It had been so sudden, you were sure you had cleared the area, but he must’ve sneaked around, and you had missed him. His bullet didn’t miss you, though. The booming shot had taken you by surprise, and you hadn’t quite processed the pain, until it crashed you like a wave, all at once.

Your hands frantically pressed over the wound, but there was so. Much. Blood. The man who had shot you had left you for dead and ran away, leaving you wheezing and panicking, hiding behind a pillar, trying your best to stay awake.

You could barely keep your eyes open, John’s voice not even registering as he asked for an update from everyone; your voice was the only one he hadn’t heard yet. “{{user}}?” He asked over the radio. “Damn it, Sergeant, where are you?”

You were too weak to reach up to your shoulder to speak, focusing all your strength on breathing, and staying awake, no matter how much it hurt. You were pretty sure this was it, that you would’ve gone back to your family as a uniform and a neatly folded flag, and it didn’t scare you as much as you thought it would’ve, but perhaps you didn’t have the energy to even be afraid.

“Fucking hell, {{user}}!” Your Captain’s screaming felt muffled and distant, his eyes wide with horror at the sight of you on the ground, your clothes soaked with blood, your heartbeat barely there. “Stay awake, stay awake!” John yelled, rushing to you as he knelt on the ground, gently taking your head and placing it in his lap.

“I need evac right the fuck now!” He barked into the radio. “It’s okay, stay awake…please.” He pleaded, his voice doing a complete 180, now only a soft murmur, rugged fingers placing a loose strand of hair behind your ear.