erinm_4600
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Fic: Shot Through the Heart
Title: Shot Through the Heart
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Cain, DG, Red Hat, the Mystic Man and some random OCs (mention of Raw, Glitch, Jeb, Adora and the Queen)
Rating: PG-13 ...Cain gets WHUMPED, but good
Summary: For once, Cain's injury isn't DG's fault... but she may be his cure
Warning: post-series *For dmr2158, by way of demlios_wagon. Plot by chibi_kaz and beta'd by luxuria_oceanus, moony_blues and g_efimovich, with my thanks.
Disclaimer: The original characters belong to L. Frank Baum and their respective actors. The current characters belong to Sci-Fi, the movie folks and their respective actors. The OCs are mine.
It was supposed to be a simple trip; nothing too difficult and nothing to worry about. DG was traveling northeast to see the Fighters, and had a contingent of guards - whether she wanted them or not - who were under orders to stay back once they reached the edge of the woods.
She remembered that the small folk were rather skittish and she didn't want to scare them any more than she had before. 'Don't swing a chunk of lumber at them, then,' she reminded herself. The guards were cool, actually, and had a pretty decent sense of humor. Not that they understood half her jokes, of course.
The group had reached the Papay fields and stopped for a break, partly so that DG could check on the creatures. She was hoping that, now that the flowers were back, the Papay runners would have no interest in the humans. She also made sure that the guards understood that no mention of the pit stop would reach Cain's ears.
He'd probably feed her to the Papay, personally.
After seeing that the gatherers were getting along fine - they pretty much ignored the entire party, except for a few infant Papay who were curious about the strangers to their land - DG and her group continued on into the forests of the Eastern Guild.
---
Back in Finaqua, Cain had been keeping himself busy within the walls of the palace. He was trying to ignore the fact that, while he was there, he wasn't keeping an eye on DG. It wasn’t like she needed a babysitter, but she did have a tendency to be right in the middle of all the "incidents".
After almost two hours, Cain gave up on trying to study the happenings of the Zone while he was in the suit and decided to go for a walk. Maybe it had something to do with eight annuals in the suit, he assumed. Sometimes, a man just needed fresh air and room to think.
Cain stopped by Glitch's current lab to let his friend know he was going out, but found no Headcase. 'Probably with Raw,' he assumed, and decided that no one would probably miss him anyway, so why bother telling anyone he was going out?
Cain stepped outside and glanced across the lake to the gazebo. Maybe a circle around the lake would give him the space his mind needed. As he reached the water's edge, Cain wondered how the guards were dealing with the younger princess.
Knowing DG, she'd have the tour group stop in the fields of the Papay before heading into the woods.
---
In a cracked-out version of the Ewok village, a Princess sat with Guild leaders and tried to understand what they were saying. 'I should have read more Doctor Seuss,' she thought at one point, as everything was in rhyme. All talks halted when one of the guards backed up against one of the support posts for a treehouse under construction. DG winced as the entire platform came crashing down and she was afraid to turn around, praying that no one was hurt.
Slapping a palm to her forehead, DG jumped between Red Hat and his brethren and ordered the guards to begin rebuilding the treehouse, under the supervision of some of the Fighters. Red Hat took the gesture as a sign of good faith and DG found that it helped the talks resume quite smoothly, though the lot of them were still weary of the guards.
Two complete treehouses later, about two hours after the collapse, DG and Red Hat shook hands, shared a ceremonial drink of grog and DG herded her companions away before they could do any more damage.
---
Before Cain realized he'd left the grounds of Finaqua, he was past the hedge maze and coming up on the bridge across the rip. Without the detours to Central City, the Northern Island and every point in between, Cain found that things were a lot closer in the Zone than they seemed. He considered turning back, but soon decided that a little further wouldn't hurt. After all, it was a nice day for a walk.
As the cliffs of the Rip loomed in front of him, Cain glanced up and east. There, just as the river turned, Cain spotted the line he'd ridden across so many cycles before. He had to admit that it was one experience he'd be glad to never try again. It was also much easier, he noted, to cross the Rip by bridge, once the Longcoats had relinquished control.
As he walked, Cain found himself looking to the treetops for a sign of blue smoke, but realized that, now that the Zone was at peace, there was no need for it. DG had been sure to send a collection of items to the family who sheltered them, and Cain wondered if she'd made the guards detour enough to check in.
Cain continued through the woods, following the well-worn path, and the thought occurred to him that, while the fighting had stopped, feelings weren't so easily mended and some of the folks in the woods didn't necessarily differentiate the good guys from the bad. He was reminded, rather quickly, however, when the sound of snapping twigs caught his attention.
Unfortunately, he didn't hear the gun discharge until it was too late.
---
DG and her group had been stopped, taking a break - none of the men got her joke about "second breakfast" - when the sound of a gun caught all their ears. Some of the guards immediately drew their weapons, while others started trying to figure out which direction the sound had come from. They were sitting in a bowl, so the sound was echoing off the hillsides around them, making it nearly impossible to determine.
