Living in paradise.

[The Doctor, RIP Juggernaut]

Chapter One: The Reunion.

An Old man sits down on a bar stool in the middle of a run down and abandoned bar some were in Eastern Europe.
The Old man pulls out a bottle of whiskey and a revolver, setting them both on the counter. Then in the quite and abandoned place the doors open again, and a lone red headed man walks in carrying a rifle.

"I was wondering when you would show up." The Old man said. "We need to stop meeting like this father..." The red headed man replied.
The old man drags out of his backpack a few shot glasses. "Care to drink with your old man?" he said.
The red headed man shrugged and sat down beside his father. "Matthew Henderson.. Doctor Matthew Henderson sitting around a bar drinking his ass off" The man Said.
"Adrian we both have been through a lot since we last met..." Matthew replied.
"Doesn't make up for it."
Matthew sighs and pours the whiskey in to the glasses and slides one to Adrian "Managed to contact anyone we knew from before the war?" Matthew asked.
"Nah, worried sick about Anna... I know she left me before the war its just..." he replied.
The old man sighs and drinks the entire shot, while Adrian hesitates but follows his father and downs the shot.
"Anna's dead... " Matthew said.
"How do you know?" Adrian asked. The old man sighs as he pours some more whiskey in to their drinks. "I was told by someone I didn't expect to meet, and pulled a few strings to make sure..." Matthew replied.
"Who told you?" Adrian asked. The Old man looks at the glass full of whiskey before saying "Your son told me...."
"I don't have a son?" Adrian replied with a confused and worried look on his face.
"Thomas. Richard. Drew. Can't deny the fact that hes a spitting fucking image of you." The old man said before downing the shot.
"I'll keep him safe, however the kid is slightly traumatized by the war...." Matthew added.
Adrian sighs right before downing the shot, then looks at Matthew's revolver for a second before picking it up. "This is like the one you had back home? Where'd you find it?" he asked.
"Long story... I took it with me on a little trip out here before the war, ended up leaving it behind... Trying to put events that happened there, and before behind me..." Matt replied.
The two of them stayed quite for a few minutes before Adrian got up and said "I'm going to be in the area for a while... I may show up and see Thomas..."
"Good luck, the slippery bastard knows how to stay out of sight.." Matt replied.
As Adrian left Matt grabbed his revolver and left the whiskey and shot glass and preceded to exit the building.


After traveling north a little ways it started to get dark and he stumbled across a small refugee camp.
"Anyone home?" He asked, though he already saw them try to put out the fires.
"I'm not a bandit or a combine! Just an Old Man seeking shelter!" He yelled.
The doors to the camp opened up and he walked inside to be surrounded by four people, One of them holding a handgun. "What's your name and intent stranger?" the Armed person asked.
"Just need some were to stay for the night before traveling on wards.."
The men looked at each other and then said "Alright mate, you can stay here for a bit and warm your self around the fire, but you can't stay here tonight... We just don't have the space.."
Matt Nodded and then sat down by the fire to warm his hands.

Out of Character for OOC:

I'll be adding some music later, but I wanted to get this posted. This is a kinda "What hes doing" while the server is down.

Chapter Two: The Revolver.

Matthew gets up from beside the fire. "I guess its time for me to go, thanks for your hospitality."
One of the men turned and said "Eh its no bother..."
Matt chuckles for a moment before walking out of the camp to look for a place to sleep for the night.

A few hours later

Matthew gets in a worn out sleeping bag and stairs at the cave ceiling for a moment before shutting his eyes and going to bed.
Slowly he starts to slip in to dreams and flash backs of his past.

Eastern Texas, 1972

A young man comes riding in to a small barn by a ranch house on horse back. As he gets off he ties the horse up the in the barn and walks out to the barn to find his grand mother out on the porch waiting for him. "What's up?" the young man asked.
In an old and kind voice the lady kindly replies "Oh, just watching the world go by... And your grand father wants to see you Matt."
A 19 year old Matthew Nods and walks in to the house to find his grand father sitting on the couch with a small box in front of him.
"You wanted to see me granddad?" Matt asked.
"Ah yes... I need you to sit down, I got something to give you. " The old man replied.
Matt sits down beside his grandfather and looks at the box and the grand father slides it over to him.
"So I went to town today to pick up a few things, and decided it was time you got one of these.."
Matt opened the box to find a rather large object wrapped in cloth in it. As he picked it up he slowly took off the cloth to find a stainless steel revolver with wooden grips on it.
"Whats this?" Matt asked with a confused look on his face.
"You're going to be leaving soon, and your grand mother and I decided it was time that you got something to defend your self with.."
Matt sighs as he opens the cylinder to make sure its empty "I don't need a revolver, I can handle my self..."

"Out of the question, not to mention the damn coyotes are becoming a problem again. But I think it'd be a good idea to have it handy when you move out..." The old man said.
Matthew sighs in defeat as he ask "What model and caliber?"
The old man chuckled at his defeat and told him "S&W model 19, .357 magnum."
Matt looks down in the box to find a box of .357 rounds.
"I know your father told you how to shoot.. But Rob at the gun store cut you a deal on the gun range... I want you to practice and get use to the gun.." The old man said.
Matt nods and put it back in the box "I guess I should start now." and slowly got up and got out the door.

