~•Flatlined•~ [Female V + Judy]

[XXVI]_dealing_the_hand_I_was_dealt_[26]

Judy's POV
_

"You look scared," V spoke above a whisper as she sat next to me in the bed of Panam's Thorton. "Should we change plans or-"

"I think I'm always gonna be scared until you're better, Valarie." She nodded and cracked open a can of beer. She didn't look afraid at all, just moreorless, at peace with it all. "Do you fear dying? What if all this was for nothing?" V lowered the can from her lips and finally looked me in my eyes.

"I can't fear the inevitable, 'specially when I've died before." She exhailed and took another swig before handing me the can. "Here," she reached into her pocket and pulled out a knife that has seen better days. A small, dull pocket knife with "Haven" crudely carved into the wooden handle. "I gave everything for my friends once. Time to do it again." She placed the gift into my hand.

"V-" Before I could rebuttle, car horns blaired in the nesr distance. V stood up defensively at the sudden commotion but her face of anger quickly melted away.

"THEY'RE HERE!" She exclaimed like a happy child as she scrambled out of the truck. A motorbike, a foreign beauty and a Delamain all came to a halt just outside the camp. All the Aldecaldos rushed towards V's side as the mischevaous siblings stepped out the vechiles one by one, the last of which was Valkayrie. Valarie glared at her sister with malice, unleashing her mantis blades before Vel injected.

"V! She's with us." V's eyes were glazed over like frost on a car window. She stood there for a moment before retracting her blades.

"What do you want?" She spoke low and slowly as she cautiously walked towards her siblings.

"I want to help-" V grabbed Valkayrie on either shoulder, gripping tighly before shoving her to the ground.

"V!" I grabbed her arm only for her to toss me aside as she grabbed her gun from her pocket and aimed it at Valk. "Vince!" He nodded at me and tackled V as the others piled on to restrain her.

"Get...ermph, GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME, urmpf!" V thrashed around to no avail as me and Panam walked towards her. "Judy...you, you fucking, grrr, KILL THAT DAMN RAT, JUDY!" I looked at the siblings who all looked a bit unsure.

"V" Valk kneeled down besides V. "Been some years since Atlanta. Been, er, many years since I had a mind of my own, thoughts for myself....I know what I've done. I take accountability for that. What I've done to harm you I can never take back. I wasn't myself but....I'm your sister. You're dying, Valarie. Sibs mentioned you needed Saka Tower, who better to help than me?" V was silent and looked calm as her siblings left the dogpile. Standing up and dusting off the Badlands dirt, she sighed and looked at me.

"I don't trust her, Juds, but if you do, I'll bite my tongue." Taking a glance to scan Valk, I looked back at V.

"What else do you have to lose, V?" I asked. V furrowed her brows as she exhailed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Well looks like I can't be fucked any harder huh? Well then, we have a lot of things to discuss, mainly how the hell are all of us making it into Saka Tower alive." V cracked her neck and looked out onto the horizon before leading ber siblings towards camp. I sighed with a bit of relief as Panam nudged me and handed me a cigarette.

"Tough choomba she is," Panam spoke as she lit her own cigarette. "Wonder how she plans to make it out of Saka Tower."

"She....she has a plan," I replied, not making eye contact with her. "Just gotta hope for the best ya know...." Silence filled the air between us momentarily before she sighed.

"She doesn't plan on making it out, huh?" I shook my head. "God dammit, V. We gotta-"

"She's gonna die, Panam. I can't keep watching her slip away, she's slowly dying in my hands and I can't let her suffer anymore." Panam took a long drag before blowing out the smoke.