The Help (Hero and Mai)

[Lotus]

Jess had been slightly entranced by the soft melody he hummed, so when he stopped suddenly she soon perked up and was on high alert. It was like the Games never really left her; well they didn't which is why she still had gruesome nightmares and images every time she closed her eyes to the real world.

She watched Clark with confusion as her brows furrowed together as she saw him walk down the stairs. Did he need a drink or something? It wasn't like he had actually acknowledged her or anything, and even if he had, he'd just walked away from her. Did he suddenly realise she was sitting behind him and decided he needed to be away from her? She sighed and hung her head low as she realised he really didn't want to be around her. But the slight depression she was falling into was short lived as her ears pricked at the slightest sound downstairs. Her house was usually dead quiet during the night, and the majority of the day; so what was making the noise? It had sounded like a person, but why would Clark be talking to himself?

She slowly stood up, feeling alone with Atlas at her feet, but she brushed that feeling aside. She slowly crept down the stairs, the feeling of the Games quickly overcoming every one of her senses. She reached the bottom and slowly made her way to the closet room; the living room. She didn't dare turn the light on though, she'd learnt that the hard way. She crept inside and stood next to the wall, hoping she'd gone unnoticed. Her eyes zoned in on the figure on the couch and then the figure standing behind them, but they weren't looking down at the figure on the couch, who she now realised was Clark, they were looking directly at her.

She took a step forward, realising she'd been seen and her eyes shot to the object in his hand as the moonlight glinted off of it. A gun. She slowly swallowed over the lump in her throat just as the figure spoke, or more like growled, "Don't you dare come closer or you'll be dead too." Well, this just got seriously scary, but her eyes started to focus properly and she recognised the man. She gasped and took a shaky step back.

"It's you..." She half whispered in shock. The man she'd seen beat a little boy in the street, but she was too young to do anything. That little boy had been Clark which is exactly why she'd recognised his drawing of him. After the day of his beating, she'd always tried to look out for him, but whenever she drew close to him to try and talk to him and make friends his dad would scare her away. She shuddered at the memory, just as she realised she'd taken another step closer and she was looking at a crazed old man pointing a gun at her head.

[Hero]

Clark Underton --- D10

Clark threw Jess a look of understanding. He knew when she connected the thought that he would be able to place where they had seen each other. She was meant to recognize the drawing anyways. The darker spots he shaded in represented bruises from that day. Then again, he had bruises all the time. Whether it be from fighting or another beating from his dad, the dark bruises were always there. The ones from that day were a constant reminder of what his father would say about him. Worthless. Stupid. Pest. It didn't matter the day. A name about Clark had always come from the man holding a gun to his head right now.

When the large man had threatened Jess, Clark tensed in his arms. He wanted to swing at the man. He wanted to do everything to his father that he had done to ruin Clark's childhood. It wasn't fair. It never will be. And there is no way the crazed man with a gun could ever justify that. "Jess, you need to get out of here. Now. Please."He knew he could be heard. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. He felt the large hand on his shoulder holding him back. Considering there wasn't exactly fabric of a shirt to hang on to.

He laughed. His father just, laughed. This wasn't a game to anyone else but the man Clark had to call dad for 18 years was laughing. It must have been a Game to him. He probably thought that he could make it out alive. He couldn't. Clark couldn't get away with killing the man in cold blood. But he wanted to. Every waking moment back in that house was of how Clark just planned to kill his dad. Snap his neck. Stab him in his sleep maybe. Then Clark would just run. To a different District. Maybe to the fields after getting through the electric fence. That could work too.

But all Clark could think about now, was Jess. He made a promise to himself to never let her get hurt. Her brother helped as much as he could. Her father never liked her either. He felt the need to keep her safe from everything. The Games and a how-to-survive instinct would always be planted inside her. He just needed to protect her. She didn't need to be the whole thought-girl persona anymore. He thought he could handle that on little thing. Nope. He was way wrong.

[Lotus]

Jess shook her head stiffly, her mind racing as to how she could get out of this situation and reverse it. She needed his father to feel the danger rather than herself and Clark. She knew how to do it with normal weapons, but she'd never been trained with a gun or how to handle a situation involving a gun. Even her father had never gone this far. Slowly, her eyes flickered down to Clark's in the darkness and she shot him a sad smile; his father wasn't going to get away with it again.

She took a shaky step forward, keeping her hands at her side as she looked right back at his father. "I'm not going anywhere." Her tone stayed level and she could hear the deadly ring to it she'd managed to use in the Games. "I'm not letting this happen again while I stand by and watch. I know what kind of man you are and I know what you've put Clark through. You think I'm scared of a gun, well you thought wrong mister. I will never be scared of my life being put in danger again. I will never not know how to defend myself, and if it means killing a man I will do it. Do you understand me?" She took another step forward, a little more confident now, but this time the gun was just that little closer.

