(FINALE) Restoring Lost Faith

                                    

                                          


Marshall could feel his ears ringing due to the sound of the gunshot. His eyes were shut tightly as he braced himself for the upcoming agony that would surely come. However, to his surprise, he didn't feel anything. He felt Everest hugging him, but there was no pain.
                          
Confused, the dally opened his eyes. That's when he realized the horrifying truth of what really happened. The husky had her arms wrapped around him, but instead of being to his side like he thought she was, she was directly in front of him. She had taken the bullet for him and was hit in her back leg, which was starting to bleed quickly.
                          
"W-what? N-no...no n-not again. E-Eve, why?" Marshall asked, clearly terrified. The husky didn't respond, and instead, she only stumbled back, falling to the ground, almost instantly being caught by the dally. He held her in his arms as she weakly looked up at him and somehow smiled.
                          
"I-I...had to. I-I couldn't...let you d-die, Marshy." She replied in a shaky voice. The dally checked her pulse, and what he felt didn't make him any less scared. He could feel it getting weaker, she was slowly dying. Everest saw the look on his face and knew why he was so scared. She could sense what was happening herself.
                          
"Hey...i-it's gonna be ok. Y-you'll b-be...ok. Don't be s-scared." The husky whispered, being too weak to speak any louder. Marshall hugged her tightly and started crying. Seeing her like this, bleeding out, was triggering all of those memories once again.
                          
"H-how? How am I supposed to be ok? Please don't l-leave me again, Eve. I-I can't...I can't live without you. I'm n-not gonna get better without you. Y-you can't leave me again." He pleaded. Everest slowly reached out and put her paw on the dally's cheek, trying to calm him down. Even in what might be her last moments, she would still put him first.
                          
"D-don't think....like that. Y-you'll have t-to...be strong M-Marshy. I-I doubt I'm gonna...m-make it out, b-but still, I k-know...you can get better. It j-just...might have to be without m-me." She cooed, letting out a few coughs afterward.
                          
"N-no! P-please don't go, s-stop talking like you're gonna die. T-there has to be another way, y-you can't die. P-please, it can't end like this. I-I finally got to be with you a-again. I f-finally got to feel some sort of h-happiness. I-I thought things were supposed to get better. Y-you promised..."The dally whimpered, starting to cry even harder. He could tell Everest was getting weaker by the second, and unless he got some sort of miracle, it was only a matter of time.
                          
"I-I know...I'm sorry...I-I wish I could've s-stayed with you l-longer." Everest cooed, pausing to let out a few coughs. "B-but, r-remember...I-I'll always love you. D-Don't blame yourself for this. Y-you're my e-everything, Marshy."
                          
The husky slowly leaned her head up and planted a kiss on Marshall's lips, wanting to have some sort of happy memory, because this very well might be the last one they make together. She broke away and smiled at him, tears running down her own face from the excruciating pain in her leg.

                          
"G-goodbye my clumsy pup, I-I'll miss you."

                          
With that, the husky leaned back again and closed her eyes, falling into unconsciousness. Marshall knew she wasn't exactly dead, but that didn't make the situation any less tragic. She was still dying, and in the situation they were in now, it was impossible for him to save her. She was slowly fading away, and there was nothing he could do.
                          
The dally looked down at the unconscious, bleeding body of Everest. By now, his entire body was shaking. He sobbed, but he knew no one who cared would hear him. This was her end, and more than likely, his as well.
                          
"Oh, what a shame. I was planning to get rid of you first. But, it doesn't really matter." Damian scoffed. Marshall didn't even pay attention, he just kept crying into the husky's fur. He still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that she was dying, and he'd be left alone yet again, stuck to either die here or suffer a life without her.