Gabe helped Mea into the back of the van, and once everyone was loaded, Gabe tore off from the scene, breaking God knows how many laws to get to The Doctor.<br/><br/>Mea helped secure Marcus into a comfortable sitting position, wiping blood out of his face, before nervously flitting over Yousef's mangled body, stretched out onto the floor of the van. She knelt, pressing two fingers gingerly into his throat to check for a pulse. His lids fluttered at her touch, and he muttered something in a language she couldn't understand.<br/><br/>She withdrew her hand shakily, placing it over his heart to feel the reassuring rhythm beneath her palm.<br/><br/>"How... is cowboy's... manicure?" Her smile was broken and watery, the soot and blood streaking her face made her look like a refugee from a war camp. "He broke a nail or two, I think. We'll all go to the spa after this is over." Her voice was strained as she tried to make her tone light, to keep the panic from rising in her throat like acid.<br/><br/>"Mea... I... need to say... something..."  he was struck by a spasmodic cough, she rapidly covered his mouth with her hand as blood spattered out, hitting her in the cheek and throat. She flinched reflexively at the moisture.  She looked up at the health monitors that were integrated into their biosuits, his heart rate was erratic and he was losing blood, his BP was dangerously low.<br/><br/>"That... isn't good..." He muttered, she wiped her hand on her thigh and shook her head "You're going to be fine, Yousef, stay with me..."<br/><br/>"I told you once before... in Russia... it got you shot... because I... was not looking... for trouble on... cake walk." Her lower lip trembled, and tears began to gather themselves in her thick ash-covered lashes. "Yousef, don't talk right now, just...just..."<br/><br/>"I never say... it again... too scared... scared... of losing..." his lids fluttered, eyes rolling into the back of his head.<br/><br/>Her hair fell into his face as she pressed herself into his chest.  Mea put her arm across him...and sobbed.<br/>