A year later.

Matthew gets out of the car with the box of his stuff and comes up to the apartment building inspecting it for a moment he walks through the door and up to the man behind the front desk "Matthew Henderson.. I'm renting an apartment here..." Matt said.
The man smiles and checked his list "Ah yes Henderson.. Wow.." the man said.
"What is it?" Matt asked.
"Oh nothing, just you're paid for the first year..."
Matt sighs when he realized that his granddad must have been the one to fork out all the money to do this.

As Matt got unpacked he decided to take in the view from the balcony, he could see the campus from there and a mountain in the background.
As he left he window he came across the box with the .357 in it, he opened it and checked to see that it was loaded and then slide it under the bed. After looking around the apartment for a second to take in the fact that he really is starting his new life.

Out of Character for OOC:

I'm having trouble finding good music for these, if you have a suggestion shoot me it on steam/forum PM them.

[The Doctor, RIP Juggernaut]

Chapter three: The meeting.

"So are you going to keep looking at me, or are you going to say something" Matt said while staring in to his medical text book.
He marked the page and looked at the lady sitting across from him while closing the book, he noticed that she was blushing and looked rather embarrassed. He looked around the university library and then back to her speaking rather quietly "Names Matthew Henderson, whats yours?" 
The lady sitting across from his blushed slightly and said "Carla Rossett." Matt nodded and reached out to shake her hand, she smiled slightly and then accepted it. "Nice to meet you Carla." Matt said.
"So, first year here?" She asked.
"Yep, studying to be a doctor, you? Matt replied. "Studying to be a nurse." she chuckled.
 
After talking for a bit they got kicked out of the library for talking too loud so they found a small spot in the campus court yard and ended up getting lunch later that day.

Out of Character for OOC:

Short chapter, might add more on it, I don't like doing romance stuff. But it'll be more important later down the line.

Post Auto-Merged: October 12, 2012, 10:56:31 AM

Chapter Four: Paradise found.

[/b]

Matt stirred around in his bed for a moment before opening his eyes and carefully getting up, so he would not disturb the other occupant. He looked over lovingly at the woman before chuckling and getting up to put his cloths on.
"Going so soon?" She asked.
"Carla.. We're going to be late for graduation..." Matt replied.
"Oh crap!" She yelled as she got up and started to get dressed
Matt looked at the clock and said "We're going to have to skip breakfast..."
"Yeah, kinda figured." She said.
They both went outside and got in Matt's Ford pick up truck and drove the short trip to the university.
"I thought you set the alarm?" She asked.
"I thought you did..." Matt said before they both burst out in laughter.

As they arrived they both went to were they were suppose to go.
As Matt walked on to the stage to get his degree and when he was up there he looked around for his grand parents and didn't seem them, so he got worried and when he left the stage he looked around in the crowd for them again and still didn't see them. After that he met up with Carla and headed to the after party.

After dragging a drunk Carla in to his car he started to drive back to his apartment he got her to go to sleep and he sat down in the other room and picked up the phone and called his grand parents to ask why they weren't there. As the phone rang no one was picking up so he hung up and went to bed.

"Oh god.. This has to be the worst hang over I've ever had in my life" Carla said holding her head over her plate.
"And that's one of the reasons I don't drink." Matt chuckled.
Carla gave him a "Go to hell" Look and started eating her breakfast.

"Your rent is due this week isn't it?" Matt asked.
"Yeah... unlike you I don't have a internship... Its costing me an arm and a leg.." she replied.
"Well... Why don't you move in here?" he asked her.
"Move in... With you... Sure, why the hell not." She replied.

Matt smiled and finished eating his breakfast before heading off to work that day, leaving Carla to start planning on moving her stuff.

[The Doctor, RIP Juggernaut]

Chapter Five: The Engagement 

Carla aimed the revolver at the target and slowly squeezed the trigger like she was told.
As the revolver went off it jumped in the air and made her lose her balance.

"Carla keep a tighter grip on it and as its going up slowly try to push it down." Matt said.
Carla regained her footing and went to take another shot, this time keeping her stance and quickly following that by another shot, and repeated the process till she was out of ammo.

"God, do these things normally have this much kick?" she asked

Matt walked up to her and slowly took the revolver out of her hand to reload it so he can fire it himself.
"Those were .38 Specials, they're fairly weak recoil wise compared to these Magnum rounds."
Matt finished loading and then brought the gun up to aim and quickly fired off three rounds in the chest, followed by three in the head.
"But then again, I have shot this gun a lot more then you."
Matt unloaded the revolver and put it in its case and looked over to Carla.
"Had fun?"
"Hmm, I was thinking, could we get something smaller? For me that is.." She asked.
"Sure, we can look later today if you'd like." Matt replied.

A few hours later.

Matt sits down and breaks out the revolver to clean it when Carla slowly walked up to him and asked "What are you doing?"
"Having to clean the revolver. Wanna help?"
"I have a better idea." she replied.

She got down on one knee and pulled a small felt box from her pocket and opened it showing an engagement ring.
"Will you marry me?"

