I Don't Wanna Live Forever

Ch 15

"So let me get this straight... you used to fight?" Arthur quirks a brow.
I nod slowly. "I did. I needed some extra money in high school."
"So you fought?"
"Yes. Don't judge. My....guardians had recently passed." I huff in annoyance.
"I'm not judging. I'm... amused." He looks at me. "I didn't peg you as the fighting type. I mean, there are worse things you could've done, but at least you're resourceful." He shrugs.
I roll my eyes at his backhanded compliment. A comfortable silence falls over us. We were each other's company as we wait for Grace and Mick.
I hadn't seen Mick in person since we had gone our separate ways on the hunt. My fingers gingerly touch my newly acquired bite.
"Brianna, touching it will just make it worse." My brother chides.
"Sorry... it's a nervous thing." I mumble.
He raises a brow. "I make you nervous?"
"No. I mean you used to, but that was just because I really wanted to impress you. But no it's not you. It's just knowing that Hess isn't going to be happy with Mick."
Arthur's eyes soften. "He's going to be okay, Brie. It's all going to be okay."
"What if it's not? One of your own got killed and it's on Mick's head since he let Eileen go!" I hiss.
"He let her go?" Arthur whispers.
I nod.
"This isn't good. Would you mind telling Mick that something came up?" He suddenly gets up from his seat.
"I,uh, sure."
He kisses the top of my head in a brotherly manner before dashing out of the room.
As soon as he slips out, the door at the other end opens.
Mick walks in and I stand to embrace him. His eyes flash with warning as I'm a few steps away from him.
Hess smiles coldly as she joins us in the room. "Good afternoon, Ms. Ketch."
I nod respectfully. "Likewise, Dr. Hess."
"Sit down both of you, please." She keeps her cold smile as Mick and I take seats that are on opposite sides of the table.
"I trust that you were both successful in your cases?" She eyes us as if we were prizes to be won.
"Yes, ma'am. The gorgon that was terrorizing the..." I hesitate. "It's been handled."
She nods once at me, not noticing my injury.  "And you, Michael?"
Mick flinches slightly at the use of his full name. "Kelly and the demon got away. Rawlings was shot deaf by Eileen Leighey." He whispers.
"And did you handle it?" Hess' tone is cold and level.
"I couldn't."
Her brow shoots up as the words leave his lips. "I beg your pardon?"
"I couldn't handle it. Not the way the Code demands us to. The Winchesters were too protective of her. It was either follow the Code or lose any chance that we have for an alliance with the Amer-"
"The Code always comes first, you know that. You of all people should understand that. By not following the Code you're setting an awful example for Ms. Ketch. As far as the Americans are concerned, there's no hope. They are to be exterminated."
Mick looks at his headmistress with wide eyes. "What? But I thought you said that you wanted to work with them?!"
"The plan has changed. Eileen will be the first one to be handled." She walks out of the briefing room without another word.

Wincing as Mick cleans out the bite, I mull over everything that Hess had said.
"Sorry, Love." He murmurs as he sees me wince. Gently, he bandages the bite and wraps his arm around my waist. He rests his head on his shoulder.
I rub his arm soothingly. "You did the right thing."
He snorts. "Did I really? I think I've gotten us in danger. I should have killed Eileen. I shouldn't have let them convince me otherwise."
"Mick, the Code is some shit rule that exists to give some people control." I look at him. "It's black and white with no grey. What happened today was in the grey area."
Mick looks up at me as he sits up. "But I've let you down."
I shake my head and cup his cheek. "No you haven't. You've made me so proud." I smile softly at him.
"I've doomed you." He whimpers. "We need to get out of here. We need to leave this life, Brie. It's not going to end well if we don't."
I touch my forehead to his. "We can't... they'll find us, Mick."
He closes his eyes and holds me close to him. "Well... then I guess we have to find a way to defy the odds then don't we?"