at life, if only to make sure he got to live his.
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