Our Saving Grace

I Could Get Used to This - Sang

I will be the first to admit that I wasn't in the greatest of moods for the last four days. After a long talk first with Axel and then the rest of my brothers, I fully understood why there were leaving but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. The Toma team had always been there for me, but I have always been separate from them. Even though I am a fully graduated Academy member, just like all of them, they are too damn protective to ever let me really work any jobs with them. Yes, I did some translation work when they needed it and have been administering more and more first aid - one big reason why I was going to become a doctor - but they usually never allowed me to take an active part. 

Getting shot in the chest one of the first times that I tagged along probably hadn't helped my cause. 

So not only was I the little sister that was too precious to risk during a mission, I was also completely unable to go with them because of said bullet wound. I hated to admit it, but I would just slow them down and be one more thing they would have to worry about if I insisted on going to Mississippi with them.  

I would stay here, and do my best to keep busy. Just like I always did. 

The fact that I had completely embarrassed myself in front of the entire Blackbourne team by having a panic attack and cowering under a bed was just icing on my bad mood cake. How in the world was I ever going to get anyone in the Academy to take me seriously when I got triggered so easily? And that didn't even bring into consideration that they not only knew, but had been the ones to discover that Adam was cheating on me. Not that any of them said anything directly to me, but over the last few days I have seen the looks of pity worry that they tried to hide. 

This along with knowing that my own family had spent a favor to make the Blackbourne team 'watch over me' like if I was a child or an unwanted chore, had me in a foul mood. And when I was grumpy, I tended to retreat within myself and give the whole world the silent treatment. I don't do this maliciously, it's just a habit that was literally beaten into me as a child. So no matter how many slices of apple pie Sean brought to my room or how many different outfits Gabriel ordered for me online, I remained distant from my new friends. 

Surprisingly, it was Nathan that finally got me out of my funk. I was due to be released tomorrow morning and I was working on studying for my advanced anatomy final when he strode in the room, all confidence and swagger, and told me that he was taking me out of this gloomy ass hospital. It took two seconds for his words to register through the fog that I had allowed to build around me, but once they had it was like he had said the magic words. I desperately needed to get out. And while Nathan wasn't my favorite person on the Blackbourne team, he was better than keeping my own miserable company for any longer. 

I didn't even ask him where we were going. All that I cared about is that we were leaving this hospital. I quickly, or as quickly as I was able with my still sore chest, swapped out my pajama bottoms for a pair of blue jeans and put on one of the many button up shirts Gabe had thoughtfully gotten for me. I really did owe that man an apology. He was trying so hard to be nice and connect with me and I had blocked him out for days. 

With that thought in mind I sent Gabe a quick thank-you text before stepping out of the bathroom and following Nathan out to his car. We walked up to a sleek, vibrant blue sports car and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Of course Mr. Ladies man drove a penis car. I had to hide a twinge of pain as I contorted my body into the front seat, but once I finally got into the damn car I was in soft leather heaven. This might just be the most comfortable seat I have ever sat in. Period. 

I allowed my eyes to dart around the luxury interior of the car for a moment before I settled into the seat. I didn't know the first thing about cars, but it was clear that Nathan took pride in his. We were about ten minutes into the drive to where ever we were going when Nathan finally broke what I had thought was a peaceful silence.