The Fight of Our Lives - NewScapeSquad Fanfic

Gone

"FWOOSH!"

Ashlie's eyes popped open as a wave of heat passed over her body. A familiar stream of raging orange flame brightened her view of the sky when she looked up, and Ashlie nearly sobbed out of joy and shock, choking on her words. It came from behind her and the bear carcass, and now she could hear the sound of human footfalls racing from the direction of the house. A wild howl pierced the air, followed by a more human-sounding battle cry and a blur of gray followed by a sprinting form charge into the rest of the creatures, the firelight glinting off of metal claws and white fangs. Ashlie smirked, her heart taking great, leaping bounds in her chest. The cavalry's here. She thought happily. We'll be okay...

Ashlie flinched suddenly as a pair of gentle hands grabbed at her shoulders, pulling her into their arms. She yelped in pain, but it quickly turned into a squeal of joy as she recognized the black hair and dirty blue clothing.

"Nick!" She rasped gleefully. "You're awake? But—how... when...?"

He looked her in the eyes and held onto her arms to keep her from trying to get up. "Shh... Don't talk, Ash. Jon is going to help get you away from here so you'll be safe. You and I can both tell each what happened when we can get out of here, okay?"

Ashlie could feel his hands were still warm from using his power, drinking in the sight of his hazel-mud eyes behind those familiar silver-rimmed glasses. They were so much more pretty now that he wasn't dying. So much more sparkly. "I missed your buttery voice, yknow." Ashlie slurred with a delirious giggle. Her energy was draining by the second, her head drooping down to rest on Nick's shoulder.

"Me too Ash.... I missed you too," He whispered, and grabbed the exhausted girl by the armpits and hauled her to her feet, carrying nearly all of her weight by himself; Nick wasn't the strongest person, either. Jon was standing nearby, and as soon as she was up, he rushed over and supported her other side, wrapping her arm around his shoulders.

"I'll be right back, Ashlie. I promise. Please don't hurt yourself. We can take care of this."

He let go of her and she nodded weakly. Nick slowly began backing up, and Jon started dragging her in the direction of the farmhouse. But almost as an afterthought, Ashlie's head shot up and she turned to look back at Nick. "Wait! Please... Cory and Dawn— the robots... Don't hurt them. They were helping me protect you— I've forgiven them. They aren't threats," She managed to gasp.

Nick looked confused, but he nodded, and Ashlie sighed in relief and let her body go limp, Jon quickly taking her away. He struggled a little to carry her the short distance, but eventually, with a lot of huffing and puffing on Jon's part, he were able to get her into the shelter of the farmhouse. The old floorboards creaked just as they had when Ashlie had first discovered the place, all those weeks ago. Ashlie's limp head rolled around like a bowling ball, just barley able to make out Jon's curly, dark green hair and pale skin as he leaned her up against the wall and knelt down in front of her. He took a deep, preparatory breath before shaking his hands out and placing them on her chest. A faint green glow with whorls of purple made his veins light up until it reached his fingertips, where the light began to surround them both. Jon screwed his eyes shut in concentration. With agonizing slowness, Ashlie felt her fatigue evaporate, and her head finally cleared enough to think straight.

"Jon?" She mumbled, still a little loopy from the lingering pain. "How's it going, bud?"

"Hey Atlie," He smiled, his eyes still squeezed shut. "Not too bad, considering everything."