Brows turned inward, Trevor used the light from his phone to try to see the source of her pain. Concern flittered in his eyes when he looked back up at her.
“Charlie, there's some blood back here, but I don’t want to move you any more than we have to. Can you tell me what happened?”
“Sh-shot,” she slurred, her eyelids becoming droopy.
Derek's eyes grew wide with alarm. “Heshotyou?”
She gave the slightest of nods, her energy quickly fading. “Just a...graze. Ran from...house. Almost m-made it to...trees.” She swallowed then tried to smile. “Forgot to zig...zag.”
Though he was terrified for her, Derek smiled at their shared memory.
“The medics are going to land in the front yard,” Jake informed him. “We need to get moving so they can get her loaded as soon as they fly in.”
Derek caressed Charlie's head some more. “It's going to be okay, darlin’. You're going to be just fine.”
He wasn't sure who he was trying to convince more—her or himself.
“We have to move you now, Charlie,” Trevor told her. “It’ll probably hurt like hell, but we need to get you back to the house to meet the chopper so they can get you to the doctors.”
“Okay.” She nodded weakly. Her eyes began to close but jerked back open. “Derek?”
“I'll be with you the whole time. You hang in there. I’m right here.”
He was on the verge of bawling like a baby but held it all in. If she could be strong, he could, too.
Kissing her forehead, Derek moved to a squatting position. He slid one arm beneath her back and the other behind her knees. Warm blood coated his fingertips as they came into contact with where the bullet had grazed her.
Aware that any movement would be excruciating for her, he lifted her as gently as he could and stood. She screamed, the agonizing sound echoing through the trees.
It was a sound Derek knew he’d never forget.
****
Epilogue
“So, have you two thoughtof any names?”
