Timeline - November 6th

"Please god don't leave me too."

Eko jolted awake, heart pounding, as the remnants of the nightmare clung to her. The dark room's confines pressed in around her, filled with the sterile smell of antiseptic and the relentless beeping of monitors. The dim light cast long shadows on the walls, creating an eerie atmosphere that amplified her sense of isolation.

Beside her, Jesse groggily opened her eyes and turned her head towards Eko. "Bad dream?"

"Hmm," Eko answered as she diverted her gaze to watching Matthew still lying there before them in the infirmary, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

"Go back to sleep," Jesse whispered, nestling back into the sofa chair and curling her legs up. Before long, Eko heard her heavy breathing, knowing Jesse had fallen asleep again.

But sleep eluded Eko. No matter how hard she tried, the moment her body slipped into the realm of dreams, it was consumed by relentless nightmares. Images of what had happened on Creon haunted her, the guilt gnawing at her soul.

Her gaze fell back on Matthew. Three days had passed and he still hadn't woken up. Each day had been an agonizing stretch of unrelenting worry, marked by no change in his condition. Eko replayed the moments over and over in her mind: the chaos, the fear, the sense of helplessness as she watched him die on her.

**** ****

When twenty minutes felt like a lifetime, the ship finally docked at Allegiant. As soon as the back doors opened, a swarm of medics engulfed Eko. Nurses and doctors poured in, their faces etched with determination, their urgent whispers mixing with the sterile scent filling the air.

Eko didn't know what they were saying, but she could tell by their expressions that it was serious. She knew, looking at Mya, that they didn't have the confidence to tell her that Matthew would be okay.

Toni's firm grip then pulled her backward, giving the medic team space to work. Amid the chaos, she noticed Jesse ahead of her, more hysterical than she had ever seen. Jesse's hands clawed at the medical staff, trying to get past them, her eyes wild with desperation as she shoved bodies aside to reach Matthew's lifeless form.

"Move! Mattie! Let me get to him, get out of my way!" she screamed, her voice raw with anguish. Her red hair whipped around her face as she argued with anyone who got in her way with those that pushed her backwards.

It broke Eko's heart, and that's when the guilt really consumed her. The moment she met Jesse's eyes, the woman stared at her with the same hatred she reserved for idiotic fan club girls she wanted to throttle.

The doctors swarmed around them again. Amid Jesse's incessant screaming, Richie appeared out of nowhere, wrapping his arms around Jesse's waist and hauling her backward off the aircraft.

Jesse fought with all her strength, her screams piercing the air, venom almost dripping from her tongue. "Stop it! Let go of me, Richie! STOP!"

Suddenly, Jesse was yanked further back, disappearing from view. Eko's eyes darted to the medical team, a frantic whirlwind of white coats and precise movements.

She glimpsed disjointed scenes: the harsh glare of medical equipment, a medic swiftly inserting an IV, another frantically applying pressure to Matthew's wounds, which stubbornly resisted healing despite their powers, the blood refusing to be staunched.

A third medic meticulously attended to the bite wound on his shoulder, cleaning and dressing it with painstaking care. Nearby, another was attaching more advanced devices, replacing smaller red markers with sophisticated equipment that delved deep into his vital signs.

Eko's stomach churned as she watched the medics reposition Matthew's head, extending his neck to align it properly for the insertion of the large, intrusive endotracheal tube. The clear tube snaked into his airway with precision. Each second stretched painfully as they secured it, the sight almost unbearable. Her heart twisted in agony when the faint hiss of the ventilator began, its cold, mechanical rhythm clashing with the memory of him being alive and well barely an hour ago. The stark reality of a machine now sustaining his life was unbearable, a crushing sense of helplessness overwhelming her, pushing her to the brink of breaking down.

Desperation clawed at her throat; she wanted to scream, to cry out against the cruel reality unfolding before her, but she remained frozen, paralyzed by the scene. The world seemed to blur as they all watched the medical team swiftly transfer Matthew to a stretcher and whisk him away in the blink of an eye. Amidst the chaos, what she never anticipated was the sight of Madison standing there, almost gloating, her eyes cold and unfeeling.

As the medical team with Mya dispersed, it left Jesse, Richie, and Toni staring at Madison as she made her way out of the aircraft, past Eko and Toni, heading toward the exit. Jesse and Richie stood at the bottom, their eyes fixed on Madison. As Madison moved past them, Jesse stepped in front of her.

"Move," Madison commanded, her voice cold and authoritative. "Now."