[The Doctor, RIP Juggernaut]

Chapter six: The soldier

As Matt slowly woke up he heard the sound of someone shuffling around in the back, he reached for his revolver that he kept'd in the bag with him when he heard in an familiar voice.
"Relax Old man.. If I was going to kill you, I'd would have done it a long time ago."

Matt let go of the revolver as he rolled over to look at the man, already knowing who he was, but he couldn't make out the figure due to the light of the cave.
"I was on my way to talk to you..." Matt said

"Yeah, I decided that wasn't a good idea..." The man replied.

Matt started to unzip his sleeping bag and felt the cold air hit his skin like a knife.
"Start the fire, everything is there" Matt said as he finished getting out of the bag.
As Matt got up he grabbed his revolver, holding it by the frame and not the handle he sat down as the figure started the fire.

"So, what the hell have you been up to Captain?" Matt asked.
As the fire started to build up he started to sit on a small log that was dragged in to the cave.
"Losing more men, the combine hit one of our camps on the northern side of the city." The Captain replied.
Matt shakes his head and then looks around the cave trying to remember where he put his backpack.
"Hows your efforts in Ineu?" The Captain asked.
"Combine been making it hell, trying to get everyone to work together before the winter... We didn't have time to prepare and we might pay the price..." Matt replied.
"What was the last news you heard about the city?" Matt asked.
"All bad, the Combine get stronger everyday, So far there's no reports of any resistance groups, and the rest..." The Captain replied.

Matt slowly got up from around the fire and went to his backpack and reached in to get a heavier wool jacket, clearly from the cold war and bearing Soviet emblems. As he put it on he went back to the fire grabbing his right hand and started rubbing it as he sat down.

"Old age getting to you Henderson?"
"You try being sixty-two years old in the middle of the Russian winter..."
The Captain pulled off his finger-less gloves and tossed them to Matt over the fire, Matt Caught them and looked at the Captain.
"I don't need him, I've survived out here long enough to be fine, you however.." The captain said.
As Matt put on the gloves he gave the Captain a stern look.

"I remember a time where we were considered enemies..." Matt said.
"Time changes, we can't afford petty rivalries." The Captain replied.

The Captain started to get up and looked at Henderson.
"I have no idea when this will all be over, but when it is, I'd like to think that maybe we could work close together again." The Captain said.
"Last time we worked closely together people it didn't work..." Matt said.

The Captain smirked and walked out of the cave as the fire started to go out, Matt pick up a large pile of dirt and toss it on the fire then went back to bed.
 

Out of Character for OOC:

Forgive me for the bump, but I hate leaving stories unfinished and I've been working on this little chapter for a while, couldn't think of anything that would fit and show the relationship with these two characters.
.apex said that it would be fine to post this and add more to it.

[The Doctor, RIP Juggernaut]

Chapter Seven: The clinic.

Houston, Texas

1984

Matt and Caroline slowly walk in to the empty building, Matt looking around with a rather not impressed look on his face.
Matt crossed his arms and lifted an eyebrow at her.

"You think this would be a good place to start?"
"Yes, I really do think it is." She replied

Caroline walked around the room pointing to a small desk built in to the wall saying: "That can be check in." then She turned and looked around continuing "This can be the waiting room, and there are two large rooms back there that we can have as examination rooms, and there are two other rooms for storage. Anything else, we can add on later." She finished with a smile on her face.

Matt kept walking around the small building looking around still not entirely sure.
"We also get the lot around this place, we can build a garden, a bigger parking lot." She added.
"And how much is this going to set us back?" Matt asked.
"Well... It'll be most of our savings, we'd have to hold back on getting a house... BUT once we get up and running we'll hopefully be making enough to afford an even better house." She replied.

Matt slowly walked up to her eyeing her Diamond wedding ring then slowly reaching out and taking her hand.
"If you really want to do this, then we will... However. I still want the 'I told you so right' if this ever backfires." Matt said with a chuckle.

Three years later.

Matt walked out of the examination room in a white coat with a few pens in the pocket walking up behind his wife manning the front desk.
"Anyone else today dear? Matt asked with a smile.
"Not for the rest of the day, however the other two are still seeing a someone." She said.
Matt Looked at the other two rooms, one of which has clearly been added on since they got the place.
"Once they're done wanna go out for dinner?" She added.
Matt chuckles then says "Can't wait, been a while since we've gone out."

A few hours later.

Matt and Caroline pull in to their drive way and quickly get out and get inside to get ready, Matt pulls on a jacket over the shirt he was wearing at work and sat down on his nice leather couch and turned on the TV to pass the time till they were ready to go.
After a rather unexpectedly long amount of time he gets up to go check on her, when he enters the bed room he looks around and realizes shes in the bath room holding some sort of plastic stick.
"Whats that?" Matt asked with a worried look on his face.
"Uh... Matt... I'm pregnant."

[The Doctor, RIP Juggernaut]

Chapter Eight: The Son.
Somewhere in the Romanian Mountains
2017

As Matt got up out of the sleeping bag he put his belt back on and holstered the revolver he was sleeping with.