She took a deep breath in and that was the sign his father needed. She was scared, but not for her life. For the life of the man sitting on the couch. She needed him in her life whether he wanted her or not and she wasn't going to let his crazed father do this. Not on her watch or in her home.

The gun in his father's hand steadied again as he recovered from her onslaught of words and her gaze flickered back to Clark as she smiled softly. "You will never touch him again, do you hear me?" She drew her gaze back up to him and stared to see if her point meant anything to him, but of course it didn't. Instead, the hand on Clark's shoulder slipped and he walked around the side of the couch. Jess turned so she was facing him and shook her head softly. "Just stop this."

[Hero]

Clark Underton --- D10

Clark had his head titled back a bit. He looked down, for the corner of his eyes. He saw his father's hand relaxed on the trigger. He knew it wouldn't last. When Jess started talking, it was like she was negotiating. Maybe it was working. Clark prayed that it was. But once his father found one little hole in her reasoning, then he would snap. "Jess, you couldn't do anything when we were little. I know you want to help but you can't. This is my fight. Don't try and be the hero."

He hate having to tell that to her. There was some truth to it. Clark's father, whose name was Eric, was his problem. Clark had dealt with him all his life. Jess couldn't change what happened to him, even now. "Don't you patronize me!" My father raised the gun closer to my head. His finger quivered on the trigger. The metal of the gun felt cold against Clark's head. He closed his eyes and relaxed a bit, fear setting in a bit. He didn't want to cry, not in front of Jess anyways. Regardless of what he wanted, his lip quivered a bit. He struggled to keep his breathing steady. He didn't want to think about the possibility of dying. Getting shot even sounded painful.

"Please Jess," he whispered to himself. Please just go. Don't try and get yourself killed here. I need you, he thought to himself. Please.

[Lotus]

Once again, Clark's words hurt her but she shook them off as best she could. She wasn't trying to be a hero, she never had tried to be. She just wanted to protect him this time when last time she was too weak to do so. But she knew she had the upper hand, even if his father had a gun. She'd had training for the Games and he didn't have a clue what she'd specialised in whilst in the Capital.

With her eyes trained on the gun, she spoke softly to Clark. "I'm not going anywhere. This is my house and you're father has no right to do this to you. None at all." Her eyes flickered back to the man in question and her gaze narrowed as she took another step closer. She willed back the deadly tone in her voice as she spoke, "What right do you have? What right do you have to hold a gun to your son's head? I may not have been able to stop you when we were younger, but I sure as hell can stop you now; with or without that gun in your hands. So, why don't you just drop it and step away from Clark."

Her eyes zoned in on the gun again and she saw his finger stiffen. He was going to pull the trigger. Her eyes flickered to Clark with fear for his life shining bright in them and she saw his body stiffen. She took another step forward, but soon enough Jess turned into the threat rather than Clark.

"Stay away from me girl." He growled, but she wasn't going to back down.

"I think you should just calm down..." She trailed off as he shifted his stance and she knew she needed to do something right at that moment and she racked her brain trying to think of how to overcome a man with a gun.

[Hero]

Clark Underton --- D10

His eyes stayed trained on Jess. He wasn't about to get another person killed. Not today. Not ever again. "Jess. He's my father. He's allowed to do whatever he wants. This may be your house but my dad is allowed to do whatever he feels." He felt Eric loosen his grip against him. Progress. But then his father decided to answer Jess, and honestly. "I have every right to do this. He is my son. I can do whatever I want with him. That's how it's always been. And you move any closer, I'll put a bullet in both of your brains!"

His father's grip tightened back on the grip of the gun. His trigger finger was shaky but Eric knew how to use a gun. "Don't talk to me! Just shut up and let me think!" He kept his grip tight on Clark. Clark wanted to do something, but with a gun in his hand, Eric was unstoppable. Clark knew that he would put a bullet to someone he thought deserved. And obviously, Eric thought his own son deserved a bullet, In a way, Clark thought he could use one. It would end everyone's suffering.

"Jess, just let him kill me. I deserve it. I never amounted to anything. What would one less person on the planet do? It won't matter. Please. Just let him shoot me. It would be better for all of us." He leaned into his father, giving in. He knew there was no real way out of this. All he could do was hope for the best.

[Lotus]

Jess shook her head quickly and turned her attention to Clark. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare give up. He may be your father and you may be his son, but no man, no matter their relation has the authority to do this. Don't you dare give into him." She took another step forward, this time towards Clark and she looked down at him properly from where she stood. "I'm not letting him kill you. How can you say it won't matter? You may not need me, but I need you; however selfish that sounds. You're not leaving me this way. Do you understand me? I'm the one that's killed people to get where I am today. I'm the one that hasn't had a life. So don't you dare say any of that again."

