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[dadication]

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[dadication]

"I wouldn't know much about that," he reasoned as he drove them. He had been very open with his sexuality when it came to Gabriel, aware it could create issues. He was certain that he had a few female followings, but he had always politely declined. They had certainly never had an opportunity to consider his scars as something that made him look tough and 'wild'. To be fair, most of his scars were on his body, but if the mess his face was happened to be any indication, that was definitely changing.

He continually glanced into the rearview mirror to check on Reyes as he took them deeper into the darker areas of town. The bond between them had grown subtle with their exhaustion and it was by no means difficult to find, but he was concerned at how it seemed Gabe was struggling. Being concerned about Reyes meant he was far more awake and less in danger of running them right off of the road. So there were benefits.

Jack took them to the to the industrial area where plenty of sleazy activities would be performed. There was less security down there and also less police presence for the most part. No one would see an ambulance as anything entirely odd either, given how some violence seemed to be present at all times of night in certain areas.

He found one of the ditches and eased the ambulance into park, twisting around to ease his way into the back with it idling. He reached out to assure himself of Gabe, touching having always been big when there was a real danger between the two of them. "Set the explosion up, Gabe. I'll haul out supplies out and clear."

He reached out to grab the two packs in question, one with mysterious supplies and the other full of medical supplies. He grunted and groaned as he loaded both, one on each other before he grabbed his rifle and slung that over his less injured shoulder. He leaned down before Gabe could start and pressed a kiss to the older man's forehead, yet another assurance before he was grunting and shuffling his way out the back of the ambulance.

Jack nearly collapsed under the weight and the fatigue, but he righted himself long enough to slip into the shadow of a building. It seemed that sitting down and then having to be in motion again had done him no favours.

[gr1m]

He made a soft sound in his throat- "Your scars have always looked good to me," which likely was far more preferable considering a few things. A few new ones from this wouldn't change a damn thing in his eyes, and hell. Gabriel went both ways when it came to sexuality, even if he didn't talk about much, figured it didn't matter since he was pretty happy with who his bond ended up being.

Remained still during most of the ride, quiet unless spoken to as he tried to stay awake. Keep breathing. Angry at the fact he felt if his damn lung hadn't taken such a hit he'd be better off than he felt and would only have to worry more about Jack than keeping himself going.

Glanced out the back windows, fingers tightening on the supply bag he'd packed up just out of some twitch of muscles, eyes narrowing for a moment. At least going here would give them plenty of time, and no one would really connect this thing to what had just occurred.

Couldn't help some little regret that he didn't do anything with the body of the shooter, but maybe they'd have some dumb luck if anyone ran across the guy.

"Got it, and be careful Jack." Be a shit time to get mugged, on the move in the back as he had packed a couple oxygen tanks in to the bag and was leaving the rest to use to help fan the fire once it got going. Careful with how he did it, shivering as he moved and not just from the cold.

Wasn't too long until he was hoping out of the ambulance and getting it rolling more in to the ditch, trying to time it so he was making his way -with a few missteps- towards the shadows and away from the soon to be explosion. Had grabbed a couple jackets from the back, pulled one on to at least give himself to cover the shreds of his own clothing and was keeping hold of the other for Jack.

Wasn't much, but it was better than nothing as something to go unnoticed, right? Maybe. Fuck it.

[dadication]

"You're just saying that to be nice," he replied, though a smirk formed as he shuffled off. Yes, he knew Gabe liked his scars, had even helped him get a few of them and had been a man who had been there to help mend them as well. "Don't take long."

He hobbled off into the alley, the rain still pouring down as he shuffled away. He knew better than to even be seen in the area, so he headed down to the next alley, crossing the street on determination alone. He leaned against a wall of the apartment building that shadowed the alley he took refuge in, breathing hard despite a lack of physical effort. He was just... so tired. His limbs felt heavy, but he wanted to wait for Gabe.

