Ezra stood ready to go after her when Atalia yanked his arm forcing him to look at her. He could see the pain in her eyes and the way she wanted to blame him the same way she did Marta, but she held it back. Her hand fell from his and shook his head a little defeated. He wasn't sure which person needed him most and he wasn't sure how he was supposed to chose. The love of his life or one of his best friends. 

"Atalia..." he began when he heard the main door push open and heard a crowd of men pouring into the main entrance. He saw his friend perk up and they both went to see who had returned. They passed by Marta and Ezra stopped to pull her up gently. "Marta. She didn't mean it. You can't let her words hurt you. She just misses Isiah. How would you feel if it was me?" he asked pulling her with him as they went to greet his people. 

He kept a firm arm around her shoulders as he scanned the crowd for the face of his father. When their eyes met he could feel himself grow weak in the knees and the man hurried over pulling him and Marta into a tight hug. Ezra could feel his fathers body shaking and drops of water hit his neck as he cried. 

"I didn't think i'd see you again," Abe whispered pulling back but keeping a hand on his sons shoulder. 

Ezra smiled through blurry eyes, "You can't get rid of me that easily, pa." Ezra  urged Marta forward a bit as he gave his dad a nod. "She's my fiancée. She converted just a bit ago. Now that you and Isiah are back we can wed," he said as his eyes scanned the crowd for his friend. 

Abe bowed his head as Atalia came over in a panic, "He isn't here ezra! Where is my Isiah?!" she asked as her voice began to rise. 

"He and another were left behind when we got ambushed. They forced us to continue without them. We left a car, but i don't know if they radioed in," Abe said sadly. He looked up to his sons face fall. 

Atalia looked at Ezra and shook her head fiercely. He tried to meet her gaze but the look she gave was pure hate. He felt like the air had been knocked from his lungs and he couldn't even began to imagine how she was feeling. "Atalia..." he began. 

"Don't say a word to me Ezra," she said as he shoved passed him and Marta to her room. 

-----------

Isiah could see they were getting closer. The landmarks he passed where just a short 10 minutes. He felt himself falling in and out of consciousness almost crashing multiple times. His body was getting cold and his skin had turned ghost white. He tried talking to himself so that he would stay awake. After a few moments that felt like forever he jolted his head up and found himself speeding towards a tree. He tried to react but his one arm refused to move and he yelled out. Everything went black as he felt his body jerking forward and then back. His chest hit the steering wheel and he felt the air leave his body. He heard voices around him but he couldn't make them out. 

He tried to call out for help but the words wouldn't form. The most he could manage was a low moan as arms yanked his body from the vehicle. He wasn't sure where he was exactly and if the arms were friends or foes, but at the moment it didn't matter. He let out another moan when his body was lifted off the ground. He heard his name but he couldn't figure out the voice. He tried to breathe but his chest refused to listen. He heard talk about blood loss and near death but his brain couldn't piece it all together. 

"Mmmmm" was all he could manage. 

"Isiah! ISIAH!"

Who was screaming his name? It sounded almost female. It sounded close to his body but it was quickly taken away as he was laid down on a hard surface. His shirt was ripped open and taken off along with his pants. He heard the gasps at his wounds and he could only imagine red in the sea of darkness he was in.