These Different Times (Nick Clark FF)

43.

We found Steven at a drain cover, attempting to pull it off so we could go underground.
Nick left Luciana and I to help him, but given that she looked like she was going to pass out, we both tumbled over with her added weight. 

"Hey," Nick snapped and I looked to see him stopping Steven from going down first, "Not you asshole. She's hurt." 

I finally managed to get Luciana off the ground again and over to them, who gently hoisted her up and told her to go. 

She was slow, and I looked over my shoulder. No one was there, but we could hear them coming. 

"Taylor," Nick said as he started descending the ladder, "Come on!" 

The men rounded the corner just as my head went beneath the grate and when I was sure that Luciana was clear of the bottom, I let go and just jumped. 

I hissed in pain when I landed, my ankle buckling from under me and I cursed, "Stupid. So stupid." 

"Steven, come on!" 

There were screams of pain from above us and we looked up, seeing that Steven was now leaning over the hole, blood dripping from two wounds in his torso area, down onto my forehead.

"Shit," Nick whispered, wrapping Luciana around him once more as he started forward, "Taylor, come on."

He turned around though when he heard me whimper.

I couldn't even put weight on my foot without putting myself in pain. 

"Taylor?" he asked, gently leaning Luciana against the wall before coming to me, hands cupping my face gently, "Hey, what's wrong?" 

"My ankle," I whispered, "I've hurt my ankle." 

The men were right on top of us now and Nick let out a breath, resting his forehead against mine. 

"I need you to do this for me," he murmured, "Okay? I know it's going to hurt but I need you to walk for me, Beautiful."

I nodded mutely and took a tentative step, trying to work out the best way to put my foot down to keep the pain to the minimum. 

Somehow, I managed to keep up with Nick as he led us through the tunnels, trying to find a way to get us out. 

"Wait," Luciana gasped, "Wait, I need to stop." 

"We can't stop," he replied, looking over his shoulder at me. 

"I have to," she sobbed, falling back against the wall, trying to catch her breath, "I'm just slowing you down."

"Hey," I said firmly, leaning beside her, "We're not leaving you. Okay?" 

"We're not," Nick agreed, "Never. We're in this together. " 

She took a couple of deep breathes before allowing Nick to support her as we started walking again.  

We turned yet another corner, coming across another sewer grate and we could see a stream of light coming in the top.

"It's an exit," he whispered and rest Luciana up against the wall, "We can get through here." 

I also leant back on the wall opposite her, grateful for the chance to rest my ankle and the two of us watched as he kicked at the grate and I couldn't help but look back to see if the soldiers were coming after us but all there was, was the empty tunnel.

I winced when there was a loud crashing noise from behind me, turning to see that Nick had successfully managed to get the grate down. 

He took a couple of steps outside but immediately stopped and my heart dropped when I heard the loud, unanimous snarls that belonged to the infected. 

"We gotta go!" he yelled, closing the gap between us in three easy strides, "We gotta go, now!" 

I quickly grabbed Luciana's hand and dragged her back in the direction she had come from, spouting a quiet apology when she yelped in pain. 

Nick ran ahead of us so he could navigate the way but that was abruptly stopped when Steven, or rather, Undead Steven lunged at him from behind the corner, knocking him to the ground. 

"Nick!" I gasped, leaving Luciana to try and pull it off of him but it wasn't budging and was inching closer and closer to breaking his skin with it's teeth. 

Luciana was yelling for help, her cries echoing off the walls and suddenly, above us, a shadow fell over us. 

"Nick?" 

I briefly froze, looking up when I thought I heard Alicia's voice, shocked to see that it was actually her. 

"Alicia?!" 

"Taylor?" she gaped. 

"Alicia, we need help!" I cried and I watched get something from her pocket, pushing it through the grate and it fell to the ground beside me. 

A knife. 

I wordlessly reached for it, grabbing hold of the infected's head before driving the knife into the skull, my shoulders sagging in relief when it fell limp and breathing heavily, I threw it off to the side. 

"Are you okay?" I breathe, leaning over him. 

"I'm fine," he whispered, peering past me up at where Alicia was still watching us, "Alicia?" 

"Nick!" she yelled when two soldiers suddenly apprehended her, dragging her away, "Nick!" 

"Alicia!" 

From further down the tunnel, we could hear the horde of infected coming and I grabbed Luciana again and followed Nick towards the ladder, which he climbed up first. 

As soon as Luciana and I followed, we were also grabbed by soldiers, who dragged us towards where we could hear loud shouting and cheering. 

"Hey, hey!" I yelled when I saw one of them shoving Luciana, "She's hurt! Stop shoving." 

I let out a small grunt when they started shoving me too and I tripped over my feet. 

Why were these guys such assholes?

We rounded another corner and I came to a stop when I saw who was in front of me. 

Alicia and Travis, who I already knew were here and Madisson. The two clark women were currently being embraced by Nick and I felt myself getting emotional. It was just so wonderful to see.

We were just talking about them yesterday. Or was it two days ago? 

"Where's Taylor?" I heard his mom ask, "Is she here?" 

"Maddie," I said quietly and she turned. 

"Oh thank god," she breathed, holding her arms out for me which I eagerly went into. Her arms were tight around me and I rest my head on her shoulder. 

"Troy." 

I turned when I heard a voice from behind me, seeing that it was the soldier who was holding onto Luciana, who was now slowly losing consciousness. 

I rushed forward to help steady her and looked at Nick, "She needs help. Now." 

A young man with brown hair stepped forward, along with the soldier who came in to talk to Travis back in that room. The one who wouldn't get her help. But now, something had happened to his eye.

"We'll get you some help," the darker haired guy said, stepping closer, "I'm Jake. Jake Otto. This is my brother Troy." 

"We're not going anywhere with you." Nick hissed, moving to stand with the two of us, "He," he pointed to Troy, "He killed people! He was going to kill us!" 

Jake held his hands out, "I can only apologise for my brother but please. Your friend needs help. She's dying." 

Licking my lips, I took his hand, making him look at me. 

"Taylor, no." 

"I don't like it either," I said truthfully, "But, he's right. She's going to die." 

Looking between me and the two of them, he finally nodded and as if from nowhere, there was two other men with a stretcher to carry her into the medical tent.