While swerving, Ashlyn shouted to Logan over the walkie-talkie, ["Logan, go press the button!"]

"O-okay!" he stuttered.

Logan hurried to the button and pressed it just in time before the group burst through the wall. He then closed the wall as the jeep skidded to a stop, leaving a trail of dust. The air was filled with tense, quiet breaths. Taylor opened the door of the jeep and stepped out, feeling dizzy.

"Is… Everyone okay?" Taylor, the driver, asked as she clung to the door. The rest of the group got out of the vehicle with a slight stumble.

"I'm gonna be sick." Tyler quickly ran to the side and mostly vomited.

The feeling was mutual as Y/N felt a bit car sick from Taylor's driving skills. Taking deep breaths, she was assisted out of the car by Ben, who had his hand around her waist, while Aiden held onto his shoulder and hopped on one leg for support. Ben, despite looking tired, still helped her out. As they were getting out, Logan approached them. They both helped each other with their injuries. For example, Taylor supported Ashlyn by wrapping her arm around her neck.

Logan immediately noticed Y/N and rushed over to her. Seeing him, Y/N wobbled into his arms and he caught her. He hugged her tightly, relieved that she was okay, but also noticed a bruise on her neck, feeling sorrowful. He placed a trembling hand on her back, feeling guilty for not protecting her better. Y/N rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Y/N… I'm sorry I took too long," he whispered. His tone sounded hurt as he couldn't even begin to express how grateful he was that she was alive.

At the same time, he couldn't help but blame himself for her current state. She had done so much for him, from looking out for him to protecting him, and he had never felt more grateful to have someone like her in his life. He was touched in a way that words couldn't express. And all he had done for her was let her down. He felt like he had let everyone down, and that weighed heavily on him.

"It's okay, I'm fine and alive, and wouldn't want it any other way." Even though she almost died, she was grateful he took that risk. Y/N wouldn't have blamed him for feeling doubt in such a dire situation. The pressure he was under would have been understandable, as it can be overwhelming.

The group gathered around each other, nursing their minor injuries. The atmosphere was tense, filled with silence as everyone processed what had just happened. They were exhausted from running, dodging, and coming close to death. For Y/N, it was overwhelming. Facing the phantom's strength in battle was challenging, and she felt like she wasn't good enough. She blamed her own lack of strength for the predicament she found herself in - coughing in mid-air with no solid footing, facing an almost impossible opponent. The terrifying experience of almost losing her life was still fresh in her mind, saved only by Ashlyn and Logan's assistant. It was a traumatic event for her.

After a moment of silence, Taylor, in particular, had a realization. Holding the single key to the car, she paused to reflect on their achievements as she gazed down at the key in her hand.

"We did it," she whispered. A smile of joy spread across her face as she repeated, "...WE DID IT! HAHA!"



Taylor smiled, feeling more overjoyed than ever with their accomplishment, knowing they were getting closer to getting home.

Y/N stepped back to give Logan and her some space. She turned her head and saw the girl smiling brightly. "Yeah... we did it," she thought as she continued to watch the girl laugh away her worries.

"HAHA!"

Taylors infectious energy filled the field with joy, her smile brightening the surroundings. Tyler couldn't resist joining in, even though he had just wiped his mouth with the back of his hand after feeling sick. He was happy for his sister and grateful to be back home. A feeling of happiness overcame his typically stoic expression, turning it into a warm smile.

"Yeah… we're pretty great, huh?"

Aiden – "Great?? We were awesome!"

Tyler – "What do you mean 'we'? You sprained your ankle and were basically from the get-go."

Aiden – "I was not! Did you see me dual welding flashlight?! With me and Ash, and of course N/N, you wouldn't have stood a chance against those ceiling phantom."

While the two boys were bragging about their achievements, Logan stood there awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. Y/N noticed this and couldn't help but see how down he looked. He may think of himself as a burden, which is a common feeling. She had felt the same way before, but over time she learned to appreciate herself and recognize her own skills as strengths. So, even if he doesn't see himself as helpful, he has actually done more good than they would have without him. Just as she was going to comfort him and affirm his worth, she was suddenly cut off by the blonde boy's voice, causing Logan to become frozen with uncertainty.

Aiden – "Logan was pretty cool too!" He used his finger to mimic a gun and pointed it at his head. "The phantom that was battling it out with Y/N had a hole right in the middle of its head! Perfect shot!"