He went to his backpack and grabbed a can of beans and a can opener and started to eat, keeping an eye on the cave entrance as if he was expecting someone.
When he finished up he left the can and repacked the sleeping bag in to the backpack and loaded up and left the cave heading north.

 

A few hours later.

Matt came up on a gas station at the side of the road, he drew his revolver and slowly started to creep up on it.
As Matt neared the back door he brought the revolver up and pulled the hammer back, using one hand to open the door and the other to aim the revolver he slowly entered the gas station through the back door.

As he entered he was hit by the smell of death, he looked around and spotted the body of a man laying on the ground, he moved closer to check out the corpse and noticed a number of bullet holes with burn rings around them, recognizing this as a pulse injury he got closer to the ground closely inspected the walls around him, noticing a number of similar bullet holes in the back wall, and a very few normal bullet holes on the front wall Matt looked around the body for any weapons. He spotted a USP match he went up closer to it and saw that it was damaged, and what appeared to be a boot print on it.
He removed the magazine and checked to it to find it empty and the feeding lip damaged, he put it back on the ground and kept searching.
As Matt entered the back room he spotted a few can goods and a box of matches, he quickly grabbed them and headed for the back door.
When Matt exited the building he spotted someone trying to hide behind a rock at the other side of the road, he locked eyes with the man and realized that it was his son.
Matt let the hammer down on his revolver and holstered it.
"You nearly got shot!" Matt yelled.
Suddenly Matt got a tap on his shoulder and looked over to see two rebel soldiers behind him one of them saying "So did you."

The party went inside the gas station to check out the body.
"Well maybe he shot him!" one of the soldier said.
"Son, do I look like I'm carry a pulse weapon?" Matt replied.
"That, and the body is too decayed, hes been dead nearly a week." Adrian replied.
Matt walked to the back wall looking at it, then at the bullet wounds in the body.
"This may have been OTA, they got in a firefight, he ran out of bullets, and they shot him." Matt said.
"If that was the case, why are his injuries all over instead in one spot like an execution would be?" One of the soldiers said.
"Could have been faking he was fighting, or ran out when he was shooting and before he realized it they riddled him with bullets." Adrian replied.
"Any good loot?" One of the soldiers asked.
"Nah, the place is trashed, I think he came here for a last stand." The other soldier replied.

Matt looked at Adrian and said "I'm going to be heading out, need to get back to the clinic, good to see you again."
Adrian nodded and took his soldiers and all three of them left, going different directions away from the gas station.

Houston, Texas.

1991

Christmas day.

"DAD! DAD! DAD! SANTA CAME!" A young Adrian said slapping his father on his shoulder.
"Hmm?" A still asleep Matt replied.
"Come on dad let's go open presents!" Adrian said running out of the room.
"I thought it was my year to do this.." Matt's wife replied.
Matt yawns and gets out of the bed and throws on his robe and leaves the bed room.
When he enters their rather large den he sees Adrian under the tree with one of his presents in hand and when he spots his father he starts to open it.
Matt looks over to a couple of pictures over the fire place and spots his grandfather and grandmother both sitting in two rocking chairs smiling at the camera. A slight tear comes down Matt's face as he looks back at his son whose already opened four more presents.

[The Doctor, RIP Juggernaut]

Chapter Nine: The mother.

Houston, Texas
1991, Christmas day

Matt grabbed the plate with the ham on it and started to move it to the table which his family was sitting around, as he pulled the knife up ready to carve it he looked up to the smiling faces of his family, then he noticed one of the pictures on the fireplace. In the picture there was a smiling young lady holding a baby in a rocking chair.
The smile started to fade from Matt's face as he looked at the picture, then he looked back to his wife, she had a concerned look on her face.
Matt finished carving the Ham and they started to eat with out a prayer.

As Matt was cleaning up the table his wife came up to him. "Matt, are you alright?" she asked.
"Yeah its just... It's been a while since I paid her a visit." he replied.

The next day.

Matt put his coat on and headed out the door and in to the car, there was a long drive ahead of him.
As Matt pulled out of his drive way he noticed his wife looking at him through the window with a worried look on her face.
An hour after he left, Matt pulled up to a large building surrounded by a fence, as he pulled up to the gate a guard walked up to him and said "Name, ID, and reason for visit." Matt complied with the guard and they let him in.
As Matt walked in the door he went up to the front desk, the Nurse behind it spoke to him "Here to visit her again?" she asked.
"Yeah, its been a while, how is she doing?" Matt replied.
"Shes a here and there, and her health is starting to go down hill, there's only so much we can do at a mental hospital." She stated.
"Shes in the cafeteria." She added.

As Matt walked away from the desk he could hear some mad rambling from the other side of the wall.
He slowly made his way to a check point where they gave him an ID badge and let him in to the wing.
Matt made his way to an older lady in a wheel chair staring at a plate of food with a blank expression.
He softly spoke as if hes trying not to frighten her.
"Hey, How have you been doing?"
In an old and cracked voice she replied. "You haven't been around to see me..."
Matt looked at the plate she was still staring at.
"Been busy... I'm sorry for not coming sooner its just... Finding the time."
She looked up from the plate and at Matt, giving him a weak smile.
"Hows Adrian?" She asked, as if she had suddenly gotten all better.
"Good, growing up really quickly, doing good in school as well." Matt replied with a smile on his face.
"That's good, how was your Christmas? She asked.
"Very good, We had Ham, They don't allow me to bring food anymore, I'm sorry."
"Oh its fine, Clinic still doing well?" She continued to ask.
"Yeah, we've expanded a bit, more people are moving in to our area."

