Orange Can Be Risky ~Book Three of the Color Series~

Chapter 7

Elizabeth's POV

"Eric I'm home." 

I called out as I walked through the door of the apartment tossing my keys on the counter. Eric had emerged from his room dressed in black jeans and a red button up, his hair was fixed in its usually messed up style. He smiled at me as he walked in to the living room area.

"Hey Liz. Did the diner send you home early?"

He asked as he turned the tv off.

"Yeah business was slow tonight so they sent me home a whole ten minutes early."

I said as I took my coat off, hanging it up by the door. I watched as he grabbed his keys off the table and grabbed his leather jacket.

"That's good."

He said as he walked past me to grab a water. With a sigh I looked at him and said.

"So your working another night shift."

He stopped right in front with a sad look.

"I have to Liz that's when they've scheduled me to work."

He sighed and pulled me into a hug.

"I know, I know."

I mumbled into his chest.

"I'll be back before you wake up."

He tightened his grip on me.

"You better be."

I said with a slight chuckle. He released me and kissed me on the forehead. He began walk towards the, he opened it but stopped to look back at me with a smile.

"I love you Liz."

"I love you too Eric."

And with that he was gone. With a sigh I locked the door behind him and walked into the bathroom to strip of my dirty yellow work dress and put on my fuzzy blue pajama pants and pink shirt. As I walked to my bed room I let my hair down.

I pushed open my bedroom door to see my widow open and Mikey standing beside it with his back turned to me. I quietly walked up to my bed and sat on the edge to see if he would notice me.

He didn't move not even an inch, but now that I was closer I could see that he had dirt all over him, and that he had scraps all over his arms. My eyes grew wide with worry and my voice showed every bit of it.

"Mikey?"

I said softly. He didn't respond he just stayed there staring out the window absentminded. I was becoming extremely worried to the point that I was ready to grab my T-phone that Mikey had given me to call his brothers. I took a big gulp and called out to him again.

"Mikey what's wrong?"

This time he turned around to look at me. I gasped at his face, seeing that it was covered with dirt and little cuts, but what frightened me the most was the fact that he had tears flowing in steady streams down his face. Before I could jump to my feet and rush to him, he buried his face in my lap and began to sob. I began to rub his head softly trying to sooth him.

"Mikey talk to me. What's wrong?"

I said gently pulling his head up to look him the eyes. I used my thumbs to wipe away some tears away. He sniffled a little bit and said.

"I'm such a screw up. I always screw up our missions and I always put my brothers in danger when I do. Like tonight Donnie was injured because of my screw up. My brothers would be better off with out me."

He began sobbing again on that last part but I was still able to understand. My heart began to break as his sobs grew louder, and I couldn't think of anything to say to him. But soon my mothers voice came into my head as I thought of what she used to sing to me when I was heart broken. So with a deep breath I began to sing.

"There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are
There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away"

His sobs began to fade but he kept his face in my lap. I played with his short little bandana tails as I continued to sing to him.

" And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you"

His head popped up and looked at me with a smile and tear stained cheeks.

"You sing beautifully."

He said. I smiled at him and creased his dirty cheek.

"Your brothers love you Mikey. Nothing you could do would make them love you any less. Don't forget that."

A sad smile crept onto his lips as he looked at me, placing his hand on mine that was still on his cheek.
"But I'm no hero." I leaned in an placed a small kiss on his forehead, pulling back I looked him directly in his eyes and said.

"Your my orange clad hero."

Song Title: Hero
Artist: Mariah Carey