But you'll never be alone. I'll be with you from dusk till dawn.

The night is dark, exhaustion pulling at my eyelids and my bones.

My every breath rattles out of my chest, my stomach contracting with pain, but I don't stop driving.

The stars twinkle above the car as I drive down an almost deserted road.

My eyes stray to the rear-view mirror, Hollands pale face taking up my view. Sweat builds on her brow, my shirt clinging to her skin. A shiver wracks her body, teeth chattering.

I grind mine, wild eyes searching for somewhere to lay low.

I look back at her, the worry in my mind growing as I see another shiver take over her.

Her wounds are getting infected.

I moved her to the backseat a few hour ago when I noticed she fell asleep, her injured back against the seat. It didn't look comfortable with the wince on her exhausted face.

I turn the wheel, the car following as I drive us over the bridge, my shoulder screams but I ignore it.

I twist the wheel at the end of the bridge, turning the car left and disappearing between foliage.

I don't know this area, nothing I've passed in the last few hours spells out where we are.

I quickly park the car under the bridge, the jolt of it awakening Holland.

She goes to get up, but her hands shake beneath her, and she crashes back to the seat.

I get out, quickly opening the back door and leaning over her.

I brush the hair from her forehead and her eyes flutter open.

"Archer?" She groans, trying to lift herself back up again.

"Stay still, it's fine. We're fine. I just stopped for a rest."

She groans, her eyes squeezed shut.

"Where are we?"

"I don't know, I parked the car under a bridge for now. It's out of sight."

Her eyes flutter open, and she glances at me, her eyes going to my bruised shoulder.

"It's fine." I answer the unspoken question, rolling it for her to see even as it pains me.

Thankfully, she focuses on my shoulder and not my face or she would've seen the wince that took over my features.

"It's fine?" She mumbles and I smile, brushing the hair as it falls back into her face.

"It's fine, I promise. Go back to sleep."

"I can't." She mumbles against the seat. "My back." She tries to touch it, but I grab her hand, squeezing it and laying it back down beside her.

"I'll look at it."

I quickly lift up the shirt, being gentle of her wounds.

She winces as I do and I stop, breathing in sharply.

"What?"

I look at her, noticing the strength in her gaze.

"It's stuck to the wounds, if I pull it, it will reopen them."

Her eyes harden and she shuts them before opening them again, looking at me with resolve.

"Do it."

"Are you sure?"

She nods her head, hand clutching at the door handle.

I try to be gentle as I peel the shirt back. But by the muffled screaming and the whiteness of her face and knuckles, I doubt I succeeded.

I breathe out slowly as I lift the shirt the rest of the way, looking at the wounds.

They're red and angry, some showing signs of infection while others don't.

"We have to keep it off the wounds." Holland mumbles, exhaustion pulling at her.

I look around for something to cut the fabric with but come up empty handed.

Wincing at what I'm about to do. I grab both sides of the shirt and pull, clenching my teeth at the blinding pain that shoots from my shoulder.

A groan rips from my throat as the shirt tears, allowing her wounds to breathe. A pop echoes in the car, my shoulder dislocating, again.

I breathe out harshly, dropping the shirt and looking down at Holland. Expecting her to be glaring at me for hurting myself.

Instead, I smile as I see her peaceful expression, the exhaustion finally winning over.

I sag, lifting a hand to my shoulder and feeling the popped-out bone.

Grinding my teeth, I get out of the car. Shutting the door softly so I don't startle her before walking between the trees.

I hold my arm steady to my body as I try to find a tree sturdy enough to lean against.

I put my back to it but don't lean on it yet keeping the car in my vision.

I move my arm in front of me, grabbing my wrist with my uninjured arm.

Breathing in, I grasp it tightly.

Breathing out, I pull my arm forward and straight in front of me.

My muffled groan rattles in the air and I sag back against the tree. Letting myself rest there for a moment before I move, walking back to the car.

I open the boot, hoping to find anything that I could use as a sling to stabilise my arm.

Finding an old towel, I quickly make a sling out of it and climb into the front seat. Winding down the window slightly to let air in before putting my seat back in a comfortable position.

I look back at Holland. Making sure everything is alright before letting sleep claim me.

• • •

My eyes flutter open, the early morning light glaring down at me. I push myself up, turning to Holland but she still sleeps fitfully in the back. I lean over, checking on her, ignoring the twinge from my shoulder.

I place a finger to her forehead, feeling the heat of her skin before looking at the wounds.

The skin around most of them is red and angry, some coated in a cloudy substance and some even still wet with blood.

A few near her shoulder blades swell, the skin around them looking hot to the touch.

I sit back in the seat, putting it into an upright position before turning the ignition on. Thanking the stars that the car is an automatic.

I drive back up the side of the bridge and onto the main road, grinding my teeth when I see the dwindling fuel in the car.

I need to find another car, quickly.

• • •

I pull up to the old looking hotel, parking the car beside another in the desolate parking.

I look around for the sign, hoping it could give me a clue as to where we were.

Gemma's inn.

I blow out a breath in frustration. I have no idea where we are.

The parking lot is practically empty, except for two cars and one of them is driving out.

