Aphrodite (RDJ / Scar Jo)

We are not safe in here

Third Person’s POV

Belle wrapped her hands around her own body, as she sat on the corner of the couch. She has been there for hours, waiting for news about Robert.

She has been there for hours, shocked and still digesting what Gordon, and also Tom, told her about Robert’s past. She could not blame Robert for not telling her, she knew him too well already. She knew he would never talk much about himself and his feelings. It had gotten her quite surprised when he opened up to her about Ash and his baby daughter, the last time. Of course, he had never told her much more.

Belle knew he had become an alcoholic, but she never knew  about the conditions  he lived in for months, nor about the suicide attempts.

“For months he locked himself up in the ruins, where the accident that took his family happened” Gordon said “He blamed himself for not noticing the fire starting. He blamed himself for their deaths. And worse, he blamed himself for surviving”

Belle gulped, she remembered quite well the first time she saw him. With long hair and beard, drunk and in need of a bath.

“He wanted to die.” Tom had said, not moving from his spot and still hiding his face.

“Belle…” Claire sat next to her, with a tray of food “Well, you know I never learned how to cook, but… with Robert these past few weeks, I learned how to make a small snack…” she half smiled “You should eat something”

“D-Did you know?” Belle’s eyes found Claire’s

“About Robert?” she looked down “Tom mentioned…”

Quickly wiping her tear, she asked “He stood in front of me. That shot was supposed to hit me…” She gulped “Do you think…?”

Claire interrupted me “I think he has been way too determined to help all the ladies. To help you!” She held Belle’s hand “He kept talking about you and about plans to take you out of there. I doubt he would want to give up now.”

“Maybe he just wanted to work so bad in all these plans to forget everything he was feeling.”

“Belle” Claire smiled “Even if he did, that meant he was not planning on taking his own life again. Otherwise he would have not left that house in ruins. Otherwise he would have not quit drinking! Right?”

Belle looked down “I just hope you’re right…”

“Eat something, c’mon…”

“No sign of any ladies that could have possibly escaped.” Gordon returned out of nowhere, with the phone in his hand

“But… all the doors were suddenly opened…” Belle whispered

“I guess they caught them again. They had backup, we are still trying to find who these new guys are. And from where”

Claire frowned “I never heard anything of anyone, besides Fritz, Roy and the security men who worked in there… and then of course, Renner, the boss of everything”

“I need to know what Robert has to say…”  

Belle’s eyes widened “You are not forcing him to do anything, anytime soon!”

Gordon looked at her, surprised. Yet, a warming smile appeared on his lips “Robert will have his rest and recover from this…”

“How do you…” Claire started, but was interrupted when the bedroom door opened and the medical team walked out

“How is he?!” Belle quickly stood up

“He’ll be just fine” The doctor said “We removed the bullet and drained the blood. He was developing a hemothorax after that shot. He’s stable now, a few weeks and he’ll be ready for another” he smiled

Belle’s eyes widened and she was ready to yell at the doctor for his words, but Gordon laughed and approached her “Worry not, my lady. We are all in a lighter mood, now we know he will be ok. Just that”

She frowned, she did not find the situation funny at all. She just stormed away and went to Robert’s room.

“Stop, men” Claire whispered “She is a whirlwind…”

“We need to leave this place.” Gordon said “Go to our base. Here is not safe now they know about us”

“What?!” Tom, who was almost invisible all the time, snapped “We cannot leave! What about my sister?!” he yelled “She is still out there with those men!”

“We will be back, Tom” Gordon approached him “We just need to leave for protection right now”

“NO!”

“You should come with us…” Claire whispered “Your brothers are safe but you might have been seen around and… you should come”

“STAY, please!” Tom begged “I need to find her… I always promised her…”

“Tom…” Claire approached him “I know Zoe. And I assure you she grew so much stronger in that place”

His blue eyes stared at her, as she continued “She will stay strong while they regroup and plan everything again.”

“Kid” Gordon approached “Sometimes you have to give a step back to be able to step forward again.”

*In Robert’s room*

Belle sat softly on the bed, next to a sleeping Robert. He had a bandage over his wound and an oxygen mask on his face.

She held his hand, nervous and relieved at the same time. He would be ok, she knew that now.

He was the only person in the world that she trusted. And she could not stand to even think he does not want to live.

She hoped he really was not having such ideas anymore. She hoped he was, indeed, going through everything that happened to his family.

Belle could only imagine how he felt. She knew how it was to be separated from her child, so she could only imagine how it was to watch your child dying.

Wiping her tears away, she kissed his cheek.

“Whatever is going on in your mind… just know that I am not letting you give up.”

“Belle, isn’t it?”

She turned her attention to the door to see Gordon standing there

“What’s wrong?”

“We need to move, this place is dangerous.”

She frowned

“A war as basically started now, Belle” he exclaimed “We do not want to underestimate these men. We should go and make sure we are safe before something worse happens”

“But… Robert…”

“We’ll carry him, do not worry” he smiled “Your family will be waiting for you when we get to our destination”

She gulped, looking back at Robert.

Exactly as he promised her.

She was going to see her family again.

Hello!

What do you think?

Please comment and vote!

A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Scar Jo!

And, btw, to Mark Ruffalo as well!

(I never knew both shared birthdays :P )

Love,

Carly*