"Wait, did you say Y/N, fought with a phantom?" Tyler's eyes widened as he heard the news, crossing his arms as he briefly glanced at the girl.

Taylor was surprised and asked, "What? Really? Are you okay?" She seemed to want to approach the girl, her brown eyes softening as she looked at her with genuine concern.

"Even though I really want to be sarcastic about it, I won't, for her sake." Y/N thought, feeling a bit ashamed as the girl was just trying to help her. "I mean, for now... but I almost died."

Ben placed a hand on her head, and when the girl turned to look at him, she saw his concern as he patted her head. "Oh gosh, they're looking at me." She thought nervously, feeling a bit embarrassed. Clearing her throat, she stammered, "B-But it's okay. It made me realize that I could use some more training. I'll just have to ask my dad another time."

Despite her efforts to resolve the situation, Tyler became annoyed with her. It wasn't a general annoyance, but for some reason, her dismissive attitude towards a potentially life-threatening situation really bothered him.

"Just what were you thinking! That was incredibly reckless and dangerous. Why would you do something like that? You could have been seriously hurt or even killed if not for Logan. That was even more reckless than what Aiden usually does." He tilted his head forward and gave Aiden a small frown, but Aiden just stared back with a clueless smile.

Y/N felt annoyed when he called her reckless, even though she had no other choice in that moment. "I swear... I want to smack him for saying that," she thought to herself. She sighed, acknowledging his perspective, but she didn't want to bring up the fact that she had no other option.

Taylor, who had been quiet for a while, finally decided to speak up. "Ty is not wrong. Y/N, please don't do that again. Even with combat skills like yours and Ashlyn's, the risk was extremely dangerous." Taylor felt deeply concerned and almost scared at the thought of Y/N getting hurt. It saddened her as she placed a hand on her chest. "However, I'm glad you're okay." She smiled softly, although her face still showed signs of concern.

Tyler sighed, placing his hand on the bridge of his nose and shaking his head. He decided to change the topic back to their previous conversation. "But I have to agree with Aiden said. Logan also took out the phantom that cornered me and Ben. Honestly we probably wouldn't all be here without him."

"U-Uh not really - you guys did most of the work…" Logan felt touched by their praises. He blushed, feeling embarrassed at the compliments, and nervously waved his hands around, trying to assure them that he didn't do much.

Tyler – "Stop."

"You've barely had any experience with a gun outside of Aiden's airsoft, which I doubt comes anywhere close to the real thing. You should be proud."

"They're right, Logan, you're really talented!" Taylor remarked.

Ashlyn looked concerned as she thought quietly. "He was probably scared of hitting Y/N, but was still able to follow through with a hard decision." She appeared tired as she struggled to stay awake. "Without those two... No-" Her eyes drifted down as she recalled the group's help.

Memories came flooding back. Y/N risking their life to save her, Logan taking a risk by shooting to protect her, Aiden assisting her and Y/N, and Taylor and Tyler providing support. With all of their help, they wouldn't have come this far. "Without all of them, I would be dead."

Aiden – "We should do something to celebrate!"

Taylor smiled, feeling reassured that everything would be okay. However, when she glanced over, she realized that Ashlyn had not spoken, which made her worried.

Taylor – "Ashlyn, are you okay? You haven't said anything, do you need to sit down?"

"…No."

Everyone then turned their heads towards the two girls. Suddenly, the group's expressions suddenly changed. They were all shocked and amazed by what they saw in front of them. It was something unexpected. But for one girl in particular, it left her in awe. Her smile was radiant and brought color to Y/N eyes. Ashlyn, for the very first time, was smiling brightly in front of them, chuckling slightly.



"I'm alright," but she looked a bit confused as she leaned forward and said, "Just a little… Dizzy-" Then she collapsed into Taylor's arms.

"ASHLYN!" Everyone called out except for Ben and Y/N, who herself felt relieved.

"I agree with Ashlyn. I feel…" Y/N's words slowly became audible, drowning out her overwhelming thoughts and bringing a sense of peace. Her body went limp, her thoughts and words fading away as she almost collapsed. Luckily, Ben was beside her and quickly caught her before she fell to the ground. Logan was surprised and tried to help, but Ben reacted first, holding the unconscious girl in his arms while Logan placed his hand on her back.

We finally did it…



THIS IS CUTE!❤️ TAYLOR AND TYLER. [Found this on Pinterest.]