I wait until the car disappears before getting out. It's quiet, not a soul in sight as I walk over to a random door. Listening for anyone inside before trying the handle.

It doesn't move.

I grit my teeth, taking a step back and slamming my foot against the weakest part of the door, near the handle.

It crashes back into the room, and I dive forward, grabbing it and quickly closing it. So, it looks unoccupied if anyone were to investigate the noise.

I walk through the empty room towards the shower, turning it on to an appropriate temperature. I walk back outside, lifting Holland from the car.

She mumbles as I do, sagging against me and I quickly walk her inside.

She straightens against me, some of her strength returning and I sit her on the bed.

Grabbing a seat from the table, I shove it against the door to keep it closed.

I walk back over to her, gathering her in my arms, her bleary dark eyes staring up at me.

"They're infected, aren't they?"

"Yeah."

I help her into the bathroom, grabbing a packaged soap as I do. Checking the temperature of the water one last time before helping her under the spray.

Her body sags against mine, head buried in my shoulder as I pull the shirt away from her wounds.

Her voice mumbles something, lips hitting my neck as her hand comes up to rest against my other shoulder.

She pushes herself back, hands balled on my chest before her body almost tips back from exhaustion.

"Woah." I grab her before she falls, clutching her to me before leaning against the shower tiles and slowly lowering us to the floor.

Her head falls back as I situate her between my legs, letting the water flow down her back in gentle rainfall.

"Thank you." She mumbles again, head falling forward slightly, too tired to keep it up.

My hand lands on her cheek, lifting her head up so her eyes connect with mine and I brush a piece of shirt blonde hair behind her ear, "It's fine."

She doesn't reply, her eyes looking away from mine. I lift her face up, forcing her to look at me before I slowly lean down, and place a soft kiss on her lips. "Holland." I whisper against them before pulling back, "I want to help you."

"Why?" She hushes, her eyes bouncing over my face with wet lashes, deep and dark.

I smile softly, kissing her lazily once more, drawing her into me before answering. "Because you're easy to love too."

She breathes out shakily against my lips, shoulders sagging, and I let her keep her silence.

I pull her to me gently once more, her head resting in the crook of my shoulder and neck, her breaths fluttering along my pulse point.

I peel the torn shirt away, reaching for the packaged soap and opening it.

I run it under the water before slowing tracing around the wounds, focusing on the parts of her skin that are unmarred so the soap can run down her back without irritating the wounds.

A groan wrenches from her lips, and I lift the soap from her skin, hand coming to rest on her neck, rubbing small circles.

"Holland?"

"I'm fine." Her words cut off, throat closing.

"We need to get them clean-" I start.

"Keep going." She whispers, nodding against my neck, settling in closer and I continue my ministrations.

I slowly lift her into my arms when done, pushing both of us off the ground, letting the warm water run over her skin once more to rinse away any suds and exit.

I move to the counter, lifting her onto it and grabbing a towel, drying the area around the wounds before looking at her soaked clothes.

"Holland?" I lean down, making sure I can see her eyes.

She blinks tiredly at me.

"Do you think you can get changed?"

Her head shakes.

I bite my lip, "We need to get you changed."

"I trust you." She blinks, smiling softly. "It's okay."

"Are you sure?"

She nods, hands reaching for the soaked shirt.

"Let me grab some clothes."

I exit the bathroom, and then the room.

Stepping out into the open air, I scan the parking lot before finding someone exiting their room, whistling under their breath.

I wait the few minutes it takes for them to get into their car and leave before walking over.

I try the handle and shake my head at the persons stupidity.

This is why we lock our doors people.

I find an open suitcase at the end of the bed and rummage through it for clothes that will fit her.

Only finding clothes that will fit me. I clutch them in my hand, knowing she'll be swimming in them.

I walk back to our room, closing the door as best as possible before throwing a pile on the bed and walking for the bathroom with the other pile in my hand.

I help Holland out of the old shirt and keep my gaze on the mirror, looking at her wounds as I hand the towel to her to dry herself as much as possible.

She drops it at my feet when done and I help her into the new shirt, cringing at covering the wounds.

I help her into the trackpants next, pulling the drawstring tight.

I walk back out to the main room, pulling on the new clothes for myself before walking back into the bathroom.

I lift her into my arms once more, exiting the room and putting her on the bed, pulling the quilt back to tuck her in comfortably.

My eyes catch a blinking light, a relieved grin taking over my face when I see the landline sitting on the bedside table.

I reach for it, dialling a number I know off by heart.

But the organ drops to my stomach when the dial tone is the only thing that echoes back at me. I close my eyes and sigh worriedly, looking towards Holland.

She blinks blearily up at me. "It'll be fine."

"I know." I crouch, pulling the quilt up higher. "Go to sleep, you need your rest."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine."

Her arm lifts, "Get in, Archer."

"Holland."

"Stop being an idiot," She slurs, her arm shaking.

I get in before her arm falls, landing at my hip.

Twisting, I make her comfortable again before turning to face her.

"Sleep." I tell her as I see her eyes blinking open at me. I reach forward, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I'll wake you later."