Safer This Way

Chapter 24

I'm thinking I should just re-title every chapter now to "sorry, I know this is late" since that happens so often these days, oh well :) I hope you're all hanging in there still and I can't thank you enough for the reads and votes, but especially the comments! Where do you guys come up with some of this stuff? Anywho, the boys will be trickling into the hospital for the next few chapters so that should be oodles of fun, and curse words...Happy reading!

Oh and I finally have enough ideas for a book of one-shots, would you read it if I wrote it? I'm thinking min-stories explaining some things about the guys, i.e. Owen's suits, Luke's pancake love, things like that. Let me know what you think :)

*Owen*

"–mostly in climates where survival is uncertain, it's often brothers of two or three that decide to share a relationship because they are unable to support three separate wome–"

Kota's nervous lecture on polyandry is cut off by the sharp blaring of Sean's ringtone from my cell phone.

I try to ignore his curious, worried glances as I pull the device from my pant's pocket and answer the call, half-worried and half-irritated with the interruption. I sincerely hope he isn't calling to tell me the hospital has pie today like he did last week.

"Sean–"

"Get your asses to the hospital right now."

"What do you mean get to the hospital? Sean you can't just–" The absolute silence on the other end of the line cuts me off and an uncharacteristic wave of anger slams me in the chest.

Doesn't he know how worried we all are right now? That everyone last one of us is on a hair trigger waiting for something like this to set us off?

"Owen?"

I snap my head towards Kota, who looks even more worried that he was moments ago and I sigh.

"Sean has summoned us to the hospital," I tell him as calmly as I can, which is a far cry from my normal blank expressiveness.

"What? Is he okay? Why would he call us there? Especially now?"

I nod in agreement, since I would like to know those answers as well, but for now I don't have them. "I don't know."

"But you always know," Kota sounds confused, and I admit that it makes me more than a little uncomfortable that I don't know everything about the situation.

"I don't know anything other than to meet him at the hospital...because he hung up on me," I reluctantly explain, and now he looks amused for a moment before the worry takes back over.

"Then let's get going, I'll call the others on the way."

I nod again, and we do just that. I listen to each conversation Kota has, waiting for an estimated arrival for our brothers.

He blows out a harsh breath after hanging up with Silas, so I know I may not like what I hear.

"Okay, good news is Victor and Nathan are on their way," he pauses and goes quiet.

"And the bad news?" I prompt him and he sighs again.

"Bad news is, North has apparently lost control of his temper and is ripping cars apart at home, Silas is worried to leave so they might be awhile. Gabriel is in panic mode because they can't find Shaw, so Luke is watching over him to make sure he doesn't do anything too drastic. I don't know when they'll be able to get there."

I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying in vain to stave off the dull throbbing of what promises to be a stress headache of epic proportions. "Then I suppose it's just you and me for now, at least until Victor and Nathan arrive."