Image of Uncle Darrel's dagger

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Trent, what the hell's gotten into you? Let her go!" Matt shouts angrily, slamming into Trent's side.

Valery stumbles, but Trent's grip holds her where she stands, unrelenting. She openly sobs as she gasps for air. Angela grabs her waist, trying to desperately pry them apart. Matt finally manages to pry Trent's fingers off, tackling him. They fall in a vicious heap into the snow. As Trent and Matt roll around snarling, punching and kicking the shit out of each other, Angela pulls Valery away, eyeing Trent angrily."You're ok." Angela says, her voice soft and gentle as she strokes Valery's hair.

"About time you showed up," Valery croaks, rubbing her throat.

"Sh," Angela soothes, pulling her close.

Matt's knuckles slam into Trent's nose, leaving him limp. His eyes widen as he stops struggling, freezing. Matt stops as well, his fist raised with uncertainty. Fresh blood oozes down Trent's nose. "I-I'm sorry," Trent stammers, trembling. "I-I didn't want to do it. I didn't. Something came over me. I'm sorry. I'm good now. I'm so sorry."

"Don't make me hit you again," Matt pleads as he stands up.

"I'm back," Trent assures him as he climbs to his feet, looking at Valery. The pain and regret that runs across his face is enough to break her heart. He steps towards her but hesitates. The look of shock and betrayal on her face stops him.

Rubbing her neck and seeing the stricken look on his face, she has no idea what to say to him. Her mouth opens and closes a few times, not a sound coming out.

"Let's get you help," Valery says, looking away from Trent. She winces from the way her throat burns when she tries to speak.

"Help me clear the car off," Matt tells Trent. With his hand guiding Trent by the back of the neck, Trent has no choice but to follow instruction. As they get to work, Angela stays beside Valery.

"It's not him," Angela murmurs, watching Valery's heartbroken gaze looking at Trent. As snow is cleared away from the doors, Angela wraps her arm around Valery, guiding her to the car.

"I know," she whispers, climbing into the back seat. Angela crawls beside her.

As the two guys get the car cleared off, Matt guides Trent to the trunk. Matt opens it and after some rooting through his bag, he pulls out a rope.

"Give your hands,"Matt commands. Trent takes a step backwards.

"You gotta be kidding me," Trent objects. Matt sighs.

"You already tried to kill Val, and I'm going to have enough of an issue trying to navigate this car out of this frozen hell hole, I don't want to have to worry about what your warped brain is considering next. So either let me tie you up and get in this trunk or I'm leaving you here to walk home."

"At least tie them in front so I can sit comfortably," Trent tells Matt, holding his arms out.

"Until we know how serious this shit is, I could care less about your comfort. Sorry, but this is for the safety of all of us. I'm sure you understand," Matt says, grimacing. "I know you didn't mean to hurt her, but we can't afford anymore risks."

"I'll never forgive myself..." Trent whispers, turning around. "Even if she somehow manages to forgive me." He winces as Matt makes the final knots on the rope.

"You know she will," Matt says, giving him a reassuring pat on the back. He unstraps Trent's weapon and leans it against the car. "Now, get in the trunk. I'm sorry about this man, I really am." Matt slams the trunk closed. He grabs the weapon, hands it to Angela as he climbs behind the wheel. "Just in case." Angela nods and Matt sits, putting the seat belt into place.

Trent keeps his eyes cast to the floor, not wanting to see the anger that burns in Angela's blue eyes. It was bad enough without having to see it.

Sitting comfortably in the back seat of the car, nestled against Angela, she takes a moment to look at Trent, propped up against the wall of the trunk, appreciating the simple fact that he is in front of her again. In front of her and a step closer to being free.

She remembers laughing one day as he shook his wild mane of dark curls after helping build a shed. Wood chips rained down on her, the laugh they shared.

"What happened to you?" She asks him softly as he settles into a sitting position in the trunk. He moves stiff, slowly, as if making sure no one around him sees him as a threat. She's unsure if she wants to know the answer.

Trent groans, throwing his head back against the wall. "Val." He starts, uncertain. He closes his eyes, unable to look at her. "I-I tried to kill you. For a moment, I had no idea who you were. How can I answer that?"

She sighs to hide her heartbreak as she looks at him again. She clutches Angela's hand tight in hers.

I'm going to kill them all.

"Both of you, lean back and relax. I'll get us home." Matt tells them, looking at them from the rearview mirror as he spins tires.

An hour into the drive Angela, Valery and Trent are all fast asleep. Looking in the rearview mirror and seeing Trent's eyes closed is the only time Matt loosens his grip on the wheel. He drives for five hours, until his eyes are too heavy to keep open. The snow is now a light coating on the ground, grass tips breaking through the white. Yawning, he pulls over, confident Angela can get them back safely from here.

"What's going on?" Trent demands, wide awake at the stopping of the car. Matt motions for him to be quiet, wanting Valery to get as much sleep as she can.