He rearranged the two massive packs of supplies more evenly, pausing at the sound of shuffling feet down the other end of the alley. This had better not turn out the way that Gabe warned him, but it wasn't until he heard the cock of a sidearm that he sighed heavily. Of course.

"Son, just don't," he growled, in no mood to deal with a would-be thief. It was only keen hearing that allowed him to pinpoint where it was happening from, and he twisted and ducked as the weapon discharged. As much as he wanted to shoot the little bastard, he knew better than to do that with a dead man's gun where there would be an investigation on homicide.

No, Jack moved fast on adrenaline only, closing the distance as his mugger inhaled sharply. That was the only sound that the man made before he managed to get a hand on his head and smashed it into the concrete wall of the building. There was a sickening crunch of bone giving way, and the new dead body slumped to the ground into a heaping pile of trash.

He wavered on his feet and considered just laying down next to the corpse. He was spent. Maybe it was the first time he actually cataloged their situation, that they were dead men in the slums and might not even survive the night, but they had lost everything but each other.

He made a soft broken sound, a quiet hiccup of a sob even if there were no tears. He didn't even have it in him to produce them. His throat felt tight, and he resisted the urge to punch the wall. No, his shoulders somehow managed to tremble as he made soft hiccuping sounds and waited for the only person he had left.

[gr1m]

Wouldn't take long, just the amount of time he needed to rig up and explosion in an ambulance with only what was left in the vehicle itself to do it. Of course Gabriel managed, wasn't the first time he'd had to do something like this, even if he hadn't expected to do so in a situation like this. Difficult as it was with a collapsed lung and his energy literally bleeding out of him slowly, but he got it done.

The sound of his success couldn't and wouldn't go unmissed by the sound of the explosion in the industrial ditch. But at least considering the area and the fact most were heading towards the exploded Overwatch HQ? Be a while before anyone went to investigate.

So that just left Gabriel making his way towards where he hoped Jack had headed, but couldn't help but tense and try to hurry when he heard tat gun shot.

All he found was Jack standing there trembling and hiccuping and a dead body slouched among the trash— "Jack?" Got, his voice sounded like shit, barely managed the breath needed to make out just his name, leaning against a wall of the building, a spare jacket in hand and shivering. Barely on his feet but trying to keep his eyes on the other.

Only reason he had to keep pushing on, and he was just so fucking exhausted. They needed to get out of here, find somewhere to hunker down. They couldn't stop yet, even if no doubt both of them wanted to.

[dadication]

Despite himself, the explosion was so easily heard, what with the dogs that started barking and how a few lights went on. People were notoriously nosy even if they also didn't want to know. It was a fact of life down in the poverty-stricken areas, so he knew that at least the ambulance was going to be burnt out by the time anyone actually spared people to come and take a look. After all, the rain would contain the blaze from spreading.

He didn't need to look to know that quiet footfalls belonged the Reyes. He had learned a long time ago how to use their link as a measurement of how close they were, a skill that had become more important as he was stuck behind a desk and Reyes went on missions and covered more ground. He had a lot of time on his hands during paperwork and frustration to chew on, so he taught himself how to fine-tune knowing where Gabe was at all times, though he knew if Reyes wanted to, the older man could shut him out so he would only be aware of the fact his bond was alive.

He shook his head at the call of his name, trying and failing to bottle up his emotions. This wasn't the time or the place, and yet, he just kept at it, sagging under the weight of their supplies and wiping at his face as if the rain that poured down it were actual tears that needed to be wiped. He only succeeded in reopening the injuries on his face, but at this point, the bright spots of pain were needed to focus on anything but the crushing weight of everything that they had lost.

"...we need... to keep going," he managed to get out, forcing himself to straighten his spine and set his shoulders even if they continued to tremble. He knew Reyes was not in a state to stay out in the rain, not with a collapsed lung and god knew what other injuries. His priority was Gabe's safety, always had to be. God knew Gabe didn't take care of himself sometimes. "...I'm not dying in a pile of trash..."

