─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"I'M FINE! IT'S JUST A BRUISE."

Abby gave Riley a doubtful look. "You keep saying that you're fine," she said, gently turning the side of Riley's head to inspect the wound. It wasn't much, and she couldn't exactly do anything to fix it. "But I don't see it."

"If you mean emotionally," Riley started, stretching out the word. "I'm not. But unless you're a magician that can make my grief disappear, there isn't much you can do for that wound." She didn't come off as bitter or grumpy, just drained.

Understanding, Abby finally released her. "You're cleared to go," she spoke. Riley slowly smiled and started slipping off the bed. She didn't know where she'd go now, but before she could think, the doors to medical swung open.

Lincoln and Octavia were carrying in a body on a stretcher, someone she hadn't recognized. "Abby, it's Nyko!" Octavia exclaimed, catching the doctor's attention. Riley immediately backed up, giving them room to lay the man, Nyko, on the bed.

"He said it was Azgeda," Lincoln stated, surprising Riley with the worried tone in his voice.

Riley watched as Abby pressed gauze to Nyko's wound, that was bleeding heavily. Jackson stepped forward, checking over Nyko and taking his pressure. "His pulse is weak," he announced. "He's burning up."

"Clotting has stopped the flow, but he's lost too much blood," Abby added.

"I'll test him," Riley offered. She missed being an assistant, helping people recover. Even if she didn't know them. She quickly grabbed Abby's tool that would tell what blood type someone had, and jabbed it in Nyko's arm. The ones surrounding his body watched eagerly, awaiting an answer before Riley spoke. "RH null," she read off the screen, slowly looking up and meeting Abby's eyes. It wasn't good.

Seeing the worried gazes, Octavia spoke up. "What's wrong?" She asked. "We're universal donors. Here, take mine," she quickly suggested, rolling up her sleeve and holding her arm out.

"You can't," Riley told her. From her time in Arkadia, she knew everyone that was born in space had the same blood type. "RH null can only take RH null." She didn't have it, but it was possible Lincoln did. Wordlessly, she looked at him, and he quickly understood. He stuck his arm out in offering, and Riley jabbed him with the needle next. Riley waited for the beep, before looking at the screen and shaking her head, seeing a different blood type appear.

"Can you save him or not?" Octavia demanded.

It was quiet, a heavy tense, before Jackson broke it. "Not here. Mount Weather." Riley stopped suddenly, biting her bottom lip. She put the tool down, visibly tensing up at the sound of her old home. She knew she couldn't talk about it, and forced herself away.Abby, on the other hand, looked astounded at Jackson's suggestion. "The medical facility in that mountain is state of the art. It's all there."

Riley could hear Abby protesting, and she wished it stayed that way. But she knew they were doctors, and they'd do anything to help someone dying, regardless if it was right. She heard Abby ask Lincoln for advice on if they should go, if the risk was too big. She felt her heart drop when Lincoln said to save him.

"There's only one problem," Jackson pointed out. "We don't know anything about the medical facility there."

Slowly turning around, catching on, Riley could see all eyes on her. They didn't have to speak, she already knew. "No," she stated firmly, holding her ground, and not letting her voice crack. "I'm not going back there. Ever." She's sworn to herself since leaving that she'd never step foot back into the bunker, not ever. She couldn't even handle thinking of the place.

"Riley, you can save him," Octavia said, moving from Nyko's side to Riley. "You wanted to be a doctor, right? Doctor's save people."

"Don't force her." Lincoln's deep voice spoke up. He could see the tears in Riley's eyes, after knowing what she went through. He never held a grudge against Riley, even though it was her people that bled out his and turned him into a reaper months ago. "If she can't - "

Shaking her head, Riley stopped him. It took seconds to change her mind, but her heart was still begging her not to go. "Wait." She stopped. She wasn't ready, not now, and knowing that she never would be. But Octavia was right. And Lincoln was forgiving, refusing to force her to save his friend. Saving people was something Riley had always wanted to do, no matter if it traumatized her in the process. "I'll go. To save him."

