Karmin didn't know what she was thinking.

To be frank, was she ever thinking?

No person with more than two brain cells would be sane enough to attack the same person that had clearly kicked the living life out of them not too long ago.

So, that either meant I was insane or incredibly stupid... possibly both.

But here she was swatting the gun out of Ares's hand and tackling him immediately to the rough ground. She heard shouts coming from Lance as Maddox attacked him, but she paid no mind as Karmin swung her fists into Reign's face. She had the advantage of surprise, so she didn't waste her opportunity as she landed continuous blows.

She exhaled tiredly, wiping her bloody fists on her forehead. Ares had red liquid pouring out of his nose and lips, but she wasn't done quite yet. Karmin crawled off him, quickly dragging herself through the rubble and weeds to find the gun. Even through the dark, the silver metal had a spark to it, and once her eye caught it, she started moving even swifter.

Karmin was mere inches away when she felt a tight grip on her ankle, pulling her back roughly. The gun was getting farther and farther away as she struggled against Ares's hold.

"Let go!" she screamed, propelling her free leg back and into his abdomen.

Ares doubled over, his grip loosening just enough for her to escape. She hastily jumped to her feet, placing both fists up as she protected her face and chest like she had countless times in the fight club. It had become almost like second nature.

Her gaze was fixated on him, who watched her intently to determine her next move. As much as she wanted to glance over at Maddox and see if he was alright, she didn't have that choice. So much of a flickering look could give Ares the upper hand.

"You okay there, Mads?" she called out for him without her stare wavering.

"Don't worry about me, Kar," he grunted from near the pier.

"How cute," cooed Ares sarcastically as clenched his hands into a fist. "It makes me sick."

"Don't be bitter. It just sounds like you're lonely," Karmin retorted.

Ares's nostrils flared in anger as he lurched forward with a punch, but she was ready as she delicately moved on her feet, avoiding his hit. That seemed to outrage him even more when he began a flurry of hits and jabs that she dodged with little effort.

He was off. His fighting, unlike before, was messy and anger driven. He had no control over his actions, and Karmin knew she was getting to him. After almost being arrested and his entire gang that he built from the group up being destroyed by a college student was enough to push him over the edge.

"Let me offer some dating advice. People don't like blood-thirsty assholes," Karmin started with a smirk, "unless you're Damon Salvatore."

"Damon who?" he said with agitation through gritted teeth.

"The Vampire Diaries," she replied with a roll of her eyes. "Are you not up to date with teen dramas?"

"I should've killed you the second I met you!" roared Ares as he surged towards her.

"You know, I think that's how Maddox feels most of the time," she shrugged as she dug her heels into the dirt and prepared herself for his move.

Karmin wasn't sure if it was the adrenaline talking, but her confidence rose as she ducked his hit, drawing her punch up his chin. His head rocked back until he faced the night sky only for her to kick him between the legs until he fell on his knees. He groaned in pain as his face turned an ugly shade of red.

"Maybe you can find some time in jail," she remarked with a smirk as she took hold of his head and bringing it down to her knee. Karmin flinched at the crack, letting Ares fall on his back. She analyzed him and said, "Might I recommend Teen Wolf as well."

"You're not as great of a fighter as you think you are," Ares spat while he attempted to get up.

She scoffed with a raised brow. "And why is that?"

"Because you would see that coming."

"See what?" she asked, and Karmin wished she hadn't asked when she felt the hard hit to the back of her head.

She instinctively grabbed the back of her head as she stumbled on her feet. Her vision became blurry, but she blinked rapidly to get her vision back. However, someone gripped the back of her head and turned her until she was facing Lance's sneering face.

"Cheap shot, bitch," Karmin spat, but the only thing that got her was a sucker punch to the face. She groaned in pain, her head jolting to the side from the impact of the hit. Lance shoved her to the ground roughly, landing a kick to her jaw and then another to her abdomen. She felt blood in her mouth, and she wheezed as the air left her lungs, tightly gripping her stomach in agony.

"Not so talkative now, huh," Lance smirked as he made his way to help Ares to his feet.

Karmin rolled to her stomach, spitting out the blood whilst her face became dirty from the ground, but her skin would be tomorrow's concern.

If there was a tomorrow.

She pushed her thoughts away, realizing that if Lance was here, then where was Maddox. Her pain was replaced with fear and worry as she darted her eyes near the lake and screamed, "Maddox! Where are you?"

There was a moment of silence, but suddenly, she heard him shout. "I'm coming! I got pushed into the fucking lake!" Maddox sounded frustrated, but most of all angry.

Karmin sighed in relief and began to drag herself through the dirt and leaves towards the gun that laid a few feet away. Her abdomen ached when she breathed, and her arms felt weak, but she pushed through the shooting pain.

You're almost there. Keep going.

She sniffled as tears threatened to fall, but she wouldn't dare let one fall as she kept crawling to the weapon. It was the only thing that would get them out of it. The power that guns wielded was enough. All her attention was focused on her goal until she heard cussing and yelling behind her.

Karmin glanced behind her momentarily to see a soaking wet Maddox fighting off Lance with such ferocity, it amazed her.

"I can't swim, asshole!" he yelled in resentment.

She chuckled lightly, but it faded when she saw Ares stumbling to his feet, his eyes locked onto hers. Karmin's eyes widened as she turned back around and began to crawl even quicker. Her movements became desperate, and her eyes failed her as tears rolled down. Her breathing was shallow and rapid as she whispered to herself, "Come on. Come on."

The gun got closer and closer until it was inches away. She reached out her hand, her fingertips skimming the metal surface. Hope bubbled in her, and a bloody smile graced her face, but then it was kicked out of her grasp by black leather loafers into the bushes.

"No, no!" she screamed. She was so close.

