Victor's eyelids felt as though they were laden down with led. With great effort her opened them and wished he hadn't. Maria was carrying him across the sky; his body felt like it was burning and he was severely dehydrated.
"Are you okay?" The girl asked, not looking too concerned; and why should she? Victor was the bad guy.
"Never mind that, how's the little girl? She didn't get hurt did she? No burns?" He was genuinely worried about her, which surprised him.
"She went to stop the fire."
"WHAT?!" Victor struggled, causing Maria to wobble.
"Stop that!" She snapped peevishly. "We're going to fall right out of the air if you don't."
Victor complied. He didn't like this situation; he was okay with being the one carrying someone, but being carried? Not his cup of tea.
"Find some dry land and set me down please. I need to--"
"Need to what? Help the girl? Does she remind you of Ji Soon and the baby?"
"Quiet!" Victor hissed.
"What?" Asked Maria, looking more than a little freaked out. Victor didn't blame her; she couldn't hear the sly little whispers in his mind. Ji Soon, he missed her.
"Set me down, please, I beg of you." Victor pleaded. "I'll not bother you, I promise. I just need to stop it, not it, hurt it, Aaaah!" His heart started pounding ferociously against his burned chest.
"Hey! What's wrong?"
"If. . .you . . .know what's. . .good for you. . .you'll leave me on some deserted area and get the hell away." He could feel his regeneration coming on, and it wasn't something other people needed to see.
"Fine. I'll set you down, but I'm keeping my eye on you." Maria didn't trust him at all.
"Find the little girl and help her, she could be in a lot of danger. Please, just leave me alone. I'm in no mood to play games."
They landed on the bank of a wide river. Maria let Victor go and he stood for a moment, trying to steady himself; then he took one shaky step and another. His head was burning up from all the memories trying to escape. He was burning, it hurt. So hot. Victor collapsed, his breathing was coming out in short gasps.
He hated this part.