Fawn sat on a table as a nurse wrapped bandages around her midsection.

"You're lucky. Only a few bruised ribs and just one cracked." Fawn fumbled with the paper on the table.

"You call that lucky?" She asked.

"Very." The nurse responded.

"When you came in, I was sure you had more than one broken rib." Fawn had woken up in this room. She had stitches on the side of her forehead and one side of her face was already bruising. Her lips was swollen as well and whatever drug Clay had given her had left her with a pounding headache. Of course, the headache only worsened when Willow finally explained what had happened. Garth had been planning this revolt for about three years. It started with the king and queens death and progressed to him taking the throne. He wanted Willow gone because she was snooping around and he needed Sean gone for the top spot. Willow and Claus, along with Sean devised a plan to rescue the rest of the Overseers from the palace today and bring them back to their hidden base in Section 7. Garth planned on forcing the sections one by one slowly into submission before taking over the country as the only ruler. Uriah and Abigail had both been shot over the time span Fawn was unconscious in Clay's room and Section 6 was aligned with Garth as everyone had suspected. Willow had to leave before Fawn could be told anymore. The nurse helped Fawn pull a long sleeved shirt she had been given over her head, helping bring Fawn out of her confused stupor. Fawn planned on exploring her new temporary home while she figured out what was going on. She limped through the confines and hallway at a slow pace.

Clay had given her quite the beat down, but the medicine was helping dull the ache of breathing. They must be somewhere underground Fawn had reasoned, since it would be hard to have an aboveground base so close to 8. Sean had said something about a meeting to plan the hidden group's next move. Fawn had been invited to the meeting, since she was a previous Overseer and Queen. Plus, any extra information on Garth that she had, they wanted. With so few Overseer's even left alive, Fawn feared that she was only one of three that was living besides the traitors. Hoping she was following Sean's direction's right, Fawn came to a room. The door was closed. Fawn knocked and Willow called for her to come in through the door. Fawn entered the room, which was poorly lit. The first thing she noticed made her stop in her tracks.

"And there is an entrance over here, but it will probably be heavily guarded." A nineteen year old with copper colored hair said. He faced away from Fawn, staring down at some map.

"Travis?" Fawn whispered out, her voice trembling. The figure stiffened and turned. Fawn put a hand over her mouth when she saw his emerald eyes, a sob coming out. Travis's face melted into relief mixed with happiness and Fawn ran to him. Travis's arms practically engulfed her body and she sobbed against his chest. He was alive, he was right here! Fawn buried her head in his chest, feeling the warmth of his body.

"I heard the shot, I thought you were dead." Fawn managed out between her deranged tears. Travis held her close.

"Garth shot me in the left shoulder, apparently he was saving me for something more useful later." Fawn savored the sound of hearing his voice.

"I thought I had lost everyone." She said quietly. Travis pulled her back and then kissed her roughly. Fawn could have sworn she felt a tear from his face drip down onto her cheek. Someone coughed and Travis loosened his grip on Fawn, she saw Willow standing there with a raised eyebrow.

"Why do I not find it surprising that you two had a thing going on?" Fawn felt a small blush appear on her cheeks.

"Somehow I didn't see it." Fawn turned and was surprised to see Nathan as well as Leslie. She was happy to see them alive. Nathan seemed to sense her surprise.

"You weren't the only one rescued today. Leslie and I were next on the chopping block." Fawn looked at Leslie, who nodded. Clause cleared his throat.

"Well, if we're done with all the happy introductions, can we continue talking about a plan here?" He asked, looking at all the Overseers. Everyone nodded. Fawn walked over to the table, making sure to stay close to Travis. He didn't look like he was about to leave her side though. A map of the arsenal was spread across the table.

"As Travis was saying. The entrance here will be heavily guarded, so I think it's best we take the entrance around back." Willow drug her hand across the map to indicate where the back doors were.

"The best time to strike would be early in the morning, right before guard change. The night guards will be sluggish, but we need to take them out before the change of guards arrive." Fawn realized that they must be planning an invasion on the stronghold.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Can someone catch me up here?" She asked. Sean looked at her.

"Garth's only stronghold besides the capital is this place. If we can take it out, we take out the Black Ivy's access to weapons and other explosives." Fawn nodded, that was a good idea, but there was no doubt the place would be guarded like a hawk.

"Once they see us, there's no doubt they'll raise the alarm." Fawn said. Willow nodded.