He forced himself to reach out, grab Gabe's wrist and pull the older man along as he convinced himself into motion. He took them through several alleys, leaving behind the corpse, the ambulance, the life they had built. He walked until he knew he was about to actually collapse and looked at the seedy motel that was clearly 'charge by the hour' and looked at Reyes. "It's going to be here or in the streets. I can't go much further and neither can you."

Now the bigger question. "Who goes to get a room?" They were both disasters after all.

[gr1m]

"We do," needed to, had to. So long as they were both alive and breathing, they could both push each other to keep moving. Had to get Jack somewhere safe, somewhere dry, get him tended to even if it would be Gabriel stitching and patching him up. Wouldn't be the first time, but like hell e ever expected the time to come again like this. Watching him carefully, even as Reyes' vision was swimming in and out a bit. Figured it had something to do with his lack of getting enough oxygen. "We didn't die in the rubble.

"We sure as fuck aren't going to die out here." Reassuring the both of them of that one, maybe. Needed to keep pushing.

When he was grabbed Gabriel draped that extra jacket across shoulders and a bit over Jack' head. Just to try and give him that much from the rain, material waterproofed enough and giving just a little warmth. Wasn't much, but it was something else he could recover before torching the vehicle.

There was so much left behind, but if they wanted to survive they had to walk away from it, leave it all to burn. So much that they'd built together, fought for, gave up so much to keep going. To have it all dropped on top of them it was... Something was rotten, and he'd missed it, and this was the damn price being paid. He pushed Jack forwards as much as he was being pulled, trying to keep some comfort in their bond. To help them have the needed strength to take every step through the dark and dirty passages.

Gabe glanced up, thinking and quiet for a moment. "I can. Just keep my face hidden enough, this jacket I 'borrowed' has a hood. I damn well don't sound like myself." His voice was raspy, breathless. He wasn't actively bleeding from the face.

"Won't ask shit, not here at this time of night."

[dadication]

Jack hiccuped another sound when Gabe slipped the jacket over his shoulders and was caring enough to make certain the hood slipped over his head. He had to keep moving forward or else he probably would have turned and buried his face into Reyes' neck and just stayed there. Now was not the time to come apart, and they had priorities that required them to keep it together.

He stared at the motel, not liking the look of it but accepting that it was going to be the least likely place anyone might look for them. He was back to shivering near violently by this point, nodding his head at the idea of Gabe going in. He knew that he would loiter nearby, make it seem as if they were going to have a homosexual encounter rather than having to sew each other back together. No one would question it.

"We need to figure out your voice. Probably damage from cement dust and the explosion," he said, always more concerned for Reyes than himself. That was the way of their bond, always looking out more for the other than themselves. They made it work well.

He propelled himself into motion towards the motel, staggering and shuffling like he was drunk. It wasn't even an act because he was honestly on his last legs here He stopped in the partial shadows of a vehicle, using it to rest against so that Reyes could go in. Nevermind the fact that he raised the rifle he had been given and lined up a shot in case things inside went south. If it was between them and the clerk, he was choosing them.

[gr1m]

Could and would be time for that later, hold Jack as long as he wanted and likely longer out of Gabriel's own need and want to keep him close. Hold him close, just sit with him and take whatever comfort could be taken while giving every bit in return that he could. Needed Jack, needed to be sure he was safe and taken care of first. His priority for himself was just keeping himself moving until he could be sure of that much.

"I wouldn't be surprised, throat feels raw," and all he could taste was blood. Most of that was likely due to the fact he was still spitting out blood, but at least it wasn't filling his mouth as much as before. Wasn't sure if that was a good or bad sign, and right now he'd take whatever he could get.

Kept a hand on Jack as they walked, supporting him as well as himself, only letting go once he had to walk towards the door to go in. Having to part and taking strength to at least come off as drunk rather than injured. Jacket zipped up and hood pulled up enough to shadow his face, enough dust and dirt washed off his face from the rain to look like it wasn't out of the ordinary.

