"But I'm only human, and I bleed when I fall down
I'm only human, and I crash and I break down
Your words in my head, knives in my heart
You build me up and then I fall apart
'Cause I'm only human"
- Christina Perri, "Human"
Chapter Twenty
My lungs expelled every last molecule of air as I came to a flattened heap on the pavement. My arms were stiff as they cradled my panicked pup, my ears ringing too loud and my eyes squeezed tightly shut. Rolo pushed out of my arms immediately and yelped as he put distance between us.
I groaned. The ache that'd only recently dissipated from my last impromptu meeting with the ground had slammed back into my bones in an awful reunion. It greeted me with a force that knocked the wind out of my body.
Thundered footsteps pounded closer until I felt someone crash to their knees next to me. Gentle hands cradled my face, warm fingers softly tangling in my hair. They tenderly slid over my skull, protecting what was already injured.
The fingers soon returned to my cheeks. The rush of blood in my head was too loud and the shouts were too muffled above me. It was only as the ringing quieted that I recognized my name.
"Avery! Open those eyes for me, love. Come on, Avery!" The terse voice was strangled as it hovered above me. I groaned again as I wiggled my fingers and tried to move my legs. Pain shot up my right knee, lacing up to my hip in an excruciating ribbon of heat.
"Oh my god! I didn't mean to! They came out of nowhere. Should I call 911?" Another frantic male voice was babbling from further away.
"Get back!" The voice above me angrily barked out.
I know that voice. That's Sterling. No, that's Reed. I call him Reed. I like Reed.
My eyes cracked open, taking in the hazy figure above me.
"That hurt like a bitch," I croaked out softly. I blinked until my eyes opened completely and took in the confusing scene around me. My head tilted to the side to see, pushing against the strong palms that burned against my cheeks.
Reed's usually impassive face was a mosaic of emotions – something arguably more jarring than the pain searing my bones. Worry, anger, relief, and pain fought each other in a flickering battle across his brow and jaw. My eyes slid from his own breathtaking ones to my dog, standing a few feet away in a protective stance.
A young, unknown man stood next to his car with his hands raised in surrender. The stranger's eyes darted between my growling dog that separated us and my flattened body on the pavement. I was lost in a wave of pain and confusion, but still felt a swell of nauseous fear and suspicion press on my chest.
"Avery, look at me." An urgent voice broke me away from the stranger, returning my eyes to the handsome face that was too far away.
"Where are you hurt?" Reed's eyes slid over me, looking head to toe before returning to meet my gaze with frantic wildness. His shoulders were tensed and solid, but his touch was nothing but soft.
"I don't know. Everything hurts. Like a bitch. You're a little blurry, did you know that?" I murmured. I was dizzy and nothing made sense. Thoughts were nothing more than fragmented beads that wouldn't stay on a string, scattering wider and faster than I could scoop them up.
Reed cursed, leaning down closer. My heartrate spiked as he neared, my hands itching to loop their way into his hair. That was a bead that somehow made it on the string — I was truly baffled by it, but too distracted to dwell on it.
"You probably have a concussion. It hasn't been that long since the last time this happened." Reed's voice was still tight as strong arms wrapped around me. In a dizzying blur of color, I felt myself being lifted. The movement forced my eyes closed as a wave of nausea threatened my wellbeing.
Concussion. That makes sense.
"That was your fault last time," I mumbled. My hands flew out to grab his shirt as I felt the world tilt. The steady arms cradled me closer.
"I am so sorry, I—" the unknown voice started.
I reopened my eyes as aggressive barks hammered into my brain. The stranger had tried to take a step closer to us only to be forced back by my bristling dog.
"Stay the hell there!" The warm chest rumbled angrily underneath me; my hands still tightly wound in the soft material of his shirt.
"Rolo, stay," Reed said firmly to the dog. I felt the world moving again. There was starting to be two of Reed as I looked up at him. He walked fast, taking care not to jostle me as he strode quickly up the driveway. One of my white-knuckled hands released his stretched shirt and slowly moved upwards. My hand hovered. The sharp angles of his face were tight. It looked sharp enough to slice, but boy, did I still want to touch.
