“Shit," Ian shouted before rushing over toward him. He was followed by several other tall men that I could only assume were Guardians. Everything felt as though it was moving in slow motion. It was almost as if we were all suspended in some sort of viscous fluid. Ian knelt down by Kennan and assessed his wounds while I stood, rooted, unable to move. I felt someone come up beside me and put their arm around me. I looked over to find Molly looking at me with tears streaming down her face.
“I need medical in here now. He’s still alive, but barely," Ian shouted orders to anyone who would listen while trying to treat Kennan’s wounds.
The floor suddenly rushed out from under me and I landed on my knees. The air came back into my lungs with a rush. Kennan wasn’t dead. He was still alive. Even if it were just barely, he was alive. I crawled toward his body, leaving Molly in my wake. My only concern was to get to Kennan, to tell him I loved him before he left. He had to know.
I got about five feet from him when the medical team rushed in and moved everyone to the side.
“No," I said, barely a whisper.
“What is it Izzy? What’s wrong?" Molly asked, concern lacing her voice.
“WAIT!" I shouted as I shoved my way toward his body. I would be damned if I didn’t get this out. I knew that it might be my last chance to ever tell him the truth. After all I had been through, I wouldn’t take this moment for granted.
“Guys, give her a second," I heard Ian plead. “Better make it fast, Little Bit. We need to move him.”
I nodded before kneeling down by Kennan’s head. I brushed my fingers through his hair as I took a deep breath. There was so much blood. I knew I had to be fast. I bent down to where my lips brushed his ear.
“Damn you, Kennan O’Malley. Don’t you dare die. Do you hear me? I love you. More than anyone I have ever loved, and if you leave me now, I’ll never forgive you. So you fight, damn it, and you live. You live, because without you I’m lost. So please, if you ever felt anything for me at all, fight. Fight and live," I pleaded quietly in his ear.
The tears that had refused to fall earlier started coming in great heaves. My throat felt as though it were closing in on itself. I couldn’t seem to get enough air between sobs. Strong arms wrapped around me, lifting me up like I was a small child. I looked up to see Ian’s face.
“I’ve got you. Don’t worry, we will take care of him, Izzy. But we need to get you taken care of as well." He looked down at me with a seriousness I only saw during our training. I just sobbed into his chest and clung to him like he was a life raft.
“Wait," I said, suddenly realizing I had more to worry about than just myself.
“What is it?" Ian asked confused.
“What about all of the others? We have to help them," I hiccupped between cries.
“We’ve got it now. The Council has sent reinforcements. Everyone is going to get checked out and then brought back to headquarters for debriefing. Let’s worry about you for once, yeah?" Ian asked with a smirk.
**********
The ride to the Council headquarters passed quickly. I felt wrung out. I had cried for a good long while before I had no tears left to cry. I knew it was over. I had killed Xavier. All of the people he had kept against their will would be free now. But there was something nagging in the back of my mind. Something I couldn’t remember. I decided to let it go for the moment. I had neither the energy nor the inclination to think on it at present.
**********
TWENTY SIX
We arrived at the Council about an hour later. I was lifted out of the car by an uncharacteristically quiet Ian. He wrapped his coat around my shoulders and I realized I was still barefoot and in the hospital gown. I was grateful that he had the forethought to keep me from flashing everyone my underpants. I looked up at him and saw that he was warring with saying something.
“Just say it. Whatever it is just spit it out, Ian," I croaked. My voice had gotten hoarse with misuse, and the sobbing had done nothing to help.
“There is a very real chance Kennan might not make it, Izzy. I need you to prepare yourself for that," Ian said reluctantly. I knew he didn’t say it to hurt me, but it did little to lessen the sting of his words.
“I already lost him once today, Ian. Can we please just hope for the best right now? I need to believe in something good again. So please, just please," I pleaded as my eyes once again filled with tears.
Suddenly, Molly was at my side, punching Ian in his arm.