Proud, Abby nodded at her. "Get him ready to transport," she ordered and Jackson moved into action at the command before she turned around, looking from Riley to Jasper. "I hope you're ready to face your feelings."

Riley looked down at her trembling hands. "I hope so too."

-x-

The second Riley was at the entrance of Mount Weather, she froze. Lincoln and Jackson were wheeling Nyko in quickly, rushing down the hallway and into the infirmary. She felt like she couldn't move, and was remembering what it was like before the deaths. She heard Octavia calling her name before there was a tight grip on her wrist, and she was dragging her forward to follow them.

Suddenly, Riley was pulled back in. She had to fight with herself all over again until she was exhausted. She tried to think of Nyko, who needed the blood transplant, and how she was the only one who could help point out the right one. She spent a while working with Dr. Tsing, using the outsiders blood. Riley didn't spare a second looking where everyone died. She had thought of Nyko and only Nyko, fighting any thoughts that didn't help him or her.

The group arrived to the medical facility, where Riley had worked for so long. She knew exactly where everything was, including the blood Nyko needed. Riley knew she could be more of a help, she could have given Jackson and Abby an assisting hand. Even if she couldn't do much, she could help. But instead, she hung in the hallway of the room with her head down, still processing her thoughts.

Riley had sworn to herself that she'd never come back to this bunker, ever. She couldn't even bear thinking of it, and was in shock with herself from being able to stand there. Just a day ago, she had taken a big step by leaving Arkadia. Now Riley was back at the home that was once hers, where all her people died, leaving her the only one remaining.

"Jasper came along with us." It was the first words Riley heard Octavia had spoke, the first person to speak to her after Riley had given Abby and Jackson what information and supplies they needed. "I can't find him anywhere. Do you want a break, go and find him?" She asked, her voice soft for the first time since Riley had known her.

Unable to respond with a valid yes or no, Riley only nodded back. She didn't have to tell Octavia that she knew exactly where Jasper was, where he would mourn. Maya told her about the times they had shared, where they kept the paintings, Mount Weather's gallery. That place meant the most to Maya. They had their first kiss there, so if there was one place that Jasper would go, it was there.

Riley felt chilled the second she arrived in the small space of the gallery. She stopped in place, seeing it wasn't like how it was before. Paintings were torn everywhere, statues shattered on the ground, and Jasper in the middle of it all, staring at a single painting. Riley recognized it immediately, her eyes slowly welling in tears as she wandered in. The sound of her boots crunching against the broken artwork didn't startle Jasper. He hardly moved, trembling and crying at the sight of the painting with his legs crossed.

Ever since Maya died, everything about Jasper changed. Riley cared for him still, just as Monty had, even if he was difficult and irritating. Despite the fact he had punched her accidentally yesterday, Riley squatted next to him before pulling her knees to her chest and looking at the painting. "You know, this was always her favorite," she spoke quietly, referring to Maya. "It represents the second circle of Hell."

"Pretty ironic, if you think about it," Jasper mumbled under his breath. Riley frowned, tensing as rolls of tears began to stream down her cheeks. "I told her I liked it, but I don't know.." He trailed off. Riley lifted her arm, gently wrapping it around Jasper's shoulder and resting her head on his shoulder, making his head lean on hers. "I miss her.."

"I do too," Riley whispered back, her voice breaking. "I miss her every day."

Jasper sobbed weakly, his head falling forward. Riley tightened her arm around him, bringing her other hand up to cup his face and allowing him to bury his head in her chest. She cried too, sniffling with her heart breaking in her chest. She thought of Monty, who always promised her one thing. "It'll get better," Riley promised, but she sounded unsure. She didn't know for sure if the pain ever faded, if they could ever overcome it.

Only uttering one word, Jasper inhaled deeply, his tears wetting Riley's shirt.

"When?"