November 10th,2038 3:20am

Markus's POV:

I helped many androids out as I possibly could. I looked everywhere for her. I found everyone except her.

I activated the bomb and took off with Simon, North, Connor, and Josh.

We took refuge in an abandoned church.

We tried out best to tend to the wounded. Some didn't make it.

"Has anyone seen (Y/n)?" I asked.

An android came up to me. "She was shot I didn't see much after that," She told me.

"S-shot?" I questioned as my voice cracked.

"Yes..I'm so-" Suddenly everything went inaudible all that was clear was a white noise.

"Markus," North said. I looked up at her. "We have to move on."

"...No...I can't..." I say quietly.

"We knew someone was gonna die eventually we can't dwell on it,"

"We?" I questioned. "You never cared for her. You never liked her, even when she was kind to you. You despised her all over some unreciprocated feelings!!" I yelled, but then quickly regained my composure realizing I was letting grief take over me. "You don't get to tell me to move on after I lost the last person I called family..." I said softly as tears went down my face. 

Kara walked with Alice. "We need help out here!" She said urgently.

I ran out to see (Y/n) she had a wound in her right side. She looked a lot paler, her eyelids were barely opened.

"Markus..." She whispered.

"(Y/n)..." I said shocked.

She fell to the ground, I ran to her and picker her up before carrying her into the church.

"How is she alive?" Many people asked.

"It doesn't matter someone just please help her!" I yell.

Lucy made her way over to (Y/n). "She's lucky something seemed to have taken the of the impact the bullet. No major arteries were hit. We might be able to save her. We need blankets or something to keep her warm and cloth to apply pressure to the wound."

I took off my jacket and gave it to Lucy. "Please, do what have to just...help her," I plead.

"I'll do everything in my power," Lucy told me.

I held (Y/n)'s hand, hoping that she'll make it out if this.

Suddenly, I got a call?

"Hello?" I questioned.

"Where is my sister?!?" An urgent male voice asked.

"Your sister?" I questioned.

"I'm Elijah Kamski and (Y/n) (L/n) is my adoptive sister I demand to know where she is!" He yelled.

"She's...here with me..."

"Is she OK?!"

"She's been shot..."

"I'm tracing this call and I'll be there with supplies." He said before hanging up.

"Who just called?" North questioned.

"Elijah Kamski."

"What did he want?" Lucy asked.

"He's coming to help her."

Connor walked up to mend looked down at (Y/n), I saw sorrow in his eyes, regret. "I am sorry...None of this would have happened had I not showed up."

"It's...not your fault," I say still holding her hand and running my thumb over her knuckles, I can't tell if it was comfort for her or me, but either way it was comfort. I watched her face waiting for any sort of reaction even though I knew I wasn't gonna get one. "You were following your programming, you had no choice or say...What matters now is, that you see the errors in your ways and you make amends..."  I suddenly knew what Lucy meant when she first met me.

'A part of shadow and a part of light...Your guide your brightest shadow..Your choices will shape our destiny'

Your guide your brightest shadow.

(Y/n) and I were almost always with each other. Almost inseparable like a shadow. She was helping me through this...she showed me light. I can't lose her...Not now...and I will hope that I won't. 

10 minutes later Elijah burst through the door rushing towards me. The closer he got the more you could see the distress on his face.

"What's her condition?" He asked.

"Stable for now," Lucy said.

"It's freezing in here we need to start a fire for her. I have to get the supplies out of my car." He said walking off.

Someone started a fire and we brought her near it. Elijah came in with bags and set them down near Lucy and examined (Y/n) himself. 

"I didn't know what to get. So I just brought what I thought she would need." He said panting.

Lucy examined the materials. "Blankets, Ibuprofen, Tweezers. Needle. Thread.Syringes. Water. Morphine. She's lost blood and she'll lose more during the procedure." Lucy informed Kamski.

"We have the same blood type if you can find a tube of some sort I will contribute whatever amount she needs," Kamski rushed out.

"We can wash the tubes in one of the androids that have shut down.." Connor suggests.

"It's not ideal...but it'll work," I admit.

Connor finds an Android that has shut down and gets a tube he cleaned it with the bottled water and handed it to Kamski, with the materials supplies, they transferred the blood from Kamski to (Y/n). She was in good condition for now and would be good to undergo the procedure in two hours.