She shook her head and closed the distance between the two of them. She lowered herself to Clark's height, gripping his shoulders as she pulled him towards her. She placed her lips softly on his and kissed him briefly; very aware of the crazed man in the room. She pulled back and whispered, "You're not going anywhere..." But then she heard the click of the trigger and she shot up.

She took a shaky step back as she watched his father shift his aim to her. "How dare you try and get in the way like that."

[Hero]

Clark Underton --- D10

"Jess, I shouldn't have even come here. You wouldn't be having a gun held to you if it wasn't for me. How can I give up? I already have. There's no use in fighting it anymore. I'm no use to anyone. I know what my father is. Sooner or later, I'll become that. That element of crazy has been subjecting into me for 20 years. It'll still be there." H stepped closer to her, closing the distance between them. He took his hands and placed them on either cheek of hers. He then lowered his voice to a whisper. "That doesn't sound selfish at all. And if I don't leave this way, then how will I leave? This is about as good a way as any. A bullet is quick. I'll be gone before you know it."

He heard the trigger and stood up, placing himself between the gun and Jess. "Dad, please. She isn't a part of this. She never was. If you're going to kill me, don't make her be here to see it. Please."

He reached behind him and put a hand behind Jess, so it was a bit of a reach for him. It put Jess closer to him, so now he could feel her breath on his bare back. His sign that she was alive. "Please dad. Let's get her out of here so she doesn't have to see this."

[Lotus]

Jess kept shaking her head as she stood behind Clark. She couldn't let this happen, yet she couldn't find her voice. She opened her mouth multiple times, yet nothing but a squeak came out. She felt Clark bring her closer to him and she rested her head in the middle of his shoulder blades as she took a deep breath in. His scent was comforting to her, and his bare skin wasn't a problem any more. It was just something that made her more adamant that this wasn't going to happen.

She pulled away slightly, shaking her head again. "No..." It was merely a whisper so she spoke up. "No. And I mean no. I'm not going anywhere while I willing let this happen. You can't make me leave and I'm not letting this happen. This isn't allowed to happen. Please Clark." She wriggled from his grip and stood to face him, turning slightly so she could still see his father in her periphery. "Please don't do this. It's not right. What if I don't want you to leave? What about that? What about the person you're leaving behind to go along with this?" She looked into his eyes, pleadingly. "Please Clark..." She whispered softly.

"Out of my way girl. This is happening whether you like it or not."

Jess spun round, sidestepping the outstretched hand of Clark as he tried to stop her. "Did you not hear me?" She screamed at the top of her voice. "I'm not leaving and you are not killing him!" She lowered her voice to more like a growl as she stared him down. "I will kill you if you try this. So why don't you leave and get out of Clark's life? Huh?" Her words meant nothing though. She could tell they were falling on deaf ears as his father took aim on her, barely shaking but she could see the fury raking through his body.

This was it, and she was ready.

[Hero]

Clark Underton --- D10

He couldn't hold her anymore. She was out of his grip. When she stood to the side, he had a view of her and Eric. The moon glinted off of the gun and had a intimidating appearance to it. When his eyes looked over Jess, she actually looked beautiful. The silver light hit her face just right. Her cheekbones stood out. The shadows the light created have her a mysterious look. Under different circumstances, he would've been happy. He would've shared that moment with her. But now, they had his crazy father with a gun to either of them. Regardless, he took advantage of the moment. He stepped forward and took her hand.

"You look beautiful tonight. In fact, you do every night. I just wanted to tell you in case one of us ended up dead." He smiled down at her, which was only a few inches difference. He still held her hand as his father's finger stiffened on the trigger. Eric raised the gun in both hands and steadied it. Clark met his eyes stared down the sights. The barrel wasn't pointed at the 20 year old. It was pointed at Jess.

In the moment, Clark couldn't hear anything. Shouts and screams were exchanged from the three voices. Metal was flashed. The gun was raised. What happened next was all a blur to Clark. A gunshot rang out through the house. Clark thought Jess had been shot but found her kneeling next to him. He looked at his leg and found it covered in scarlet. His visioned blurred but he found Jess's face in the blur. "Jess," he tried whispering. It only hurt him more.

He struggled to keep pressure on the wound he now had. "Jess," he whispered. His voice now fading fast. "Please," he struggled out. "Go. Get out of here." He stuttered his way through the sentence. "And there's this." He pulled himself up against the couch and still had her hand. "I love you." He leaned up as far as he could and kissed her cheek. "I mean it."