Got the clerk's attention, only spoke enough to give the appearance he was possibly drunk off his ass, but there was some money to flash. Paying for a few hours up front, saying what he needed and how, putting up a damn act and sinking in to some quick role. Drunk trying to get a hotel for a fuck, and probably to sleep it off after along with that.

Things went well enough, no questions asked and some exchange of payment -only remembered grabbing a wallet from inside the ambulance to get money- and got himself a set of keys and room number. Staggering his way out and catching Jack's attention to get him to follow along, a flash of a keycard and hell if he didn't unlock that sleazy motel door quicker than he'd ever done before, dragging Jack inside and locking it behind him.

Pulling whatever curtains and shutters he needed, locking down and shutting out the world while he was still on his feet.

[dadication]

Jack waited, breathing hard and suffering under the weight of their supplies, but he knew this was the end of their difficult journey. He watched Reyes through his scope, keeping the clerk in his line of sight as the exchange happened beyond him. He could tell that Gabe was acting drunk, which likely wasn't difficult given the sheer amount of blood loss the older man was suffering under. His finger remained next to the trigger, waiting and watching and trying not to allow his eyes to close.

When it became clear money was being exchanged and there would be no issues, he eased the rifle from the vehicle and packed it up so that it wouldn't appear quite so obviously as a rifle. Maybe it wouldn't matter, but he wasn't about to draw any new attention to them as Gabe stepped out and showed him keys. He was so damned relieved.

He shuffled off after Reyes, a surge of energy pushing him to catch up and set a hand on Gabe's ass as if that was required to show just what they were doing. He kept a weathered eye out for people watching before he was hauled inside and he finally - finally - collapsed to the grimy carpeted floor. He made a lame effort to shove one pack off of him, but he was laying on the other and that was as far as he was going to manage right now.

Jack knew he should help secure the room, but all he could manage was lay there on the floor and shivering. He made a small effort to shift himself to no be in the way, but otherwise, he had nothing left in him. He was defeated; he was broken; he just wanted to sleep and didn't particularly care if he woke up again.

"...oxygenate yourself..." he muttered softly. Gabe was going to need to breathe more than anything, but they needed to re-inflate that lung.

[gr1m]

The last thing Gabriel did was move something in front of a certain spot on the wall, just blocking something out of paranoia. It was ultimately nothing, but at this point he was using every last bit of hyper awareness to cover their bases. As much as he wanted to collapse himself, needed to make sure they were as safe as they could be, stepping around and over Jack as he passed and moved around.

With everything done? Gabriel practically collapsed to the floor next to him, sitting on his knees and narrowly avoiding hacking up blood on to the carpet. Coughing, hand over his mouth and wheezing to the point it would ave been so easy to just—

Nodding, he was nodding and groping for the medical bag, grabbing one of the little oxygen tanks he'd packed in there with a face mask, holding it over his noise and mouth as he turned it up until he felt some relief again. Eyes watering up a bit, because hell if it wasn't all slowly crashing around him now.

"Need- need to get you... cleaned up." Everything that came after. Make damn sure they didn't die in this shitty motel room.

[dadication]

Jack trusted Gabriel to make the place secure, wishing he could help but unable to. He was better off on the floor, and instead he was paying attention to Gabe through their link, tracking the partner of his life until he could hear and feel Reyes settling down near his head. He tried to roll from his side to his back, but the pack he was still wearing pinned his weakened body in place. He instead sort of flailed and then went quiet again.

This place was going to have ruined carpets anyway as he was still bleeding everywhere. The sheer amount of rain water on them both wouldn't help to keep the place sanitary. He felt a brief relief of phantom tightness to his chest when Gabe breathed some of the oxygen, and he relaxed some knowing that the older man was safe, would survive for now despite the grievous injuries.