Slowly the old lady started to tear up still smiling "I'm proud of you, and your father would too."
Matt reached over the table and took her hand "Mom... I hope you know that we can get you out of here, you don't have to pretend any more."
"That wouldn't be fair to you two, to have to deal with crazy old me."
"You shouldn't have to spend your last years in a mental hospital, we have enough money to take care of you..." Matt replied starting to tear up.
"Its fine honey, go be with your family, its whats important to you, just let me fade." she finished.
"I love you mom, I really wish you could see Adrian, I really wish you'd come with me." Matt said.
The Lady started to look at the plate again and seemingly to mentally phase out of existence.

Chapter Ten: The Mental War.

2017, Two miles from Ineu pass, Romania

Matt opened his eyes to loud foot steps out side of the cave he was meditating in, He sighs loudly and turns to see who is entering it knowing who it most likely is.
Matt spots Eli "Stalker" standing at the entrance of the dimly lit cave with his hands in his pockets.
Eli spotted Matt's blood shot eyes and realized that he hadn't slept in a very long while.
 ".. I was told i would find you here, but this... Is really not what i expected" Eli said.
Matt slowly gets up stumbling as he does so and ask "What do you need?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Eli replied.
Eli takes off his hat for a moment to talk to him "I need you back. We all do."
Matt Puts his face in his hands and rubs it.
As he slowly pulled his face out of his hands he said "Not ready.. Need to resolve a few things before I go back."
Eli sighs, looking at him detainedly and noting the pained expression on his face "... Anything I could help with?"
Matt gets up Brushing him self off "Nah.. Something I need to do my self, can't afford to let people see me this weak."
"You're not "Weak", Matt. Just human, like the rest of us." Eli said.
"Yeah well.. Since the whole thing with fourty-five I haven't been able to sleep." Matt replied
"And when I do... I have nightmares." He added.
"Sounds bad alright..." Eli replied.
Matt gets a rather depressed look on his face.
"I failed, same way Wong failed. I let a madman run loose and harm people." Matt said.
Eli shakes his head "No, you didn't... Just calm yourself a second and listen, ok?" He moves close to him, trying to get him to sit down on what little surface there is to do so on the cave.
Matt Shakes Eli off "Hell, Beans called him going rouge, just like I did with Achim." Matt stated.
"And I didn't listen.." He added.
"Matt. You had no way to know what he was going to do, not even i knew and i had dealt with him before" Eli said.
"Besides... You didn't fail anyone" Eli added.
"Thomas... Ali..." Matt quietly said.
Matt Sits down on the floor and looks out in to the snow storm.
" Whenever I close my eyes I can see them... Thomas.. Ali... Everyone I failed...
And Everyone who died because of me." Matt said.
 Eli puts his hand to Matt's shoulder "Matt... Thomas is out there, finally able to act coherently thanks to you... Ali's still recovering but she's on it's way. And I probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't because of you.
Sure... Things didn't go perfectly. But you still helped people more than what most of us can even account for.
 I can't keep the whole place working on my own man... They still need you. Fuck, I still need you there."
"I know..." Matt replied.
" I don't know why hes effected me like this..
Matt gets up and paces around the small cave.
He struck a nerve and I can't figure out which one."
"Believe me, you're not the only one who was shocked after what he did." Eli said.
"But that's just one more hurdle he put down for us" He continued.
"Yeah? Eli how long have you been out here?" Matt asked.
"I've dealt with hurdle after hurdle, Betrayal and defeat, I've lost basically everyone I cared about, Wasp is who the fuck knows where... And I'm lost.
Matt looked at the ground angrily.
I have no idea where to go from here, Outlands is one mishap away from a full blown war with each other, we're running out of supplies in the clinic, We have very few people trained to do really anything and the crazies keep becoming a bigger and bigger problem.
And even I'm starting to lose hope that we'll win this war." Matt ranted.
Eli puts his hands on his pockets again, looking at him with a worried expression.
"Matt... I can't guarantee you We'll win this
I can't even guarantee you things will be safe in Ineu
What i can guarantee you though is that all the things you just said WILL happen if you just stand idly by in this cave.
You can either stay here, do nothing and watch them blow up on their own.
Or you can come with me. Help them set things straight, and /maybe/ have a chance at actually gaining back what we've lost."
Matt sits down on a log by what appears to be a small fireplace and pulls out his revolver and looks at it.
"When I first left the city, my resolve was absolute. I was convinced I could save the world, I could make up for failing to protect the ones I loved. The more I fought for whats right, the more I realized the question.
Are we willing to give up our humanity for the sake of freedom from the combine... Or do what we think is right, and have a greater possibility of losing. The thought that kept me going was that I got to live a full, long life, and that it was my duty to try to let others have that chance."
"Well, so far you've done a good job at doing just that... Why stop now?" Eli asked.
" Hell... No one says that you have to go back into rebel work... A doctor is all some people need. A friend even in some cases...
You're more important than you give yourself credit for." Eli said.
"Its not that I don't give my self credit, its that... I don't think I'm a good enough leader for what they need." Matt replied.
"And what do you /think/ they need?" Eli asked.
"Someone willing to send others to their deaths. Willing to do what it takes to take back City 45.
Or whatever the hell it was called before." Matt replied.
"Maybe what they need is precisely the opposite, someone who knows the risks. Someone who knows the true value of human life.
 Someone who won't just spend the lives of countless innocents to "maybe" get things done." Eli stated.
Matt chuckles a bit before saying
"Every life ever lost in the fight for freedom, Ever human life that ever has, or ever will live riding on our backs. And here we are, waiting for our chance to strike, to take earth back... Every war has its lesson, every life taken has its reasoning, no matter how bad. In all this, I think I forgot as long as those people in that pass are alive, they live free lives. It doesn't matter wither we take earth back or not, as long as one of us live a free life, the combine have failed." Matt ranted.
Matt looked up at the roof of the cave and sighed "I think I know what I need to do." He said.
"Eli, We're going to save the world." He finished.