One of the elder guards moved to DG's side and pulled her up. "Princess, I suggest we get moving," he said, not getting an argument from DG. They'd moved a few hundred yards when the sound of someone moving through the trees made them freeze. The guard at DG's side pointed to a fallen tree, directing her to hide, as the guards began fanning out.
The next thing DG knew, there were at least a dozen bodies popping out of the trees, sending the guards moving in every direction. A few gunshots were fired, but more to control the situation than to harm anyone. DG ducked down, catching a glimpse of a young boy kicking her guard in the shin.
Another young man clotheslined the guard and he went down, spotting DG as he pushed himself up from the forest floor. "Run," he mouthed and shouted to his men: "Don't hurt them if you can help it!" He threw another glance to DG and breathed, seeing that she had moved back.
She didn't want to leave them, but she had promised her mother - and Cain - that she would defer to the guards, always. She could hear shouting, but didn't stop; knowing to head in a straight line until she came to a road, a building or a river. From there, head in whatever direction she had been until she reached a landmark she knew.
---
Cain groaned and rolled his eyes as he pushed to one side. Of course, he didn't have Jeb's toy horse in his pocket; in fact, he didn't even have a pocket, because he'd simply walked outside. He should have gone back to Finaqua when he reached the bridge.
Managing to pull himself up, slowly, Cain winced at the pain in his side and his hand moved to his stomach. Pulling the hand back, he saw blood. 'Fantastic,' he thought with a grumble. Luckily, he'd been shot enough times to know that the bullet hadn't impacted anything vital. Still, he needed to get attention and was nowhere near... anything.
Trying to calm his breathing, Cain stumbled along, knowing he was near the old cabin. He just hoped that it was near enough.
---
DG came to a break in the trees and looked down over an open field, a lake and a run-down house. It didn't look like there was anyone living there, and then she saw the suit. 'Cain's house,' she realized. Throwing another glance over her shoulder, DG decided that the cabin fit the bill and tore down the hillside at a quick pace.
As she rounded the lake and the suit became clearer, DG tried not to think about it and tried to remember which part of the Papay field they'd cut through so long ago, hoping the main road was far from the cliff.
Her mind was playing over the convenience of finding her way through the woods to Cain's home when she realized that there was someone lying in the mud near the porch. As she neared, DG's breath caught at the sight of Wyatt Cain. Rushing over to his side, DG dropped down, not caring about the mud getting all over her dress as she tried to roll Cain over.
"Cain! Cain," she prodded. "Oh, my God," she breathed, catching sight of the blood-stained shirt. She leaned over Cain and pressed a hand to his neck. "Cain! Wake up, damnit!" She couldn't remember how to check for a pulse, let alone the proper steps for CPR - her certification had expired a long time ago.
---
Cain had made it so close, but his eyes and legs were so heavy as he neared the porch that he just couldn't make it another step. He'd passed out before he hit the ground, but could swear he heard DG calling his name. "I swear to God, Cain, if you die, I will kill you!" While he was ready to laugh at the absurdity of her comment, Cain realized that she sounded rather serious.
Why would she think he was going to die? 'Oh, that's right: you were shot.' Cain was content to stay right there, though. Thinking about moving and breathing was painful and- Suddenly, he felt very warm, like he'd just had a large spoonful of muglug on a chilly night. He had a sudden craving for some grog and wondered if there was any still inside.
It would probably be far past its prime, he realized. Why was he thinking about the cabin? 'That’s right: you were shot.' Why was he shot? 'You were following DG.' DG. Whoever shot him might be aiming for DG. He had to get to her before they did. He needed to get up and keep moving.
A bullet wouldn't stop Wyatt Cain.
---
DG didn't know what to do; she needed Raw, or a doctor. She had no way to call for help; no one else lived out here. That was why Cain had moved out here with his family after the Last Stand. It was just the two of them. And she was screwed.
She doubted it would work, but didn't know what else to try. Taking a deep breath, DG took Cain's face in her hands and pressed her lips to his. Her mother transferred the magic to DG to bring her back to life, so why couldn’t DG do the same for Cain?
'Please,' she begged as tears started to wet her cheeks. 'Please, don’t leave me.' What was the point of her having the magic if she couldn't do anything useful with it? Why was he even out here? And how the HELL did he get shot? AGAIN!
A bullet couldn't stop Wyatt Cain.
---
All of a sudden, Cain could see the Mystic Man. "Keep her safe," he said simply. Of course he would keep DG safe, he'd made a promise. 'You can’t keep her safe if you're dead,' he realized.
And that was when Wyatt Cain opened his eyes.
---
DG reared back as Cain's body jerked. She swallowed as he blinked, staring at the sky for a moment before his blue eyes met hers. Taking a deep breath, Cain tried to sit up but the pain was horrific; worse than any he'd experienced with the other injuries. DG pushed him back to the ground and tried to compose herself.
