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Finnegan Larson -
The helicopter landed at the jump location and the rotors slowed to a stop. The medics came over and started unloading Finn's unconscious body and the machines keeping him alive. Zoya and Micheal came running over. Neither of them had slept in days. "Is he okay?" Zoya asked. "What happened?" Micheal asked. |
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Sera stood frozen as the medics moved Finn's unconscious body with precise, practiced urgency. The hum of the helicopter’s rotors was still in her ears, but it felt distant now, almost like a memory. All she could see was Finn—his face pale, his body limp, the machines hooked up to him the only sign of life. It was like watching a part of her fall apart, piece by piece. Zoya’s voice cut through the fog in her mind, sharp with worry. "Is he okay?" Sera didn’t answer right away. She couldn’t. Her eyes stayed locked on Finn, her stomach twisting with the helplessness she felt. She could hear the thudding of her own heartbeat in her ears, each beat louder than the last. Michael’s voice came next, heavy with exhaustion. "What happened?" Sera finally dragged her gaze away from Finn long enough to meet their eyes, but she could feel the cold sweat on her skin, the pressure in her chest. *It’s bad*, she thought. *Too bad*. But the words wouldn’t come. Not yet. "He's... not okay," she said, her voice cracking before she could swallow the emotion clawing its way up. "He’s... barely holding on." The words were out before she could stop them, the rawness in them making her stomach turn. She had to force herself to breathe, but even that felt like a struggle. Her eyes flicked to Finn again. The beeping of the machines filled the silence, but all she could focus on was the weight of his body on the gurney, the memories of everything that had led to this moment. She hated this. She hated how out of control she felt, how fragile he looked. *He can't die*, she thought desperately. *He just can’t.* |
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Finnegan Larson -
Days passed slowly for everyone. 5 days after Finn arrived back at the base, he opened his eyes. "...Sera?" his voice barely above a whisper. He sat up, and his entire body ached. "Sera?!" Finn started to panic. |
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Sera had been sitting by Finn’s side, her fingers lightly brushing against his hand, lost in the quiet stillness of the room. The weight of the past few days had been pressing on her chest, the constant fear of losing him creeping into her thoughts despite her best efforts to push it away. She hadn’t let herself hope too much—until now. When she heard his voice, weak and strained, her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes snapped to his face, heart skipping a beat as he looked around in a daze. "Finn?" She stood up so quickly that the chair nearly tipped over. Her legs were shaky, but she forced herself to move, the overwhelming wave of relief and joy flooding through her. "Finn, you're awake! Oh my God, you're awake!" Her voice cracked as she reached for him, hands trembling. She knelt beside him, her fingers brushing over his face as if she couldn’t believe it. His presence, his warmth—it felt like she had been holding her breath for days, waiting for this moment. But then the panic in his voice hit her like a cold splash of water, and she instantly froze. Finn was trying to sit up, his face contorting with pain, his eyes wide with fear. "Sera?!" "Finn, no, stay still!" Sera’s voice broke as she gently pushed him back down, her hands on his shoulders. "You’ve been through so much. Just...just rest, please." Tears welled up in her eyes as she sat next to him, the weight of the last few days crashing down on her all at once. She hadn’t realized how much she needed to hear his voice again, how much she needed him to be okay. "I thought..." Her voice trembled, choking on the words she had never dared say out loud until now. "I thought I might lose you." "I don’t know what I would’ve done without you," she whispered, her voice raw with emotion. "I love you so much, Finn. So much." |
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Finnegan Larson -
Despite her effort to make him stay still, and the pain, Finn grabbed Sera, pulling her down and hugging her. He held her as if she'd disappear when he let go. Finn sobbed into her hair and shoulder, letting out all the emotion he'd held in while he was held hostage. "I-...I thought I was gonna die... -I thought I-I'd never see you again..." he sobbed. "I love you, Sera... m-more than anything..." |
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Sera’s breath hitched as Finn’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her into his chest with such desperation that it made her heart ache. She wanted to tell him everything would be okay, that she was here, that he didn’t have to be scared anymore. But the words got stuck in her throat, tangled in the rawness of the moment. She could feel the tremors of his sobs against her skin, and they echoed in her own chest, breaking something inside her. The pain he had endured, the fear he had carried—she could feel it in the way he held her, as if she was the only thing tethering him to the world. Sera closed her eyes, her hand instinctively reaching up to cradle his head, running her fingers through his hair, offering what comfort she could. Her voice came out hoarse, barely a whisper, but it was enough to get through the crack in her heart. “I’m here, Finn. I’m here,” she murmured softly, her hands trembling. “I’ll never leave you... never.” She didn’t know how she could make him understand that she’d never let go of him, not after everything they’d been through. Not after this. |
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Finnegan Larson -
Finn held her tightly as he continued to cry. "...I thought I lost y-you..." he sobbed. "...please, d-don't go... I-I love you, Sera..." |
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Sera felt her heart break at the raw pain in Finn’s voice. She gently cupped his face, wiping away the tears that stained his cheeks. "Finn, I'm not going anywhere," she whispered, her voice shaky but steady. "I’m right here. I’m not leaving you." Her hands trembled as she pulled him closer, trying to steady herself as much as him. "I love you too. Always, I promise." |
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Finnegan Larson -
Finn looked up at her and listened. Really listened. Finn nodded. "Okay," he said with his hoarse voice. Without a second of hesitation, Finn crushed his lips into hers, kissing her passionately and deeply. |
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All that mattered was Finn and the warmth that radiated from his touch. Every emotion she had tried to hold back surged to the surface: fear, love, longing. She felt alive again, a sensation that had seemed nearly impossible while he lay unconscious. It was as if his kiss was a lifeline, pulling her into a world where they were safe and whole. When he finally pulled back, his eyes searched hers, and Sera could see the vulnerability behind the strength he exuded. In that moment, she understood that they had both come back from something incredibly difficult. They were no longer just fighting for survival; they were fighting for each other. In that quiet instant, she knew they had crossed a threshold together, and there was no way she could walk away now. Everything they had faced had brought them to this point, and she was ready to embrace whatever came next, side by side with Finn. |
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Heavy Downpours, Flood Warning