The command triggered Jesse, and with a decisive move, she stepped toward Madison. With unseen force, she gripped Madison's throat, kicked her feet out from under her, and pushed her to the ground, her fingers clutching Madison's throat tightly.

Eko dashed forward, but Toni caught her around the waist, pulling her back and guiding her along the craft to prevent her from intervening. He turned to face her, raising a commanding finger, signaling her to stay put and not interfere.

"Let me make this very clear," Jesse's voice was a fierce growl, Eko's anxiety grew with her words. She knew they wouldn't kill Madison, but the intensity of Chef, Romeo, and G. The alter egos of Toni, Richie, and Jesse, didn't make her feel safe either.

"If he dies," Jesse spat, her voice dripping with rage, "If he fucking dies because of you two," she glared up at Eko, eyes blazing with fury. "Then you better fucking run. Do you hear me? If you've taken someone from me, you better fucking disappear," she glanced down at Madison, "because there will be no one who can hide you from me."

**** ****

Clutching the rough, worn pillow she had been using while sleeping in the chair, Eko glanced back at Jesse. Though Jesse's threat had been relatively mild compared to her usual anger, Eko knew she was stronger than the redhead. Yet, the threat still echoed in her mind, even after Jesse later apologized for her outburst.

Eko already knew how much Jesse loved Matthew and how protective she had been of the man she saw as her older brother. As much as it broke her heart, it was breaking all of them with the repercussions they were now facing.

She turned her head back to Matthew. Though they had extubated him after his surgery and his heart was beating steadily, each breath he took seemed like a struggle against the crushing weight of uncertainty. Tears welled up in her eyes as she fell back into a memory that would forever be etched as a permanent mark into her core.

**** ****

Mya's voice sliced through the tension in the waiting room, offering a glimmer of hope. "The surgery went well," she announced, standing in her blue scrubs with a navy bandana tied over her hair. Her eyes reflected the exhaustion and relief they all felt. "It took longer than expected, but the outcome is better than we could have hoped for. His vitals are stable now. We replaced the ICD, and his heart rate has normalized. We've begun administering a fifth round of antibiotics."

The room collectively exhaled. Eko, still trying to process the information, found her foot tapping uncontrollably against the floor as she clasped her hands together, her knee bouncing anxiously. Mya turned to Toni, her expression serious. "The poison hit close to eighty-six percent of his body."

Eko looked up, her voice trembling with fear and urgency. "But he's okay, right? So now... I need you to explain the rest," she demanded, her gaze sweeping the room and lingering on each person present. "It's his heart, so you all need to tell me everything. Right now!"

Her mind was a storm of guilt and worry, yet it didn't erase the fact that her idiotic boyfriend had hidden a crucial part of his health from her. The man she considered invincible—the cocky, arrogant son of a bitch she had unknowingly known since he was twelve—held within him the most fragile of weaknesses.

Mya nodded and moved to the couches, taking a seat beside Richie, who shifted to make space for her. "He was twelve when he was diagnosed. The condition is known as Brugada Syndrome."

"Brugada?" Eko reiterated angrily, the word feeling foreign and terrifying on her tongue.

Mya's expression softened with sympathy. "It's a genetic disorder that causes irregular heart rhythms. The ICD was implanted to help manage it, but the Reaper's poison interfered with its function, which is why Matthew's condition deteriorated so rapidly. His ICD is designed to counteract irregular heartbeats, but the poison disrupted its effectiveness."

"Jesus," Eko muttered. She was about to ask another question when Jesse, looking unsettled, interjected softly.

"H-He went down when we were on the field," she said, drawing all eyes toward her. Richie and Toni, who had been there, looked on somberly. Jesse was calmer now than she had been hours before, especially toward Eko.

"We were dealing with one of those black cat-like creatures that shoot out electric bolts. He got hit with an electro pulse, and he couldn't catch his breath. Then..." Jesse's voice broke, the memory too painful to finish. "That's when we realized something was seriously wrong."

Mya bit her lip, the weight of the story Richie had shared with her earlier in their relationship pressing down on her. It had been hard to hear then from a medical perspective, knowing how limited their resources were due to the war, and how lucky Matthew had actually been that they had Allegiant's resources at their disposal to find a doctor at the time to help him.

Richie found it difficult to talk about it, just as he sat there now, his face drawn with worry. Mya could only ever pull so much out of him before she was introduced to Dr. Keaton, who updated her on what she should look out for.