"Adoptive sister?" I questioned, not ever hearing anything about it.

"Before you ask....We agreed to keep her adoption a secret. We come from a very prestigious family. She came into the family at 4 years old declaring, as much as she loved the family she wanted her adoption to be secret so she could say she make it on her own..." He smiled a bit and scoffed playfully as he must have been thinking of some distant memories.  "No handouts, though I helped her every now and then no matter how many times she told me not to. Stubborn and persistent from the very beginning I tell you." He said softly with a smile. "I like to think that (Y/n) is the true definition of America was striving for but missed by a long shot when they speak of the...American Dream; building herself from the ground out and made a name for herself." He rambled. 

I simply nodded in understanding not having much to say, but I understood the situation. It was interesting to know about her past since she doesn't speak of it much, not that she'shad time to recently given the situation at hand...the only thing I believe Kamski and I can agree on at the moment is that the main focus is her recovery. 

2 hours later....

"Alright its time," Lucy said.

"Markus...you should... Go comfort your people they need you more than ever.," Kamski said weakly.

"She needs me too." I protest, not daring to look away from her.

"Markus,  if she saw you hovering over her instead of helping the others,  she'd be very upset with you."

I knew he was right, she would be very displeased with me. I hesitantly got up so I went around to check in on everyone to see how they were holding up in this sudden downfall, everyone was just as down in the dumps as I was understandably but I tried to give them hope, because that's all we have now, we have to hold on if we're ever going to make it out of this and I know one day we will, but they just have to have hope, just like I have to have hope. Once I was finished checking in on everyone and counting our losses. I sat alone on the pulpit of the church to think on our position and what our next move should be, knowing we couldn't stay held up in this church forever for if we did, we would surely die, we were right at the beginning. In the dark and afraid. But now we have something we never had before courage and will to stand up for ourselves and fight back. North snapped me out of my thoughts when she called my name.

"Markus," She called.

"Yes, North?" I replied looking back at her.

"I'm sorry-" She sighed but I could see it in her that she wasn't sorry but only apologized because it was the right thing to do, there was a difference and I knew it. 

"North please don't lie...you were waiting for her to die you think I don't know that?" I questioned. "You're a violent person and you allowed your past to mold you that way." I say though it pained me to say such things to a friend, I knew it was true, I saw it in her in our interactions and her reactions. I understood her past has made her who she is. But she shouldn't let her past cloud her mind and fuel her decisions. She holds onto her past and holds grudges... for if she was in my position our people would have gone to war and lost the fight suffering of more losses than we just did. "I'm sorry that you are experiencing heartbreak and that it had to be done by my hands but understand, I don't see myself being with you.  I only see you as a friend, a dear,dependable,trustworthy, and loyal friend. Please respect that." I say looking at her only hoping that message will get through to her and she will let go for the better of everyone. Lucy approached me with a small smile that spoke volumes. 

"She's OK?" I questioned, but with a hopeful undertone.

"She's alright," Lucy said calmly.

"Is she awake? Can I see her!?" I asked standing up quickly. 

"You may see her but she needs her sleep," Lucy advised.

"Of course," I said before going to (Y/n)'s side. I raised her shirt and examined her stitched wound, I trusted Lucy but I just wanted to see it for myself.

"You're very bold Markus," Kamski told me.

"What do you mean by that?" I questioned, confused by what he meant.

"I wasn't expecting you to just expose her like that without hesitation. Most times people are so coy when they do it unless they already-oh god you did didn't you?" He questioned.

I didn't answer but I feel my silence answered his question due to his reaction.

"Thank you for that scarring image of my little sister." He said sarcastically and I smile a little understanding his sarcastic humor. 

"I couldn't...Feel anything...(Y/n) told me I could get an upgrade for that. Is that true?" I asked. 

"Yes you can when you were first created we added that feature but it had its flaws so we had to downgrade you when you were rebuilt." He spilled, he suddenly got a look as if he had said something he wasn't supposed to.

"Don't worry..she's already told me." I tell him, figuring it was most likely about the RA9 story.

Kamski sighed in relief. "Good, if you want we can I install that upgrade when you're ready. But make sure you run it by her first."

"I will." I tell him with a curt nod.

