Betrayal - Book 3 of Guardians Saga - EDITED

CH 13.1 Forced Remembrance

The next evening, Alex cuddled with Gabe on her bed. "Sorry I'm such a drag. I feel so tired."

Gabe ran his thumb along her arm in a soothing gesture. "You have a good reason. Why don't you change into your pajamas and I'll assemble the cleaning materials?"

"Gabe, I can take care of myself. I'm a big girl now." She crossed her arms over her chest, but he gave her an unyielding stare.

"You can't reach the burn on your back, so hurry up." His voice was stern, but she could detect the worry beneath it.

"Yes, sir." She saluted and stood up from the mattress, hobbling off to the bathroom.

Gabe grabbed the various bottles on the dresser, his gaze settling on the one labelled "cleanser". He then tore open a packet of gauze and laid it out on the bed. Alex stepped out of her room wearing the manga nightshirt he had given her as a gift.

"Lie down and let me take care of that burn," Gabe commanded gently.

"Stop fussing," Alex sighed, yet complied with his request, lying face down and raising up the hem of her shirt.

Gabe carefully dabbed the cleanser-dampened gauze against the burn, applying just enough pressure so not to hurt her.

"Scrub harder, Gabe," she encouraged him. "Don't be so timid."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"It won't hurt if you put some muscle into it," she lied halfheartedly – while the edges did itch, the center of the burn still throbbed with pain.

***

Cale and Rile trudged up the back stairwell towards Alex's apartment. Cale turned to Rile, his voice insistent. "I don't think it's a good idea to use Alex's place as a snack stop. We aren't supposed to start the movies until much later, after we escort Dr. Dewey home from his night class."

Rile rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Oh please. I didn't see anyone with a gun to your head to come." His gaze was strong and disdainful, silencing his brother.

They moved through the apartment like shadows, pausing to listen for any sound. Cale nearly gasped when Alex and Gabe's voices reached them from the bedroom. He grabbed onto Rile's arm and tugged him back, but his brother shook off his grasp.

"Admit it: you are as curious as I am what's goes on between those two. Either shut up or leave. I'm looking." Rile shook off his brother's hand and crept to the bedroom door. He smirked when he saw that Cale followed.

The door was partly open, revealing Alex lying sprawled on her stomach on the bed. Gabe stood beside her, gently brushing the gauze in circles across her back. His touch was light and gentle, but the smell of antiseptic made Cale and Rile wince as they watched from the doorway.

Gabe finished wrapping the bandage tightly over the dragon-shaped burn and pulled down Alex's shirt. She groaned softly in reply before he covered her with a quilt up to her chin. Then Gabe whirled around and fixed his gaze on Cale and Rile, who were doing their best to melt into the wall.

"Well?" He asked, crossing his arms and sporting an expression that Rile had labeled 'mighty leader look'.

Cale stammered nervously, "We came over for a snack . . ."

"Time to patrol, Gabe," Rile, immune to Gabe's various glares, said with aplomb. "Alex, want to come along?" he yelled into the bedroom.

Alex, not daring to pretend sleep in front of Rile, muttered, "Uh, n-no...I don't feel up to it."