It was at that point, when she really got involved with them, that she understood how close Toni, Jesse, Richie, and Matthew had been. How strong their bond was, how intertwined they felt with one another as a family. Nothing could ever break that, nothing ever had in all their years.

With that thought, Mya turned her attention from Richie to Eko. "Matthew underwent numerous tests and clinical assessments over the years. Ultimately, Dr Keaton decided that he needed an ICD, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, to monitor his heart rhythms and deliver shocks if dangerous arrhythmias were detected."

Eko nodded, her eyes brimming with unshed tears as she struggled to take in every word, mentally noting things like Dr. Keaton, the ICD, and all the tests Matthew had undergone since he was a teenager.

"So that's why you wanted me to do CPR," Eko looked over at Toni, her voice trembling. "Did you know the ICD might have failed?"

Toni nodded, his expression grim. "When he said he couldn't breathe," he shook his head, clenching his fists as if trying to contain his frustration. "The doctors," he gestured towards Mya, "when we were younger, taught us to keep his heart going, no matter what."

Eko nodded again, her hands trembling slightly as she clasped them together.

"We know the crystals will try to protect our hearts as much as they can, but even they have limits," Mya continued, placing a comforting hand on Toni's shoulder as he fell into silence.

"And the signs I need to watch for? There are signs, right?" Eko's eyes darted around the group, her body tense with anxiety.

"It's challenging," Mya explained, her voice calm but laced with concern. "We don't have a lot of people with the condition who have survived long-term, and those that do may not show noticeable symptoms until a serious event like cardiac arrest occurs." She leaned forward, making sure Eko was absorbing every word. "However, Matthew was young when he found out, he has the crystal, and he is well aware of his condition, Eko. Regardless, the things to watch for include unexplained fainting and seizures."

"Seizures?" Eko's voice was barely a whisper, her shoulders slumping under the weight of the word. "S-seizures? He is fucking Ace and—"

"Eko, he's never had one," Jesse interjected, her hands wringing together, looking up at her with painfully red eyes. "But there have been times he's woken up from sleep, gasping for air, like he can't breathe. That's usually a sign." Jesse's voice cracked, her vulnerability evident.

Eko nodded, remembering those moments vividly. He had always told her it was just a bad dream or that he just couldn't sleep, often saying he needed to go for a walk as she fell back asleep. Now, with new understanding, she realized he was probably heading down to the infirmary to see the doctors while she remained oblivious in her dreams.

"If he tells you that his heart is pounding or if you feel it beating too fast, it means his heart's rhythm could be disrupted. It's not all the time, but it is another warning sign," Richie added, recalling the times he had been there when Matthew's heart raced, mistakenly attributing it to adrenaline when it was actually his heart struggling.

Eko nodded slowly again, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. Never in her life had she imagined he was dealing with something so severe. Why had she never pieced it together? Why did she fucking trust him on his health, believing him like a fucking idiot.

"While you guys can keep chatting, I'm done here." Jesse's voice cut through the tension as she rose from her seat, her energy brimming at her fingertips. The group, except Toni, looked taken aback.

"Where the fuck are you going?" Toni barked, his voice laced with concern.

"I'm going to fucking kill 'em all," Jesse spat, her eyes burning with determination. As she walked out the door, Richie and Toni instantly shot up from their seats and raced after her, leaving the room in a state of stunned silence.

"Oh bloody hell," Jasmine moaned, glancing at Eko. "She's probably going back to Creon with the Defcon units to dismantle that world and kill Xero, once and for all."

Then Jasmine rose and walked out to the waiting room, leaving Eko to stare at Mya. Eko felt a surge of emotions crashing over her. Anger at Jesse's reckless determination, fear for what lay ahead, and a deep, burning need for vengeance.

"What do you want to do?" Mya asked, her voice soft but steady. "He'll be asleep for a few hours. If you want to go? Nobody is going to stop you with how they're all acting."

Eko's knuckles turned white as she gripped the armrest, her teeth gritted in barely contained fury. She nodded to Mya, her voice barely more than a whisper but filled with resolute determination. "I'm gonna end this," she said. "I'm going to burn what's left of Creon to the ground. I'll  personally shove my sword into Xero's fucking throat."

Mya nodded, recognizing the fire in Eko's eyes. "Then let's go."

With a final, lingering glance at Matthew, Eko turned and followed Mya out of the room. Her heart hardened with resolve, her mind focused on the destruction she was about to unleash.