It went silent for a second and I held her hand as I waited for her to wake up.

"I am betting money that when she wakes up and is fully conscious she will say something witty like. 'Sorry I got a tiny not of blood on your jacket hope you don't mind.' Or...I don't know, something like that. I just feel like that's gonna be the first thing she'll go for." He chuckled weakly and I smiled at him before looking back at her holding that same smile.
"She'd do anything to make someone she love's happy or anybody happy. Only if their heart was in the right place. (Y/n) was kind but not naive and God.. was she the smartest yet the most clueless little one, I never knew that was possible until I met her. She could spell intercourse-at four years old but then again she had not the slightest idea what it was. What made it funnier is she even knew what sex was but had no idea it wasn't the same as intercourse." He said laughing weakly.

I couldn't help but smile at the idea, it was humorous to think about 4-year-old being that smart, yet not putting two and two together. 

"I knew right then at that moment when she spelled it without hesitation or fumbling my parents had adopted the right child," Kamski said smiling at her.

"I didn't fully know my root words til I was ten Kamski cut me some slack." I looked down at her her eyes were barely openers but she was up nonetheless and smiling.

I smiled at her wider than before "Hi," I said quietly.

"Hello, Deviant leader." She said with a small smirk before turning to Elijah. "Kamski, why aren't you in your high-end mansion located in the rich part of Detroit with your dozen of same model androids?" She questioned.

"They showed the bombing of Jericho on TV. I had to make sure you didn't get hurt in the process." Kamski told her.

"Well I'm alive," She whispered.

"On a scale 1 to 10 how conscious are you?" I asked.

"I feel like I'm on tripping acid." And admitted.

"That's a solid 1," Kamski said.

"She's still feeling the sides effects of the morphine."

"How'd you get fancy medicine stuff when you're a wanted man?" She questioned me.

"Your brother got them for you," I told her.

"I don't have a brother," she said furrowing her eyebrows.

"She's even self-trained herself to deny it while under the influence," Kamski said.

"(Y/n) you don't have to pretend. Elijah already told me," I informed her as I moved some of her hair that was stuck to her face because of the sweat, and pushed it behind her ear gently.  

"That I myself am a Kamski family member? Well shit Kamski so much for a secret," She somewhat slurred.

"You can stop calling me Kamski. It's redundant since I'm not the only Kamski here,"

"How are you feeling?" I asked her, it was good to see that she was doing well but I wanted a report from her since only she knows how she feels. 

"Like I'm dreaming... I hope this is a dream...because I watched Rafael take a bullet for me and that was not fun." She said quietly.

"Just get some rest...OK?" I tell her.

"When I wake up I'll be OK right?" She asked hopefully,

"...when you wake up I'll be at your side I promise," I say before kissing her forehead. "Sleep,"

She nodded slowly as she looked at me then closed her eyes and eventually got back to sleep.

Your POV:

I slowly opened my eyelids and looked around the first face I noticed was Markus.

"What happened?" I asked and suddenly felt a sharp pain in my side and I groaned in pain, sitting up almost instantly.

Markus kept me from moving. "Be careful your stitches are still fresh!" He exclaimed.

"What?" I questioned before I thought about it all and remembered.

"(Y/n)! Don't be stupid!" Rafael yelled at me as we ran.

"Stop trying to save my life save your self you're the one in danger! They'll probably just arrest me!"

"Then torture you!? I think not." Rafael exclaimed.

"Freeze!" An officer yelled.

I stepped in front of Rafael but in a flash, he was in front of me charging towards the officer and he shot him once.

My heart dropped into my stomach and I ran towards Rafael.

"Rafa!!!"  I didn't even realize that I was bleeding. I fell to his side.

"Why did you do that!?" I yell as tears began to run down my face.

"I've learned that someone who is willing to die for you is the one who is really worth dying for....you..like Markus will save us all."

"Get up Rafa," I say.

"This is the end of the line for me (Y/n) save yourself!"

"No!" I put his arm over my shoulder and stubbornly help him up. "I'm going to fix you!" I say as I bring him to the exit we were so close!

"(Y/n) just leave me here!"

"No!" We hobbled very far away from Jericho then suddenly heard an explosion.

We kept going. "(Y/n) Markus sent us the location...but...I'm not gonna make it that far and neither are you...you're bleeding."