[Lotus]

Jess couldn't move until the gun shot sounded around her living room. It shook her from the words whirling around her head; the words Clark spoke. She shook her head and tried to focus, she would think about all of this later on.

She watched as Clark fell to the floor and panic and rage welled within her. She knelt down beside him, pressing her hand down onto his leg; trying to slow down the bleed. Her ears were ringing and she knew his father was still standing by ready for another shot. She looked up into his eyes, terrified. She should be used to all of this blood; she'd watched her best friend die, but she guessed it was because she couldn't go through that again. She couldn't allow this to happen a second time round. This was the little boy she'd been infatuated with ever since she saw his father beat him. She needed to save him.

She needed to help him.

She shook her head at his words and cleared her throat, her cheeks blazing from his kiss and his words. He loved her, but he could just be saying that because he thought he was going to die. She shook her head again, "I'm... I'm not leaving you." She was determined this wasn't going to end how his father wanted it to. Jess let go of his leg slightly and grabbed hold of her t-shirt, ripping the bottom and tearing as much of it off as she could. It ended up revealing her stomach, but she didn't care, not in this moment. She heard bounding down the stairs and soon Atlas was in the room. "Atlas out!" But knowing her dog, she didn't move from the spot and came over to rest her head on Clark's good leg.

Jess set to work, knowing exactly what to do with this; well she thought anyway. She wrapped the ripped t-shirt around his leg as tightly as she could, stemming the flow. "Hold that on there and don't you dare let go." She looked back up to him from her blood soaked hands. "I'm not having you leave me Clark. Stay still." She leant forward softly and kissed his cheek, trying not to touch him with her hands. She pulled back at the sound of a cough just as she was about to say something more.

She turned her head up to see his father a few steps away from her, and the gun trained directly on her head. "You shouldn't have tried to save him girly." He growled in her direction and slowly Jess stood to her feet, never looking away from as his grip on the gun tightened. She knew what she was going to do and he would be useless against her. Did he not know what she was capable of? Did he not watch her Games? Her mind travelled away from the loving words of Clark and focuses on her instincts drilled into her by fear and hunger by the Games. She was now set on this cruel man in front of her, and she wasn't going to back down.

[Hero]

Clark Underton --- D10

It was like he couldn't breath. In fact, he probably couldn't. His lungs felt like thy were ready to collapse inside of him. That would kill me, he thought. But there was something he felt on the leg that didn't have a bullet lodged inside of his. He trained his eyes on the golden haired dog she called Atlas. It took Clark a moment but he finally recalled the dog from earlier that night. Right now, the dog was the one thing he could hold on to. Considering that Jess was now out of his sight. Now that Clark was out of the way, he had no idea what his father would be capable of.

He heard Jess's voice through the haze. The ringing in his ears got louder. His breathing got more labored. Jess couldn't save him if she let him bleed to death. It just wouldn't happen. "I know you won't. But whether you like it or not, I'm going to die if I don't get to a hospital. I'll bleed to death." Even one sentence was a struggle for him. Now, he was only waiting for when he couldn't mutter a simple word. Yeah. That's the end of me, he thought. Over and over, that thought ran through his mind like it was running track. All along, he thought he was going to die. The least Jess could've done was let it happen. Clark had the understanding of the phrase 'We don't live forever.' Even thought he was only 20, he was ready to die.

"Jess," he coughed out. Now, his voice could barely manage a whisper. He was slowly losing his grip on her makeshift tourniquet. It would only last so long to stop the flow. He heard somewhere that you had to loosen it to make sure blood could still get through to other body parts. Slowly, he loosed the wrap a bit then quickly tightened it back up. Now, she stood head to  head with his own father. He never thought anyone would stand up and defend him. Truthfully, Clark hadn't ever been able to defend himself against his dad. Eric always carried that gun with him. If anyone decided to question him about it, they would then be stuck with a bullet in their brain.

Now, all he could do was watch. His father against a Victor of the Games. "How old were you when you won," he whispered. He needed to change the subject, get either of them to relax. Maybe, this would give the Peacekeepers, someone, anyone to storm the house and rescue him. "How old?" 

[Lotus]

Jess heard Clark's words, but she ignored him. She wouldn't answer such a silly question when his life was on the line. She could tell by the tone of his voice that he was slowly slipping away and as long as she was still standing there was no way she was letting that happen. She definitely knew his father wasn't stepping down, seeing as he only shifted his stance so he had a perfect aim directed to her head.

This was it. Jess knew if she didn't act now she was a goner and so was Clark. She didn't care too much about herself, she was ready to die. She didn't want to live a life where everyday she was tormented with the Games and her father. She didn't want to be lonely any more. But this time she had a reason to survive, just like the Games. She'd promised her best friend she would win for him, and now she'd promised herself that she wasn't going to let Clark die. She couldn't die. He had to be saved.

