"You need to take it easy, Cara. These stitches can't hold up if you refuse to stay off your feet." I finished up with the bandage, cleaning the skin surrounding where the wound was. The gash was only slightly infected, something that my herbs were slowly helping fighting off. I hated that I couldn't heal her immediately but she always muttered, Progress is progress.

"I can't sit around and do nothing, I have five idiots to look after. Someone has to whip there arses into shape." Cara's attempt at humour didn't work, my face not budging from my serious, dead set, expression. Realising how serious I was being her face softened, allowing her obvious concern for her friends to come flooding out. "I don't want to be around them, they remind me of everything I've lost." She paused her soft voice barely audible with her head bent down. "But I can't leave them to die, Wyatt will be the death of them- if Jeremy didn't take my side on everything I don't know what would happen." A tear slide down from her eyes, which she quickly captured and removed any trace of it.

"That's not your problem to fix, Cara. I can deal with Wyatt, you shouldn't protect people that don't want protecting." I tried my best to comfort her, knowing I wasn't doing a good job of it.

"Easy for you to say, he could try and kill you but you'd still try to save his arse."

"But I sure as hell wouldn't put up with him and take on all this extra stress. You don't need this, your leg needs you to rest- I need you to rest." Before I could continue we both noticed Jeremy taking a step towards us.

"That's my queue." She pushed her self up, Jeremy coming to her side- trying to assist her but she pushed him away a look of pure disgust on her features. "Thank you Dru."

"Just think about what I said, please?" I received a nod in agreement as she limped her way back to where she spent her days. I sighed to myself, knowing my words were true- you can't protect people who don't want your protection. I couldn't get Cara away from Wyatt and that terrified me, he was a lose cannon about to snap we could all sense it.

"Dru, that's everyone for today- go get some rest." Rukma took the equipment out of my hands, placing them away in our medical bag. We'd fallen into a routine the two of us, with the occasional help from Caila. We had people that we needed to see every day, we would either have them come to us or Caila would go to the ones who weren't severe. I'd handle the injuries, herbs and what medication we had left Rukma the touch up and checks- she was learning though. She'd watch me when I worked, her eyes wide with intrigued and I could tell she'd always dreamt of becoming a doctor.

"How come you've never chosen to become one?" I'd asked one day, breaking out silence as we worked on patching up Maggie's chest.

"Life got in the way I guess." She had muttered, looking down at her hands. She was the outgoing one out of her sisters- I'd noticed that when I saw them at meal times- so I didn't understand she shy mannerisms she still held. The younger sister was the shy one, always ducking her head when others spoke to her, waiting for her sisters to respond for her. The older sister was a different story. She was a wreck, I'd walked past her on the edge of the water that morning only to find her shaking with tears mumbling a name I only could guess was her husbands. I knew Rukma hadn't not being there for her sister but she'd ensured helping people was more important, at least Chadna was in no danger.

"But I think when this is all over- I just might." She'd added after a long pause. Her words brought a large smile to my face.

"I think you're going to be the best doctor they've ever seen."

"I've learnt from the best." Our bond was clear, we'd connected over the care for the lives of others- out unspoken bond leaving silence between us comfortable.

I smiled up at my partner, she claimed she was out of her league with all of this but she'd stepped up in a major way- a way that I could never truly repay her for.

"Thank you." I whispered, stopping her where she was as her eyes moved to meet mine.

"No. Thank you, Dru. What you're doing here- everyone owes you a lot."

I couldn't take her complement, my gut wrenching at her words. I felt as if I could throw up that's how vicious the guilt within me was rushing around. I hated not telling everyone what I had done to get them here, when we got rescued they'd all find out and they'd all hate me. I knew it was selfish of me to not tell them, but I knew if they knew the truth they wouldn't let me protect them- something my whole being was committed to doing.

I reached down for the mirror. It wasn't really a mirror, it was a tiny fragment that I'd found amongst the debris but it got the job done. Bringing it up to my face I examined the wounds that I had. My chapped lips had a split down the right side of them, above my left eyebrow there was a gash that had dried over. I was supporting a thin cut underneath my left cheekbone. My face was covered in spots of dirt and dried blood, I didn't bother removing it- it would be a waste of a clean cloth.

