All blood was drained from his face as memories that he had concealed from himself for years began to resurface. He did remember, much to his shame; every punch, every kick with his friends cheering him on from behind. Well, friends wasn't quite the right word, he just stayed mates with them so he could survive his school. In fact he had quite liked Elijah and when he heard that he killed him Jack cried to himself for weeks. Although he couldn't say this to the sister, to Emma who was once again holding her gun to his chest, no matter how much he ached to repeat his thoughts that were tumbling around in his head. 

For a moment everything seemed to have slowed down to a halt, nothing moving, nothing making a sound. No, not a living thing was making a move to do anything, not even Emma to pull the trigger which would end his life.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Ara fiddle with something hidden on the inside of her jacket, her emerald eyes focused on the woman. Seconds began to roll past again and Jack was starting to wonder what Emma was thinking about, what she was planning on doing, if she was actually going to kill him. But sooner or later his mates were going to come, surely they wouldn't be too far away; it was only a matter of time before they would find the three of them. The silence was broken when Emma finally spoke out.

"You took what was most precious to me, so I'm going to do the same with you." And what happened in the next few seconds was so fast..

Everything seemed to have lagged for Ara as the brown-haired woman changed her aim of the gun from Jack to Ara, the bullet leaving the pistol, flying through the air, parting through the clouds of dust and smoke. However, she didn't feel it strike her, even though she heard the bang of the gunpowder. What had happened? Surely she would have felt something.. A sharp cut through her torso? A jab into her rib? But everything became clear as her vision was blocked by a bigger shape than her own, taking the bullet for her. 

Jack heard a gunshot and his instinct was to jump, not away from the bullet but towards it as to save the person he loved. What came with the metal was a terrible pain in his ribs, a searing pain traveling up all through his side and up to his chest. It felt like his entire torso was on fire with one hit. With a hand he grasped his side, and only to look down to see his hands and uniform covered in dark red blood seeping through his clothes. Nonetheless, he couldn't see much after as the world and all its wonders began to knot all into one blur as all sense came to an end. The vague awareness of hitting solid stone crept into his overcrowded feelings, his knees hitting the surface with such an impact and finally rolled onto his back. He closed his eyes and shut away the world, feeling his agony gradually ebbing away, only until another gunshot, different from the one that had already struck him, had brought him back to his pain. No. He wanted to leave this torment, to say goodbye to the misery the world had thrown onto his unwilling shoulders. Blackness was all he knew now, death and destruction was all humans brought to life; nothing good, nothing worth living for.

"Jake.." But wait! Was this something, no someone, he could survive for? Someone he could live through this hell with? Perhaps. The hard, cold stone disappeared from his acknowledgment and replacing it was a warm, sturdy hand cupping him close to a solid, comforting body, her body. Her familiar scent was reassuring and allowed him to feel safe at last as she gently turned his face towards her, nestled just under her left breast and into her stomach. A small sigh escaped his lips, a complete moment of bliss before he left, what more could anyone ask for just before they died? 

The warmth left him while feeling his head being laid on what felt like her thighs. As he opened his eyes he saw Ara looking into them, tears flooding from her jewels of irises. Could he just leave her like this? To fend for herself on her own in the world? Was it selfish to leave? He closed his eyes to shut out her face, hating the sight of seeing her so sorrowful. 

"No! Don't you dare close those eyes! Keep them on me Jake, keep them on me" she sobbed. He did so, and was rewarded as one of her smooth hands cupped his cheek her thumb stroking it soothingly, almost lulling him to sleep. 

"Aria-"

"No! You are not leaving me," she sniffed, picking one of his limp hands with her free hand and pressing it against her face, tears dampening his fingers, "we have come too far now to die.." A faint smile began to creep up the corners of his lips; always so stubborn. But that was why he absolutely loved this creature, this exquisite soul that had completely changed his life for the better..

"Aria, do not cry, we have been so happy," he whispered. Between her sobs she was only able to get out a few words, the emotions crashing down onto her in one heap, barricading her empty body in a cavern of sorrow, panic and grief. It felt like she was compressed into a small square room, the walls getting closer and closer together with no way of getting out. 

