Grey Thorns

Chapter 40- Death

There was a table at the other end of this large room. Full of weapons. My goal was death. I went to take a step forward and someone tackled me to the ground. I rolled onto my side and tried to kick them off. It was Kurt and Chase. "No Max!" Chase cries and I thrash anyway. "You must live! There's a purpose for your life." She calls.

"Max!" A male calls and I turn around. Liam was holding a gun to his side. Chase and Kurt backed away as I stood up. He dropped the gun and used the back of his hand to my cheek. It knocked me to the ground and I tried crawling away. But he picked me up by my ankle and drug me back roughly. I kicked his shoulder and tried to scurry away. He was going to kill me. "Liam! Its me!" I cry and he doesn't stop. Once I grabbed his gun from the ground in reach I woke up.

Liam and Phillip were by the door. My breathing slowed down a lot once I realized Liam was sane. "I don't think her body will let her get that deep yet." Gabriel mutters.

"Perhaps some rest would strengthen her mind." Phillip says and Gabriel sends him an evil look. "She's completed her other fears.... so I guess." He sighs. "She's permitted two weeks." He says.

"Thank you." He says and Liam helps me off the bed. "Wait, where are we going?" I ask as he guides me to the door. "Home." He says simply.

I only stared at the ground. Liam touched my arm and after a second of fuzziness. His scent I've died for for months was stronger than ever in my nose. His house.

"I will leave you two. We can talk later." Phillip says with a weak smile and exits. We were in Liams room. Everything was the same as I remembered it as I glanced around. Liam only shortly looked up at me before walking out of the room as well. I was alone.

I sat on the edge of his bed and folded my arms. Everything was calm for a moment until I realized I didn't have to pretend to be invincible here. So I let the tears pour. But I didn't sob. Not a sound came out of me. Just the tears that stung against my cheek. I had my knees pulled to my chest by the time Liam returned. I hadn't moved and he didn't speak to me until it was time to go to bed. He lightly touched my arm. "Get in the bed, Max." He mumbles gently and folds the sheets back. I was still in my black training clothes.

"Are my clothes still here?" I ask.

"Of course." He whispers and I stiffly get up and walk to his closet. I stared at the clothes that had once belonged to me... the other me. They seemed childish to me now. I stared at them for a long moment in my hands. "What's wrong?" He asks. I could feel he was annoyed.

I only rub my thumb across the material before shaking my head and walking into the bathroom. I couldn't help but stare at the mirror. I hated my blond hair, my bright eyes, my scarred skin. I hated it all. My lips were fuller and my cheek bones were more smooth. For the first time I noticed the muscle tone around my arms. My mark on my stomach tattooed my entire rib cage and sprawled up around my back. It was a black ink, instead of the faded brown it used to be.

I pulled on the shirt and gasped at how tight it fit me in the chest. The shirt cut low on me. It never used to. The shorts were tight too but I pulled up the shirt the best I could and walked back out in the room. Liam had his phone in front of his face but I could see his eyes meet mine and then boldly gaze down. I tried to ignore it. "You mean you still don't mind me sleeping with you?" I ask quietly. He shakes his head so I get under the covers and stay as far to the other side of him as I could. Though all I wanted to do was have his arms around me and feel safe for the first time in months. But I wasn't granted that tonight. I haven't been this close to him. I could feel his warmth, smell his scent, and every movement drove me nuts. I was afraid to sleep in case of a night mare. But finally I closed my eyes.