“Way to go, jackass. Do you have any idea what this girl has been through in the past few days? Jesus, it is like you have no brain up there," Molly berated Ian.
I looked at Ian and saw his jaw drop. I gave him a questioning look to which he indiscernibly shook his head. I would ask him later. Right now, I really wanted a shower, some clothes that weren’t caked in blood, and to be as close to Kennan as they would allow.
Molly gripped my hand and I could tell she was shivering.
“Are you okay?" I asked her as quietly as possible.
“I’m just nervous. What if they are just as bad as Xavier and we get trapped again? Remember what I told you, some of these guys aren’t really the good guys," she said with a look of trepidation in her eyes.
Well, there it was. The thing that had been nagging at my brain since we left the lab was now staring me right in the face. Cheese on a cracker, would this never end? I sighed and looped my arm through Molly’s.
“There are more good than bad here. At least I hope so. And if not, well we will just escape again. Deal?" I asked. I tried to sound convincing, but all of my senses seemed to be dulled.
“Deal," Molly nodded and I saw the stubborn gleam return to her eye.
We were escorted into the main lobby of what looked like an old Southern plantation. Ian approached us hesitantly.
“Izzy, I need you to come with me. I need you to get evaluated to make sure you’re okay. If you would like to come with her you can. You’ll need an evaluation as well. I’m sorry, what is your name?" Ian asked.
“Molly. My name is Molly. For the love of God what are you wearing, man?" Molly exclaimed, appalled at Ian’s outfit.
I hadn’t even noticed until now that he was wearing what amounted to a ninja suit. I just shook my head. Nothing after the Richard Simmon’s outfit would ever shock me again.
“You get used to it. This is practically tame," I sighed. “Where do we go? Because I can tell you right now I’m in no mood to be poked and prodded. I need to see Kennan." I looked at Ian trying to convey the importance of my words.
“We have to make sure you’re okay first. We don’t know what he did to you and we need to make sure you aren’t in any danger," Ian said, trying to calm me before my temper was triggered.
“I was tortured in the dreaming. That’s what he did. So can we get this over with so that I can be with Kennan? Standing here yapping is not accomplishing anything," I said, suddenly exhausted.
“Tortured, Izzy, what did he do?" Ian asked as rage filled his voice.
Molly stepped toward Ian and placed her tiny hand on his chest.
“Not now. She needs to see him to know that he is okay," Molly said with a pointed look.
Ian looked down at her hand on his chest and sighed. He nodded before moving off down a hallway. When we got to the second door, he knocked and someone yelled enter from the other side.
We walked into a room that was set up like a doctor’s office would be. Sitting at the desk was a woman in her mid-fifties with slightly graying hair. She looked up at me with kind eyes and then looked over to Molly.
“Well then, shall we get you two checked out? I hear you both have been through quite the ordeal," she said calmly approaching me. She looked me over and I felt the need to say something.
“It isn’t mine," I said.
“What isn’t yours dear?" she asked with an air of confusion.
“The blood, none of it is mine. So if we could just do the basic exam so that I can get cleaned up and
see to Kennan, I would really appreciate it," I sighed.
The doctor eyed me steadily and seemed to come to some sort of conclusion. She headed over to a cabinet and pulled out a generic set of gray sweats and brought them back to where I stood.
“There is a bathroom just through there with everything you will need. Go get cleaned up and then we will get you out of here as quickly as possible. But you will have to come back for a more thorough exam,” she announced sternly. I nodded before heading into the bathroom with my borrowed clothes. As I shut the door, I heard her turn toward Molly and tell her to hop up on the table.
I stepped into the shower and watched the water run red around my feet. I stood there motionless as all of the horror washed itself from my hair and skin. When the water finally cleared, I ran soap all over my body, trying to scrub the memories from my skin’s surface and failing. I knelt on the floor of the shower, suddenly overcome by everything that had happened in the last few days. The memories of the dreaming haunted me. The look on Xavier’s face as I took his life was burned into my retinas. It was as though I couldn’t escape what had happened.