He shifted, pulling the jacket Reyes had given him tighter around his shoulders, using it like a blanket even if all the pain and fatigue was setting in now that they were safe. He had his eyes closed, making soft little sounds as he forced himself to not just sleep.

"...need to get that lung fixed first... and you need to be sewn up..." They both did. Reyes was automatically his priority. "Just... let me warm up a bit more. So cold."

[gr1m]

"C'mere," was harder to speak as his adrenaline was starting to go, heaving a bit at the other bag to get Jack tugged up, wanting to get him sitting and pull him in close. Needing to pull in in close. "Warm up easier."

They would warm up easier and at a better rate if they huddled together, pool what was left of their body warmth and both of the jackets he'd stolen. Was so damn glad he still had the thought of grabbing shit from the front of the ambulance before torching it, getting some cash and just- a little thing outside of the medical supplies they'd desperately needed.

Now they needed to be able to have the energy to patch up and stop the bleeding with everything else. "Need you," and he did. Needed him close, wanted to hold him and have that extra bit of reassurance outside of their bond.

[dadication]

It took breaking the strap itself for him to be free of the pack, and it was only then that he could struggle any measure towards Gabe, which he was in desperate need of. All of their near death experiences together had somehow involved them cuddling desperately together, holding onto one another. It helped that Gabe was hauling him over, and he scrambled lamely to sit up and huddle in close next to Reyes leaning on the bed. He shifted the jacket that hadn't even put his arms through and turned it around to drape over their fronts.

Honestly, he should stumble off to grab dry towels and to turn up the heat in this place (assuming it even worked), but once he was settled against Reyes, he was finished all over again. Instead, his arms curled around the older man with a weakness unlike him, fingers curling into Gabe's jacket and what remained of his hoodie to just hold on.

He buried his face into Reyes' neck, as much for warmth as assurances. Everywhere hurt, even their bond. They were alive by the skin of their teeth, wounded physically and emotionally. "...'m sorry..." he mumbled softly, starting to tremble for entirely unrelated heat-generating reasons. He tucked his legs up close to Gabe. "...I should have..." Done what? He hadn't seen this coming. Gabe obviously hadn't either.

Now they had nothing but each other. "Need you too."

[gr1m]

Did whatever the hell he needed if it meant he'd end up with Jack in his arms, feeling a physical weight and warmth and him up against him. Tucked together under one jacket as he was too tired to pull his arms out of the one he'd pulled on, gripping at Jack desperately as if he was physically the sole lifeline he had then and there. Wasn't wrong, wasn't wrong at all. Did so much for him just to make sure he survived, that he could come back to him and not-

Didn't want to leave him alone, didn't want to be left alone. Needed that physical contact and touch. Weight, the smell of him, even if they were both still bloody and smelled like it, sweat and rain and dust. His hold only so much tighter out of his own desperation than what strength he had left.

Gabriel wheezed a little, head rested against Jack's and eyes closed, welled up tears falling without his notice. "Mm," He was sorry too, even if he couldn't put words in to it other than just tucking close and bundling against each other as they were.

"Got you."

[dadication]

He took strength from being close to Gabe, but more than that, he knew that he didn't have to be quite so strong anymore. They could fall apart and it would be okay because they had escaped with their lives, but no more than that. He was too wounded, tired and raw to be able to fully cope with what had happened, but its impact was definitely starting to trickle in on him as he finally rested against Gabe, the only person who could know he was alive until they figured something out.

He felt a tear on his cheek, though maybe it could have been rain water given how soaked they were. However, Jack knew the difference; he could count on one hand the number of times either of them had shed a tear, so he knew. "...don't..." he muttered, lifting a hand to press it to Gabe's face, wiping as if he could sweep away the tears. It was a messy attempt, his fingers numb with cold, but Gabe letting go was the final piece in their misery puzzle.