Eli smiles "That's the spirit, Oldman. Now come on... People are waiting".
"You go ahead, there's one last thing I need to do." Matt replied.

Eli nods, putting his old hat back on "Right... I'll hold up for you ahead, but don't keep me waiting too long will you?" he says that in a light tone, leaving the cave with the same heavy footsteps as he did before.
Matt goes to the middle of the now dimly lit cave and starts to meditate again.

[The Doctor, RIP Juggernaut]

Chapter Eleven: Paradise lost.

August Tenth, 2015

Matt came out of the surgery room pulling off his gloves, Soldiers filled the waiting room hoping for good news.
As he looked all of them in the eyes he stoked his head no. The soldiers looked down at the ground in mourning then they walked out of the room in silence.
Matt walked out in to the lobby asking the nurse behind the desk "Any more?" "Doesn't look like it, why don't you go home and get some rest."
Matt agreed then walked out of the door of the clinic, Looking around to see a military truck drive away back to the city. Matt then got in his car and started to drive back home, going through a number of check points along the way.
When he got out of the car he hurried inside his home. He opened the closet next to the front door and put his coat in it, "So how bad was it?" his wife ask while leaning on the door frame to the living room.
"Lost two soldiers... Saved a civilian" Matt said with a rather disturbed look on his face.
"I think I'm going to go out and get another revolver, I need to replace the one I lost.." he added.
"Another attack on the clinic?" his wife ask, "No, found one of those things in the air duct, nearly killed one of our nurses.." Matt replied.
"Soldiers are there at the clinic to guard it, you don't need to put your ass on the line for no reason.." she stated with a rather forceful look on her face.
"Yeah.. Its just.." Matt started.
"You want to help out the most you can, that's why you ran off with those rangers? Isn't it?" She finished.
Matt got a rather angered look on his face then walked past her in to the living room to go sit.
"I did what I could... Any news from Adrian?" he asked.
"Yeah, he called... Hes going to be in south Germany till further notice."
Matt rubs his face in his hands for a second.
"You really should talk to him Matt, after that fight when he came home.. That wasn't fair to him."
"I really, don't need to be reminded of that fight dear..." Matt stated.
"You tried to force him to quit the army..." She stated.
Matt got up from the chair and went to the kitchen "You never even explained why, you just stated that you wanted him to do it." she continued.
"You know what my father was like, you know what the war did to him... I don't want him becoming anything like that..." Matt said.
"Then tell him this!" she exclaimed.
"Because hes already became that man!" Matt said with a raised voice.
She looked at him in horror for raising his voice to her.
"When he came back from Iraq I saw the same fucking look in his eyes as my father use to have.. He enjoyed it there, He likes violence now!" He continued in a raised voice.
"How could you even say that about your son! That he enjoys war? That taking a life is fun to him!" she replied in a raised voice.
"Get out of this house! Don't you ever raise your voice to me again." she finished.
Matt looked at her for a second realizing what he had done, then stormed past her heading to his car.

As Matt arrived at the clinic it was totally dark and the soldiers outside where huddled around a fire.
When Matt entered the clinic the nurse at the front desk looked up at him surprised "Matt? What are you doing back here?"
"Checking in on things, couldn't sleep.. Gonna work here for the night." Matt lied.
Matt walked past the front desk to the recovery ward and looked inside to see a number of soldiers laying in beds, some with visible burn marks, others with bandages covering their entire torso. "Can I help you" someone asked Matt from behind, Matt quickly turned around to see who it was.
A Soldier was standing behind him on crutches. "You shouldn't be up.." Matt said stepping out of the way of the soldier and opening the door for him.
"I know... I just couldn't stand it in here" He said as he was walking in to the room.
Matt followed behind the soldier. "Its just kinda depressing in here, some of these guys are younger then me..." The soldier said.
Yeah... Seen a lot of young men die on my table.." Matt said rather morbidity.
"Seen a lot of my friends go down.. Makes me wounder.. Will this ever be over?" the soldier asked.
Matt patted the soldier on the back and then left the room heading to his office.
As Matt entered he laid down on the couch and quickly went to sleep.