Angela yawns as the engine stills. She's sandwiched between Valery and the door of the car, her head nestled into her arm, Valery sleeping with her head resting on Angelas's shoulder. Valery doesn't move.

"Can I take your place?" Matt asks, looking back at Angela via the rearview mirror. Angela nods. She straightens up, careful not to budge Valery.

The two change spots in a quick, quiet stealth. Careful to keep the chill of an early morning off of Valery and not letting the sound of car doors bother her. As Matt gets comfortable in the back seat, his back pressed up against the door. Valery flops over, laying her head in Matt's lap.

"I'm here." He assures her softly, looking down at her. A ring of bruises have formed around her neck, something Matt can only shake his head at. He throws an arm around Valery's shoulders, holding her tight as Angela puts the car into drive. "You're not alone anymore."

Matt looks up to find Trent looking at them, sorrow heavy in his eyes.

"She looks awfully comfortable with you." Trent comments. Trent squirms to turn around, pressing his back to the seats, glaring out the rear window.

Matt's eyes slip shut before he can come up with a response to ease his friend's mind.

Angela brings the toyota to a screeching halt in the middle of the highway, the Devils Own camo caravans making a line across the highway. "Fuck it all, we have a problem", she mutters.

"Well fuck." Matt mutters as he wipes sleep from his eyes. "The Devils Own beat us here."

"We are going to have to fight." Angela decides, putting her car in park. "This is because of us. Matt. Come on." Angela spins around, tapping Matt in the knee. He wakes with a light jump, and a grunt. Valery groans, waking up.

"Where are we?" She murmurs as she rubs her eyes, squinting at the bright sun streaming through the window, into her face. "Man. I was out."

"You are going to sit this one out." Matt tells Valery as he unfastens his seat belt letting it hit the wall of the car as it retracts. Valery peers out the front window.

"In what world would I listen to that?" Valery demands.

"They have a lot to pay for." Trent responds, tugging the ropes that hold his wrists together. "Untie me and hand me my sword."

"NO!" All three shout in unison.

"I have to see this through." Valery tells them as she snatches her bow off the floor.

"What if your uncle shows up again?" Angela asks.

Valery doesn't say a word.

"You can't afford to hesitate. He wouldn't." Matt tells Valery.

"He's my family. I can do it." Valery objects, her hand on the door.

"You just hesitated." Angela points out as she opens the car door and steps out. Screams can be heard in the distance. Angela frowns as she looks in the direction of the screams. "And you are still recovering. One wrong move and you're gonna bleed out before anyone can find you."

"You are my family." Trent tells Valery, talking over Angela. "We take care of each other. You need time to heal. Let them do this."

"I won't hesitate." Valery insists. She steps out and slams the door behind her. She settles her feet, glares at her friends, arms crossed.

"You already did. I want you to make it out of here alive."Angela argues.

"It's not your job to clean up my family problems." Valery fires back as Matt and Angela secure their sheethes into place.

"Sweet Angels Val! You've already taken a sword to the chest that you are still recovering from. Please sit this one out!" Angela snaps.

"How is it safer for me to stay in the car with someone who tried to kill me?" Valery fires back. Trent winces. Matt slams his door shut and Angela follows. Both walk towards Valery, lowering their voice.

Matt groans. "Ang, she has a point. We can't trust to leave the two of them alone together right now." Angela turns, Matt's turn to get the full impact of Angela's glare.

"Someone needs to stand guard over him anyways unless you want all this work to be wasted." Angela tells Matt. "And she is the one not able to fight. It wouldn't make sense for one of the battle-ready Guardians to hang back."

"And me, already weakened, as you like to keep pointing out, the one he tried to kill, is the best one for the job? I'm easy pickings if he decides to come at me again." Valery tells her. Angela stammers, having no rebuttal. Valery turns towards Matt. "We are wasting time. What's the plan?"

Matt looks back and forth at the two stubborn women in front of him. "If neither one of you two wants to cave and stay with Trent, the solution is obvious. We all go together, including a still bound Trent. Neither option we look at is risk free, but at least this way it stops you two from ripping each other apart."

Angela takes a deep breath and lets it out, eyeing up Valery. "Fine, but he stays bound. We don't know what the stress of battle will do to him. And you, you will stay behind us, long distance attacks only." Angela turns towards her car and flips the trunk doors open. "Good news, you're being sprung. You will come with us, sit on the side lines. One wrong remark otherwise and I will gag you as well, damn it Trent, don't push me right now."

"Yes ma'am." Trent nods and scoots himself out.

His feet on the ground, Angela slams the trunk and storms off towards the battle.

"Sweet mother of mercy, take pity on me. It's one protection detail after another. Nothing but a glorified babysitter" Angela grumbles to herself. "All I wanted was to get home, get this STRANGER'S SHOE off, and soak in a nice hot bubble bath. But nooooo stupid asshole Devil's Own couldn't just let us go, have to be petty jerkwads."