He began to tremble all over again, dry sobs leaving his damaged throat, and he clung to Gabe as some of their agony came through to one another. He didn't even have the strength or ability to produce tears anymore, but he was sobbing like a child and rocking himself and Reyes as if that very act could calm the storm of emotion that was happening between them. They should be resting, but here they were crying like boys instead.

"Don't ever leave me, Gabriel Reyes. Never."

[gr1m]

It was hard to keep it all held up behind an already brittle wall that had been built up just to get to this. Somewhere reasonable safe and out of the public eye after all hell had broken loose, someone clearly having wanted them dead if the shooter had been the last key to being sure of that or not. Tried to hold on as long as he could, rarely let anyone else see him so low and weak.

But he couldn't stop himself, even if it started silent, tears falling when the first finally broke free. More falling after as he held just a bi tighter on to Jack. Rocking with him as his own hand lifted to keep Jack's there on his face, Gabe resting the side of it there so it wasn't in danger of knocking away the oxygen mask.

Kept a hand of his own over it. Crying enough for the both of them as some low sound of a sob broke free, something almost like laughter coming with it. Completely bereft of joy and just a sound of emotional agony. That brittle wall demolished and no longer holding it back.

"N'ver," word barely gotten out, but every bit of emotions was in it.

[dadication]

It couldn't be good for Gabe's lungs to have extra strain on them for crying, but he knew for fact that now that it had started, there was no way to stop it in either of them. Like in all things, they would go until there was nothing left to give, and they likely were compounding each other by sharing the shock and grief of their situation with each other down the link that connected then together.

His fingers over the mask, holding it in place as Gabe's hand came to rest on his own. Warm wetness made the tears even more obvious, but while Reyes cried with tears and very little sound, Jack was opposite, all noise and no tears. He didn't even feel pathetic, just worn out even more, letting loose on something they neither of them had seen coming and now so many people had paid with their lives. They had failed, and he didn't even have the mental, emotional, or physical energy to know how or why it had all happened.

Instead, they cried themselves out, though Jack wasn't aware of how time passed for them. Eventually, he quieted down, sniffling and hiccuping softly and resting himself against Gabe. He forced himself to breath, to step into the numbness of being emotionally worn out. It felt like all of him was numb, and he thought for the first time that he would be okay dying like this in some seedy hotel room cuddled up against the partner of his life, just... slipping away from blood loss.

No. He couldn't do that. Not yet. Gabe needed to be fixed up.

Slowly, he roused himself from leaning like dead weight on Reyes, still sniffling but using the last of his energy to sit up and grab at the bag of medical supplies.

"I'm going to need you to get naked so I can stitch you up and bandage what can't be. Keep the oxygen mask on," he said, sounding numb and cold as he felt. He had a job to do. If only his frozen fingers would work. "I can cut you out of your clothes if that's easier....?"

[gr1m]

Needed to let something out before it was held back so long it broke something else in them, they were allowed to cry. To express that great emotional hurt that had been building and building, and even some caused by the physical hurt as well. Let something out so they could wall back up as they needed to get back behind it and walk through those next and very needed steps without too much trouble. Needed steady hands, or steady enough, for the patching to come.

Even as Gabriel's lungs burned from the silent sob wracking his body, better now than later when whatever patch-job Jack managed could somehow pop. Had to get the lung re-inflated, help him breath easier and thank god he'd grabbed a few oxygen tanks while in his haze of having to get everything in to a bag.

A hand kept curled on Jack, holding on to him as both a brace to keep him upright, and because Gabe needed the contact. Nodding slowly, keeping the mask on to the point he was putting the elastic of it over his head finally. Better than jut holding it in place-

"Need the pants," Anything else could be cut off. Not much left of the shirt, could keep the stolen jacket zipped up. Even if he was painfully slow in peeling off said hooded jacket and tossing it on to a chair for now- even if he caught those cold fingers between his hands for a moment, lips brushing across fingertips and glancing up at Jack.

"I get you after."

Stitch and bandage.

