Under The Tent Top (COMPLETED)

Fourty - Two

MARIUS shook his head at me, cupping his hand to my face. He wasn't harmed.

I watched with anger, the smoke hissing from the Odin's barrel. His face grew red with wrath. He stood over me, his eyes wide and possessed. He didn't speak. Instead he stared at me with rage. His hands stern on the rifle - the hot barrel pointed at my face.

Marius yelled as he pushed the man's side.

Odin took a few steps back, but remained firm.

Then, Odin's eyes went bleak as quickly as he had lifted the rifle. He stumbled at his spot. The gun fell. We all watched as he crumbled to his knees.

Blood fountained from his neck.

I turned behind me to find a young guard. His firearm directed at Odin. The others around him fumbled with confusion. "Go." The young guard gestured.

Marius reached for the man's hand. I glanced at the others. A few looked on with regret. The rest didn't stay to watch.

At almost the right moment, the sun had awakened from the night. Poppy and France gathered us together and we made way for the tree line.

~*~

"So what now?" France asked.

I reached for Rene, she winked teasingly. "Down south."

France nodded.

"Thank you." Manuel smiled.

We watched a few moments as our brief friend escaped back towards her humble home. The adrenaline was slowly leaving us, and soon we let out a few chuckles.

I took a deep breath of relief ... then my sight hazed over.

A sharp pain shot through my side. I reached down towards my abdomen and stared at my crimson hand. My eyes darted up towards my friends. Marius' eyes widened with fear.

Darkness surrounded me.

The last thing I heard was Marius cry out my name.

~*~

"It's not working!" Rene yelled.

I squinted through my heavy eyelids. A small piece of cloth ripped from her shirt -was pressed against my side.

"Goddam," Marius grumbled through trembling lips.

My torso was soaked in blood. I weakly reached for the wound. Rene waved it away. "Stop. Manuel's coming back. We'll stop the bleeding..." Her voice shook.

I struggled to remain conscious but groaned from agony.

"Take this." Marius nudged at Rene, taking the shirt off his back. Tears welled in his eyes.

Both Rene and Marius had their hands to my side. Pressure on the wound - an effort proving useless.

"Rene...?" Poppy cried from above me.

"Get her out of here." Marius' insisted.

I struggled to sit up. My back had been pressed up against an old thin tree.

"No, don't move." Marius begged.

I felt his hands shaking against me. My weak eyes stared up into his. They were glistened over with tears. I reached for his face. He refused to look back at me.

I took a sharp breath. "I don't think it's going to stop." I gestured towards the pooling blood. "I suppose that bullet didn't stray off in the distance like I thought."

Marius shook his head.

My lungs felt numb. My eyes were heavy.

"Marius." Manuel kneeled to our side, his eyes were low with defeat. "France is rummaging through her supplies. She'll be here soon. No one else is opening their doors."

I looked through the dizzy haze at my friend. Manuel gazed at me in return. A slight frown painted across his face. I gently smiled, nodding at him in thanks. I watched as his chest rose and fell with a deep breath. He dropped his head low and squeezed my hand. With a weak grip I grasped my friend's hand a final time, before he retreated towards Rene.

I watched as they both held on to Poppy, keeping her back towards me. Rene cried against Manuel's shoulder.

"Stop it." I teased.

Rene rolled her eyes as she took soft quick steps towards me. "Just hold one till France gets here..."

I weakly shook my head. "I love you."

"No, don't. You can't say goodbye to me. I refuse your goodbye."

"Rene..."

Her mouth opened, but she softly closed her lips again. Tears fell in place of words.

"Machu Picchu?"

She grasped my hand against her chest, and softly nodded. "No matter what." Then she patted Marius' shoulder and left us alone.

Marius sighed with frustration and sorrow. "Just hold on."

I managed to softly smiled. "I can try."

His eyes finally found mine. Marius' face was knitted with anxiety and grief. His lips quivered as he tried desperately not to let pressure off my side. I helplessly watched as his eyes searched into mine - furiously trying to find a hint of strength. I'm afraid I would be disappointing him. "Please..."

I reached for his face. He closed his eyes resting his cheek against my hand.

"Nalani," He barely let out a whisper. "Please, don't leave me."

"I don't want to." I winched in pain all while struggling to fight the urge to sleep.

I gazed up at the sky above me. Delicate small specks of green sprouted from a few nubs of the tree's limbs. The sun felt warm as it started its daily dues. I watched the sky for a few moments feeling the window brush through my hair. I shortly recalled the few seconds I had spent up in the air - spinning and falling through the curtains. A small smile curled at the corner of my lips as I pictured Mirna, and Artin watching. Marius in awe behind the scenes.

"Stay with me." Marius whispered. "It won't be long bef-"

I placed my hand on top of his, and gently pulled them off me. "I've been thinking."

Marius cleared his throat. "About?"

"That house," A faint grin escaped the sad man above me. "With the big dinning table. The soft bed. We should go back."

"We can do that."

"I'd like that. We'll clean it up. Make it just our own."

Marius bit his lip in melancholy and nodded ever so slightly.

He lifted me off the ground and cradled me against him. I took a deep breath and melted into his chest. His heart rhythmically sang against me. The sound was soft, a little fast...it shook as he took slow sad breaths. As he pressed his trembling lips against my forehead, tears fell from his eyes. Pain echoed through me. My mind was drifting. My lungs felt sluggish and tight. Fog began to cloud my eyes. But I fought it all to watch the sun's rays break through the thin branches and touch Marius' face. I fought to gaze up at him one last time.

And then, I closed my eyes.

~*~

And all the sweethearts that e'er I've had

Would wish me one more day to stay

But since it falls unto my lot

That I should rise and you should not

I'll gently rise and I'll softly call

Good night and joy be with you all