Save Me

Chapter 8: BREATHE

*trigger warning*

James:

I walk her into my house, it was the one my mom left me after she died, chose never to leave to keep her memory. It was home.

I carried her to my room and immediately ran to my closet to grab my medical kit. I start working immediately. I injected a numbing agent onto her wound in her head and I stitched her up, assessed her cheek to see if the bone was broken. Thankfully it wasn't.

I assessed her nose, she definitely broke that. I inject some more numbing medicine into the area so I can set the bone but I know it wouldn't help the pain as much as morphine but I had to make do with what I had. I give her a sympathetic glance because this would hurt a lot and I set the bone. She jumps in pain and shrieks, I coax her through it and rub her arm, again, sending shivers down my spine from the contact.

She relaxes but the tears pour out,

"Ava, I need to check your ribs to make sure they're not broken. If they are, I have no choice and have to take you to the hospital."

She nods, still crying and lifts up her shirt.

I gasp, she had bruises everywhere along with some old scars. I start touching making sure that no bones were out of place, thankfully they weren't.

She had to breathe several times from the pain.

"C..can..I sh..shower?" I sighed, knowing if she did I would have to help her, nothing wrong with that besides crossing way more professional lines tonight.

"I...I don't know if that's a good idea Ava." I ran my hand through my hair and look down at her, her honey eyes were filled with plead, "p..please, I..I need to take his scent and touch off me..."

My jaw locks and my hands turn into fists so tight I can feel the circulation in my knuckles stop.

He touched her. MY angel.

Fuck, I take a deep breath and nod. I help her up to walk towards my bathroom that connected to my bed room. I carry her to sit on the bathroom counter, as I turn on the water and wait for it to get the right temperature.

My shower had no bath tub so it had a lot of room. I remodeled it as I did with most of the house for it to look more modern and it was spacious.

I walk towards Ava and look at her, "I'm going to help you take off your shirt, is that okay?" She hesitates a little and looks down. I grab her chin to look at me and give her a warm smile. "I promise I won't look. Just let me help you." She instantly calms down and nods.

I undress her and try my hardest not to look at her body. Despite her beautiful imperfections. Her body was perfect. She was perfect.

I swallow several times. She steps into the shower and I turn away, "I'm going to grab you towels and a change of clothes. I'll be back."

I walk out and close the door behind me, I lean towards it and take a deep breath.

Shit, this just got more complicated.

I grab the smallest t-shirt I could find, a pair of basketball shorts and a towel. I walk towards the door when I hear those similar painful cries I heard two weeks ago, I immediately open the door and drop the things to run towards her,

I feel my heart shatter as I see the most painful scene I have seen of her. She was sitting on the floor, knees to her chest with her face buried in her hands,

I feel every painful cry, gasp and need for relief, I feel every bit of it puncture my heart over and over again. I walk in fully clothed and wrap my arms around her. I hold her like I wanted to shelter her from the cruel card life has played her. I shield her from the daggers of sorrow trying to find more ways to hurt her. I shield her from hurting herself further.

She wraps her arms around my neck for dear life and continues to sob. I let my tears run freely now too, knowing the water will mask them.

"It...it.. hurts, it hurts so much James."

"What, what hurts Ava? Let me fix it."

"You can't fix it. Everything hurts, I can feel everything. I feel like I can't breathe! This pain is choking me I am suffocating James!"

"Breathe, Angel, Breathe. I promise you I will do everything I can to take it away or at least more bearable."

I knew she wasn't talking about the physical pain. My angel was suffering. My angel was left wounded and bleeding out today and God knows how many other times.

I let her cry, I let her her hold me like if she didn't she would have nothing. I felt the same as I held her.

She slowly stopped crying, only sniffling. But she never let go. I wouldn't let go either.

"I should leave after I'm done."

I stiffen, but she doesn't let go of me.

"Don't, stay with me"

She lets go and looks at me and stares down at my lips, then back up at my eyes.

"I can't be a burden to someone else James, I barely know you."

I try not to get angry at her saying burden, I swallow and keep her gaze.

"You are not a burden. You're not the only person who needs saving Ava."

"No James. You don't want me here."

I shake my head while I smile.

"You're right I don't want you here."

She looks at me wide eyed and her eyes mist.

I cradle her face between my hands and say,

"I need you here."

With that, I lean closer, and she closes the distance between us.

And we kiss.