Robert heard her words from behind him, her anger and he kept on walking trying not to care, desperately trying to just walk away for once and walk his own road from here on out. So many times in his life he sacrificed everything for others and this time it was his life that was going to change, change in ways he couldn't stomach, he couldn't stay and help them, he would not because he had to do right by his own family now and that meant he would do anything to make right the wrongs that he now faced. It was when her anger turned into a tone of pleading to him that he stopped walking down the road, his back was still turned to her as he listened to her final words towards him. He lowered his head down slightly as he looked at the gun in his hands, a few tears slipped down from his eye's, why... why did everything always go so wrong in his life? Robert looked at the faded polished wood of the rifle as for the briefest of moments he could see his fathers face reflecting upon it like a mirror image. It was his rifle that he carried in his hands now, the same rifle that his father treasured, almost all of Roberts memories involved this very rifle. 

[hr]
[center][color=black][h2]14 Years Prior[/h2][/color]
[/center]
[hr]

Robert lay quietly in the hospital bed, most of his upper body was covered in a white bandage, he shook like he was really cold, the moment that had brought him here fresh in his mind. They had been hunting, hunting a lion, his dad him and Uncle Ajay and they had been so close. But Robert had screwed up, he had alerted the lion to their location and it had attacked. All he could see was a lion the size of a buffalo turn on him and in one fell swoop its large paw struck him straight across the chest, its razor sharp claws tearing him open. He was on the ground, he could feel his blood dripping from the wounds and down his sides as his heart raced at the pain, he could remember seeing the lion approaching him, intent to finish him off, and in that moment before it would reach him his Uncle Ajay jumped in between the lion and him and blocked him off the death blow. The lion attacked him uncle instead of him, the horror of seeing that lion jump on his uncle and pin him to the ground ready to give the killing blow was burning in his head. It had all been so fast yet the loud kapow that echoed across the barren landscape signaled the end of the lions life. The animal fell sideways, the gaping hole where its chest used to be clearly visible even through the tears as Robert would then pass out and wake up in the hospital.

Robert looked up painfully as the wooden door slid sideways and his uncle walked in, aside from some bandages covering heavily minor wounds he looked rather happy a smile on his face. He walked up and took the chair beside the bed as he pulled him arm from behind his back revealing a necklace with what appeared to be a set of large fangs on hand crafted braided leather strips. Robert looked at it but turned his head as he didn't accept it. His uncle spoke in his lightly accented voice:

[b][color=brown]"What is wrong my young meerkat? It is not like you to deny a gift, come now tell me what it is on your mind."[/color][/b] 

Robert stayed silent as he didn't look back, he didn't even know what to say, because of his stupid mistake not only had he been badly wounded but his uncle nearly die too. If it had not been his dad shooting the lion uncle Ajay would have surely died and it would have been all his fault. Robert felt a warm hand on the top of his head, he felt his head move with the hand as he was confronted with his uncles smile, it completely dumbfounded Robert how he could be so happy knowing that he had almost died because the boy in front of him was stupid.

[b][color=brown]"I know that look young one, oh yes I once had that same look in my eye's when I messed up on a hunt and my father was hurt because of it. You know I could barely look at him when he walked in to see me, he had to turn my head too so that I could see the smile on his face. I don't think your so scared because of that lion but because you are thinking that it was all your fault, yes?"[/color][/b]

[b][color=tan]"It was my fault, how could it not be? I stepped on that stick and I made that noise and it attacked us. Its my fault you almost..."[/color][/b]

Robert felt a finger go onto his lips and this was his uncles way of shushing him, Robert felt the tears start to well up in the corner of his eye's but he fought them, crying never solved anything.

[b][color=brown]"Let me ask you this, if I had been the one to step on that stick and it attacked us because of my mistake what do you think that you would do, what would you say to me? Would you blame me or would you forgive me?"[/color][/b]

[color=tan][b]"I wouldn't be mad at you, id never blame you, you know I would forgive you... but..."[/b][/color]

Robert felt the finger on his lips again shushing him as his uncle smiled and looked into his eyes with that knowing look.

[color=brown][b]"But nothing young one, there is no double standard here, I do not blame you Robert, hunters take certain risks when they go after dangerous animals. All through history hunters have had triumphs and they have had failures and some even died. Even the most accomplished of hunters make mistakes, but you, your but a young boy trying to learn a dangerous tradition in your family and such mistakes are unavoidable. Remember Robert there is no shame in the animal winning, you survived even though you lost, its not about whose to blame but its about healing and getting back out there and trying again."[/b][/color]

[color=tan][b]"But I only survive because of you and dad! I didn't survive on my own, you almost died because of me! I am not meant to be a hunter, I have no talent."[/b][/color]

Robert could not contain his tears any longer as the strong emotion overwhelmed him and he just let himself cry letting go of the bravado, the strong front he was trying to hold. Robert felt firm hands on his shoulders as his uncle hugged him gently trying to cal him, speaking to him.

[color=brown][b]"You did survive today because of me and your father that is true, but Robert being a great hunter is not just about working alone, life is very much the same way, you need people and people need you. I would jump in front of that lion ten times over for you and do you know why? Not just because your my god son or I am your uncle but because as adults it is our duty to protect that which matters most, and that is you because the children of this world are the future that we strive to make better. Fathers and brothers, sisters, mother, we are all responsible in our own ways to guide and protect you no matter what. An one day you too will be an adult and it will be your turn to protect that which matters most and you will do what I did today, maybe not in the same way but if you truly feel you need to take blame then promise me this, when the day comes a child needs you like you needed me and your father, you won't turn your back on them. Yes?"[/b][/color]

Robert nodded his approval to the promise as his uncle smiled again and took the hand made necklace laying it beside him on the nearby night table.

Robert reached up silently as he pulled back his shirt and let his hand feel the weather leather necklace around his neck, clutching it in his hand he remembered the promise he had made back then. But it was more then that, people need you and you need people, had he truly fallen so low as to consider leaving not only JC but Maddie and EJ to a terrible fate that he could help them avoid? He had spent so much time the last passing hours trying so hard to make Biosyn and Ingen look like monsters and he was acting like one himself in his own way. Robert sighed heavily knowing that his actions, they were unforgivable, and no matter the circumstances he was facing there was no excuse he was raised to be so much better then this. He had to make this right or at least attempt to, he couldn't just let things continue to spiral out of control knowing he could stop it. Robert wiped the stray tear drops from his face and turned around walking back to Maddie, he approached her and stop a couple short feet away, speaking:

[color=tan][b]"I would care if you died even if I tried my hardest to make myself believe I wouldn't, tried my hardest to walk away and pursue my own goals instead of trying to help you. I won't offer excuses for my behavior because I don't even deserve that at this point, but I want you understand something Maddie. This isn't about taking down Biosyn or Ingen, I hate them both I truly do but I am not here for them. I can't... I can't tell you yet why I am here and why Iv acted so horribly. All I can do for now is say I am sorry and I don't expect forgiveness. My uncle told me a long time ago that I need to trust people, ever since he disappeared I haven't been able to do that but we can't survive as a team if we can't trust so, this is not my first time on this island, I was here six months ago. I can't tell you yet why but its a start towards what I hope can be trust. If you can resist giving me the punch to the face I deserve I promise to be forth coming from here on out, no lies, no devious plots, no shooting you with tranq darts, what do you think? Can we be a team?"[/b][/color]

Robert offered his hand as an olive branch but he honestly did not know if it was beyond too late for that, it was now in Maddies hand if she could move forward from all of this.