"Coward!" I cried out as Colonel Hitchen left our barrack.

My hands are tied, I can't afford to quit my role here. I like serving the military. It means I can keep everyone I love safe. But, Under Colonel Hitchen's command, we are all lambs being led to the slaughter house. Something needs to change. If neither Colonel Hitchen or Sergeant Collins step up to their roles. Then I guess I will. I will be the one to lead our units and take care of these rebel scum myself. I will kill Private Bane and get revenge for what she did to Private Riley. I know It was her. I know I saw her. She will pay.

I stayed by Lieutenant Davis' side, waiting for him to wake up.

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He groaned as he woke up while rubbing his eyes. It took him a moment for his brain to fully wake up and become aware of where he is as he sat up looking a little confused.

His autumn eyes finally met mine and I couldn't help but shoot him a soft smile of reassurance.

"Lily? What... what are you doing here?" He spoke with a deep tired voice that he always gets after a long sleep.

My smile only grew after hearing it, I know he's gotten all the rest he missed out on these past few days.

"Making sure you're alright, dummy"

He snorted at my response, lowering his head slightly to hide the soft pink glow that was spreading across his cheeks before seeing the blood patches on his uniform and the memories hit him hard.

I watched his breath catch and the tears that came rushing to his eyes as he muttered.

"Pr-private Ril-ley.."

Through his panic he scrambled from the bed and rushed his way towards the infirmary.

I wasn't too far behind him as I needed to stop him to allow the medics to work in peace. He will only disturb them and may see something that we both don't want to see.

"Cole!" I called out and managed to block the entrance to the infirmary before he could step inside.

"Lieutenant Willow! Step aside! Before I shove you!"

I only shook my head and stood my ground.

"No! We-... we can't go in there yet.. please. Let's go back to the barracks and talk this out."

His hands balled up into fists at his sides as he peered over the top of my head to see into the infirmary. Luckily everything was blocked off with curtains sheathing the used rooms. Private Riley was in one of them. We don't know which or what state he's currently in.

"I.. but- he's in there! Alone! We need to see him!"

I shake my head once more.

"The medics are there with him. You did good, Cole. Now come on, please.. Go back to bed.."

Silent tears streamed down his eyes as I began to drag him into his bunk to freshen up. But it's a struggle, he remained in the shower for hours under frigid cold water as he felt cold to the touch when he finally left the shower fully dressed in a fresh clean uniform. I sighed and pulled him down to lay on his bed. My own body lay beside him as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders while my hands cupped the back of his neck.

Silence continued to linger for a hot minute when my fingers ran through his dark curls as an attempt to let him know that I am here and that he needs to focus on the present rather than the past and any thoughts of self doubt that he may have.

I was only met with more silent tears, his cold arms wrapped around my waist, and his head buried into my neck to hide the fact that he's crying before fully breaking down in my hold.

"Sh... sh... It's okay... He'll be okay..." I tried to reassure him but my anger towards Colonel Hitchen, Sergeant Collins and Private Bane only boiled deep inside me. I knew I couldn't explode while my best friend was in such a vulnerable state.

He let out a hicced sob as his voice started to break, his body fully tense around my figure.

"No... it- it's not- I- you.. D-do you even kn-know what hap-happened?"

I sighed and nodded softly, gently resting my head on his and continued to play with his black locks.

"I do..."

I couldn't bring myself to say her name or provide a deeper explanation to verify with Lieutenant Davis that we are both thinking the same thing. Private Bane is alive. After all this time, we thought she was dead and we were all still working through grieving her death. Hence why Lieutenant Davis wasn't able to get any sleep for two nights straight. Why Private Riley was high off his rockets during training sessions before inspecting the scout routes. Why I was still praying for her to be alive, instead I pray that I can step up and bring her down without Colonel Hitchen or Sergeant Collins' help. I don't care about Private Bane anymore. Not after what she has done. This. What she's done. Is fucking unforgiveable.

Seeing Lieutenant Davis like this hurt my heart along with the fact that Private Bane stabbed Private Riley and set him to the fucking infirmary where he is currently fighting for his life.

"I.. I don't understand... she's the most loyal person within our ranks... I-... I can't believe what just happened... she's a... a... tr-traitor."

He cried harder into my shoulder as he spoke and I gently forced him to lay on his back while I rested on top of him. Compression therapy. I know the calm inducing amount of pressure I'm applying to his whole body is slowing his heart rate steadily as it thumps aggressively beneath me.

"I know... I know... we will work this out once you get some rest... I promise..."

Once the endorphins like dopamine and serotonin kick in, he's holding me tightly against his chest like a child with their favorite stuffed animal.

I couldn't help but smile softly at his vulnerability, he's finally letting himself show emotion rather than suppress it for the purpose of acting tough, unbothered, and focused on the next steps. No dwelling on the past, only look forward into the future with or without Private Bane and Private Riley at our sides.

I know Private Riley will be okay. He's with the medics getting patched up right now. He'll be alright.

I hope.

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We weren't permitted to see Private Riley for the days that he was fighting for his life.

Lieutenant Davis struggled to get to sleep almost every night just thinking about what happened. But Even with cuddles and words of reassurance I couldn't put him to sleep until he was on the brink of pure exhaustion from all the physical training we have been doing together during the day as a way to keep our skills sharp but to also distract our minds for a moment.

Even when I was able to get him to sleep, he'd wake up in a cold sweat from nightmares that haunted his dreams. Luckily I was there at his side to calm him down and reassure him.

Day in and Day out we would spar and train with one another. Those moments took us both to a whole other universe, as if the world only revolved around us as we broke out into hand to hand combat, or shoot-outs with dud bullets. It soon became was our thing, our little way to escape the facts that we may never see Private Riley again.

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One day while we were doing our usual little spar. I dropped my guard for a moment, giving Lieutenant Davis the opportunity to tackle me onto the dirt ground beneath our feet but I didn't utter a word and kept my eyes wide, full of tears that threatened to roll down my cheeks as I saw a dark figure approach us.

My expression must have scared Lieutenant Davis as he was quick to sit me up and look for injuries, thinking he hurt me.

"Shit!- are you alright?! What's wrong?! Where does it hurt?!"

I kept my eyes fixed on the person that was approaching us and brought a hand up to cup Lieutenant Davis' head and turn his gaze to look at them.

He too saw what I was seeing as he went pale from the sight of seeing Private Riley safe and sound.

"Long time no see you two." He spoke so casually, as if all the time he was gone was nothing but a vacation and we are merely being reunited. I didn't like that he was trying to put light on something so serious. He almost died. It's a miracle Lieutenant Davis got him to the infirmary in time for our medics to treat him. But god it was a relief to see him on two feet rather than bleeding out in Lieutenant Davis' arms or through the white sheets of the medical bed.

"You mother fucker!" Lieutenant Davis shot up to his feet and wrapped his arms tightly around Private Riley with tears streaming down his face. "Don't you dare scare me like that again!"

"Hey... hey... easy, I'm alright... It's going to take a lot more than that to kill me."

"You have no idea how fucking lucky you are to be alive right now!"

"I know... I owe it all to my brother in arms who carried me three miles back to the base and into the infirmary..." Private Riley's head lifts up from Lieutenant Davis' shoulder to look at me with a soft smile.

I smiled softly back at him and joined in on the cuddle being shared. Just relieved to see him safe and sound.