I Don't Wanna Live Forever

Ch 8

    At some point between the doctors coming in and fussing over me and interrogating me, I find a moment where I can get some sleep. Unfortunately, I don’t hit deep sleep so I hear the door opening and closing. Grace’s voice and a male’s exchange a few words. The owner of the voice heads towards my hospital bed. Thinking nothing of it, I fall deeper into sleep. My breathing levels out and I find myself relaxing. I thought I slept pretty good last night but I guess not. Or I was that worn down from the hunt and all the emotions about Mick.

    Mick. Oh, crap, he was going to kill me when he finds out I’m hurt. The peace is disrupted by a sudden surge of anxiety. Would he even be able to get here? Or would Hess be breathing down his neck? Or would she send one of her lapdogs to go with him? Or would he not even bother to come, figuring I’d dug my own grave. My eyes snap open and I sit up.

    “Grace, did you tell Mick yet?” I blurt out, my chest heaving.

    “Love, I’m right here.” Mick gently places his hand over mine.

    A wince leaves my lips as the pain of sitting up surges through my side. “Oh..” I turn to look at him shyly.

    “How are you feeling?” his thumb rubs small circles into the back of my hand.

    “Sore...but I’ve had worse.” I smile slightly as I look at him.

    “I came as fast as I could.”

    “Thank you.” I lean my head towards him as I sink back down to where I’m half laying down, and half sitting up.

    He presses his lips to mine. “Grace said you handled it pretty well...you knew what to do about the blood loss.”

    I shrug as I kiss him back. “Oh, yeah...um…” I knew this would come up eventually but I had hoped to buy myself some more time before I’d open up about it.

    “If you’d rather not share, I get it.” Mick softly tucks some hair behind my ear.

    I nod and look away.

“Mind if I take a look?”

“Not at all.” I shift slightly so Mick can see the gashes on my side. Given, they had been stitched up, but they still looked pretty gnarly.

Mick’s fingers gently grace over the wound. “Jesus Christ, Brie.” He looks up at Grace. “And you’re unharmed?”

“Minor scrape on my shoulder where it got me. Brie took the brunt of the attack. As soon as it hurt me...she went on attack mode.”

He looks at me. “Is this true?”

I nod. “It is. Why? Am I in trouble?”

Mick laughs softly and shakes his head. “No, Love, you’re the farthest thing from in trouble. You...you just proved me right.” he sounds proud.

“What? How so?”

“Loyal, strong, you were selfless. You’re a hunter, Love.” Mick beams and looks at me lovingly. “Do you know what I’ve heard for the past few days from various people? Other Men of Letters? I’ve heard you won’t last a week. It was a lucky throw. You’d gotten lucky. You’d never make it. She’d die on her first case without Davies.” he sounds a little hurt and I smile shyly at him. He looks over at me and smiles back before he continues. “And I defended you. I said you belonged here as much as they did, if not more so. I was right about you.”

His words make me get a little teared up. I wipe at the tears that escape and look at Mick with adoration in my eyes. “Thank you for believing in me when no one else has.” I whisper.

“Hey, I believed in you too!” Grace pretends to sound hurt and I look at her with a grin.

“You supported me. Thank you for that.”

She smiles as she walks over and hugs me. “You’re welcome, sweetie. Now if you excuse me, I have a report to write.” she grabs her things.

“Drive safe.” Mick calls as she leaves.

“Don’t I always?” Grace teases.

“Well, not when Ketch is next to you and his hand’s on your knee.” I tease.

Grace’s cheeks heat up and she flips us off before she leaves.

I look over at my boyfriend who’s giving me a goofy little grin. “I love you.” I whisper.

“I love you too.”

A few days after I get out of the hospital, I do a livestream. “Hi y’all. It’s Brie. I’m alive. I know, I’ve been radio silent for a little while, I’ve just had a lot going on in my life right now. I lost someone very dear to me...and I’ve made a few new friends. I have a new job which doesn’t allow me a lot of down time. It definitely keeps me busy.” I smile softly as I move some hair out of my face.

Dorky grin..did Brie find a guy? I read. My cheeks flush. “She found two. One of which she adores and the other is her best friend’s.”

Is he cute? The guy you adore? I laugh,”You’re asking a biased person. I think he’s adorable.”

Can we see him? I laugh again, "He’s working right now, so no…”

What are your thoughts about him?  “Where do I start? He’s a total sweetheart, I love him to death, he’s so so good to me, an old fashioned gentleman. He’s smart as hell, and all I need.” I smile shyly and sweetly.

Can we at least get a name? I shake my head. “No. Not yet.” I laugh. “Not until he says I can.”

How did you two meet? I sigh softly. “I..um..someone broke into my apartment and he kinda saved me.” I lie.

Is there anything you can tell us? I hum in thought. “Can or will?” I tease. “I think when the time’s right, I’ll introduce him to y’all. But in the meantime, I’ve got to keep you guessing.”

I hear footsteps approaching and beam when I see Mick in the doorway.

Mick holds up a manilla folder and mouths. “We need to talk.”

I frown slightly and look back at the screen. “Well, guys, duty calls, sorry to cut this short. I love y’all!” I end the livestream and close my laptop.

“So, you know that friend of yours?” Mick cautiously starts.

“The lost one? Mick, I know, she’s dead.” I huff.

“No, Brie, she’s not.” he sets the file down in my lap.

I open it and let out a strangled cry when I open it to find a picture of my friend with solid black eyes. “She’s possessed.”

“And by the looks of it, always has been.” he gently says. “I’m sorry Brie. I can handle this if you want.”

“That would explain how she was treating me before…” I look down and take a deep breath. “I want to go with you.”

“Love, I’d love it, but you can’t. I don’t think you’d be able to kill her if it came need to do so.”

I nod defeatedly. “Okay. Fine. How long will you be gone?”

“A week tops.” Mick informs me.

I nod again. “I love you and be careful.”

Mick kisses the top of my head as he holds me close. “I love you too. Skype me if you get lonely, okay?”

I giggle. “Yes, sir.”