The last thing she needed was Wyatt Cain seeing her cry over him. "Don't move," she ordered, pushing herself up and rushing into the cabin, hoping to find anything she could use to help him.
DG returned to his side about a minute later, mid-panic attack. She had gone inside and not known what to look for, or where to look for it. Now, he was going to die because she was a complete idiot. "I don't know what to do," she whispered, not looking at him.
Cain swallowed and reached for her hand. "Help me up," he instructed. DG didn't know much, but she was pretty sure he shouldn't be moving around. "Gettin' dark, kid-" he got out between breaths. "Inside," he nodded quickly. DG stepped over Cain and planted her feet on his other side, taking his hand in hers and holding his elbow with the other.
"On three," she said quietly, waiting for Cain to nod.
"One," Cain said, pushing himself up and seeing stars. He managed to get to his feet, but the pain was so sharp he fell forward against DG. His head was spinning and he had a good bit of weight on her, but DG managed to keep him standing. He stood for a moment, waiting for the waves of nausea to pass, as he held tight to DG.
Once he was sure he could move without losing his lunch, Cain nodded to DG and they turned toward the cabin. It took some work to get Cain inside, DG found, simply because his balance was shot. That made DG laugh, actually, and then immediately feel horrible, as it wasn't that funny.
Cain leaned against the table at an awkward angle, trying to put the least amount of strain in his injury. "Check that cupboard," he said, nodding to a cabinet on the far wall. Last he remembered, that was where Adora kept the bandages. He pushed off the table and moved over to the fireplace, sucking in a breath before he leaned over to push on the wall.
DG turned back with a small box and raised an eyebrow as Cain straightened, a bottle of clear liquid in his hand. Nodding his head toward a door on the opposite wall, Cain continued: "Bedsheet." DG set the box on the table and hurried across the space.
Cain pulled the cap off the bottle and took a generous swig of the alcohol, forcing himself not to gag; the years had not been kind to the recipe. Setting the bottle down on the table, Cain yanked at the buttons or his shirt, not caring if he pulled any off, as the garment was already ruined.
DG came back into the main room and stopped short at the sight of a half-naked Cain in the kitchen. Blinking away the dozen thoughts that had just worked into her head, DG moved over to the table with the balled-up sheet and reached for the box again. "Need pliers," Cain breathed slowly, trying to remember where his toolbox was.
"Oh, HELL no," DG breathed, dropping the box back to the table with a thunk. Cain's jaw clenched and he gave her a look.
"You gonna reach in there and yank the bullet out, then?" he asked, motioning to the hole in his gut. DG moved the box and the sheet off the table and stepped over to Cain's side, reaching for the bottle.
"I got myself out a coffin, I think I can handle a bullet," she informed him, pushing him toward the table. "Lie down." Cain raised an eyebrow and knew that he'd rather she pulled the bullet out with a shovel than do what she was suggesting.
Unfortunately, they had no other option.
Cain took another large swig of the alcohol and heaved himself up onto the table. DG stepped back to the door and glanced down, looking for a dry twig or stick. Finding one that seemed rather sturdy, DG moved back inside as she peeled the outer layer of bark off. "Here," she said, offering the stick to Cain.
He grumbled, but took the stick and used it to point to the bottle. "Pour some of that on," he ordered, knowing that the pain was surely going to cause him to pass out. And he was not too proud to admit it.
Shoving the stick between his teeth, Cain laid back and reached down with his good arm to grab hold of the table leg. His other arm was beginning to go numb, so he doubted there'd be much flailing on that side. DG slowly moved the bottle toward the bullet hole and Cain let go of the table.
Pulling the stick from his mouth, his eyes locked on hers. "You sure you can do this, Kiddo?" He had absolute faith in her - there was no doubt in his mind - but, if she didn't have faith in herself... DG swallowed and froze for a moment. Cain's hand found hers and he squeezed as the other hand returned the stick and reached back to the table leg.
She let go of Cain's hand, closed her eyes as she said a silent prayer, hoping that she didn't kill him, and turned the bottle over on the hole. Cain's whole body jerked and his back arched as he screamed in pain. DG's eyes went wide and she had to physically force herself to continue.
Holding a hand over the wound, DG tried to concentrate on the bullet and the bullet alone; the last thing she needed was to pull out his spleen. Cain screamed against the stick again and his body lurched. She knew that if he kept moving, there'd be no way she could get the bullet out.
And Wyatt Cain was too stubborn to pass out again.
DG hopped up on the table and sat on Cain's knees, hoping her weight would at least keep him from moving around too much. It had taken far too long to get the bolts unscrewed when she was in the coffin, DG remembered. Of course, she had only been using her magic for about a day, and there were four bolts.
