Like Lovers and Partners in Crime

12 - Start of Something New

When we leave the hospital, my mind is still in shambles. If I could resurrect Michael from the dead and kill him again in a much more painful, sadistic way, I would. I would do it in a heartbeat. He deserved to pay much more severely for what he did to my Heather. The poor thing won't trust anymore men, that's for damn sure.

I sigh to myself and watch my feet as we walk. The coolness of the concrete against my bare feet feels nice and actually offers me some form of comfort with every step I take. My stilettos swing gently back and forth as I hold onto them tightly in my right hand. My thoughts eat away at me, but if I want to keep this job, I can't afford to lose my cool again.

When we reach the car, 47 walks around to the passenger side and opens the door for me. I give him a weak smile and climb in, tucking the skirt of the dress from the masquerade ball - that I hadn't bothered to take off, with everything that's happened - underneath me before he shuts the door. My eyes fixate themselves on the dark, leather dashboard as he climbs into the driver's seat.

It's dead silent in the car when he starts it up and we begin driving down the road. My brain won't stop making me relive the nightmare - not only what almost happened to me back in London, but what happened while poor Heather was trapped there for the past six, six-and-a-half years. I can't even close my eyes without very vivid images flashing through my mind. I already know for a fact that I'm not going to be getting any sleep for awhile.

Moments of more silence pass until we finally pull back up to the Agency. Security doesn't even need to check anything with 47, they just let him drive through. He finds a decent parking space, and opens his door to step out after he parks and shuts off the car. I stare off into the distance with blank eyes void of all emotion. I want to move, but every single muscle in my body is stiff.

I'm only snapped back into reality when 47 puts a hand on my shoulder once more. After what happened all around, I should be utterly repulsed by men, but he gives me a small sense of comfort - for God knows what reason.

"Are you going to be okay?" He asks me, his voice soft. I don't get why he cares so much.

"Yeah," I try to play it tough, but deep down, I just want to break, "I'll be fine." My mouth becomes salty after that lie leaves my lips.

He doesn't seem to buy it. "You don't sound confident in those words." He says, his hand giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"I'll be fine." I manage to say after forcing my bottom lip to stop quivering. "I promise." When I look down at the dress I'm still in, I let out a gentle giggle, which must have caught him off guard. "I should've had you drop me off at home so I could change real quick." I say, ruffling the creases of the dress with my fingers.

A glint of some kind of emotion passes over his eyes, but I can't tell what. "I'll take you there before we're sent off again." He tells me as his eyes lock with mine.

When a blush forms itself visibly across my cheeks, I have to force myself to look away. When I do so, I can swear I heard him chuckle. It's a little unnerving - that is, if I actually heard it correctly.

I push open the door and swing my legs over the side, sliding my stilettos back on my bare feet before stepping out of the car and onto the pavement. My legs aren't as wobbly anymore as they were earlier, so now I can walk in the heels without having to worry about falling over again.

The warm summer breeze feels nice against my skin, soothing every ache in my body. I sigh and shut the door behind me, then I walk around the car to where 47 is on the other side.

"Let's go." I say, and give him a smile. It doesn't surprise me in the slightest when he doesn't return it.

We walk into the building after showing our ID's and then head straight for the elevator. I know that Diana's office is only on the second floor, but I still feel weak, and I don't want to risk injuring myself by walking up the steps. On top of that, I haven't had any sleep since we got back into the States from London. The nightmares have returned tenfold.