"Everyone's guns will be equipped with silencers so we can stay as quiet as possible for as long as possible. Nathan, I trust we can use your sniper skills to take the guards on the roof out?" Willow looked over at the male Overseer, who nodded with a slight smirk. Clause took over the speaking.

"Once the guards on the roof are down, we open fire on the guards that are on the ground. Now, I've set a wireless bug that will jam the cameras at this entrance, but those guards at the other doors will catch on to what's happening so we have to be quick." He looked at the group seriously.

"I want as little bloodshed here as possible, but if they get anywhere near the ammunition, take them out. Do you understand?" Everyone nodded, Fawn swallowed nervously.

"We get inside that building and we protect that arsenal with our lives, got it? Travis will address the citizens of 8 after the takeover to help calm any chaos that might spread." Clause leaned back and crossed his arms.

"The importance of capturing this arsenal cannot be understated. Right now that maniac, who is calling himself a king, could blow any of these sections sky high and no one could do a thing about it. America's future rides on the capture of this fortress." Fawn looked at the map critically, not believing that she had married the killer that created all of this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fawn didn't stay long after the battle discussion, the weight of the day's struggle pushed her to exhaustion and she knew that she needed to get some sleep. Fawn had just sat down on her bed when someone knocked on her door.

"Who is it?" Fawn asked, trying not to yawn. The person didn't wait for permission to enter, they just did.

"I was afraid you might have already been asleep." Travis said. Fawn couldn't help but smile, just seeing his face made her happy. Travis walked over to her bed and sat down beside her.

"I talked to Willow about who was going to the invasion tomorrow." He said, playing with Fawn's fingers.

"And?" Fawn asked, not really sure about what he meant by telling her this.

"I strongly suggested that you don't go." Travis said. Fawn pulled her hand away from his, even though she wanted to be close to him.

"Why?" Travis looked slightly exasperated.

"Why? Have you looked at yourself in the mirror? Fawn, you look horrible." Fawn touched her cheek lightly.

"It's not that bad." Travis put his hand over hers.

"Did Clay do this to you?" He asked in a quiet tone. Fawn closed her eyes, the memories springing fresh in her mind.

"Yes." She whispered out. Travis pulled her against his chest.

"You deserved better than this, you always deserved better than this." He said softly. Fawn let him cradle her body, savoring their closeness. Travis touched her side slightly and Fawn cringed.

"What is it?" He asked, letting go of her. Fawn lifted up the side of her shirt to reveal the wrapping that had been placed around it. Travis touched the bandages lightly, making Fawn shiver.

"He's lucky Willow killed him or else I would." Travis said, his eyes glinted angrily. Fawn dropped her shirt back in it's place.

"She was pretty angry when she heard what had happened to you. I've never seen her so enraged." Fawn smiled a little wider, at least Willow had always been loyal, if others hadn't. Fawn thought about Travis's request.

"I want to go tomorrow." She said firmly. Travis shook his head.

"Not in the condition you're in. You need to rest up and heal." Fawn looked at him.

"Travis, this is my war too. I put that crazy man on the throne. I-" Fawn reached over and pulled down the shoulder of Travis's shirt and put a hand over the small red scar he had.

"I let him do this to you." Fawn said in irritation.

"I will not stay back, I am part of this now, and I want to help end it." Travis let out a long sigh.

"If you want to go, I can't stop you, but could you avoid any unnecessary risks?" Travis asked her in a serious tone. Fawn touched his hand lightly.

"I can't promise anything, but I will try." She said. Travis relaxed a little, her words easing his anxiety. Fawn closed her eyes and thought through the day's events.

"How could we have let something like this happen?" She asked Travis. He leaned back a little.

"We were blinded by arrogance. Whether anyone wants to admit this or not, it was our own fault. The Black Ivy thrived because the crown didn't even pay attention to the people that it had. No doubt the group was able to rally supporters under hate for the crown." Fawn swallowed.

"I should have seen it coming." She said through ground teeth. Travis pulled her around to face him.

"Don't you dare blame yourself for not seeing it in him. No one did, he blindsided us all. Some people can wear the most perfect masks." Fawn looked away from.

"He took everything from me. Striped away my purity and then threw me to the wayside. He killed my friend." Fawn began rambling and she started to cry. The emotions had been balled up inside her for too long and they were finally coming out all at once, none too pretty to add. Travis pulled her close to his chest and rocked her back and forth. He made some sort of shushing noise, like how a father would comfort his daughter. Fawn continued to sob for what seemed like hours and the whole time Travis held her, protecting her from the sorrows that came and went.