August 11, 2015
6:45 AM

Matt got up from the couch still tired, but decided to go outside, he didn't change before going to bed, when he entered the hall he saw another one of his doctors looking at a chart and went up to him "Anything new?" Matt asked.
"One of the soldiers died in his sleep. Don't know how, he was in for a leg injury he got in the field." Matt looked at the picture of the man in the chart and saw a picture of the soldier he was talking to the night before.
"Oh... shit.." Matt said scratching the top of his head.
"They're going to tak-" Suddenly an explosion ripped through the clinic, a piece of ceiling tile came down and hit Matt and the doctor on the head knocking them out.

8:00 AM

"Someone! Help me!" Matt Yelled up trapped under the chucks of the ceiling. Matt started trying to push the debris off of him when he look over in to his office and saw a fire quickly starting to spread.
A surge of adrenaline ripped through him as he quickly pushed the debris off of him and then went to check the other doctor. He checked for a pulse, but couldn't find one. Matt started to move out of the now destroyed clinic and headed out the torn apart front doors, vision still blurry from the impact.
As he got out the front door he saw the military encampment torn to bits, a number of bodies littered the area, including some of his staff. Matt looked out to the city and saw aircraft firing down on the streets and three legged creatures also firing down on the streets, one of them fires a sort of cannon and takes out a chuck of a tower.
He turned quickly and feel down on his knees, as Matt got up he noticed blood bleeding through his shirt, he lifted up his shirt and noticed a large amounts of small cuts and some burns on his chest and stomach. He pressed down on the larger grouping of these injuries and got up and started heading towards his home.
About three hundred feet up the road Matt came across two soldiers, heading towards him.
"Hey Identify your self" One of them said rising his gun.
Matt stumbled to find his voice for a moment before saying "Doctor Matthew Henderson..."
"Doctor you need to get out of here now!" One of the soldiers said.
"Hide and find cover, we'll do what we can to find you and get you out!" the other said heading back towards the clinic.
As Matt started moving he heard noises coming from behind him, as he turned he saw one of those strange aircraft fly towards the the soldiers and the clinic, Matt turned and ran behind a semi to take cover, as he peaked out he saw the soldiers shooting at the aircraft, and the aircraft proceeding to gun them down in the middle of the street, before turning and heading in the same direction.
The aircraft passes over Matt, seeming to not notice him. Matt then proceeds to keep moving towards his home.

10:00 AM

Matt closed in on his street, taking cover behind the wall of a damaged house on the corner he peaks around to spot two Vortigaunts standing in the road over something, suddenly a number of gun shots ring out and the Vortigaunts fall down over what it is, A soldier walks up and grabs the object they were over, It was a body of a man.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDUv5KMxJnc" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDUv5KMxJnc</a>
Matt then started moving towards his house, when he spotted it half the room was caved in. Matt's expression turned from injury to Horror as he started to sprint towards the house yelling "NO!" as he ran up the front door was blasted apart, when he entered he looked around and saw, with horror, his wife trapped under the rubble "NO! NO NO NO NO! Carlo!" he yelled as he ran up to her broken body.
He checked for a pulse and even more to his horror, he didn't find one. He quickly lifted what debris where on her and dragged her out from under it.
He Yelled, tears rolling down his face "PLEASE! Please god no... Don't do this to me..." while attempting CPR.
After attempting CPR for two minutes he didn't have anything left in him, he grabbed her body and held her crying uncontrollably "I'm sorry... Please don't go.." He sobbed. He then cried out in pure anger and pain, putting his face in her shoulder continuing to cry.

10:30

Matt sat down, staring at her body for what felt like forever. Then he looked back to where she was laying and saw her revolver, with short pink grips that he had gotten her long ago.
He stood up and went over to it, falling down on his knees as he picked up the revolver and put it under his jaw, he held it there while looking at the broken body of the woman he'd loved for nearly 50 years. He took one last deep breath, closed his eyes, and pulled the trigger.
*Click* the sound the gun made, Matt opened his eyes and let out his breath. He opened the revolver and checked to see all six rounds spent, he turned and started to dig through the rubble and quickly found a strange creature that has similar markings as the aircraft tearing apart the city, and could see the number of gun shot wounds on it. He dropped the revolver and went over to his wife's body and picked her up, carrying her out of the house he started to head back to the clinic, along the way he saw bodies of vortigaunts, refugees, military. All fallen around him as he went back in to what was most likely going to be hell.