Jess took one quick step forward and caught the wrist his father held the gun in. She pushed the gun away from her head, twisted his arm backwards until the gun fell out of his hand and then she slammed her free arm down onto the back of his elbow. He let out a yell, but she quickly quietened him with a punch to his nose. She let go of her grip on him as she saw the faint sign of blood trickling down his chin from his nose. She kicked the gun away, "Now do you see that I can kill you." She took another step forward and pushed him down to the floor by bring her knee up into his stomach. "You see, there was one thing you forgot about this house. It's a Victors house and that means it's monitored for my protection. Peacekeepers are on their way as we speak and the only reason they took so long is because I'm the farthest house from the town, plus they knew I would be able to survive. But, seeing as you took the choice to fire a gun at an innocent man, you sir are in trouble."

She knelt down in front of him, just as she was coming back to reality as to where she actually was and what she'd just done. She took in the sight of his broken arm and his broken nose. She'd done that; she'd turned into a monster again. Taking all of this in, she let her guard down and with his free hand he quickly swiped out, punching her in the side of the face, causing her to bite down on her lip and splitting it open. She shook her head and moved away from him, "Stay away from me and from Clark..." She trailed off.

Clark.

She turned around and stood up, picking up the gun on the way. She placed it by the side of her as she knelt down in front of a nearly unconscious Clark. She placed her now blood dried hands on either side of his cheeks, "Clark? Clark please stay with me. Please..."

[Hero]

Clark Underton --- D10


Slowly, he was losing consciousness. The pain from his leg began numbing as the effects of shock hit him. He felt something warm dripping down his face. Slowly, he brought his hand to the edge of his mouth. Once he brought it back and got a looked at it, it was stained red. Now he was slowly fading. As long as he could, he watched as Jess beat his father in the same way his father had always beaten him. He knew now that Jess must've been the Calvary coming to save him. Clark wasn't necessarily out numbered by people, per say. But bullets that could kill you in less than a second definitely made up on terms of man power. But he heard the voices. A female and an older male. He was in that part of shock where he couldn't place faces and names together. His brain had shut off all unnecessary functions, such as the use of his arms. 

He now laid limp o the ground, knowing there wasn't much more he could do. He wanted to try and stay awake until the Peacekeepers got there. Clark wanted to see them arrest his father for attempted murder. Clark wanted to see him get arrested for the years of abuse and hurt that Eric had caused. But he couldn't do it. Slowly, he was breaking down. His organs were quitting, they were shutting down. The only things really in function were his lungs, heart, and brain and maybe a few other organs but it was shaky. He knew that he wasn't going to last much longer but something held him together. 

He felt warm, crusted hands on his cheeks. He tried to bring his hand up and take one of them. His eyes met Jess's. Then and there, he know that he was going to live. He had to pull through. He couldn't leave her behind. He promised her that he wouldn't leave. He wasn't about to break that promise now. Slowly, he found her hand. "Don't worry," he croaked. "I'm still alive. Barely. But alive nonetheless."    

[Lotus]

Jess felt sudden relief when his hand found hers and she entwined their fingers almost instantly. "I'm not going anywhere. Now, you stay with me okay?" She saw the slight nod of his head and pulled her hand from his. She frantically placed her hand on the top of his leg, trying to stem the flow of blood more than what her now blood-soaked ripped pieces of t-shirt was doing.

Suddenly she heard banging on the door, before it flew open and she let out a sigh of relief. Clark was going to be safe now. She looked up to find him watching her, and instantly the light switch flicked on. She squinted her eyes, just like Clark and looked around to see Peacekeepers barrelling in her home. They new who shot the gun, that much was obvious and soon enough his father was in handcuffs and being escorted out of her home. She shook her head and turned her attention back to Clark. She hadn't realised she'd been biting on the cut his father had made on her lip so she reached up a hand to wipe it away, smearing it slightly across her face.

The Peacekeepers came up to Jess and placed hands on her shoulders. She tried to fight them off but they just assured her they were going to take Clark to the hospital, but she wasn't going to leave his side. As soon as they'd picked him up, Jess tagged along at the side; her eyes constantly alert for any danger. She saw Clark watching her again as they walked out of her house and she tried to smile softly, "You're safe now."

[Hero]

Clark Underton --- D10

He was fading. He knew he might die, right there on the floor of Jess's house. He never really wanted to go out in pain. but it seemed as if that was what was going to happen. He felt her warm hand against his cheek. It brought him a small bit of comfort. Soon, he found some strength to speak. "I'll try my best. I hope it's good enough." He still felt the scarlet blood dripping down from the corners of his mouth. He laid his head back and tried to slow everything down. His breathing became more and more labored. His heart was speeding up. He knew soon, that he was going to go into shock.  

