All is Found

34

Thea slept for most of the day. She really woke up around dinner time and came downstairs while Nikki and I were eating pizza. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt her hand on my shoulder.

            "Did you save me any?" Thea asked and came around the couch to sit next to me. Nikki flipped open the box lid to reveal the remaining slices and Thea smiled.

            "What do you want to drink?" I asked and stood from the couch to get whatever she needed.

            "A beer would be wonderful right now." Thea said and dived into the piece of pizza. Though I don't think it's best idea for Thea to be drinking right now, I came back to the couch with three beers to replace the ones Nikki and I already emptied.

            Nikki turned on the TV on and she settled on watching Pitch Perfect. As the movie continued on I was so tense to find out what happened with Thea that my nerves felt fried. I squeezed my bottle so tight in my hand that I'm surprised it didn't shatter. After Nikki finished her beer she stood from the couch and cleared up the coffee table.

            "I'm going to head up for the night, if you need anything let me know. I'm glad you're okay Thea." Nikki said when she re-entered the living room. As she walked towards the stairs she bent down and kissed Thea's head and made her way upstairs.

            "You want to talk about what happened?" I asked after I heard Nikki shut her door.

            "Not really but I know you won't be able to sleep until you know." Thea said and looked at me.

            "Guilty." I said and looked down at my nails.

            "Can you get me another beer and I'll talk about it?" Thea asked quietly.

            I almost sprang off the couch at her request. When I sat back down on the couch with the fresh beers I took Thea in and sighed. From where I'm sitting on the couch it looks like nothing is wrong. But once Thea turned her head to face me I could see the dark blue and purple bruise on her temple.

            "We cleared the house and recovered the people we had warrants for a long with so much drugs I'm surprised I didn't catch a second hand high from just walking through the building. The perp I detained struggled against me when I placed him in handcuffs. They weren't tight enough and he slipped out of the cuffs.

            "Once we got outside he pushed me so hard I went flying. I wasn't expecting it so I couldn't brace my fall which led to some of the scrapes. I got my bearings quickly and got up to chase after him. I tried to tackle him but missed his shoulders and caught his waistband. It didn't take him down. He turned and punched me hard in the head but I dropped his waistband and grabbed onto his calf. After he punched me he dragged me along the ground which caused the rest of the scrapes up my arm as it got caught under me.

            "I don't know how but I caught a second wind grabbed his belt again and managed to pull him down. I got in a good punch and then so did he. Somewhere during it all I must had radioed for backup because the next thing I knew three of the gang unit guys showed up and detained him. The rest of it was kind of a blur when more guys showed up. Someone ripped my vest off and carried me into the waiting ambulance. I really don't know how I'm not concussed if I'm being honest." Thea said.

            I let her story sit for a minute and felt the tension leave my body. I drank a majority of my beer and put the bottle down on the coffee table before moving closer to her. I rubbed her cheek before moving my hand to the back of her neck and pulled at the baby hairs there. Our faces got closer and closer and I leaned in and gave her a kiss. I wanted her to know that I'm happy she is okay and I'm hoping this kiss will show that.