***** ***

Eko slowly emerged from the memory, drumming her fingers against her mouth as she watched Matthew, just as she had for the past three days. The room was a cocoon of oppressive silence, broken only by the rhythmic beeping of medical monitors and the soft hum of the machines.

She had been so sure that when they got back from Creon, he would be conscious, ready to scold them, but conscious. She had imagined that cocky smile would welcome her, some form of an arrogant joke. She imagined they would share everything from that moment onward, everything they needed to know about each other as Ace and Snow, and then he would tell her about all the parts of him that he had kept hidden.

But he didn't wake up, and it left her feeling angry and hurt, but most of all, it made her realize how deeply she actually cared for him. Her love for him had escalated to an extent she wasn't comfortable admitting. It gnawed at her, a relentless anxiety that kept her rooted to her seat, her eyes never leaving his still form. She knew in that moment she couldn't live her life without him, that if he went down, so would she.

By that late evening, an anxiety attack hit her for the first time in her life, an avalanche of panic and fear that left her breathless and broken. She had never experienced such agony. The immensity of it had taken root deep within her bones, and it seemed that only Toni could talk her through it. Only Toni seemed to have the right words, and it was during that moment of vulnerability that their friendship began to mend.

But that was 48 hours ago. Now, silence enveloped the room as Eko glanced back at the desk where Toni and Richie were working, guilt gnawing at every fiber of her being. The tension in the room was palpable. She jerked her head up at the sound of movement, seeing Toni and Richie rising from the table.

She watched as Toni approached Jesse, kneeling before her and gently wrapping his arms around her. He lifted her in a bridal style, pulling her close to his chest. He gave a slight nod to Eko as he exited the room, the soft swish of the door closing behind him. Eko then noticed Richie kneeling before her.

"Do you want to go upstairs for a few hours and sleep? I can stay here," Richie whispered softly.

Eko shook her head. "I won't sleep. This way, I might be able to rest. I-I want to be here, you know, when he wakes up."

Richie nodded, understanding. "Okay," he murmured before rising from the floor. He glanced at Matthew one last time, his expression tight with worry, and then, with a shimmer of his magic, he disappeared from the infirmary.

The room felt colder without Richie's presence. Eko placed the pillow beside her and gingerly climbed into the bed alongside Matthew. She hesitated for a moment, her fingers brushing the edge of the blanket before she slid under it. Her body curled against his, seeking the comfort of his familiar warmth, though he remained unresponsive. The silence was deafening, and she felt the weight of her love and worry pressing down on her, a constant reminder of how much he meant to her.

As she laid there, her heart ached with the rhythmic beeping of the monitors. Enveloped in the dim light of the infirmary, the room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the moment when he would open his eyes and everything would be alright again.

Her gaze then fixated on the side profile of his face. The bruises were gone, his skin smooth and unmarked, the nasal cannula resting gently in his nostrils. Despite everything that had happened, he looked so peaceful sleeping, just as she had seen him countless times before.

Eko reached out, her fingers trembling slightly, and brushed a lock of hair from Matthew's forehead, then traced the contours of his face. She sighed, a heavy breath that carried the weight of days spent in worry. Her body ached with exhaustion, and just as she was about to close her eyes, a voice caught her off guard, yanking her from her reverie.

"H-hey... b-beautiful," Matthew's raspy voice shattered the heavy silence. It was faint but unmistakable, each word laced with pain and effort. Eko bolted upright, her heart pounding in her chest as she looked down at Matthew. His eyes fluttered open, struggling to stay focused. For a moment, they locked gazes. His eyes, once so full of life, were now tired and weak, mere shadows of the vibrant person she knew.

"Matthew!" she gasped, her voice a mixture of relief, disbelief, and anguish. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. She reached out, her hands trembling, and gently grasped his chin, trying to direct his gaze toward her. "Oh, babe," she whispered, her voice breaking. Her fingers traced the contours of his face again, feeling the warmth of his skin, reassuring herself that he was really there, alive.

Matthew's lips curled into a faint smile, his eyes softening as he looked at her. Despite the weakness and pain, he tried to convey his feelings through that small gesture. He wanted to tell her he was sorry, that he never wanted to cause her this much pain, but the words were lost in his throat.

Eko's emotions surged through her like a tidal wave, overwhelming and unstoppable. She felt as if the room had contracted, with only Matthew and his fragile breath existing within its confines. Like a dam bursting, her emotions poured out, and she buried her head in the crook of his neck, clutching his body tightly as if she could anchor him to life by sheer will. Her sobs were uncontrollable, each one wracking her body, shaking her to the core. She felt his arms sluggishly wrap around her, offering what comfort he could despite his own weakness.