"And you almost had it," Ares cooed as he kicked her onto her back. "Just not fast enough, huh."

"You're a terrible human being," she hissed as she attempted to get up but was only pushed back to the ground.

"And guess what?" he smiled as he knelt to the ground a straddled her, "I don't give a fuck."

"I hope your pillow is never cold and your orange juice has pulp," cursed Karmin as she tried to land a few blows but was proving unsuccessful.

"How hurtful," Ares grunted while he gripped her arms and locking them to the side.

His hands caressed her neck gently as he hummed lightly. Karmin recoiled in disgust, but there was so much she could do being pinned to the ground. She was hoping Maddox would come to the rescue, but even from here, she could hear that Lance wasn't quite down with him yet.

"Now, a bullet to the brain would be a lot quicker," Ares thought out loud, "but I find it can be quite impersonal. I prefer more intimate ways, like this," and then, his hands were around her neck, squeezing as hard as humanly possible.

Her air supply instantly cut off as he gripped her neck tighter. Karmin attempted to speak, but all the came out was a pathetic choking sound. She clawed at his face, at his hands, to get him to stop, but it only made him crush her airway more. Ares put all his weight into it, his face beginning to become red whist her face turned blue from the lack of oxygen.

Karmin's entire world was slipping away, and she needed to do something quickly. She desperately flailed her hands to the side, trying to find anything she could use. All her fingers found were pebbles, leaves, and dirt. Nothing she could use to get out of this.

"Fuck, Kar, I'm trying!" screamed Maddox, but his voice was beginning to sound distant. "Hold on!"

She wished she had the time for him to come save her, but it was all on her. She had to save herself, so she kept trying. Karmin stretched her arms further and struggled against his touch. She could feel herself lapsing into darkness, but then, something rolled over to her. It was just by her Ares's knees, and she knew she needed it.

"Take it!" shouted Maddox.

Maybe he could save me after all.

Karmin extended her arm down to his legs, flexing her fingers until they made contact with a large stone. She grasped it tightly, and with the last trickles of energy that she could gather, she swung.

Ares grunted, taken aback by the hit. His hands loosened around her neck, and Karmin took a deep breath in and swung again and again until he fell beside her.

She stumbled to her feet, swaying side to side as she coughed. "I am so fucking tired of almost dying," she breathed out bitterly.

Karmin felt exhausted. Her skin felt like it was crawling with bugs, and her clothes were ripped and covered in dirt. But she had no time to waste as she began to limp towards the bushes. She glanced over at Maddox to see Lance on top of him, attacking him brutally. She started walking, almost running, to get to the gun.

Once she was at the bushes, she got to her knees, pushing through the foliage to find it. Her eyes caught the silver against the soil and quickly grabbed it. It felt heavy in her hands as she stared at it in interest. She had never held a gun before, but she had seen them several times on television.

Her hands shook, but nevertheless, she turned around slowly and took a few steps forward. With two hands, she raised it towards Lance. It trembled in her grip as she held it awkwardly, but she couldn't show them fear.

"Get off him now," Karmin ordered, "or I'll shoot you!"

Lance moved his gaze up at her lazily, but suddenly froze when he saw her holding the gun. "Yeah, right," he scoffed.

She gritted her teeth angrily, and without another thought, she fired at the ground near Lance. Karmin jumped from the loud sound and the power of the bullet leaving the barrel but quickly calmed herself.

"The next shot will be through your brain," Karmin threatened, but she knew it was a bluff. There was no way she could perfectly aim it.

Lance's face went grim as he stood up slowly with his hands up. He glared at her intensely but dared not to make a single move.

Maddox rolled to his feet, his face bloody and bruised. She would think all his fight had diminished, but there was a sort of anger still glowing in his ribs as he propelled his fist directly into Lance's temple.

He slumped to the ground, unconscious as Maddox muttered, "I'm so fucking cold."

"Are you okay, Mads?" she asked softly.

"I'm okay," he reassured cautiously with the gun in her hands.

"Good," Karmin said, and then like a switch, her loving gaze turned dark as she pointed her gun at Ares. "Get the fuck up!"

He was groaning on the ground and writhing in pain, yet he listened. Ares sluggishly rose to his feet with blood trickling from his forehead down to his face. "Do you even know how to use a gun?" he drawled with a slight wince.

Karmin gripped the gun tighter, her hands no longer wavering. She could feel her fear be replaced with a certain something. It almost felt like power.

"Well, now's the perfect time to learn," she remarked coolly.

"Karmin, no," called out Maddox. "My Mom and Cesar are coming. Just wait."

"Yeah, Karmin. Just wait," Ares said condescendingly. "Besides you don't have the guts to kill me. It's not in you."

"You don't know me!" she screamed as her finger slid onto the trigger. "You hurt me. You hurt the boy I love. You deserve to hurt."

She had so much hatred for this man. In the entirety of her life, Karmin had never felt this way. It had started off slow with a small seed planted of fear. Over time, she watered it with anger and pain until it bloomed. It latched onto her organs, tethered to her genes, and consumed her heart until it replaced all her good and love with all this hatred.

She heard Maddox shout and call out for her, but she couldn't see anything beyond Ares and his smirk. All he did to her boomed in her mind from forcing her to join My Brother's Keeper to hurting her green-eyed boy.

I want him dead.

And then a shot went off.

***

Author's Note:

Oof, this was pretty intense. How do you guys feel about it?

So, we got two chapters left to go omg!! The Daphne Effect will be done in the next two weeks!

Also, does anyone watch WandaVision because the finale had me shook!! It's one of the best things that Marvel has made and I LOVE Elizabeth Olsen omg. Scarlett Witch is easily the strongest Avenger and I will die on this bridge, thank you.

Until next time - m.k.t