When he heard banging on the door and the Peacekeepers came rushing in, he felt as if a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. His father was going to jail. He didn't have to be the one to suffer anymore. He wasn't disposable as his father said he was. But now he felt like he could breath easer knowing that his father was behind bars. He pulled himself really up against the couch, now sitting up. He nearly cried out in agony but bit his lip to keep it in. The last thing he gave to his father was a look of understanding. Not necessarily justification but of how Clark understood why his father did what he did. He wanted his wife back and he always thought that it was Clark's fault that she was gone. It really wasn't, but to Clark, that seemed to be his father's reason for doing this. He gave back a look to his father that basically said, I'm sorry.


He returned his gave back to Jess. He noticed that her lip was bleeding. He brought his thumb to her lips and slowly wiped some of it away, crusting onto his own finger. He knew that she would have to get checked out as well, but he had the more serious damage. His father would have a chance to see him before he went to jail. But he didn't want to be thinking of that all right now. He just wanted to be okay. "I know. We are both safe. And I'm sorry." 

[Lotus]

Jess shook her head and reached over to hold his hand as he was carried to the hospital with her by his side. "Don't be sorry. It's not your fault and it never was. Now hush, you've got to save your energy." She smiled softly and squeezed his hand. She just hoped he'd be able to make it. She knew he'd lost a lot of blood and that was what was terrifying her; he could die because she hadn't been able to save him. She couldn't let something like that happen again.

They carried on walking and soon enough they made it to the hospital. Jess was exhausted and she saw the clock in the waiting room reading 3:30am. She sighed, she hadn't slept once yet. She tried to go with Clark, but they'd restrained her and made her stay away while he went into surgery. She felt tears in her eyes, but for some odd reason the Peacekeepers actually comforted her; it was like the two of them actually had hearts for once. She was escorted into her own cubicle with the two Peacekeepers standing outside as the doctor came to see her.

"How's Clark?" It was the first thing she could think of to ask. She didn't care about herself and she heard the doctor and the Peacekeepers sigh. It couldn't be bad could it? She shook her head, this wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening, not again! She felt a hand on her arm and looked up to see the Doctor smiling softly; albeit looking incredibly tired.

"Miss Ray, Mr Underton is going to be okay. He'll need to be kept an eye on, but he's going to be okay." Jess felt her whole body visible relax at the news and she heard the Doctor chuckle softly, but she paid him no mind. Clark was going to be okay and that was all that mattered. "But we need to clean you up too. You've got a pretty nasty cut on your lip and a slight one of your cheek, but it'll mainly be bruising. So we'll get you fixed up." She nodded her head slowly as she closed her eyes and let the Doctor get on with it.

She felt him move away and she opened her eyes. He was holding what seemed to be a nurse's shirt and he motioned to the little amount of clothing she was wearing. She felt her cheeks flush slightly as she took it from him and slipped it on. She felt a little better after that, but the Doctor stepped closer again. "Miss Ray, would you like to talk to me about the cuts up and down your arms? I do know what they are." Her whole body tensed up again and her eyes widened in shock. She shook her head vigorously and tried to swallow over the lump in her throat.

"Can I see Clark now?" She didn't want to talk about this. Not now, she wasn't as important as the guy who'd been shot saving her life.

[Hero]

Clark Underton --- D10

He pulled himself up to whisper to her one last time. "Promise me you'll be there when I wake up." His voice began to stutter now. He realized that he was going into shock. He had lost so much blood and now his own body was fighting against itself to keep him alive. He knew that he would pass out from it all.

It was black. No warmth, no cold feeling. Just black. He was present in his thoughts, though. He did remember passing out at Jess's house from something. He saw a hole in his leg, but he had no idea from what. His leg wasn't bloody, but he had to use a cane to support himself. He saw Jess with someone else, three other people. One had scrubs on while the others wore solid white. He seemed like a ghost then. He could see everyone, he could her everyone, but they couldn't see or hear them.

He heard the doctor tell Jess that he would be okay. Then he saw the cuts on her arm. He slowly made his way over to him, his cane supporting every step. He laid his hand on her arm where the cuts were. His thumb traced over each individual scar. He wasn't sure what they were but he had an idea.

Suddenly, he was dragged from that scene and put back into his own body. He awoke in a white hospital room. IV tubes were attached to his arms. He raised his hand to wipe away the sleep in his eyes and found it rather difficult. He realized that the IV tube was stuck into the crook of his left arm. He looked around and didn't see Jess anywhere. He did see a doctor standing over him though. "How are you feeling Clark?" Since he hadn't exactly found his voice yet, he just nodded. The doctor gave him some time alone with himself.

