Nocturne

36. Ready

A simultaneous alarm went off across the entirety of First Circle at eight o'clock the next morning, rousing everyone from their slumber and pulling me out of the depths of a dream. Nolan's arms tightened around my waist from behind me and suddenly this was all too familiar, the looming danger, the dread and the fear. We'd be rushing back into the depths of a battle today and I felt my stomach twist into a nervous knot. This was it.

"Just a few more minutes..." Nolan muttered, his breath warm against the back of my neck. I shuddered and reached down, gripping his hands tightly in my shaking fingers. I was terrified.

"Come on," I said aloud, unsure of who I was really talking to, but I wrenched myself out of his grasp and touched down on the cold floor as it was contaminated by the early morning air. A deep, shuddering breath escaped my chest as I stepped into a pair of camo printed jeans and pulled a black crop top on over my shoulders. The same combat boots I'd had for years now were sitting on the floor beside Nolan's and I laced them up tightly, slipping knives into the sides and arming myself for the onslaught.

Nolan roused himself eventually, his hair stuck up at odd angles and his good eye dulled with sleep. I sat down on the bed beside him and laced my fingers through his, feeling the pulsing of his heart in his fingertips. He leaned his head atop mine as his shoulders drooped, his level of motivation to head back into the heart of battle about the same as mine.

"Remember," I said quietly, "we're going to get a house on the coast and adopt Lily when we're done with all of this."

"I'm holding you to that," he whispered, reaching up and cradling my head in his hand as he kissed my forehead.

I got up and left him to change, walking out into the hall to find it already bustling with activity. Marshall marched right past me, his head held high as if he hadn't been hiding a raging hangover from his drinking binge the night before. I smiled at him and he paused, reaching out a hand for me to take before he pulled me against him in a bear hug. Cigarettes and booze, the same man who'd drunkenly taken me into his home was here before me now, albeit a little more gruff and with just a pinch more gray in his stubble than before. A giggle reached my ears and I pulled back just in time to see Lily there, staring at me with those fathomless eyes she had. A smile split my lips and I leaned down just enough to scoop her up into a hug.

"Are you ready to go see Osiris again?" I asked her, watching her nod in glee.

"I know you're going to save her," Lily stated matter-of-factly, "you always do."

"I always try my best."

"Meet you at the truck up top!"

Lily waved back at us before she trotted off down the hall again, a gun hanging off of her back and her signature raincoat hiding the array of knives she held within the folds of the fabric. I followed after her and found everyone practically lining up to gather whatever items they'd need; I grabbed a bulletproof vest and knee pads, allowing Nani to come by and tie my hair back into a thick braid down my spine. The less mess, the easier it'd be to move.

My next stop was the training room where they were handing weapons out to whoever wanted one. Guns were being taken left and right as I reached for a large dagger, slipping it into a sheath before reaching for a handgun. I was as heavily armed as ever, my items a little more weighty than they had been to me in the past. Something bounced against my chest and i found the crystal hanging there, reflecting my face back to me in the glistening facets. I took a deep breath and wrapped it around the base of the braid, tucking the crystal away for safe keeping.

Once I'd finished my own preparations I finally marched up the steps of the hideaway and out onto the street, finding numerous trucks lining both ends of the alley; we'd be traveling with our groups, which meant that our little truck would be parked on the perimeter until the fight finally started. Meanwhile I took to helping others, hoisting boxes full of first aid supplies and ammunition into the beds and getting everyone situated with the rest of their team. Kaage was talking to Josephine and Murmur, passing chatter and playful banter between them as I joined the ensemble. Murmur smiled at me and Josephine did the same, with Kaage reaching over and placing a hand on my shoulder. I was so grateful for each and every one of them.