I shook myself and stood up. I had to be strong. Kennan would be strong for me. I didn't know what had happened to put him on that floor in the first place, but I intended to find out. I had to keep my junk together. I could fall apart later. As I got out of the shower and got dressed, I sent up a quick plea that God would protect Kennan and help him through this. I would get this exam over with, and then I would go and find my guy and not leave his side until he woke up again.
I headed back out into the exam room and found the doctor finishing up Molly’s exam.
“You can communicate through thought? That is remarkable. We have only seen two other Seers with that capability in the last hundred years," she marveled.
“Yeah, and it was her ability that saved my butt," I said, realizing Molly was never in the dreaming, but had jacked into my head to communicate with me back at the lab.
“Whatever, you would have figured it out. I just gave you a little nudge," Molly said. “So, am I all done now doc? Because I am starving."
“Yes, you’re all finished. It’s your turn, Izzy," the doc said, patting the table after Molly had evacuated it.
Might as well get it over with, I thought. I hopped up keeping a wary eye on the table of instruments. I’d had enough of being a lab rat. I had no idea who this woman really was. For all I knew she could be one of the bad guys. I had been burned by Mike, and I refused to be that naïve again.
“Alright, but make it quick. I have somewhere to be," I said, looking around the room to find that Molly and Ian were gone.
“I just need to give you a basic exam to look for injuries. We can do the mental tests later on. Also, you should know that they might ask you to meet with someone to discuss what happened to you. You can refuse, obviously, but I would like it if you talked to someone at least once. Sometimes it can be good to clear the air," she said as she looked me over.
“I don’t think talking it out will really help," I said and wondered when I had gotten so jaded.
About ten minutes later she announced my exam was complete.
“You’re all done, Izzy. Physically, you just have a few bruises where it looks like you struggled. Mentally, I’m concerned, but it can wait. I’ll take you to where they have Kennan. He’s in the surgical unit down the hall," she said, putting away all of her instruments.
I nodded and got up from the table. We headed down the hall toward the aforementioned surgical unit. A great sense of foreboding filled my being with each step. I hadn’t truly allowed myself to think of him dying since I found out he was still alive. Now, it hit me like a train. I stopped and braced myself against the wall suddenly short of breath. The doctor rushed over to me.
“Someone find Ian," she shouted as she tried to look me over.
Quicker than I thought possible, Ian was there, with Molly close behind.
“What happened?" Ian asked with an air of accusation.
“I’m not sure. We were just walking down the hall and she almost collapsed," she said confused.
“Izzy, what is it?” Molly asked softly.
“What if he dies?" I said as tears filled my eyes. “What will I do?”
“He’s already out of surgery, Izzy. He’s stable and they expect a full recovery. He is going to be fine. The bullet in his neck missed his artery. The one in his chest missed his heart by an inch. He was lucky. They went in and patched everything up. They started on the ride over here. He’ll have some wicked scars and will take a while to heal, but he’s going to be fine," Ian promised as he wrapped his arms around me in an embrace.
I hit him on his chest as hard as I could. “Why didn’t you come find me to tell me, moron?”
“Sorry, I was a bit distracted," Ian said sheepishly.
“Ugh, can we just take the girl to see her man already? I think she has been through enough lately without the added drama," Molly said, rolling her eyes and pulling me down the hall in her wake. For someone so small, she could sure be pushy.
Moments later we arrived at a door labeled "Surgical Recovery." I braced myself for what I was about to see. I steeled my nerves and swallowed down my uneasiness. I could be strong for Kennan. He had been for me. It was time I was there for him.
We walked in to find Kennan lying on a bed slightly inclined. I walked over to his still body. I lowered myself into the chair next to his bed and sighed as I watched his chest rise and fall evenly. Tears began slowly falling down my cheeks.
“He really is okay," I whispered, part question and part affirmation.