Matthew mustered all his strength to lift his hand and place it gently on her back, trying to soothe her. "Sor...ry," he managed to utter, his voice a rasp that barely carried. The sterile scent of the infirmary filled his nostrils, and the rhythmic beeping of the machines around him was a constant reminder of where he was.

The realization that he was in the infirmary meant that something had gone terribly wrong when he passed out. The piercing hot sensation in his chest was a clear indication that he had undergone surgery, likely due to a failure of his ICD. This also meant that Eko was now aware of his condition, a secret he had tried so hard to keep from her. The thought of her finding out this way filled him with regret and guilt.

Matthew had always dreaded this moment. He had spent all of his time hiding his condition, pretending to be invincible, all to shield Eko from the worry and fear that now consumed her. He never wanted her to see him like this. The look of sheer terror in her eyes was a sight he would never forget, and it tore at his heart.

The pain in his chest was sharp and unrelenting. He could feel the tightness of the stitches, the heaviness in his limbs, and the overwhelming fatigue that made it hard to keep his eyes open. He had no idea why his body was so sluggish, why he wasn't healing, but right now, what mattered was the woman in his arms—the woman who had been his rock through so many battles as Snow, who was now crumbling because of him.

"I... I'm here, r-right... h-here ba...by," Matthew rasped out again, clutching her even tighter. His weak grip conveyed his determination to reassure her despite his own frailty. Eko responded with a small nod, her emotions still overwhelming her.

"I thought I'd lost you," were the only recognizable words he could make out through her muffled sobs. She pulled back slightly, her red-rimmed eyes piercing into his own. The sheer depth of fear and anguish in her gaze struck him hard. Despite the cannula in his hand, he gently brushed some of her hair away from her face, his fingers trembling.

Eko's tears continued to fall, her body still trembling as she struggled to regain control. "You were gone, you had no heartbeat..."

"He...y," Matthew rasped, taking a deep breath. The effort made his chest burn, but he pushed through the pain to speak to her. His mouth felt drier than usual, the sensation sharp, and his lips rough. "I'm h-her...e," he managed to say before coughing slightly, his breathing ragged and strained.

"You need some water. They only took the tube out of your throat the other day when your vitals stabilized," Eko said quickly, her voice tinged with urgency as she assessed his condition. Rising to her knees, she reached across to the bedside table to grab a bottle of water.

She turned back to Matthew as he propped himself up against the bed and pillows, wincing slightly with the effort. Eko carefully brought the bottle to his lips, her hands still trembling. She tilted it gently, allowing him to take a few sips.

The cool water soothed his parched throat, and he sighed in relief, his eyes never leaving hers. "Thanks, b-babe," he whispered, his voice a little stronger. He looked into her eyes, trying to convey the depth of his feelings. "I... I didn't want to... worry you. Didn't want you to... to be scared."

"Scared?" she snapped, her voice breaking. "You didn't want me to be scared! I was going out of my fucking mind, Matthew!" Her voice was filled with raw intensity, the fear and desperation evident in every word. She broke down, turning to place the bottle onto the stand with shaking hands. Her mind replayed the horrifying moment of his collapse over and over, a haunting memory she couldn't escape. She turned back, tucking her legs to the side of her, her eyes drawn to the scars on Matthew's chest.

The marks, still healing, were a constant reminder of the seriousness of his condition. The Reaper poison had wreaked havoc through his body, completely slowing down any healing. Mya had told them all that it would take his body longer to recover than they were normally accustomed to. For Eko, it had brought everything into sharper focus, and the incision that traced the path of the surgeon's scalpel would most likely become a scar that would never fully heal.

"You don't understand," she choked out, looking up to him. "You weren't breathing!" Her eyes bounced between his own, wide and frantic, her hands shaking. "You were dead! YOU WERE FUCKING DEAD!"

"Eko, I'm here," he whispered, his heart heavy with guilt. He leaned forward, grabbing her arm to pull her into him, grasping her chin softly. He brought her lips to his own. "I'm right here."

Eko hesitated for a moment, her emotions swirling in a tempest of fear, relief, and love. She leaned in slowly, her lips trembling as they met his. The kiss was gentle, yet it conveyed all the unspoken words between them—the relief that he was alive, the fear of almost losing him, and the love that bound them together.

