Brielle was covered in gunpowder, dirt and blood. His blood. Tears stained her flushed skin, her chocolate iris surrounded by red. She looked so tired and relieved at the same time. All he wanted to to was kiss her and tell her everything was alright. But was it really? When she wrapped her hands around his neck and rained kisses on him, he couldn't think.

Brielle. I love you. So so much.

He wanted to hold her tightly, tell her he loved her and kiss her endlessly. But he couldn't speak. Every cell in his body seemed to be screaming with agony. It took all his strength to remain conscious, if only to simply delve into the depths of her eyes. It wouldn't do to faint in her arms.

"Jack?" she whispered as she gently put her hands on his face, afraid that even the slightest touch would cause him pain. It still hurt though. He did his best to conceal the flinch and contortion on his face. Jack managed to crack a sincere smile as he looked into her pleading eyes.

"I'm here, Brielle." he said in a weak voice. "I'm okay."

"We need to take you to the hospital," she spluttered as more blood gushed out of the wounds on his leg and back. She tore off a bit of her shirt and wrapped it around the wound on his thigh. The bleeding reduced considerably and she sighed with relief. Her own clothes were barely clinging to her body as it was.

"Thanks." he spoke with difficulty, his chest hurt too much, making it painful to breathe. "Brielle, if something happens to me, if I don't make it, I just want you to know that I ---"

"You will be fine." said Brielle pressing a finger to his lips. "We'll all be okay,"

"Check my pocket, Brielle." he said hoarsely. His voice cracked as he said her name and Brielle felt that was the saddest sound in the world. Just as she put her hand in his pocket, a male voice cut through.

"JACK!" called Axky as he came running towards them. "What the hell happened?"

"He's badly hurt." said Brielle. "He needs to get to a hospital quick."

'I'll carry him on my back." said Axky crouching down. "Hurry."

Brielle nodded as she helped Jack climb onto Axky's back. Jack's body was growing limp with fatigue and blood loss so Axky held tightly on to his legs. Jack's head lobbed to the side as he strained himself to stay awake. As he locked eyes with Brielle once more, he couldn't stop his eyelids from closing one last time.

"Its alright, he's still breathing." reassured Axky as Brielle stared in horror. She noticed the gentle rise and fall of his chest and let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

Crunch. The sound of heavy feet over dry leaves in a distance distracted them.

"Axky, I think they're here." hissed Brielle. "If the Kormins find us we are done for. You can drive like a maniac right?"

"Tch. I don't know how to drive. Come on." Axky said as he stood up carrying Jack. Brielle almost fell over with shock. "WHAT?"

"I can't drive." said Axky like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I usually have a chauffeur for the job. Not one here though."

"You don't know how to drive? I don't know how to drive either. Jack's too hurt to do it." she said harshly as they ran. "How the hell are we going to escape?"

"Calm down woman." said Axky pleasantly. "Everything is under control. No need to get all huffy."

"In the name of all things great how the hell are we supposed to escape in a car if no one can effing drive?"

"Hey Waterworks?" said Axky seriously looking her in the eye. "Stop worrying."

Brielle didn't know why she shut up. They rushed to the waiting car, where Paula had already taken the driver's seat, the engine already running. Brielle was too shocked to move as Paula was the last person she would have thought to be a competent driver.

"I drive fast." said Paula simply when she saw the look of undisguised surprise . Axky shoved Brielle and Jack into the backseat as he joined Paula in the front.

"Hey Paula?" asked Axky winking at her. "Step on it."

"O-of course." she said blushing slightly as she pressed the accelerator hard. Brielle felt the wind leave her lungs as the old broken car roared to life and skidded out into the dirt road.

Brielle rested Jack's head on her lap as he lay on the backseat. Stroking the soft hair on his forehead she glanced through the back window. She could see the bloodied Kormin brothers and Zachary rush up to where they had been moments before. They all looked severely injured. Brielle couldn't help but give a wry smile. Axky had been right, Jack really was a tough one to take out. He wasn't going to let them go without a fight.

Clink. Clink. Clink.Clink.

And they all missed. That was not rain.

"Damn it, the assholes are firing at us." cursed Axky. Paula hit the gas as far as it would go. The broken down, old Ford engine roared as they hurtled down the deserted road at top speed. The wheels spewed sand and dust all around, creating a haze in which they seemed to have disappeared.

All three people in the car let out a huge sigh of relief when they were a good few miles away. They weren't being followed anymore. They were finally safe.

"Jack needs a hospital." said Brielle as she kissed his cold forehead. "His pulse is getting sluggish."

"On it." said Axky. "We can't go to the nearest hospital, it would be predictable and we could be traced before we can escape again. We need to travel to the next town."

"But that could take hours!" cried Brielle. She didn't know what she would do if it became too late to save Jack.

"We can't risk it." said Axky solemnly. "If its the local hospital, most likely he will be killed shortly after his surgery. He will be vulnerable then, and we don't stand a chance against the sniping trained Kormins."

"So how far?" asked Brielle nervously as she stroked Jack's face gingerly.

"Five hours." said Axky as Brielle's heart sank. "Three if Paula keeps up this speed." he added turning back to wink at her.

How he was so jolly at a time like this was beyond her. Brielle shook her head to clear it as she laid her forehead against Jack's on her lap.

"Please be alright Jack. Please hold on, stay with me, okay?" she whispered to his ear. His warm breath against her skin kept reminding her he was still with her as she chanted.

"I love you Jack. I love you so much." she murmered as her voice finally cracked and tears welled up in her eyes. "Please don't go where you can no longer hear me. I love you. I'm sorry Jack. So very sorry."

Her teardrops fell and a couple landed on Jack's peaceful face. She wiped them off herself as she held him close to her heart. She willed herself to be strong.

"Paula?" asked Axky after a few minutes. Brielle seemed to be in her own world in the backseat, and he was getting bored already. "Where'd you learn to drive?"

"I was---am very afraid of my fiance." she said as she settled to a more comfortable position on her seat. They were no longer in immediate danger, so she could relax a bit. "He needed an extra driver for some of his illegal businesses and ordered me to learn. I was taught by a mafia member."

Axky's eyebrows shot to the top of his head. "I noticed you were shit scared on the bike. How come then?"

"I refused to drive for illegal purposes, and I was punished for that. I was limited to cooking, cleaning and other household activities. It's been a good ten years since I was on a speeding vehicle. I was afraid, yes, but also thrilled."

Axky was looking at her in a curious sort of way. His eyes were full of awe and mischief at the same time. His childish face stared into her more hardened features, as though studying her completely. He seemed to be peering into her soul, trying to understand her. His eyes had memorized every detail of her plain face by the time he spoke again.

"You're still not going to marry that sleazeball are you?" asked Axky as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I have nowhere else to go." she said sadly without much of a pause. "My life here is all I've known. He threatens me and I do as he says. That is how it has always been. But, after Jack brought me here, I've tasted freedom after such a long time. I don't really want to go back, but where else is there? He'll punish me for betraying him, but eventually he'll take me back."

Axky looked at her thoughtfully and then at the road ahead. He always had an answer.

"Come home with me." said Axky suddenly.

"What?" she asked flabbergasted.

"Come home with me." he said turning to face her.

"H-home? With you?" she stuttered without releasing her hold on the accelerator.

"Yes." said Axky firmly. "There's no way you are returning to that hell hole."

"B-but I..." Paula protested. "How can I?"

"Marry me." he said simply.

Paula almost crashed into a traffic pole in surprise.

. (sending out virtual hugs and kisses)