This was one bullet - one bullet in Wyatt Cain's stomach. DG needed Raw, because the Viewer could take the pain out of Cain. 'Why can't you take it?' she wondered in a second. 'Use the magic to take it.' DG didn't know if it would work, but it was worth a shot. DG leaned forward and placed one hand over Cain's heart, simply because it seemed like the place where he would feel the most.
Squeezing her eyes shut, DG whispered: "I'm so sorry," and moved her other hand back to the bullet hole. Cain jerked again, but wasn't able to move as much with DG sitting on his legs. His free hand shot up to cover DG's hand - the one over his heart - and DG worked as fast as she could, willing the bullet out while focusing on the pain.
It felt like someone was sticking a red-hot poker into her chest - assuming she had any idea what that actually felt like - but she didn't stop. She knew that the pain was greater on Cain's end, but she hadn't had enough practice with the magic. She was concentrating too hard to actually speak, wanting to beg his forgiveness with every prickle of pain.
'I'msosorryforgivemepleaseohGodI'msorryCain,' her brain screamed.
'SONOFAstopstopSTOPpleasestopDGplease,' Cain's brain responded.
The pain in DG's chest became so strong that she had to let go of Cain. Cain gasped for air and let go of the table leg. He reached blindly for DG and caught her knee. "Fiushid, 'eege," he managed. DG could see the bullet - she could physically see it - but she couldn’t do that again.
She was about to do something horrific, but it had to be done.
DG let her hand hover, just over the hole in his side, but didn't try to pull the bullet out yet. She needed Cain distracted, and she could see he had bitten halfway through the stick. DG took a deep breath, knew that she was about to make a very big mistake, and leaned forward. Pulling the stick from Cain's mouth, DG pressed her lips to his and Cain had another craving for grog.
His hand moved to her neck automatically and, the second DG felt the kiss deepen, her fingers dug into the wound and she pulled the bullet out. Cain jerked sideways again, but also managed to hold the kiss until he passed out from shock. DG stayed there for a moment, the bullet still in her grip.
She pressed the lightest kiss to his lips and pushed back. If she was going to do it, she might as well go all out. DG shifted herself off the table and reached for the bottle, prepared to pour some more liquid over the wound; instead, she took a swig and let her chin drop to her chest. Taking a deep breath as the alcohol worked through her, DG splashed a good bit over the wound again and reached for the box.
It took her a few minutes to get Cain bandaged up, not trusting any of the supplies in the box and making her own wrappings by tearing up the bedsheet. She managed to half-ass wrapping a piece of the sheet around Cain, but wouldn't be able to neaten it up until he was awake. He should be in bed, but there was no way she could get him off the table, let alone to the bedroom.
DG took another swig of the alcohol and looked around the large, open room. This was where Cain had lived. His whole life had been in this room; Jeb probably played on a rug in front of the fireplace; Cain probably sat in the armchair with his wife on cold, winter nights, holding her tight.
That hadn't exactly been the way she'd intended for him to find out about her feelings - not that she'd ever intended him find out, at all - and she hoped he would simply not remember. She could pretend to forget; after all, she'd been doing it for quite a while.
Turning her attention away from her feelings for Cain, DG started trying to work out the best way to get help. She could leave Cain there and start walking - Milltown wasn't that far away, and someone there may have a way to contact her mother. Staring at the fireplace, DG realized how cold it was and wondered if there were any matches.
There was a blanket on the bed when she pulled the sheet free, and Cain was probably going to need it. She abandoned the search for matches to start a fire and moved back into the bedroom. She grabbed the blanket and the second sheet and moved back to the kitchen and Cain.
As she tucked the sheet around Cain, using the other sheet to try and mop up some of the spilled alcohol, Cain stirred. DG threw the blanket over him and stepped back. His hand was quicker, and he caught her wrist and pulled her back. "That's the second time you saved me," he said in a near-whisper.
DG smiled and leaned toward him slightly. "Have to keep you around to keep me out of trouble," she teased. Cain made a sound similar to a laugh and pulled her hand to his chest.
"Thanks."
"Don't thank me yet, Cain," she warned. "We're stuck here... unless you're up for a hike to Milltown." Cain groaned. "'course, they may decide to turn you into a real Tin Man," she said with a laugh. "You'll go in you, and come out with a hatchet for a hand and-" she said quickly, trailing off as Cain squeezed her hand again.
She avoided looking at him as long as she could, until she finally let her eyes meet his. "Where did you have grog?" Cain asked with a slight smile. DG's eyes narrowed and her head shook slightly. Cain let go of her hand - which was still resting over his heart - and reached up to touch her cheek.
"You holdin' out on the grog, Princess?" he asked with a smile. His thumb passed over her lips and DG blinked. Maybe it was the pain talking, she realized, and decided that she'd deal with the consequences later.
"I wouldn't hold out on you, Tin Man," she said quietly, and leaned forward to kiss him again.
---
I make NO apologies for causing Bon Jovi to run rampant through your brain. If I have to suffer through it, so should you.
