[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/246624086/0/0]Table of Contents[/url] Hayden looked to Sol again. It was getting far too low. Maybe an hour until it touched the horizon. Another two, and it would be too dark to keep the attackers away. His eyes slid across the field to check the invaders. They were still nestled in the snow, so close to Flats. They were barely even shooting back, leaving the barrage from Natalia’s force unanswered. There were so many of them. Waiting for nightfall, no doubt. Then they could swarm in practically unchallenged. Hayden cursed and smacked the snow in front of him, sending up a spray of powder. “Watch it!” Alexander hissed as the spray hit his face. Natalia giggled. The three of them were laying side-by-side on their stomachs at the crest of the hill. The other gunmen were spread out over the ridge, still shooting at the invaders. Only two had died, not counting the victims of the rockets. Everyone was still on edge, expecting a third missile to fly in at any moment. This fight was dragging on too long. “This is takin’ too long,” Natalia huffed, voicing Hayden’s thoughts. “What should we do, my queen?” Alexander inquired expectantly. “We should get ready to leave,” Hayden said. “Shut up, you idiot!” Alexander snapped, “We’ve heard enough o-“ “Shh!” Natalia hushed him, “What do you think, Hayden?” Hayden rolled onto his side to face Natalia, gesturing to the field, “M’Lady, look at them. They’re just gonna wait ‘til night then come up an’ kill us all. We won’t be able to stop ‘em.” Alexander groaned, but Hayden ignored him, “We can sit here ‘til sunset, do what damage we can, then hop on our Sparrows an’ fall back to Fairmont.” “An’ what about Flats?” Alexander countered, “We leave it to them?” “Yes,” Hayden answered. “And the people that live here?” Natalia questioned. She had a somber look on her face, “And the soldiers who live here?” Hayden glanced at the other men on the slope. The residents of Flats weren’t going to leave with Natalia. They would be left to fend for themselves. “They…” He began, swallowing regretfully as he met Natalia’s soft gaze, “They can surrender. You’re the only one that matters.” Alexander released a short bark of scornful laughter, “That last bit was the only right thing I’ve heard from you all day. You know who we’re fightin’? Daedalus. That scum from Empyrea an’ his rats. I heard he killed a dozen o’ his closest friends to get his power. An’ that Lady Avery proba’ly killed plenty, too. You think they’re gonna take prisoners?” “Hayden,” Natalia said, “We’re staying. We’ll win this here an’ now.” “Nat,” Hayden beseeched, pointing to Sol, “If we had time we could. But we don’t. We can’t stay here.” “So we’ll go to them,” Natalia declared. Hayden’s brow furrowed, “What?” “We’ll charge out an’ fight ‘em,” Natalia stated with increasing conviction, “We’ll finish it before the sun sets.” “Yes, m’Lady!” Alexander cheered. “No!” Hayden begged, “No, Nat. Don’t, it’s suicide!” “We can do it,” Natalia assured, placing a hand on his, “I’ll be fine.” “You won’t!” Hayden argued, pulling his hand away and sweeping it out to the field, “Look at that! How can we go out there and live?! How?!” “No, Hayden,” Natalia murmured, rising to her knees and brushing snow off of her armor, “[i]You[/i] won’t. You’ll stay here and guard the Sparrows.” “NO, Nat!” Hayden refused, standing up with her, “Didn’t you hear me?! IT. IS. SUICIDE!” “Hayden,” Natalia kept her voice calm, “We’re doin’ this.” “No!” Hayden spat, “You’ll-” Hayden gasped as his feet were swept out from under him and he fell backwards. The already-flattened snow did little to cushion his landing, and his back hit the ground hard. “Shut up, Yegorov,” Alexander scolded, standing up and shaking white powder off of himself. He looked down at Hayden with unfettered disgust. Hayden looked around, his anger extinguished, now replaced by an awful dread. The other gunmen had turned their attention to him, and watched quietly as he propped himself up on his elbows. “Nat,” he pleaded, feeling like a wounded dog about to be put down, “Please…” He couldn’t tell what she was thinking. She just looked down at him with the saddest face he’d ever seen on her. It broke his heart. The wind stirred her cape, and the red fabric flowed over him. She sunk down onto one of her knees and leaned down, reaching a hand out to touch his shoulder. Her face was an inch away from his, and her warm breath washed over his face. “Hayden,” she whispered, her voice like a stream of water trickling over stone, “Stay. Please. Everythin’s gonna be okay.” Her lips touched his forehead in a gentle kiss. “Stay,” she repeated, pulling away and standing. Tears began to well up in Hayden’s eyes as she stepped back. “EVERYONE!” Natalia shouted to the gunmen, even though she already had their attention, “Those brutes think they can beat us! They think they can kill us an’ our families an’ take what’s ours an’ burn down e’erythin’ we built! But we’re gonna show ‘em! We’re gonna charge an’ kill every last one of ‘em!” The men cheered, shouting for their queen. Hayden couldn’t tell if they were brave, stupid, loyal, or just hiding their fear. “Yegorov,” Alexander growled, quietly enough that only Hayden heard, “You think you love her, right? Then do what she says. Hide ‘ere like the coward you are.” He kicked snow over Hayden and moved away after Natalia, “You didn’t deserve that kiss.” Hayden watched their backs helplessly as they walked along the hill, encouraging the gunmen. He stared at the people around him, so eager to run to their deaths, then looked out to the invaders in the field. They were an army. The defenders of Flats didn’t stand a chance. Tears flowed down Hayden’s cheeks. “No,” Hayden told himself under his breath. He wouldn’t let it happen. He inhaled sharply and pushed himself up, wiping at his face with his sleeve and sniffing as he steeled himself. He took brisk strides after Natalia, opening his mouth to call out to her, “Natalia!“ Natalia wavered, coming to a stop mid-step. For a moment she was still, and time seemed to slow. Then her knees buckled. Hayden rushed towards her as she tipped over and fell into the snow.