Fractured

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Time stood frozen. A stillness in the air that taunted me to break it. I just... stared in astonishment... across the body and blood, across the space separating Luke and I. Stared up and into his wide eyes. Green glossy glass pieces, shinning to me in desperation. I saw through them and deep into his being. Of something that inflicted him and wouldn't ever go away, the events of tonight. And of the miracle that both of us were still alive and standing. Well, for the most part.

I saw he was bent over somewhat on one side and with chills running profusely over me, I realized it was from the stab he took to his thigh. It was from all the cuts that were scattered over him, the blows he took, and the lack of energy he now had. Looking him over in a daze, I saw his body was drenched with the wetness left from the snow as well as the blood that was coating his body even more now. Lips parted, his breath was audible. He looked ready to collapse and from the aching taking place in myself, I felt ready to fall myself. But that was from the horror of what happened and the shock that pressed against me. Luke was physically hurt - and that demanded action.

My heart was in my throat this whole time. I was still paranoid unconsciously of more coming, jumping out of the bushes at us. But at seeing Luke... well, fuck that and the rest of the world. Fuck it all. He was all that mattered. My feet knew that too with my sudden need to be by him, moving through the snow as fast as I could to get to him. No noise in the air... nothing but his breathing and my rushing through the snow towards him as he just stood there and watched me. In hurt, relief, desire, and most of all shock. He was shocked.

"Luke," I felt reach my lips. I moved closer.. closer until I was there. That's all I could think, that I was here, he was here and we were alive. When I got to him, I didn't pause in throwing my arm around his slumped body and helping him support himself as he stood there. Wrapping an arm around his back, I felt my other go around his front and rest against his chest. "Oh my god," my voice cracked as I looked up to his face from the side. I heard more noise beside us in the air and I glanced over to where Ramper stood off in the trees as he slowly began coming towards us, shotgun now resting at his side. Looking back to Luke, I saw that his eyes rested blankly in the snow before meeting mine. His breath fast in my face, I saw his lips purse and the relief enter his eyes at seeing me.

"Albany..." he sighed in a gasping breath, his arm holding onto me slightly as I saw his vision go for a spin. Holding him in place from where he began to sway, I was absolutely shocked by the next thing he said when his vision stabilized in mine and he cupped my cheek with his other hand. "Are you okay? How hurt are you?"

I just shook my head at him. "How hurt am I?" I asked, biting my lip as I felt a lump rise even more in my throat. How hurt was I he asked... god! Did he not feel that stab? Did he not see his body caked in blood? Did he not realize I was supporting him? Taking a shaky breath, I felt my arms move around him more and he rested his head against my shoulder just as I noticed his leg begin to shake uncontrollably.

His lips now almost against my neck, I felt him just whisper, in the most fragile voice I heard from him, "I'm sorry."

I felt my heart want to leave my body and could feel my vision begin to blur as tears threatened around my eyes. But before I let my thoughts go and run wild, before I lost it, Ramper got to us quickly. Swiftly moving at us, I saw he was shouting into his radio. But it wasn't exactly needed. Just as he got to us and wrapped his free hand around the other side of Luke to support him, we heard others. A rush of the cops, and when I glanced towards the parking lot through the trees, I heard them shouting and getting closer with the red and blue lights flashing.

"Get the files," I heard Luke whisper against me. And though I thought he was out of it, and he probably was, he remembered something that was completely wiped from my mind. Looking down to him against me, his eyes lifted and with strength, he said. "If you are hurt, don't. But if..." he groaned, struggling with his pain as I saw his eyebrows dip. "If you are able to, this is the only time to grab them," he got out urgently, as if his breath only demanded so much.