Injustice Dies In Daylight: The Complete Saga

True Companion

Everyone held tight to the interior of the helicopter as another shot barely missed.
If I knew it was this stressful I would've stayed home, Aaron thought. He looked as his friends to see that they didn't appear to be bothered by what was going on. Roxanne had a thousand yard stare that made it seem like she was thinking about her next training session,and not the enemy aircraft firing at them.
George was chatting casually with her but she didn't appear to be listening. As per usual.
Veronica was lucky she got to stay behind,and not worry about getting shot down.
Robert was doing a pretty good job at avoiding every shot at least.
Jonas and James were discussing the plan for when they landed,recon missions sucked.

"I was hoping that you could give me some boxing techniques since you've been training with Jonas." George knew she wasn't listening,but loved talking to her anyways.
"Sorry I was zoned out,what was that?" Roxanne finally glanced up at George.
He felt his face get a little red as he repeated his question.
She sat there for a moment looking at him. He couldn't tell if she thought he was joking or if she thought he was stupid.
"I mean sure,but you know I'm not the greatest teacher. And besides,you could teach me some of that ju jitsu you've been learning."
George turned red,again. "Well,I mean,I could. But would you be up to the task?"
She leaned in close to his face.
"Try me,cowboy."
"Oh will you two just kiss already?" Robert yelled from the cockpit.
Embarrassed,they both turned pulled away red as beets.
Aaron gazed at them,feeling slightly jealous. He had always wanted that connection,but instead it was George who seemed to have it.
He didn't blame either of them. They hadn't done anything wrong,so why was he feeling this way?
He stared at her for a while longer.
Her eyes reminded him of ice on a lake,or the sky during the winter.
She was beautiful to him.
But he knew she didn't feel that way about him.
*KABOOM*
His thoughts were interrupted by a well-aimed hit closer to him on the back of the chopper.
A gaping hole stared him in the face as a roar of wind deafened him. The jolt sent him flying into the air.

"AARON!" He faintly hear Roxanne's voice as she reached for him,grasping his wrist to keep him in the aircraft.
His eyes locked with hers for a moment. For the first time in a long time he could see genuine fear in them.
He could feel the air pulling them closer to the hole. Behind them,George tried to keep a tight grip on Roxanne's jacket as Jonas and James tried to help Robert control the copter.
*RIP*
George's grip wasn't strong enough.
Roxanne and Aaron were sent flying out to the grounds below.

The darkness began to clear as Aaron opened his eyes. Two soldiers stood over him,talking to one another in a language he couldn't understand.
These weren't friends.
They didn't quite seems to notice he was awake,but it didn't matter. He couldn't move a muscle from the pain and shock of the fall.
He slowed turned his head trying to catch glimpse of his Lieutenant.
On his left he finally spotted her lying immobile just a few feet away.
He smelled something strong.
Blood.
Her jacket sleeves had been torn to shred from the trees and were covered in blood and bruises.
Trying not to attract the attention of the two soldiers,he slowly tried to make his way over to her body.
Before he made it even a foot,a hand grabbed his leg,pulling him back.
"Lieutenant....Banshee."
He choked out to words trying to reach for her.
"You are American?" One of the soldiers spoke in very broken English. His accent suggested Eastern European.
Aaron refused to respond to him. Instead staring at him with malice. The soldier stared back for moment,before looking in Roxanne's direction. The soldier began walking towards her unconscious form.
"No..don't touch her. Stay away..." His voice failed him.
Instead of doing anything malicious,the soldier instead bent down and began wrapping her arms in gauze. The other soldier helped Aaron to a sitting position against one of the trees,dressing any injuries.
The soldier attending to Roxanne pulled her into a sitting position against his arm as he tried to gently wake her up.
"We are part of rebellion,we were told Americans would help. You are here to help, no?"
"We are here to stop the nationalist organizations."
"They are our enemies,then you are our friends. I am Andrej and the one helping your friend is Yehor."
"We owe you our lives."
"You owe us nothing but what you already promised us: help."
"We will do anything you ask of us."
Yehor finally had success in waking Roxanne,who seemed hesitant to their help at first. Roxanne stood up,waving off help from Yehor and walked over to where Aaron was sitting.
"Anything broken?"
"No,but his leg and arm are badly sprained,he should probably rest here while we go retrieve a medic."
Yehor walked towards the the three of them.
"Lieutenant,you need rest,your wrist is dislocated and your ankle is badly sprained."
"I'm fine."
Aaron became irritated. Why couldn't she ever take a moment to stop?
"No,you must stay here,do you have weapons on you?"
"Yeah,I have a spare one for Aaron if he doesn't but we should be alright."
"Don't try and shoot anything out of your right hand."
"Good thing I'm left handed then."
She turned to where Aaron was and handing him a handgun.
"Keep it,she's gotten me out of a lot of scrapes before."
"Just hope she'll do the same for me."
"She will."
After making sure they would be alright,the two Slavic soldiers left.
They both sat in silence,in the shade of the tree that supported them.
Aaron looked up to wear Roxanne leaned against the tree.
"I'm sorry for getting you hurt."
Roxanne looked at him confused.
"What? For trying to save your skin? That wasn't your fault."
"I don't know,maybe I would've been alright even if you didn't grab for me."
"No,because we were higher in the air when we were shot. Robert got closer to the ground before we both fell out."
"Still,you probably should've just let go."
"I would never have let go."
Aaron turned away,not willing to make eye contact. However Roxanne still stared on him.
"Aaron,have you forgotten everything you've done for me?"
"Have You?"
"What?"
"It seems that you barely pay me any mind on missions anymore,it's all about George or Veronica. Some times I wonder if you can even see me."
"Aaron you mean everything to me."
He finally turned back to wear she once stood,she stooped down next to him. Now sitting on the same level as him.
"You don't really think that."
"I never say anything I don't mean. I'm sorry I never showed it. I always watched your training,joyful at how well you've succeeded. I never could have been as proud for my friends as I am of you. As terrible as everything that occurred with your family,the paths they followed,you reminded me that a last name means nothing. You aren't your father or your brother,you're you."
Aaron tried to choke back the tears. She meant so much to him,and now he knew exactly how she viewed him.
She was proud of him.
Of his accomplishments.
She was his family,and nothing could change that.