12:30

As he arrived at the clinic, he went around the front door in to the garden behind it, he set his wife down on a bench and went to the tool shed, now torn apart by bullet holes, and grabbed a shovel and started digging near a bed of still intact flowers.
When he finishes he got up went up with tears still rolling down his face, grabbed his wife and carefully and painfully moved her to her grave, as he set her down in to it he gave her one last kiss on the forehead before getting up and starting to shovel dirt in on top of her.
When he finished he grabbed a stone from the path way and set it over her head. He then feel to his knees and bowed his head.
"I don't know why this happened... I don't know if this is some sort of sick dream or what.. But I swear on what little life I have left, I will not rest... I will not give up this chance that I have that should have gone to you... Someone much better and less damaged then me..
I love you. I always will and I am sorry for everything I have done wrong by you, or anyone else. Please... Where ever you are... Forgive me.

[The Doctor, RIP Juggernaut]

Chapter Twelve: The Fight Within.

Romanian mountains
2018

Matt opened his eyes expecting to see the inside of the poorly lit cave, but instead found himself in a unlit very large and very foggy room.
He quickly spun 360 looking for an exit, or any clues to what this place is. As he continued to look around he saw the fog start shifting and a figure moving towards him. He slowly drew his revolver from his holster and kept'd it to his side as the figure started to clear from the fog.
He saw that he was an older man, wearing a black torn tactical vest. Slowly as the man walked towards him Matt slowly realized who it was.

The figure stopped ten feet from Matt and was as clear as day.
His face was heavily scarred and he was wearing an eye patch over his left eye, he was holding a pulse rifle in front of him and had the same .357 in his holster as Matt did, and a facial expression of hate, and anger.
"Who are you?" Matt asked, already knowing the answer.
"My Name, Is Commander Matthew Henderson of the City 45 resistance." The figure replied.
Matt already saw him self in that man, this soldier reminded him of his father, violent and uncaring, as Matt looked in to his eyes he saw the mans history, it consisted of him doing whatever it took to win, including killing his own friends.

Matt heard foot steps coming from behind him, he turned to face the new figure coming from the fog, this time he knew exactly who this man was. The figure was wearing a white doctors coat, had pens in the coat pocket and a kind look on his face.
It was Matt, he looked a lot younger and didn't have any visible scars, Matt looked in to his eyes and saw a man of compassion, that wouldn't surrender his humanity for anything.

Matt looked back and forth between the two figures for what seemed like days. He knew what he had to do, make a choice, be the man who'd do anything to win, Or be the man who might lose, but not give up anything to win.
As he continued to decide he looked at the revolver in his hand, he knew what he had to do. Slowly he lifted the revolver towards his old self, He felt like he needed to win this war at any cost, even to himself, as Matt pointed the revolver towards his younger self, he saw a look of acceptance on his face. Then from the dark, another figure came up beside Matt's younger self and took his hand. It was his wife.
Matt looked the woman in the eyes and saw a look of disappointment in himself, slowly, more figures continued to come out of the shadows to be beside Younger Matt, they were everyone who Matt had lost: Star, Adrian, his Grand parents, his friends before the war... Everyone he had ever loved and lost.

Matt's normally steady hands started to tremble.. He knew he couldn't do it.. He knew he couldn't kill off who he was, the man he was..

Matt quickly turned with the revolver, he was convicted, he knew he had to be the man he was suppose to be.
In mid turn the revolver was hit out of his hand and it was followed by a quick punch to the gut.
Matt fell down on the floor and looked up to see his "Older" self standing over him with his revolver pointing it at Matt's head with a look in his eyes that showed he had an intent to kill.
Matt quickly slapped the gun away from his head before it went off, bullet going in to the ground Matt rolls to get away from his older self and he jumps up ready to fight.
Before he can get in his stand his older self pounded in to him full force then proceeded to grab Matt by his neck and lift him up.
Matt struggled to get out of what he know realized to be a mechanical hand. He looked over to his younger self look at the ground and then fade back in to shadows, then back at his older self with a triumphant look on his face as Matt slowly started to black out he saw this world slowly fade away...
Matt mustered all of his strength and slammed his fist in to his Evil "Twin's" face, As the twin let go Matt fell to the floor coughing, Matt got up just in time to block his twin's right hook and counter with a jab to the liver area, The twin let out a yelp and then attempted a blind kick towards Matt's crouch, Matt proceeded to block that and follow it with another blow to the twins upper stomach and then got hit as his twin head butted him and proceeded to pull a knife on Matt.
Matt recovered his stance and ready himself for another attack, As the twin charged attempting to slam his forearm in to Matt's chest and the knife in to his gut Matt grabbed his arm and used his twins momentum to trip him and twist his hand out of socket.
His twin rolled out of the fall and quickly and painfully attempted to pop his hand back in to socket when Matt made his attack, Slamming his cupped hands in to his twins ears to deafen him, then followed that with a jab to the throat to further stun him, then another swift jab to the already damaged liver, grabbing him by the back of his head Matt slammed the twins head in to Matt's rising knee knocking him to the ground by his knife.
Matt's twin quickly grabbed for his knife and jumped up attempting to charge at Matt flipping the knife down and leaping at Matt both hands on the knife above his head, Matt grabs the .357 and turns firing the round in to the twins head.

Matt's eyes shoot open at the sound of the gun shot, he looks around to find him self still sitting legs crossed in the middle of the poorly lit cave, he turns to see Eli just out the door, he picks him self up knowing that he found what he was looking for. And knowing that he was forgiven for what he had done.


THE END