Still no Jess.

[Lotus]

Jess had tried to stand up to leave multiple times, but the doctor kept pushing her back down to sit on the bed. Eventually one of the Peacekeepers were brought in and held onto her wrist to keep her from moving. She kept her eyes downcast as the doctor tried to pry for information. Didn't he understand that she didn't want to talk about it? Didn't he understand there was someone far more important for her to be concerned about right now? She'd made a promise and she was damn sure to keep it.

"C'mon Jess. Just talk to us, we can help. The Games is a tough thing to go through and you're not alone with the way you probably feel. There are so many stories of Victors with you're type of problem. Just talk to us."

Jess's head shot up at that comment. "I do not, and I repeat do not, want to talk about it. There's nothing wrong with me and don't you dare go comparing me to other Victors. Don't you dare!" Her voice rose and tears formed in her eyes. She knew she was strong, but she didn't know if she could out smart the Peacekeeper, but she did realise his grip had loosened a little at her outburst. Suddenly, she ripped her wrist from his and swirled around to the doctor. "I have a promise to keep and if you've made me break it I won't be very happy." She practically snarled before legging it out of the room.

Her eyes were frantic and she felt a crazed mess as she ran around the hospital trying to find his room. She skidded to a halt as she heard someone say Clark's name. She backtracked to a room where a doctor was just leaving. She hadn't realised she'd been crying so she frantically wiped at her eyes before she stepped into the room. She walked straight up to his bed and her heart tore in two as she realised he was already awake. She covered her arms as best a possible as she looked down at him, fidgeting on the spot. "I'm so sorry..." She chocked out as a new wave of tears set in.

What happened to being strong Jess?

[Hero]

Clark Underton --- D10

From his hospital bed, he could hear multiple voices. A few hushed ones, loud screams of patients, the commands of doctors. It was a lot for him. What he also noticed was how his leg was bandaged and there was some sort of brace on it. He tried moving it a little bit and nearly burst into tears himself. After that attempt, he accepted the fact that he probably wasn't going to be able to walk for a few weeks. He heard the heart monitor's little beeping noise grow faster and louder. Realizing that it was his, he slowed his breathing down somehow. The nurse ran in to check on him and asked if he was alright. All he could really muster was a small nod. Again, she left him with his thoughts.

He got various glances from other doctors and patients. He wanted someone to come in and just talk to him. But he knew that they wouldn't be the one person he wanted to see. Where is she, he wondered. He had heard her promise that she would be there when he woke up. Despite that, things came up, but he thought that she would just blow them off.  He heard many rushed footsteps to different rooms. Every person that passed in front of his room, he wished was Jess. For one moment, he considered the fact that she wasn't coming. Maybe she came to her senses and realized that she didn't need him. After tonight, it would be better if he left.

Then, she actually came. There she was. Crying? She apologized. He had no idea for what. But she apologized. "Jess, what do you need to be sorry for?" He extended his hand for her to take. "You don't need to be sorry for anything."

[Lotus]

Jess shook her head, taking a step closer to the bed and grasping the hand he held out to her, still trying to hide her arms. She knew he'd seen the state of her skin, but she'd done more when she'd left him. She squeezed his hand tightly and tried to stop the tears flowing as she shook her head. "I have everything to be sorry for. I couldn't save you properly, it was like my Games all over again. I was useless. Then I wasn't here when you woke up. I wasn't here when you opened your eyes all 'cause some stupid doctor!" She was angry at herself that she hadn't been here and a sob escaped her lips.

"I'm so sorry." She wiped at her eyes with her free hand and sniffed, trying to hold back. "I mean there's nothing wrong with me. You're the one that got...shot..." She barely whispered the last word as she turned back to face him. She shook her head and looked down his body at the bandage wrapped around his leg and her free hand automatically gripped around the marks she'd made earlier that night. She sighed in relief as the pain released through her body.

Just then her doctor appeared at the door and caught her in the act. Her eyes went large and she shook her head as she released her hand. "Miss Ray, please can you come back to the room. We have things to discuss, otherwise you'll be escorted. As you can see Mr Underton is perfectly fine."

"I'm not leaving and I'm not talking to you. I'm fine!"

[Hero]

Clark Underton --- D10

He laid his head back, relaxing a bit as he felt her warm hand in his. He (sort of) guided her to sit next to him. He moved his hand to her cheek. He moved his thumb ever so slightly to caress her cheek. "I'm so glad that you're okay," he whispered. He noticed the large, unfamiliar face that was demanding Jess's presence wherever it was she needed to be. " If you need to talk to her, you do it here. That's it. She doesn't even need to talk to you." He laid his hand back down on his bed and held it open, waiting for Jess to take.

