Afterburner

Chapter 5

With your baby shower scheduled and approaching you grew anxious in excitement. Your house was scheduled to be filled with baby related games and questions. It seemed as if the universe had other plans for you, making it your own personal hell instead.

"Rooster" you groaned. It was five in the morning and the light from the closet hurt you entirely too much to look at. You could taste blood in your mouth, that nasty metallic taste you hated. It threw you back into the seat of the cockpit. He was by your side in an instant. He was halfway dressed ready for class.

"Duchess." His eyes looked on your face that was contorted in pain.

"I can't go to work today. I can't even look at the- can you turn off the light please?" You requested. You kept your eyes closed until you saw the change behind your eyes.

"It's a bad one isn't it?" He asked.

"Yeah" you breathed out.

"Ok I'll stay home too." He offered.

"Don't be silly Rooster. You have to go. Just lay my pills on the bedside table with some Gatorade." You mumbled. He rubbed your forehead gently as he quietly said ok to your instructions. You heard the soft rattling of pills in a bottle and the sound of him placing the liquid down. "Can you turn the tv on? I know it sounds counterproductive but I need a low level of sound to distract me from my pain long enough to go to sleep again." You weakly explained. A soft chuckle left the pilots lips.

"Of course Duchess." His voice came over your body soothing your every tense muscle. Your eyes were closing fast as he walked away to get to work on time. Rooster pulled out his phone creating a message in the group he was already apart of.

Dagger Team:

🐔Dagger Team you've been recruited for a special mission if you choose to accept. Who is on base?

💩you bet your sweet ass I'm here Bradshaw

🐺I'm here for a few days for training

✈️Maverick reporting for duty

🔥 just missed me Rooster. I left my gift with Maria though. Bob is with me. I know Payback and FB are gone until tomorrow.

🐔can anyone come to the house? Duchess is out of commission

✈️I'll take tomorrow

💩Hangman's on it

You woke a few hours later feeling sore all over. Your head was still pounding. You groaned audibly but it came out sounding mangled. "Easy." The familiar tone of Jake entered your mind. You smiled softly knowing you weren't alone.

"Too bright. Too bright." You moaned. Even the small amount of the natural light from the blinds was killing you.

"I've got it sweetie." Maria hurried in the room throwing dark colored sheets over the top of the blinds. "Better?" She asked quietly. You moaned in appreciation. "I came over to set up for the Dagger Team baby shower for this evening but it looks like we won't be having it. Leave it to you to weasel your way out of wrapping a string around your midsection." She laughed softly. "What can I get you?" She wondered as she pushed the hair out of your face. You opened your eyes slightly and saw Hangman sitting in a chair across the room looking concerned as he took in your state.

"An ice pack." You breathed out. There was a dip in the bed and a change in pressure alerting you that Maria had left the room.

"How long?" He asked quickly.