[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/246624086/0/0]Table of Contents[/url] “Nat!” Hayden slid to his knees over Natalia and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, cradling her head. Her eyes cracked open slowly for a moment, then closed again as she slipped into unconsciousness. Hayden checked her body, praying to the Traveler and hoping she hadn’t been shot. “GET BACK!” Alexander shouted. Hayden looked up, but the man’s wrath wasn’t directed at him. Alexander was yelling at the other gunmen as they tried to get closer, “SHE’S FINE! SHOOT AT THEM! DON’T GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO CHARGE!” Hayden found no injury on Natalia, and he sighed with relief as Alexander knelt beside him, “She fainted.” Alexander swore under his breath, looking around as if he’d see some cosmic answer waiting for him. After a moment he took a deep breath and muttered, “Take her.” Hayden wasn’t sure he had heard correctly, “Wha-“ “I said take her!” Alexander spat, “Take her to Fairmont!” He turned back to the other gunmen, who were still distracted by Natalia, “I SAID SHOOT THOSE PIGS! SHOOT THEM!” Hayden put his hand on Alexander’s arm, “We need to retreat. We’ll all go-“ “NO!” Alexander barked, then lowered his voice to a violent hiss, “We have our orders. We charge. You don’t.” “Alex-“ “Shut up and listen for once, you idiot!” Alexander blustered with an intense stare, effectively silencing Hayden, “She told us what to do. I’m gonna lead the charge.” “You’ll all die,” Hayden insisted. Alexander glared daggers at him, “I’m gonna go out there an’ kill every last one of ‘em. Because Lady Natalia told me to.” “And if you don’t?” Hayden countered. “Are you daft?!” Alexander scolded, “You said it yourself. SHE is the only one who matters. And not just to you, you selfish fool!” Hayden saw the determination in the other man’s eyes and bit back his retort. Instead, he put one hand under Natalia’s legs and the other behind her shoulders. He let out a strained huff as he lifted the armor-clad woman and stood. Alexander rose up with him, “The others’ll be there. Hey.” He grabbed Hayden’s shoulder, “Tell Oliver I was right. The only bloody thing you’re good for is runnin’.” Hayden didn’t respond and took a heavy step back towards Flats. Then another, and he was off, trudging to the Sparrows waiting at the edge of town. “An’ when I’m done here,” Alexander called after him, “I’m gonna come back to Fairmont an’ make sure Lady Natalia gets rid o’ ya once an’ for all!” Hayden didn’t look back. The empty threats of a dead man weren’t worth listening to. He focused on getting to the Sparrows. He could hear Alexander yelling orders to the gunmen, getting them ready for their last glorious charge. It was pure lunacy. Hayden couldn’t understand what Natalia had been thinking. He pushed his thoughts away and looked down at her. Armor rattled as he shifted her weight. Carrying her would have been a lot easier if they weren’t both dressed up like tin men. Keeping his grip on her was becoming harder every moment. Natalia’s stolen Pike sat proudly in front of the Sparrows. It was the only thing big enough to carry them both safely, so he went straight to it. He strained to lift Natalia over the seat. When he was sure that she was balanced, he grabbed her leg and pulled it up and over to the other side. She started to tip away from him, and he cursed as he grabbed her. She nearly took him over with her, but he managed to keep her upright. After taking a moment to catch his breath, he carefully straddled the Pike and sat behind her. He gently pushed her head down behind the protective screen of glass over the controls, then wrapped his arms around her to hold the handles. It was a tight fit, but he could see what he was doing and keep Natalia from falling out. He looked to the others. Alexander stood just below the crest of the hill, directing the gunmen. Hayden started the engines, and the Pike roared to life. Alexander glanced back at them for a brief second, then went back to berating the others, who had also noticed the sound of the alien vehicle. Hayden turned the Pike and drove away. He sped around Flats and into the empty field of white beyond. Frigid wind blasted his face, tearing through his hair and making his eyes water. He didn’t look back. He wouldn’t miss Alexander in the slightest, but he had finally found one admirable quality in him: he would do anything for Natalia. Maybe she had already known that. • • • Alexander watched the Pike until it turned and disappeared around the corner of a house. Even after it was out of sight, his gaze lingered. He hated most people. Growing up, he’d learned quickly that they were cruel and selfish. Hayden Yegorov was one of the ones he hated most. However, though it pained him to admit it, he wouldn’t trust anyone else to keep Lady Natalia safe. It seemed they were the only ones in this rotting world who saw her as the beautiful creature she was. Alexander turned his back on Flats and his queen. She would be waiting for him in Fairmont after Lord Daedalus and Lady Avery were dead. “ALRIGHT!” He hollered to the gunmen, raising his fist in the air, “ON MY COUNT WE CHARGE!” He looked out across the field. The invading army was waiting for them. “THREE!” He wouldn’t deny that he was terrified. He didn’t see any way they could win. But Lady Natalia had been so confident. “TWO!” If only she hadn’t succumbed to her disease. She would have led them to victory. Such horrible timing. “ONE!” He would have to defeat them without her. But he could do anything, if it was for her. He would be enough. “FOR LADY NATALIA!”