He closed his eyes and listened to the beep of his heart monitor as it slowed to a slightly normal pace. Clark believed that when he opened his eyes again, the brave from his leg would be gone. He wouldn't be stuck in a hospital. Jess would be safe and Clark would go back to being the homeless boy he had always been. He simply thought that the hospital visit was a dream.

All to quickly, the dream ended. When he opened his eyes, everything was still the way it was. The doctors still surrounded him. Jess was still with him (not that he didn't want her there. She was really the only good part to the dream). The one thing that no one bothered to tell him was any news about his father. "What happened to my father? No one's bothered to tell me."

He looked back up at Jess. "You remember what I asked you back at the house? By chance? When I asked about how old you were when you won? You never answered my question."

[Lotus]

Jess smiled sadly across to Clark as she slowly sat on the edge of the bed. She nodded her head, "I'm always fine. I'm happier to know that you're going to be okay." She smiled softly and leant down to rest her forehead against his, trying to forget about the doctor that had followed her. Instead, he persisted again but before she had time to answer, Clark did it for her. The doctor nodded his head and pulled up a chair, whilst Jess' heart rate increased tenfold.

She felt Clark's hand around hers relax and heard the monitor slow down, so she knew he was sleeping. The doctor asked her all these questions and she couldn't form the answers. No matter how many times she told him she was fine, he would keep asking more questions. Tears streaked down her face and her body was shaking, but still the doctor kept going.

It was only when Clark's voice broke through the room that she turned her body away so he wouldn't see her tears and the doctor decided to stop talking. "No one knows yet. The peacekeepers are probably going to put him on trial and he'll be done for attempted murder." The doctor answered professionally, while Jess tried to compose herself.

Then Clark directed the question at her and she froze, sniffing and trying to discretely wipe the tears that had streaked down her cheeks and made her eyes red. "I..." Her voice cracked so she tried again. "I was seven-teen when I v-olunte-ered... I turned 18 the day I won..." More tears streaked down her cheeks at that point and she ripped her hand away from Clark's to dig her fingernails into the cuts on her arm and wrist, despite Clark's please not to. She sunk to the floor, as tears coursed through her. The doctor came over to her and she screamed, shoving him away. She didn't need his help. "Leave me alone!" She screeched. "Haven't you done and asked enough of me. Leave me alone..." Her voice died on her as a comforting hand on her shoulder, she looked up to see Clark's sad eyes and she knew he could do better.

[Hero]

Clark Underton --- D10

He turned his head slightly to her. "Don't lie to me. Are you really okay?" He silently listened to the doctor bombard her with questions. He wanted to say something, he really did. It was that the medicine he had been given was strong enough to knock him out. While still awake, he heard everything.

When he opened his eyes, he found Jess of the floor. He put a hand on her shoulder, his eyes telling her to stand and talk to him. He then realized that the shooting and his leg had all been reality, as much as he didn't want it to be. He turned his attention to the doctor. "Thanks. But I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to the lady. And before you piss even me off, I suggest you leave."

He rubbed his thumb against Jess's arm, doing everything he could in his bed-ridden state to comfort her. "One heck of a birthday present huh? Even as the doctors and nurses left the room, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "Don't tell me I could do better. If I did better, then I wouldn't be happy. And I lapels much rather be here with you in all my braced-up leg than in an itchy suit while pretending that I love everyone. Because honestly, I only love you Jess."

[Lotus]

Jess waited until the doctor had left before she slowly got to her feet. She looked into Clark's eyes and wiped her eyes, "I'm okay, really, I am. The same as always, I get by." She smiled sadly and her eyes welled with tears all over again at his words. She nodded her head and sniffed, "And I love you."

She slowly leant down and kissed his forehead, brushing back the hair on his head. "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up. The stupid doctor wouldn't let me go 'cause of my issues." She managed to chuckle softly before pulling up a chair to sit by the bed. She took his hand in hers and brought it to her lips before placing a soft kiss on his knuckles. "In answer to the question about my Games, yeah it was a great birthday present." She took a deep breath before looking up to him and asking a hard question to face, "Did you see my games, any of it?" She hoped he didn't because she didn't want him knowing about how brutal she can be. But then again, he'd seen that side of her in her living room when his father showed up.

She leant her head on the railings of his bed and looked to him as she waited for him to answer. She heard a knock on the door before a nurse came in to check on Clark briefly. She cleared her throat softly and Jess looked up to her wearily. "Miss Ray? Your father is outside. We need your permission for him to come in, seeing as your family and he's only here to see Mr Underton as an employee."