Also, a year-plus later, I realize that Cain should have walked right past Adora's grave... *facepalm*
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Cain, DG, Red Hat, the Mystic Man and some random OCs (mention of Raw, Glitch, Jeb, Adora and the Queen)
Rating: PG-13 ...Cain gets WHUMPED, but good
Summary: For once, Cain's injury isn't DG's fault... but she may be his cure
Warning: post-series *For dmr2158, by way of demlios_wagon. Plot by chibi_kaz and beta'd by luxuria_oceanus, moony_blues and g_efimovich, with my thanks.
Disclaimer: The original characters belong to L. Frank Baum and their respective actors. The current characters belong to Sci-Fi, the movie folks and their respective actors. The OCs are mine.
It was supposed to be a simple trip; nothing too difficult and nothing to worry about. DG was traveling northeast to see the Fighters, and had a contingent of guards - whether she wanted them or not - who were under orders to stay back once they reached the edge of the woods.
She remembered that the small folk were rather skittish and she didn't want to scare them any more than she had before. 'Don't swing a chunk of lumber at them, then,' she reminded herself. The guards were cool, actually, and had a pretty decent sense of humor. Not that they understood half her jokes, of course.
The group had reached the Papay fields and stopped for a break, partly so that DG could check on the creatures. She was hoping that, now that the flowers were back, the Papay runners would have no interest in the humans. She also made sure that the guards understood that no mention of the pit stop would reach Cain's ears.
He'd probably feed her to the Papay, personally.
After seeing that the gatherers were getting along fine - they pretty much ignored the entire party, except for a few infant Papay who were curious about the strangers to their land - DG and her group continued on into the forests of the Eastern Guild.
---
Back in Finaqua, Cain had been keeping himself busy within the walls of the palace. He was trying to ignore the fact that, while he was there, he wasn't keeping an eye on DG. It wasn’t like she needed a babysitter, but she did have a tendency to be right in the middle of all the "incidents".
After almost two hours, Cain gave up on trying to study the happenings of the Zone while he was in the suit and decided to go for a walk. Maybe it had something to do with eight annuals in the suit, he assumed. Sometimes, a man just needed fresh air and room to think.
Cain stopped by Glitch's current lab to let his friend know he was going out, but found no Headcase. 'Probably with Raw,' he assumed, and decided that no one would probably miss him anyway, so why bother telling anyone he was going out?
Cain stepped outside and glanced across the lake to the gazebo. Maybe a circle around the lake would give him the space his mind needed. As he reached the water's edge, Cain wondered how the guards were dealing with the younger princess.
Knowing DG, she'd have the tour group stop in the fields of the Papay before heading into the woods.
---
In a cracked-out version of the Ewok village, a Princess sat with Guild leaders and tried to understand what they were saying. 'I should have read more Doctor Seuss,' she thought at one point, as everything was in rhyme. All talks halted when one of the guards backed up against one of the support posts for a treehouse under construction. DG winced as the entire platform came crashing down and she was afraid to turn around, praying that no one was hurt.
Slapping a palm to her forehead, DG jumped between Red Hat and his brethren and ordered the guards to begin rebuilding the treehouse, under the supervision of some of the Fighters. Red Hat took the gesture as a sign of good faith and DG found that it helped the talks resume quite smoothly, though the lot of them were still weary of the guards.
Two complete treehouses later, about two hours after the collapse, DG and Red Hat shook hands, shared a ceremonial drink of grog and DG herded her companions away before they could do any more damage.
---
Before Cain realized he'd left the grounds of Finaqua, he was past the hedge maze and coming up on the bridge across the rip. Without the detours to Central City, the Northern Island and every point in between, Cain found that things were a lot closer in the Zone than they seemed. He considered turning back, but soon decided that a little further wouldn't hurt. After all, it was a nice day for a walk.
As the cliffs of the Rip loomed in front of him, Cain glanced up and east. There, just as the river turned, Cain spotted the line he'd ridden across so many cycles before. He had to admit that it was one experience he'd be glad to never try again. It was also much easier, he noted, to cross the Rip by bridge, once the Longcoats had relinquished control.
As he walked, Cain found himself looking to the treetops for a sign of blue smoke, but realized that, now that the Zone was at peace, there was no need for it. DG had been sure to send a collection of items to the family who sheltered them, and Cain wondered if she'd made the guards detour enough to check in.
Cain continued through the woods, following the well-worn path, and the thought occurred to him that, while the fighting had stopped, feelings weren't so easily mended and some of the folks in the woods didn't necessarily differentiate the good guys from the bad. He was reminded, rather quickly, however, when the sound of snapping twigs caught his attention.
Unfortunately, he didn't hear the gun discharge until it was too late.
---
DG and her group had been stopped, taking a break - none of the men got her joke about "second breakfast" - when the sound of a gun caught all their ears. Some of the guards immediately drew their weapons, while others started trying to figure out which direction the sound had come from. They were sitting in a bowl, so the sound was echoing off the hillsides around them, making it nearly impossible to determine.