[dadication]

Jack forced himself to switch gears, shivering from cold and numbness, but that was good. He knew hitting that numb stage meant that he could prioritize what needed to be done, and he was already pulling both of his hands away from Gabe to open the medical bag and root through the contents as Reyes made an effort to stripe down.

First thing first was pain medication, and he was familiar enough with their metabolism to know to double the dose to start. He didn't even hesitate as he drugged Gabe up with a needle to the thigh before he returned to grabbing suture and the appropriate hand tools. However, his second order of business was to look for signs to Gabe's collapsed lung; they needed to get that reinflated for the older man to be comfortable for any of this.

With no obvious foreign bodies that needed to be removed, he grabbed a needle and syringe. The bruising was so evident to the traumatic damage that had caused it all, and he knew this would hurt. At least he had waited for some of the drugs to kick in before he felt along Gabe's ribs for a spot that hopefully would allow him to operate.

"This is going to hurt. Deep breath and hold it," he ordered gruffly, willing his fingers to work as he slipped the need in between the ribs at a sharply upward angle and began to suction off the excess air to return negative pressure and reinflate Gabe's lung.

[gr1m]

There was only a slight hiss, but less out of pain- well no. more out of pain, but not from Jack just injecting him with pain killers. It was more getting out of his pants after dealing with boots and socks. Muscles were tired, joints ached- everything ached and at least soon enough that wouldn't entirely be the case.

Gabriel positioned himself as needed once he had managed to strip, trying to make it as easy on the both of them as possible. A hand lifting just to make sure the mask was still in place and he wasn't struggling to breathe as much as he could be.

Nodding before he took that deep breath and held it, eyes closed tightly for just a moment. Holding, letting Jack do what needed to be done and keeping still. Not bracing himself as completely as he could just to keep muscles and all from tightening to the point it would just make shit hard.

Could feel the pressure shifting, eyes closed tighter as a free hand gripped at the bed. The only thing he was allowing himself, not quite a pain but a discomfort that could get anyone not sedated to shift. Made himself keep still.

[dadication]

Jack watched Gabe's face, aware none of this could possibly be comfortable, but then again, not being able to breathe was far worse. Reyes had been smart to bring the small tanks of oxygen or else this could have been a completely different story. This was going to happen though, they were going to survive, lick their many wounds and find out who had done this to them and everyone else.

He extracted all the air that he could, waiting and hoping that it would be enough. Turned out there was more air in Gabe's chest cavity than his syringe could suck out, forcing him to pull it out, reset and have to insert the needle in again. This time he felt more resistance as he drained air and waited for the telltale signs of proper respiration returned.

"Keep sucking that oxygen even when I'm done," he ordered. He figured it would do Gabe good as the drugs kicked in with their full effect eventually.

Only once the job was complete he did withdraw and sat back to study the enormous task ahead of him. Where there wasn't burns, bruises or scrapes, there were lacerations, punctures from rebar and the odd foreign body from the blast. He blinked his eyes rapidly, nodding his head as he convinced himself that he could do that, that there was no other choice. Gabe needed him.

The pack of supplies next to him, he rose and stumbled his way to the bathroom finally. Inside, he grabbed two towels which he assumed were supposed to be white but more an off yellow and old stains that he didn't want to know the story behind. He returned with the same drunken stumbling but settled down like a sack of potatoes. One towel he settled under Gabe's thigh where the rebar had punctured through. He then flushed and washed the wound. The other towel was used to pat it dry before he applied a bandage. One down.

There was another on Gabe's side which he worked on next, flushing, washing but only a minor bandage pad there because there was plenty else to work on before he could bandage the older man's abdomen up. "Get some rest... I'll be awhile."

He began the seemingly endless quest to find bits of rocks, vehicle metal and glass from Gabe's body, hands only shaking a little bit.