I brought my hands down to my hip, pulling my jacket and shirt off I was left in the singlet. The hem was stained in blood just like the small bandage over my right hip was too. Peeling off the bandage with my teeth grinding together I poured a small amount of alcohol over it- careful not to over use it. It hurt, there was no denying that- but the pain I was feeling was nothing compare to what everyone else was feeling and I could live with that.

I pulled out the stitches that had began to come out and quickly got to work creating new ones. Right as I used my knife to separate the string from the bundle I heard someone roar my name. I was startled but finished up my bandage in a rush before running to see whom the voice belonged to.

It belonged to Wyatt.

"How dare you!" He stormed up to me his fingers finding their way around my neck as he roughly shoved me up against a nearby tree. I didn't struggle under his grip, refusing to give him what he wanted. "How dare you tell Cara to leave us, we're her friends- but you think you're better than everyone don't you? What? You don't have enough followers so you needed Cara to come and follow your every command. Huh?" His spit flew all over my face, my anger was stirring but I remained clam only my eyes shot back at him.

"I'm not making Cara do anything, maybe you need to question the way you and your friends act- not me." I challenged him, excepting the response he had.

His fist flew into my jaw, just as his knee came up to met my stomach. I groaned quietly, the impact not actually causing my anything more than discomfort.

Running my tongue over the teeth on that side of my face I turned my face to his. "You really don't want to do that again." But her did, his fist met my face three more times. I could feel a ring on his middle finger make a small slice but that was the worst of it. "I'm warning you, if you know what's best for you- you'll stop now." I could see frustration in his eyes- it was clear he expected me to wither in pain, probably expected for this to serve as a warning to stay out of his way. It wasn't working.

One last punch and I couldn't hold back any longer, my hands reached up to the hand that had a hold on my neck and using barely any effort I pushed it off me. This move flung him backwards, his eyes wide in shock. "Princess is going to fight back? Who knew. Just so you know, I wont stop until your lifeless body can show Cara what will happen to her if she tries to leave us again." He was cocky- that just made him an easier target. Poor guy.

Before he could step forward in attack again I already had- effortlessly meeting his face with my fist. Without hesitation I drove my other fist into his stomach as I ducked the attempt of his to punch out at me. In the same motion I kicked his legs out from underneath him by grabbing onto his shoulders and shoving him backwards over my outstretched leg.

"You-You." He stumbled, eyes wide with surprise as his hand held his jaw up- I'd clearly broken it and he words could barely make it out.

"You hit like a girl." I didn't need to punch him again, I'd made my point- the two hits had done their job. "You might want to stay away because that was me holding back." I threatened as I bent down to where he was slowly pushing himself up from. "Next time I wont stop."

Turning to go grab my jacket I didn't even make it three steps before I felt his hands near my back pocket. My reflexes were too fast, however, as I spun around almost knocking him over again. His hands were on my knife, eyes full of a bloodthirsty hatred for me. Before I had the chance to block his move his hands dug the knife into my hip, right besides where I had just fixed up. A smile grew over his lips as he drew the knife out, preparing to stab me again.

This time I was quick enough, I grabbed onto his hands and spun the knife around. He took a step forward, trying to over power me but it just backfired- the knife instead found itself in his lower abdomen. I was quick to redraw it, using the moment of surprise to my advantage to free it from his grip.

"You bitch." He spat out, his jaw hanging uncomfortably and not allowing him to add onto what I'm sure he wished he could yell at me. "You'll regret that."

I wiped the blood off the blade onto the thigh of my jeans, before safely tucking it into my back pocket again. I reached out to Wyatt, going to apply pressure to his wound before anything back could happen.

"Let me help you with that, please." My attempts were blocked, his hands shoving mine away each time I tried. "At least apply some pressure, you need to get the bleeding to stop."