One of the elder guards moved to DG's side and pulled her up. "Princess, I suggest we get moving," he said, not getting an argument from DG. They'd moved a few hundred yards when the sound of someone moving through the trees made them freeze. The guard at DG's side pointed to a fallen tree, directing her to hide, as the guards began fanning out.
The next thing DG knew, there were at least a dozen bodies popping out of the trees, sending the guards moving in every direction. A few gunshots were fired, but more to control the situation than to harm anyone. DG ducked down, catching a glimpse of a young boy kicking her guard in the shin.
Another young man clotheslined the guard and he went down, spotting DG as he pushed himself up from the forest floor. "Run," he mouthed and shouted to his men: "Don't hurt them if you can help it!" He threw another glance to DG and breathed, seeing that she had moved back.
She didn't want to leave them, but she had promised her mother - and Cain - that she would defer to the guards, always. She could hear shouting, but didn't stop; knowing to head in a straight line until she came to a road, a building or a river. From there, head in whatever direction she had been until she reached a landmark she knew.
---
Cain groaned and rolled his eyes as he pushed to one side. Of course, he didn't have Jeb's toy horse in his pocket; in fact, he didn't even have a pocket, because he'd simply walked outside. He should have gone back to Finaqua when he reached the bridge.
Managing to pull himself up, slowly, Cain winced at the pain in his side and his hand moved to his stomach. Pulling the hand back, he saw blood. 'Fantastic,' he thought with a grumble. Luckily, he'd been shot enough times to know that the bullet hadn't impacted anything vital. Still, he needed to get attention and was nowhere near... anything.
Trying to calm his breathing, Cain stumbled along, knowing he was near the old cabin. He just hoped that it was near enough.
---
DG came to a break in the trees and looked down over an open field, a lake and a run-down house. It didn't look like there was anyone living there, and then she saw the suit. 'Cain's house,' she realized. Throwing another glance over her shoulder, DG decided that the cabin fit the bill and tore down the hillside at a quick pace.
As she rounded the lake and the suit became clearer, DG tried not to think about it and tried to remember which part of the Papay field they'd cut through so long ago, hoping the main road was far from the cliff.
Her mind was playing over the convenience of finding her way through the woods to Cain's home when she realized that there was someone lying in the mud near the porch. As she neared, DG's breath caught at the sight of Wyatt Cain. Rushing over to his side, DG dropped down, not caring about the mud getting all over her dress as she tried to roll Cain over.
"Cain! Cain," she prodded. "Oh, my God," she breathed, catching sight of the blood-stained shirt. She leaned over Cain and pressed a hand to his neck. "Cain! Wake up, damnit!" She couldn't remember how to check for a pulse, let alone the proper steps for CPR - her certification had expired a long time ago.
---
Cain had made it so close, but his eyes and legs were so heavy as he neared the porch that he just couldn't make it another step. He'd passed out before he hit the ground, but could swear he heard DG calling his name. "I swear to God, Cain, if you die, I will kill you!" While he was ready to laugh at the absurdity of her comment, Cain realized that she sounded rather serious.
Why would she think he was going to die? 'Oh, that's right: you were shot.' Cain was content to stay right there, though. Thinking about moving and breathing was painful and- Suddenly, he felt very warm, like he'd just had a large spoonful of muglug on a chilly night. He had a sudden craving for some grog and wondered if there was any still inside.
It would probably be far past its prime, he realized. Why was he thinking about the cabin? 'That’s right: you were shot.' Why was he shot? 'You were following DG.' DG. Whoever shot him might be aiming for DG. He had to get to her before they did. He needed to get up and keep moving.
A bullet wouldn't stop Wyatt Cain.
---
DG didn't know what to do; she needed Raw, or a doctor. She had no way to call for help; no one else lived out here. That was why Cain had moved out here with his family after the Last Stand. It was just the two of them. And she was screwed.
She doubted it would work, but didn't know what else to try. Taking a deep breath, DG took Cain's face in her hands and pressed her lips to his. Her mother transferred the magic to DG to bring her back to life, so why couldn’t DG do the same for Cain?
'Please,' she begged as tears started to wet her cheeks. 'Please, don’t leave me.' What was the point of her having the magic if she couldn't do anything useful with it? Why was he even out here? And how the HELL did he get shot? AGAIN!
A bullet couldn't stop Wyatt Cain.
---
All of a sudden, Cain could see the Mystic Man. "Keep her safe," he said simply. Of course he would keep DG safe, he'd made a promise. 'You can’t keep her safe if you're dead,' he realized.
And that was when Wyatt Cain opened his eyes.
---
DG reared back as Cain's body jerked. She swallowed as he blinked, staring at the sky for a moment before his blue eyes met hers. Taking a deep breath, Cain tried to sit up but the pain was horrific; worse than any he'd experienced with the other injuries. DG pushed him back to the ground and tried to compose herself.