“Yes, he really is okay, Pip Squeak. They said he might wake up soon if you want to stick around," Ian said smoothly. Like I would go anywhere else, honestly, did he even know me?
“I think we should leave Izzy alone for a bit," Molly said as she pulled on Ian and the doctor trying to get them out of the room.
I felt sorry for Ian suddenly. I suspected he had finally found his Seer in Molly. I wasn’t sure, but if it was true, he was going to have his hands full. I didn’t think she had realized what had happened yet. I was pretty sure she hadn’t bargained on her Guardian being an oversized fashion victim. I looked back at the bed and took comfort in Kennan’s presence.
It wasn’t until I’d almost lost him that I knew how much I needed him. Scooting my chair as close as I could get it to his bed, I sat and wrapped my hand in his. The time passed quickly as I watched his chest rise and fall steadily. A doctor entered the room, pulling my attention away from Kennan.
I looked at him skeptically. I didn’t trust this man. I didn’t know who he was. He was no Guardian, that was for sure. He was a normal height of about five foot ten with sandy brown hair and kind brown eyes. I looked him over, trying to decide whether he was a threat or not. As I assessed the room for any viable weapons, he slowly approached the bed.
“I’m Doctor Thomas, you must be Izzy?" he said, sticking out his hand to shake my own. I eyed his hand but refused to relinquish my hold on Kennan. He dropped his hand back down to his side and trudged on as though nothing had transpired.
“How do you know who I am and what is it you are about to do to him?" I asked accusingly. Seriously, would I never trust anyone again?
“I know your name, because he kept trying to say it in recovery. I also know because you and your friends have been all of the talk since you arrived. As to what I’m doing to him, I’m just coming in to check his vitals. I won’t even touch him if you don’t want me to," Doctor Thomas said calmly.
The man had impeccable bedside manner. In the span of a few seconds, he had calmed my nerves. We both knew if he tried anything I wouldn’t hesitate to hurt him. So, I relinquished control as much as I could.
“No, do your job. I won’t interfere. If you do anything to hurt him..." I trailed off looking back down at Kennan’s still form.
“No worries, I just want to make sure the sedation is wearing off and he
isn’t in too much pain. I’m also going to check his heart. The bullet came too close. We want to make sure we didn’t miss anything in surgery." He continued in that way of telling me everything he was about to do before doing it. I appreciated the gesture and I could see in his eyes that he felt sorry for me.
I didn’t know whether to be offended by the pity or happy that it wasn’t fear there instead. I didn’t want people to look at me with fear in their eyes, but pity wasn’t too much further up the scale of suckage.
“Do you need anything? I can bring you some blankets and food if you would like?” he offered as he finished up.
“Um, could you have Ian bring my food for me and a blanket would be lovely," I said, hoping not to sound too paranoid. I wasn’t sure whom I could trust here, and I counted on that paranoia to keep me breathing. I just hoped that trusting him with the blanket didn’t leave me with a case of small pox. What did I know of the nefarious plans of evil masterminds?
He left with a bewildered expression on his face. I was sure he was going to go tell someone to come put me in a straightjacket, but I wasn't sure I was capable of caring at this point. As long as they left me in here with Kennan, they could do anything. A few moments later the doctor returned with some blankets and a pair of warm socks for my bare feet. He assured me that food would follow shortly.
**********
TWENTY SEVEN
Soon after the doctor left, an irritated Molly and a sheepish Ian entered the room. Molly carried a tray of food in her hands that could feed two people. I looked at her questioningly.
“Can someone please tell me why I can’t shake this fashion victim? All I wanted was to bring some food in here and sit with you for a while. Everyone else here is totally unstable. At least with you I know what I’m getting into. But can I come alone? Noooooo," Molly said with a look of accusation in Ian’s direction.
I laughed. I didn’t feel happy, but I found a great deal of humor in her current state of obliviousness. I had felt like I had been playing catch up for the past few months. It was nice to finally be a step ahead of someone for a change.