"Get away from me, you've done enough." It took everything in me not to snap back at him, to scream that this was his fault but I remained calm.

"Get over yourself and let me help you." I snapped, pushing threw his hands and holding my own onto him. "I need to take you to the fire, we can do this the easy way or the hard way."

This reason he didn't argue as I walked with him to the fire, as we stepped out from behind the tree people stared to notice us. Questions were filling the air, people began to follow us as we made out way to the fire. I ignored all the prying glances, setting him down on a log as I searching for what I needed.

"What the help happened here." Jesse demanded as he stalked over to the two of us. I looked to him, his eyes instantly filling with out oh so familiar combination of worry and anger. His eyes a pool of emotion and I wish that I could, just this once, get a read on him. He opened his mouth to speak before I barked orders at him.

"Go get me my bag, some alcohol and Rukma." When he hesitated, his eyes flying over Wyatt with a sneer on his face, I continued. "Now!"

Turning my attention back to Wyatt I reached for the piece of metal that Elena and Dailia used when they cooked. I stuck one end of it into the fire, preparing to use it on Wyatt. This was when his friends appeared, Cara and Jeremy having to hold them back from jumping on me.

"What have you done to him!" One of the girls growled at me.

"Nothing he didn't deserve I'm sure." Cara responded for me, I was too preoccupied with heating up this metal bar before he lost too much blood.

When I was happy with the temperature I turned to Wyatt, "Bite down onto this." I handed him a piece of cloth forcing it into his mouth. I pulled his shirt up over his chest using it to clear his abdomen but also to block his view of what I was about to do.

I did it in one swift motion, bring the metal bar onto his skin I pressed it firmly onto the wound. Ignoring his hisses and protesting friends I held it down with as much pressure as I possibly could. Looking up to see how Wyatt was going I noticed Jesse had he arms held back, pinning him so he couldn't escape me.

I pulled it away after no longer than a minute, quickly reaching into the bag Jesse had dropped besides me as I kicked into gear to finish take care of the wound.

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After I had cleaned the wound with alcohol Wyatt had pulled away from me, insisting Rukma could finish it- demanding I left him alone. I didn't argue and I quickly walked away from the small crowd that had gathered around us.

When I reached the med area I reached for my jacket and shirt- preparing myself to go and check on the quarantine area.

"Aren't you going to fix that up." The voice didn't startle me, by now I was used to Jesse popping up right when I didn't want to talk to him. To be clear, that was always.

"Nothing needs fixing, I'm fine." It wasn't a lie either, I could deal with the pain of a stab wound later- once everything had calmed down and everything was taken care of. Trying to brush past him on my way out he grabbed my arm and pulled me backwards.

"You're no good to the people if you're injured. You'll save more time if you just sort it out now while everyone is distracted." He pushed me onto one of the beds.

"Tell me how to help." His fingers reached out to my spare equipment that sat on a bench. I almost had to laugh at how clueless the boy was, his eyes trying desperately to find something useful.

"Bring me the sewing kit, a cloth, a water bottle, a bandage and maybe some of that vodka." His eyebrow rose in amusement at that one. He wasted no time dumping those things onto the bed besides me before he too one of the stools I'd created from a tree stump. He perched the stool between my legs, he reached out to pull my shirt up in an attempt to help.

I slapped his hand away, "I got this." I insisted as I reached for the cloth and vodka.

This time is was him who slapped my hand away, "Get over yourself princess, I'm helping you whether you want me to or not." His eyes told me not to push any further, he was going to no matter how hard I argued and today I just didn't feel like fighting with him.

"Fine, but don't kill me Blake." I sighed, hating that I was relying on someone else to protect myself- something I was anything but used to.

"I got you, Princess, trust me." His words almost came out softly as his fingers on my hip made me jolt. Our eyes were locked as he realised what he'd just said. This time the emotion that overwhelmed me wasn't anger or rage, it was almost like trust. The glimmer of fear in his eyes told me he'd had the same realisation, there was always so much unspoken between us and this was no exception.

I trusted him and that scared me just as much as it scared him.

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