The last thing she needed was Wyatt Cain seeing her cry over him. "Don't move," she ordered, pushing herself up and rushing into the cabin, hoping to find anything she could use to help him.
DG returned to his side about a minute later, mid-panic attack. She had gone inside and not known what to look for, or where to look for it. Now, he was going to die because she was a complete idiot. "I don't know what to do," she whispered, not looking at him.
Cain swallowed and reached for her hand. "Help me up," he instructed. DG didn't know much, but she was pretty sure he shouldn't be moving around. "Gettin' dark, kid-" he got out between breaths. "Inside," he nodded quickly. DG stepped over Cain and planted her feet on his other side, taking his hand in hers and holding his elbow with the other.
"On three," she said quietly, waiting for Cain to nod.
"One," Cain said, pushing himself up and seeing stars. He managed to get to his feet, but the pain was so sharp he fell forward against DG. His head was spinning and he had a good bit of weight on her, but DG managed to keep him standing. He stood for a moment, waiting for the waves of nausea to pass, as he held tight to DG.
Once he was sure he could move without losing his lunch, Cain nodded to DG and they turned toward the cabin. It took some work to get Cain inside, DG found, simply because his balance was shot. That made DG laugh, actually, and then immediately feel horrible, as it wasn't that funny.
Cain leaned against the table at an awkward angle, trying to put the least amount of strain in his injury. "Check that cupboard," he said, nodding to a cabinet on the far wall. Last he remembered, that was where Adora kept the bandages. He pushed off the table and moved over to the fireplace, sucking in a breath before he leaned over to push on the wall.
DG turned back with a small box and raised an eyebrow as Cain straightened, a bottle of clear liquid in his hand. Nodding his head toward a door on the opposite wall, Cain continued: "Bedsheet." DG set the box on the table and hurried across the space.
Cain pulled the cap off the bottle and took a generous swig of the alcohol, forcing himself not to gag; the years had not been kind to the recipe. Setting the bottle down on the table, Cain yanked at the buttons or his shirt, not caring if he pulled any off, as the garment was already ruined.
DG came back into the main room and stopped short at the sight of a half-naked Cain in the kitchen. Blinking away the dozen thoughts that had just worked into her head, DG moved over to the table with the balled-up sheet and reached for the box again. "Need pliers," Cain breathed slowly, trying to remember where his toolbox was.
"Oh, HELL no," DG breathed, dropping the box back to the table with a thunk. Cain's jaw clenched and he gave her a look.
"You gonna reach in there and yank the bullet out, then?" he asked, motioning to the hole in his gut. DG moved the box and the sheet off the table and stepped over to Cain's side, reaching for the bottle.
"I got myself out a coffin, I think I can handle a bullet," she informed him, pushing him toward the table. "Lie down." Cain raised an eyebrow and knew that he'd rather she pulled the bullet out with a shovel than do what she was suggesting.
Unfortunately, they had no other option.
Cain took another large swig of the alcohol and heaved himself up onto the table. DG stepped back to the door and glanced down, looking for a dry twig or stick. Finding one that seemed rather sturdy, DG moved back inside as she peeled the outer layer of bark off. "Here," she said, offering the stick to Cain.
He grumbled, but took the stick and used it to point to the bottle. "Pour some of that on," he ordered, knowing that the pain was surely going to cause him to pass out. And he was not too proud to admit it.
Shoving the stick between his teeth, Cain laid back and reached down with his good arm to grab hold of the table leg. His other arm was beginning to go numb, so he doubted there'd be much flailing on that side. DG slowly moved the bottle toward the bullet hole and Cain let go of the table.
Pulling the stick from his mouth, his eyes locked on hers. "You sure you can do this, Kiddo?" He had absolute faith in her - there was no doubt in his mind - but, if she didn't have faith in herself... DG swallowed and froze for a moment. Cain's hand found hers and he squeezed as the other hand returned the stick and reached back to the table leg.
She let go of Cain's hand, closed her eyes as she said a silent prayer, hoping that she didn't kill him, and turned the bottle over on the hole. Cain's whole body jerked and his back arched as he screamed in pain. DG's eyes went wide and she had to physically force herself to continue.
Holding a hand over the wound, DG tried to concentrate on the bullet and the bullet alone; the last thing she needed was to pull out his spleen. Cain screamed against the stick again and his body lurched. She knew that if he kept moving, there'd be no way she could get the bullet out.
And Wyatt Cain was too stubborn to pass out again.
DG hopped up on the table and sat on Cain's knees, hoping her weight would at least keep him from moving around too much. It had taken far too long to get the bolts unscrewed when she was in the coffin, DG remembered. Of course, she had only been using her magic for about a day, and there were four bolts.
This was one bullet - one bullet in Wyatt Cain's stomach. DG needed Raw, because the Viewer could take the pain out of Cain. 'Why can't you take it?' she wondered in a second. 'Use the magic to take it.' DG didn't know if it would work, but it was worth a shot. DG leaned forward and placed one hand over Cain's heart, simply because it seemed like the place where he would feel the most.