Matthew's hand moved to the back of her head, his fingers threading through her hair, holding her close. Despite his weakness, the kiss felt like an anchor, grounding them both in the present moment. When they finally pulled away, their foreheads rested against each other, sharing the same breath.

"Matthew," she whispered, her voice trembling on the brink of a breakdown.

Matthew lifted her chin, his fingers barely grazing her skin, their eyes locking. "Hey," he murmured, his gaze steady and intense. "Eko, you need to stop. Stop overthinking this. I'm nearly twenty-three. I am Ace. You are Snow. We are the same, and importantly, my heart is fine." His words were firm, but the underlying worry in his eyes mirrored her own. "My heart is perfectly fine."

Because lying to her was a lot easier than having her stare at him like that.

Eko clutched at his skin, her nails digging in. "Your heart is not fine! I'm not fine. You're not fine," she cried, her voice breaking. The sheer intensity of her emotions left her breathless, her chest heaving with the effort to keep herself together. "We are fucking Snow and Ace, and our life is filled with this bullshit, and the person I love is not safe. He is not okay! H-his heart is not okay. He is fucking Ace... and... you're not fucking invincible!"

She couldn't continue, her voice choking off in a sob. Matthew pulled her closer, his grip tightening despite his own weakness. "Eko," he whispered, his expression growing more serious at her distress. "I am okay," he insisted, his hand brushing back strands of her hair. "We are okay." He took her hand and placed it against his chest, where she could feel the steady, reassuring beat of his heart. "Feel this? This means I'm still here, with you. This home is safe. Yes, we are Ace and Snow, baby, and we are survivors, we are fucking survivors. That's all it ever meant."

Leaving her hand there, he moved his own to tenderly cup her cheek, his thumb gently brushing away the tears. He leaned in and kissed her softly. "And I need you to know that no matter what, I love you more than life, I love you until there is nothing left to love, and you won't be able to get rid of me that easily. You know that, right?"

She nodded and gasped at the same time, her tears flowing freely, her fear mingling with the deep love she felt for him. Her voice was but a whisper, "I just can't lose you. You cannot be another person I lose in my life." Then she sobbed into her hands, for she knew that above all else, you could be with someone for years and never know what real love was.

To fall in love truly and completely after weeks spent with someone who literally redefined what it meant to be happy. Love doesn't always fit into a timeframe. Her love for him could no longer be measured by time, not with how she felt for this human, not with how he was changing her.

He grabbed her shaking wrists and pulled them towards him. "I will not be another person you lose. We've survived this long, and we're going to survive a hell of a lot longer. You got that?"

Eko's eyes searched him, filled with a mixture of fear and determination. She wrenched her wrists back from him wrathfully and then pointed at him hysterically as tears fell down her cheeks. "Promise me!"

He nodded slowly, unsure how to take her mental state.

"Matthew Dean Skarsgard, you fucking promise me!" she roared at him, her voice laden with every emotion under the sun, her finger shaking at him now. Yet she couldn't stop trembling, the fear and stress intertwining in her heart.

"Eko Isobelle Swan, I promise you," he was determined in that alone, and thats when he leaned forward, clasping her head with his hands, his fingers tight on her skin as he spoke. "Baby I need you to repeat what I am about to say," he begun, his voice steady and commanding.

He needed her focused again, needed her to find her strength. He didn't know where her mind was at, but he needed her to come back to him. "You are Snow, and I am Ace, and we are fucking survivors in this war. We will bring them to their fucking knees by the end of this."

The rhythmic beeping of the machines and the sterile scent of the infirmary seemed less oppressive. "Say it," he urged, his eyes locking onto hers. "I want you to say it and fucking mean it like your life depends on it."

Eko's breath hitched as she looked into his eyes, feeling his intensity and determination. "I am Snow," she began, her voice shaky but gaining strength. "And you are Ace."

Matthew's grip tightened, his gaze unwavering. "And we are fucking survivors."

"And we are fucking survivors," she repeated, her voice growing steadier.

"We will bring them to their fucking knees," he continued, his voice filled with conviction.

"And we will bring them all to their fucking knees," she echoed, the fire returning to her eyes.

"That's my girl," he said with a proud smile. As their words hung in the air, a powerful sense of resolve settled between them. "There she is."

Eko clung to him, feeling his strength and determination seep into her. They were not just victims of circumstance; they were warriors, bound together, ready to face anything. No matter what came their way, together, they would burn it all down to the ground if they were forced to.