"And that is the reason you cannot abandon me now! We were meant to have a life together." Another wave of tears rushed from her eyes as she turned her face towards the hand she was holding to kiss it on his palm. 

He looked so calm. Just lying there on her knees looking up to her with his blue eyes that she had so fallen in love with. Of course Jake knew he wasn't going to survive this, and so did Ara, but accepting the death of someone she had finally learned to love was unbearable, unthinkable. After everything they had put through and survived, only for it to be taken away by one bullet. 

"Shh," he murmured, lifting his free hand to her lips, quieting her with his index finger, "don't focus on what we didn't have, rather, focus on what we did have." Her heart was pounding in her chest as if trying to burst out of her ribs and to him, so it could beat for him instead of her. She would do anything if it meant that he would live and she wouldn't. Time wasn't favouring them, it was running out for the pair. Clutching both of his hands in hers, she laid them where her heart was thumping in the cage. She could feel the heartbeat through his hands to hers, the unsteady rhythm only speeding up as the sands of Jake's hourglass were gradually coming to a few. Only a few. 

"I will always love you" he whispered. A small smile came from her mouth, the words could only lift her spirits so much, until reality came back crushing her inner core again. Reality. A cruel thing to be aware of, knowing that when you try to live in a happy moment, the horrific thing came back to swarm the feelings of hope that things could be good, that life could be a happy thing. However, not everything could be hidden with a smile, not everything could just be laughed away; there were things that happiness could simply not take part in..

But she kept the smile on her face, knowing that she must make Jake's last moments be good ones. Bending down, she wound her arms around him again, taking care not to move him too much in order to minimize the discomfort as much as possible. She breathed his scent one last time, familiarizing what she had almost forgotten in the events that had enfolded them over the last couple of days. On her cheek she could feel his light stubble from the lack of shaving, pale brown hairs pricking her skin. 

"I love you" she said softly into his ear, kissing his jaw one final time. She heard him sigh next to her, feeling his chest expand against her arm. 

Ara separated herself from Jack. She looked into his eyes, his beautiful blue eyes. She could see her reflection in them.

"If only things were different," she whispered, tears running down her face, "if only our love wasn't looked down upon..." 

"Shhhhh" Jack said, putting his index finger over her lips, "Do not speak of such things. We will find a way to see each other once again. You will see."

Once more the corners of his lips turned up, his cheeks plumping up slightly. To any other person, they would see a tired looking man in his twenties who hadn't shaved or washed his hair in a while, wearing an old uniform littered with medals decorated with ribbons of all colours, the same kit that he had gotten on the first day of the war, but in Ara's eyes she could see the little boy she bumped into in Trafalgar Square, right where they were sitting in that moment. Scarless face, chin free from any facial hair, eyes a bright blue full with innocence and pale blonde hair that, despite the little dust here and there, shone in the brightness of the sun. 

"One more thing," he breathed out, "please, just for me?" She could feel his eyes burn into hers, his two oceans quenching the fire that was burning inside her; a fire of rage. Casually, a nod took control of her head, a slow movement. 

"Don't let your memory of me keep you from being happy, I want you to live your life for me." He took a deep breath, 

"You'll promise me I won't be the only man in your life-"

"Jake.."

"Promise me." The finality of his tone and the seriousness in his expression gave her the courage she needed to dip her head in agreement.

"I promise." A smile of relief and gratitude revealed itself onto Jake's face. 

"Thank you," he mumbled. Ara took his hand and cupped it against her chest as she watched Jake's eyes slowly close, his breath leaving his body. The heavy weight in her palms fell as she dropped it back down to his side and bent to sob onto his chest. Everything was silent except for her heavy breathing echoing in the square of rubble and stone. Suddenly a scream forced its way out of her, abandoning her body and ripping through the empty silence. She could hear it bouncing off the walls, filling the choked up atmosphere. A couple of seconds later and it had faded away into nothing..

Casually she could hear people stumbling closer to her and Jake, rocks tumbling and hitting the ground, but nothing that will happen to her in these next few minutes will matter to her, in those next few minutes she would not be able to focus on anything other than her grief for her fallen soldier.