Squeezing her eyes shut, DG whispered: "I'm so sorry," and moved her other hand back to the bullet hole. Cain jerked again, but wasn't able to move as much with DG sitting on his legs. His free hand shot up to cover DG's hand - the one over his heart - and DG worked as fast as she could, willing the bullet out while focusing on the pain.
It felt like someone was sticking a red-hot poker into her chest - assuming she had any idea what that actually felt like - but she didn't stop. She knew that the pain was greater on Cain's end, but she hadn't had enough practice with the magic. She was concentrating too hard to actually speak, wanting to beg his forgiveness with every prickle of pain.
'I'msosorryforgivemepleaseohGodI'msorryCain,' her brain screamed.
'SONOFAstopstopSTOPpleasestopDGplease,' Cain's brain responded.
The pain in DG's chest became so strong that she had to let go of Cain. Cain gasped for air and let go of the table leg. He reached blindly for DG and caught her knee. "Fiushid, 'eege," he managed. DG could see the bullet - she could physically see it - but she couldn’t do that again.
She was about to do something horrific, but it had to be done.
DG let her hand hover, just over the hole in his side, but didn't try to pull the bullet out yet. She needed Cain distracted, and she could see he had bitten halfway through the stick. DG took a deep breath, knew that she was about to make a very big mistake, and leaned forward. Pulling the stick from Cain's mouth, DG pressed her lips to his and Cain had another craving for grog.
His hand moved to her neck automatically and, the second DG felt the kiss deepen, her fingers dug into the wound and she pulled the bullet out. Cain jerked sideways again, but also managed to hold the kiss until he passed out from shock. DG stayed there for a moment, the bullet still in her grip.
She pressed the lightest kiss to his lips and pushed back. If she was going to do it, she might as well go all out. DG shifted herself off the table and reached for the bottle, prepared to pour some more liquid over the wound; instead, she took a swig and let her chin drop to her chest. Taking a deep breath as the alcohol worked through her, DG splashed a good bit over the wound again and reached for the box.
It took her a few minutes to get Cain bandaged up, not trusting any of the supplies in the box and making her own wrappings by tearing up the bedsheet. She managed to half-ass wrapping a piece of the sheet around Cain, but wouldn't be able to neaten it up until he was awake. He should be in bed, but there was no way she could get him off the table, let alone to the bedroom.
DG took another swig of the alcohol and looked around the large, open room. This was where Cain had lived. His whole life had been in this room; Jeb probably played on a rug in front of the fireplace; Cain probably sat in the armchair with his wife on cold, winter nights, holding her tight.
That hadn't exactly been the way she'd intended for him to find out about her feelings - not that she'd ever intended him find out, at all - and she hoped he would simply not remember. She could pretend to forget; after all, she'd been doing it for quite a while.
Turning her attention away from her feelings for Cain, DG started trying to work out the best way to get help. She could leave Cain there and start walking - Milltown wasn't that far away, and someone there may have a way to contact her mother. Staring at the fireplace, DG realized how cold it was and wondered if there were any matches.
There was a blanket on the bed when she pulled the sheet free, and Cain was probably going to need it. She abandoned the search for matches to start a fire and moved back into the bedroom. She grabbed the blanket and the second sheet and moved back to the kitchen and Cain.
As she tucked the sheet around Cain, using the other sheet to try and mop up some of the spilled alcohol, Cain stirred. DG threw the blanket over him and stepped back. His hand was quicker, and he caught her wrist and pulled her back. "That's the second time you saved me," he said in a near-whisper.
DG smiled and leaned toward him slightly. "Have to keep you around to keep me out of trouble," she teased. Cain made a sound similar to a laugh and pulled her hand to his chest.
"Thanks."
"Don't thank me yet, Cain," she warned. "We're stuck here... unless you're up for a hike to Milltown." Cain groaned. "'course, they may decide to turn you into a real Tin Man," she said with a laugh. "You'll go in you, and come out with a hatchet for a hand and-" she said quickly, trailing off as Cain squeezed her hand again.
She avoided looking at him as long as she could, until she finally let her eyes meet his. "Where did you have grog?" Cain asked with a slight smile. DG's eyes narrowed and her head shook slightly. Cain let go of her hand - which was still resting over his heart - and reached up to touch her cheek.
"You holdin' out on the grog, Princess?" he asked with a smile. His thumb passed over her lips and DG blinked. Maybe it was the pain talking, she realized, and decided that she'd deal with the consequences later.
"I wouldn't hold out on you, Tin Man," she said quietly, and leaned forward to kiss him again.
---
I make NO apologies for causing Bon Jovi to run rampant through your brain. If I have to suffer through it, so should you.
Also, a year-plus later, I realize that Cain should have walked right past Adora's grave... *facepalm*