"I'm not looking down or else I'll go into shock."

"You need to save yourself I'm not gonna make it. All my systems are slowly shutting down,"

"Where are we going?"

"To the abandoned church on-"

"I know where it is we can get there in time!"

"(Y/n)....you're bleeding out. You and I both know that one of us isn't gonna make it."

"We have to try," I whispered as tears ran down my face.

"(Y/n)...for once in your goddamn life- Listen to me!..please.." He said going quiet at the end.

"Look around us the police have already been here I can play dead and I just might make it but you need to get to Markus." We look at all the dead androids.

"I can't just leave you.."

"For once think of yourself. You've been so selfless. go, for me please."

I laid him against the nearby building.

"For a second confirm I'm your owner.." I say.

"Why?" He asked furrowing his eyebrows.

"I need you to call someone to help you,"

"Its been confirmed.."

"Call Elijah Kamski," I say.

"Calling,"

"Tell him what happened do not tell him I got shot. Just tell him I told you to call. Stay alive," I say.

"I'll try," He says. "Now go."

I nod and run.

"Rafa is out there somewhere," I say crying.

"What?" Markus questioned.

"Rafael called me and told me. (Y/n) told him to call me for help.  I asked him of your condition of health he said he wish he could tell me but he didn't know." Elijah started. "I told him to hobble over to someone I trusted in his area but I heard shots and chaos and the line went dead."

I covered my mouth. Markus grabbed my hand. "Rafael was a good man...he would protect you when I was away and I never even got to thank him for that. I know he was your friend," Markus said quietly.

"....I can't do this..." I whispered crying as I shook my head as it hung low. "I can't. I can't. I can't." I repeat as I cry. "Markus, how many people do I have to send away for them be safe? How many have to die before...It's safe for them to walk without fear? It's not fair." I say quietly.

He hugged me lightly and kissed my forehead. "I know." He says quietly.

"I need to go to Carl's grave. Please?" I plead.

"You can't," I say softly. "You need rest,"

"Please. I just need some air I need to see him again." 

"Why must you be so stubborn and selfish?" North budded in. "He's trying to help you get better!" She yelled.

"North...please..it's OK," Markus said to her without taking his eyes off me. "I think we both need this. It would put her mind at ease."  Markus said.

"I can drive you both there." Elijah volunteered.

"No you're still weak you gave more blood than a blood donor normally would you need to relax," Lucy said.

"Then at least take my car it'd be much safer," Elijah said.

"We need to get you some more clothes too," Markus said to me.

I nodded.

"Be very careful while you're out. Don't be too active." Lucy warned.

"She won't I'll make sure of that," Markus promised.

Markus gently helped me up. I felt a sharp pain in my side.

"You need Ibuprofen?" Markus asked me.

I nodded and got ibuprofen and bottled water. I took the pill. "I'm ready to go," I tell Markus as I finish the bottle of water.

"Hey Markus," Kamski said. Markus went over to him and got the keys before coming back to me.

"Ready to go?" He asked.

I nodded.

He opened the car door for me and I got in. Once he got in on the driver side he put in the key. The car began to drive itself.

The drive was super silent. I looked over and realized Markus was thinking.

I didn't know if I wanted to know what he was thinking right now. But I knew there was something urching him.

"What are you thinking?" I asked. Pulling at the sleeves of his jacket that he let me wear.

"Things are getting crazier...I almost lost you today, you know that?"

"You would be fine without me. North would be able to replace me," I say quietly.

"Please stop speaking of yourself as if you're expendable! You're not! I don't want North! I want you! I...need you. I only get one of you! You're not a barbie doll. I can't go to a store and order another (Y/n) to make everything OK. If I lose you that's it. North can't and never will replace you!" He yelled.

"Markus...I'm going to die eventually... I'm human..I'm weak..." I say quietly as I began tearing up unknowingly.

"When you do I'll die with you."

"No, don't you dare self destruct when I die!" I yell.

"A life without you isn't worth living! That's why...when we get back...I'm...I'm sending you back with Kamski." He said quietly.

"No you're not." I say looking straight ahead and shaking my head, I absolutely refuse to be sat down in the side-lines during the most crucial period of this revolution!! 

"You're hurt (Y/n)...you're not fit to march with us."

