12 Monkeys Ficlet
"Oof. I don't remember you being this heavy," Cole says as he attempts to maneuver a bleeding Ramse into the reclined passenger seat of Cassie's car.
"Perks of not starving to death... You know how to drive this thing?" Raspy is how Ramse usually sounds, but this is different. This is bullet wound and pain and probably dying raspiness.
"You were there when Whitley showed me how to drive that truck."
Ramse considers this and rephrases, "You know how to drive this thing in traffic?"
"We're about to find out." Cole says with a bit of a smirk as he closes the door.
Ramse mutters, "Car crash is probably faster than bleeding to death," to himself while Cole walks around to the driver's side.
Cole lets Cassie's spare key fall from the visor into his waiting hand and realizes how much he's come to rely on her. Always prepared, leaving the car doors unlocked in case they have to run for it, the spare key, everything. He's going to have to figure out how to survive back here without her. He shakes himself out of it and starts the car, "Ethan Seki have money for a hospital visit?"
"In theory."
"In theory?"
"Pretty sure my 'bodyguard' was the backup plan in case neither of you managed to kill me... I think they were expecting me to die in there," Ramse winces from either betrayal or physical pain, probably both.
"Yeah, well, anything that thwarts their plans is okay by me."
"Head south."
"I don't think you're gonna make it to the Keys." Somehow, even now, after all that's happened, being with Ramse in the Keys is an integral part of the fantasy of going there.
"Don't have to, smartass, just Trenton. I have a... place there." Ramse's vague aborted hand gesture indicates that he thinks this place is unknown to his erstwhile allies.
After that they're both silent while Cole wrangles his trial by fire of New Jersey traffic. He has to keep resisting the urge to look over at Ramse (to confirm that he's there and breathing and not, well, better not to think about that) because there are so many other people, and this would be so much easier if they and their cars weren't in the way.
"Cole?" Ramse sounds impossibly small.
"I'm here, brother."
"Why are you doing this?"
"I told you, pissing off the Army of the 12 Monkeys brings me great joy in life."
Ramse huffs out a bit of air that might be a laugh but might just be an attempt to breathe through the pain, "Right. But why are you really doing this?"
"You remember that time I was gonna shoot you?"
Ramse is quiet.
"Well now we're even."
Ramse is too quiet.
"Shit!"
Now he risks a peek. Ramse looks bad. Really bad. Like he's about to dissolve and Cole half thinks its the machine pulling him back but they're both stuck here and--
"Dammit Ramse! Don't leave me back here alone! Don't you dare," Cole starts out yelling and ends in a whispered prayer.
Ramse stirs.
When you're in trouble, you can call DW.