"Glad to see a nap has improved her mood," Matt comments, falling into step between Trent and Valery.

"Jerkwads is new," Trent comments.

"Trent, so help me, I will gag you I swear!" Angela calls over her shoulder.

Trent purses his lips as Matt nudges him. "You better shut up. We have been traumatized enough rescuing you, I don't want to see how Ang tops that off."

"I think we all have wounds to heal from this." Valery whispers, keeping an eye on her friend sulking in front of them. Valery rubs her neck and clears her throat. Trent watches her in the corner of his eye and another wave of guilt passes over him. "Ang can't turn her skill off like us elementals. We don't know what sort of thoughts she overheard out there. Or how many. Don't take anything personally, cut her a break. She will settle down once she can get time to herself."

Matt nods. "I've been on a few missions with her where she has gotten like this. It makes sense now."

"A group is coming straight towards us." Trent warns. He tugs on his bounds, hands instinctively trying to dart for his sword. He groans loud, throwing his head back to look at the sky, panic tightening his chest.

"We don't trust you." Matt tells him. "I got your back."

Angela stops at the edge of the woodline, her muscles tight, sword out and ready. Valery jogs backwards, behind the group knocking an arrow into pace as she turns around, ready for the kill.

The sound of elephants stampeding through the forest soon takes over the sound of the battle cries beyond. Branches snapping, bushes rustling, unintelligible shouts.

A group of Devil's Own break through the woodline and freeze. They look bruised and battered. From the midsts, one of them cusses.

"We just want to get to the truck." One of the Devil's Own calls across the field.

Angela laughs. "Oh, you mean the trucks set up as a trap for us? I'm in no mood for mercy." Angela charges at them, leaving Matt to follow her as back up.

If they are retreating, we must be winning, Valery thinks, the weight on her chest lifting slightly. She locks eyes with Trent, tugging and tugging at the rope holding his wrists together. Matt wasn't joking with those knots.

"Val, please?" Trent begs, looking at Valery.

"Trent-I-" Her conversation falls short as another group of Devil's Own come crashing out of the woods.

Valery cusses. She looks at Matt and Angela ahead of her, back to back and fighting steadily. She turns back to the second group aiming for the highway and starts letting off one arrow after another. She drops two Devil's Own and the rest retreat back into the woodline, hiding in the cover of the shade. Valery takes a few hesitant steps in their direction, releasing a few more arrows. Hearing no more cries of pain, she falls back. Turns her direction back to the team Matt and Angela took on. Bodies litter the ground.

From the trees, arrows start raining down around them. Matt and Angela run into the forest, getting too close to shoot. Valery darts back to the highway, getting out of range. Hiding behind the Toyota, she peeks out looking for Trent. He's gone.

"TRENT?" Valery calls. No response. Lungs burning, she pauses and looks around. And just like that, I'm on my own. Maybe I should have stayed in the car. She adjusts the quiver slung on her back and slips around to the other side of the caravans. It's ok, I can do this. I've been surrounded by greatness my whole life, I can do this.

She leans against the front fender of the caravan closest to the woods, steadying her aim. She squints, looking for the slightest bit of movement. As Devil's Own breaks through the woodline, she fires at them. Drops as many as she misses. Cussing, she scans the area. Void of people. She darts forward, pausing at the closest of the bodies she dropped. She loots the body, picking up even the smallest of weapons. She ends up with a warrior's ax and small dagger.

Two sets closer to the woods and a voice calls out behind her. "I wouldn't continue if I were you." Valery whirls around. Darrel stands with Trent's rope in his hand. Trent is wiggling and squirming, seething at the mouth with his arms painfully high behind him. Darrel has all the power. "We were retreating, and wouldn't you know it, I was lucky enough to find him already bound on the road. Since you left him waiting for us, we will just take him and leave."

"Let him go." Valery drops the ax, raises her bow, aiming an arrow right at Darrel's forehead.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Holding Trent's rope higher, Trent hisses in pain, his shoulders twisting. Darrel reaches into a case on his hip and pulls out a dagger with his other hand. Valery tightens her grip on the rope. He slides the tip of the dagger gently across Trent's spine. Trent tenses up. Valery glares.

"Let him go." Valery demands. Her voice quivers. Valery winces as Darrel looks at her amused. Liana speaks and the whole world listens. She trained you. You can do it too. "Let him go." Valery repeats, slower, her voice stronger.

"You're still very much a child, pretending to be an adult." Darrel chides as he takes one step at a time closer to the line of caravans.

Valery swallows, repositions her grip on the bow and fires a warning shot in his direction. "Stop. Let him go and you can leave in one piece."

Darrel and Valery turn towards a sound coming from the woods. A swarm of Guradians are runnings towards them, Matt and Angela in the lead."Fuck off. You're not going to lay a hand on them," Matt calls.

Darrel growls. Taking a glance at Valery's stab wound, he throws Trent to the ground. "Now you two will match." He plunges his dagger into Trent's chest.