"Simon was hurt too-" I countered.

"But Simon isn't you..." He retorted quickly.

"You and I both knew what we were getting into when we did this. We got too far you can't just send me away now. You said it'd be safer with you-" I argued but he quickly cut me off.

"I was wrong...you need to be far from me. For once (Y/n) do as you're told. When we get back and Kamski is fit to drive. You go with him. Please."

I shook my head as tears silently cascaded down my face. As I remembered what Rafael said to me.

"(Y/n)...for once in you goddamn life. Listen to me!..please.."

I looked out of the window to realize we were at the gravesite. I got out of the car slamming the door behind me as I walk to Carl's grave. I sat in front of it. I suddenly heard Markus get out of the car.

"Leo what the hell are you doing here.."  He called out, I could hear slight resentment in his voice.

I turned around to see Leo behind me. He looked way different.

"I'm not here to harm you." Leo says getting on his knees beside me. "I've come to apologize." I studied his features. His eyes were red and puffy. His nose was red as well. He had gotten paler.

"I know it's too late to make things right with dad...but it's not too late to make things right with you both. At least that's what I was told.." He said softly. 

Markus had walked beside me.

"You were right. I caused my dad's death...I let my addiction rule my life and my every decision. I know I've done and said some unforgivable things but please forgive me," He said crying.

"We forgive you Leo," Markus says.

"Do you think dad will forgive me?" He asked.

"I believe he already has." I say quietly, giving him a small smile.

"If there is anything I can do to help you I will do it. I promise from here on out I'm a changed man," Leo rambles.

"Leo...change isn't that easy. What we want you to do is focus on getting yourself together. It's gonna be hard but try. Get into rehab. Get a job...dad has always talked about how smart you are maybe you could consider an online college course." I say giving him a small smile.

"R-really?" He asked shocked.

"Yea, he was always saying how proud of you he was when he was alive. How would sometimes blame himself for the way you were." 

Tears went down his face. "That's all I ever wanted to hear my dad say....is that he was proud of me."

"Well go make him proud some more Leo. Don't stop now." I say with my hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you..." He said giving me a warm smile.

"Anytime,"

He laid a Hyacinth against the grave. "When you see me I'm gonna be different I promise." He said walking away.

I watched Leo as he distanced himself with a newfound goal. I was pleased to see Leo start trying to turn his life around. I knew he would face many hardships during his journey and that he may have a relapse or two but I wished him luck on his journey, and hoped he would make it.

"(Y/n)-" Markus started.

"Don't...Markus...please don't." I plead quietly.  "Give me a moment alone with him please," I say.

Markus backs away with a delay in each step....I hated to push him away but at the moment I needed space.

"Dad..." I sigh looking at his grave. "I wish you were here....I...could really use some wise and snarky words from you to help me,"I say with a small laugh as my mind revisited moments with Carl where carl would speak his words of wisdom in his own sarcastic way.  "I get it...I'm the human figure in this revolution...and I need to be protected because I can't fully protect myself but-but I'm not fragile...I told them I would dedicate my life to this cause and some of them decide to dedicate they're life to saving me. I didn't ask for this.." I say crying. "I just wanted to support him and the cause I know is right...I'm so scared...I swore I knew how bad things could get but now that the worse is here....I'm not sure I'm prepared for it. I don't know if I can watch somebody else die again. If I can take another scream...another gunshot...."  I close my eyes as I think back to when I heard the gunshot go off and I watched Rafael collapse... "But I have to because I know I dug myself too far into this rabbit hole. I need to keep a brave face. I have to keep fighting because fear is just a state of mind and I can't stop here not now.." I say wiping my tears with my sleeve and let out a patronizing laugh at how contradictory my feelings and thoughts were at the moment, so conflicting.  "I'm so double-sided...scared but brave...Traumatized yet unscathed. Sometimes...I wish-" I turned over to Markus who was sitting against the hood of the car. He was staring at me for once he was unreadable to me, but I knew good and well he could read be and he could hear me too...I sighed and turned back to the grave. "I forgot this may not entirely be a private conversation... We may have a third-party eavesdropping." I kissed my hand and placed it on the grave. "Thanks for listening old man," I say before getting up and getting into the car.

Markus then stood in front of the grave so he could have his own moment with carl.