[gr1m]

Under any other circumstances Gabriel would have tossed a joke out, try and lighten the mood, but those times were usually just after some mission having gotten complicate or- well. Not This. This wasn't the time for a 'I'll tell you what else I could keep sucking' and hell, as it was didn't cross his mind. Focused as he was on trying to make this as easy on Jack as possible. Both of them were flagging, but he had to hold on so he could do the same for Jack.

Even if his eyes did droop when the pain killers started kicking in, never dropped his gaze and kept alert as he possible could. Breathing with the help of the mask and oxygen tank, even if he could feel the prick of pain, it was over and gone wit just as soon as it had come.

There was a noise, some faint sign of a tired chuckle- "Just.. if I doze off-" He was afraid what might happen if he did, but the part he was far more concerned about what, "-wake me up so I can get you fixed up."

Didn't want to leave Jack bleeding or have the higher risk of infection. They were in this together, all the other had- he needed Jack to stay at his side after this.

[dadication]

Well, they were both lucky if they weren't going to get an infection, not only from the explosion but the carpet they happened to be seated upon. He did not want to question what some of the stains were, and they happened to be adding their own at this point. As long as everyone thought they were dead, it wouldn't matter if some seedy motel happened to have blood stains from them. They would clean up when they could manage it.

He glanced up at the request, nodding but too exhausted to commit more than that. He would wake Gabe if it were necessary otherwise he could mind himself. However, he knew Reyes would be furious if he didn't, but he had to look out for the other man first and foremost. He had taken care of matters on his own many times, same as Gabe. It was a fact of life. He'd deal with any anger assuming that he was still conscious enough to listen.

"You need your rest. You pushed harder than I did," he said as if that bore any merit. "If you're still in pain, let me know and I'll dose you more." Right unconscious if he had to.

All the same, he began to suture some of the deeper, uglier lacerations. No local, which he was apologetic about, but Gabe would have to contend with the pin pricks over and over as he sewed the partner of his life back together again. Front first then he would see about Gabe's back.

[gr1m]

He worried, even knowing just how much Jack could do on his own- how much he could do on his own. Didn't make him want to try and help any less, do whatever he could, even if right now part of that was making himself sit and let Jack tend to him now. Like hell he wanted to make the other think he couldn't do anything this simple, or that it was unwanted.

"We both pushed hard," softly, a little strained. "Think you and I both know this still hurts like Hell, but I can deal." Less than what it did, but it could be felt initially, but faded away quicker than it would have without. Only hurt too much if he moved or breathed a little more deeper than his lung was ready for.

Dealt with the pain of skin being sewn together, head tiled back and just kept his breathing as regular as he could. Had at least stuffed a few antibiotics in to that bag, so neither of them would be crawling out of here with some new sort of disease on top of surviving an explosion. Last thing they needed.

[dadication]

"I'll go as long as I can," he replied. Yes, he was hurting and yes he was tired. They both were. He was taking what relief he could in the fact that Gabe was breathing better, still recovering with oxygen but looking a bit less ashen. "Just... rest..."

Jack worked. He stitched, washed, bandaged and removed shrapnel from Gabe's body, working on the worst of the injuries and making his way to the least dangerous but still to be uncomfortable ones. He then urged Reyes to turn so he could work on the older man's back which was just as badly damaged, requiring more suturing or maybe it was just that he was slowing down by that point, fingers barely working but running on fumes as he put Gabe back together. He managed to do that and then bandage it all up, providing a little more warmth but also a sense of security that he had done it. Okay, so there were likely still a few places on Gabe's legs but the worst of it was over.

He sagged, breathing shallowly and picked at his own shredded clothing. He began to pull the bloody tattered remains, opening up wounds which had been glued shut by the cloth that remained. He managed to peel off his trousers and kick off his boots before he looked over at Gabe.

He couldn't go further, even if he had intended to.

"...Gabe...? I need you..." his words were barely above a hoarse whisper. He must have worked an hour or more on the older man. He felt on the verge of passing out. "...I can't..."