The world was sort of fuzzy for a while. It was like I was listening in on someone else's conversation. I wasn't fully unconscious, but I my eyes wouldn't open, and I couldn't move my body. I could hear what was happening around me, I just couldn't make sense of it. I laid there for what seemed like an eternity, slipping in an out of varied states of consciousness. Even though I couldn't move or speak, everything was calm. The panicked voices muffle to a low murmur, the rushing water of the river a quiet burble, the pain...manageable.

Suddenly, I felt as though something was lifting itself from my body, and my eyes flitted open. I took in a deep breath of air, stopping and cringing halfway due to the pain in my side. The world started to come into view, but I didn't have time to look at it. I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a shriek of pain. Peter's eyes turned to me and I heard his soft voice.

Small hands found their way to my head and caressed my forehead. Ava kissed me on the cheek as she tried to keep me still. I opened my eyes again, and put my hands underneath me, trying to push myself up.

"Cora, you've been shot. You're going to be fine, but you need to stay still." Said my mother soothingly.

I grunted and rolled slightly on my side. Peter's arms grabbed my shoulder's and held me back in my place. I clenched my hands into fists, fighting against him. My breath was quick and shallow, and it felt as if someone was twisting a knife in me.

I screamed again, tears filling my eyes. I looked around, trying to find something to focus on. I saw the blood soaked grass, and a wave of dizziness swept over me. My eyes rested on Jess, who was digging through a bag to get something. I relaxed a little bit, breathing through my nose. I focused on the tiny details to distract myself.

Jess's blonde hair was hanging loosely, just past her shoulders. It occurred to me that this was the first time I had seen her with it down. She must have taken it out for bed before I came and got her. She turned to me with something in her hand. I let my eyes follow her arm until they saw her fingers wrapped around the needle.

She came over to my side, and I started trying to pull away. Was she still working for the society? I remembered how all the society members had been injected with something. I gritted my teeth and struggled to free myself from Peter's grip.

"It's okay Cora, it just a sedative. You need to stay still so that I can get the bullet out." Said Peter firmly.

I felt the prick in my arm and the cold liquid entering my body. I started to feel it almost instantly. My fists relaxed and my breaths slowed. Ava let my head rest against the hard ground. My heart rate started to settle down a little and I was finally able to get my bearings. My mind slowed so that I was able to keep up with my thoughts.

I finally understood what was happening. We where alive, hiding behind the rock that I had spotted earlier. The men that had chased us had shot me, probably leaving me for dead. I remembered it happening, falling in the water, being pulled out...

I swallowed and nodded weekly, showing that I was going to stay still.

Remember that imaginary knife a few minutes ago? Well, it wasn't imaginary any more. Ava held a sweater up so that I couldn't see what Peter was doing. Skyler tried to distract me with questions, but I could feel it as he tried to work the bullet out of my side.

The sedative helped with the pain a little, but it took all my effort to keep from moving. It was about half an hour of agony before he told me it was finished.

"It's all done, the bullet's out. You just need some rest and you'll be fine." Peter tried to reassure me.

"My hero." I grunted sarcastically, gazing down at the bandage he had applied. My mother got me some water while Jess and Peter started to set up somewhere to sleep. Skyler lit a small fire and started to re-hydrate some food.

The time went by in a haze, thanks to the medication Jess had given me. I went in and out of sleep once again, waking up briefly every couple of minutes. I drank some tomato soup for diner before everyone settled down for the night. I slept peacefully when it got dark, waking up only when Ava stepped on my hand as she got up.