When Our Paths Crossed (bxb) - Complete

I Love You

THERE WAS NOTHING I could do. I wanted to save Eli, my sister, my nephew. There had been a plan, but it clearly had gone awry when we came to the parkade. There were no drugs, no money, no car.

This was it.

We were going to die.

And then, seeing Eli standing before us, a fearless glint in his eyes, I knew at that moment he never believed he was getting out of this alive. All that guilt and burden his brother had left on his shoulders manifested into something either stupid or courageous. Or both.

And then it's like I'm watching a snapshot of each moment in slow motion.

The gunshot echoes through the parkade as the police cars speed toward us.

Eli tackles Jason pushing them both back onto the ground.

Jason's head hits the ground with a loud crack. He falls still.

Eli rolls off Jason, face twisted in pained surprise. He's clutching his stomach, blood seeping through his fingers. His blood. 

I crawl towards him, cursing my legs for not working. I need them to work! I need to run to him!

"Shit, Eli," I gasp, using every ounce of strength to reach him. I pull him into my arms, wincing when he cries out in pain. My hand curls around his shirt, and when I pull it away, it's stained red. There's so much blood. Too much blood...

"Eli," I whimper, "Eli, stay with me."

First Dan, and now Eli. I can't lose both. I can't lose the man I love.

"We did it," he whispers, closing his eyes. "It's over." 

"No, you need to stay awake," I snap, patting his cheek gently. "Keep talking to me. Tell me about your music program. You're going to get in next term, right?"

"I... don't know," he mutters, "I... I can't..."

"Eli..." My voice cracks as his eyes flutter. I lean down and kiss his lips. They're so dry and still. "Eli, stay with me. I-I love you, okay? You can't leave me now, you hear me? Not now that I've said, I love you."

Someone drops down beside me. Her blonde hair is dishevelled, and her eyes are frantic as they drop to Eli. Desiree says something, but I don't hear her. My focus is solely on Eli, who lies still in my arms. Dimly I'm aware of Jason being arrested, of a paramedic joining us, telling me they needed to take a look at Eli, but I don't move.

Someone rests a hand on my arm. Desiree smiles at me. Is she trying to be comforting? Her smile seems misplaced. "Atlas, they need to see Eli... He needs medical attention..."

I shake my head, my cheeks burning and wet from tears. "He can't die."

"He won't," she says softly. I think she's trying to reassure herself almost as much as she's trying to comfort me. "He'll be okay, but they need to see him."

Somehow she manages to pry me away from Eli, and as the paramedics swarm around him, Desiree helps me into my chair. Then she crouches down and wipes off the blood from my hands. My eyes never leave where Eli is being treated.

A few feet away, Jason is shoved into the backseat of a cop car. When he catches me staring, his smirk is dangerous. He mouths something, and although I can't quite make out everything he says, the threat is still very apparent. He's going to jail for a long time, but will we ever be safe again? I look away with a shiver.

"Where were you?" I ask as Desi busies herself cleaning me up.

"Rin got spooked and left. Said she couldn't go to jail if they realized she was running her operation," she sighs. "I called the police like I was supposed to, but they told me the plan had changed. They didn't want anyone else in danger, so they told me to stay away. I guess the change in plans misjudged the timing of everything." She sighs again and sits back on her heels. "I'm sorry, A, I should have been here."

"It's fine," I mutter absently, watching as they lift Eli onto a stretcher. He's so still, so pale. I feel the doubt that he's alive solidify like a hard rock in my stomach. "I need to see him."

Desi shook her head. "Right now, we need to get you back into the hospital as well. You need some rest, and your sister wants to see you. They've arrested Selena, too, by the way." She places a hand on my cheek. "You and Eli are crazy motherfuckers, but you saved a lot of people today. And you helped get an evil guy off the streets. You're a hero, A."

I roll my eyes. "I'm not a hero. I was a fucking hostage. Eli's the real hero..."

She smiles at me then stands. "Well, then, you need to rest up to give him a proper hero's welcome, am I right?"

Eli's wheeled past us, and I want to reach out to take his hand. I don't move. Instead, I watch as they rush him into the hospital and a sort of peace washes over me. He'll be okay. I have to believe that. And we're past the hard part. Now we don't have to live in fear of Jason coming for us. Eli can focus on his schoolwork and get into the Music Program, and I can focus on myself. Maybe work a little harder at staying clean and going to physical therapy and my other therapy.

My sister's running towards us, her face blotchy and shining with tears as she throws herself into my arms. "Oh, thank god. I am never going to let you out of my sight again."

I hide my groan of protest by burying my face into the crook of her shoulder. She's going to be a hundred times worse than usual. But knowing that Sam and June are okay makes me feel a little better.

"I'm sorry," I mutter, "I promise I won't ever cause trouble for you again, June."

"I know, A, I know," she says back, smoothing down my hair. "Let's get you to bed. The police can come to your room for questioning, and I'll go find out what's going on with Eli, okay?"

I nod and glance up at Desiree. She looks like she's imposing on a private moment. When her eyes meet mine, she gives a tentative smile.

"Thank you, Desi--for everything."

"What are friends for?" she shoots back with a nervous laugh. "But, seriously, if you ever ask me to get caught up in this illegal shit again, count me out."

"Deal."

Desiree leaves us to speak to the police, and June sets Sam in my lap to push me upstairs. Holding my nephew creates a thousand bursts of new emotions, and I all but squeeze the stuffing out of him. In his case, Sam is just thrilled to be with me. He babbles incoherently the whole way up to my room.

Once there, I slump back onto my pillow, a flurry of worry, uncertainty and exhaustion swirling in my mind. June keeps her promise and leaves me to check on Eli's status.

I stare up at the ceiling in the quiet hospital room and can't believe that it's finally over. Jason is locked up, Selena is too, and Eli... well, I can only pray to any deity out there who's listening to ensure that he'll be okay.

Another short chapter, but here you go! Things are starting to come to a close, but there are a few things Eli and Atlas have yet to sort out! Stay tuned tomorrow for another chapter ❤