I would welcome the hurt if I could touch him.
His eyes fell and caught on my outstretched hand. I faltered at his gaze, and my hand fell back to the hard chest I was pressed against. My nerve dissipated as quickly as it had emerged. I would blame all of it on the concussion, and I hoped he would, too.
"Keep those eyes open for me, Avery. Just keep them on me," he said as we reached his car. My head hurt, having joined the pain in my knee in torturous harmony. I hadn't even realized I had closed my eyes again.
"Okay," I whispered. He shifted me in his arms to open the car door, gently placing me in the back seat. The two Reeds looked nice, hair ruffled, and shirt crumpled where my hands had gripped.
"Don't move. I'll be right back. Do you hear me? I'm going to be right back," he reassured. He hovered over me anxiously.
"I know."
He nodded, closing the door softly. I laid across the seat, wiggling each one of my limbs and wincing.
I can move all of them. It hurts, but pain is good. Pain means everything is working. Not working well, but still working.
I couldn't hear exactly what Reed was saying, but I could hear the loud boom of his voice through the closed doors. I wondered what he could be saying. The stranger was young, looking like he belonged more on a college campus than wherever here was, and had looked positively terrified when I looked at him.
It was an accident.
I attempted to mull over the events of the past few minutes, but my brain refused to fully cooperate. I drew a painful breath just as Reed slid into the driver seat with hasty movement. He threw a worried glance at me, starting the car and throwing it in reverse.
"Rolo? Is Rolo okay?" I tried to sit up, but fell back with a grunt as my knee spasmed shamelessly. Reed's head whipped around at the sound, his hand flying between the seats to keep me steady.
"Don't move. Rolo's okay. He's inside." His voice was firm and commanding as he pressed a hand onto my shoulder, guiding me back down. I had no choice but to surrender.
"Where are we going?"
I still struggled to grasp what was going on. My brain felt like cotton candy. I must have hit my head when I went down but I didn't really remember.
Was I hit by a car? Did I actually dive in front of a moving car? That doesn't sound right, that's not a smart thing to do. But Rolo's okay. Maybe I'm a genius.
"Avery, stay still," Reed insisted. I hummed in response, my eyes closing. I was tired and achy.
I need a nap. A nap sounds really nice.
"Oh no, you don't. Keep those eyes open, beautiful." His voice floated back.
Beautiful? He called me beautiful. He has no idea what he's saying right now. Do I have any idea what I'm saying right now?
"Come on, Avery. Tell me about D.C. Why are you going to D.C.?" My brows furrowed at his question.
I'm going where? Why am I leaving him? I don't want to leave him.
"D.C.? Oh, right. I'm going to D.C. I'm going to be a diplomat."
"Can you tell me who the president is, Avery?" It took me a moment to respond. My brain was spinning out, finding it hard to focus past the bruises on my body I could feel forming. I was also vibing with the rocking of the car.
That's a random question. It's probably someone old. Isn't there an age requirement for being president? They have to be old.
"Uh..."
"Can you tell me what today is?" Reed said a little louder. I braced myself as I felt the car turn, grumbling at my stupid knee.
"Not my day, that's for sure."
Reed kept asking me questions, determined to keep me awake and focused. I was whiny as I responded. I wanted to sleep, and he was annoying.
Did the car actually hit me? I don't remember. It feels like it.
The car eventually slowed to a stop. Reed was out of the car and opening the back before I could try to sit up again. He reached in, intending to carry me, but I slapped his hands away.
"I can walk," I insisted.
As much as I wanted him to hold me, I also wanted to know just how bad the damage was. Reed hesitated, but seeing my expression, he set his jaw and helped me up. His hands gripped my elbows as I pushed up on my feet, supporting most of my weight as I tried to find my balance.
"Okay," I breathed out. His hands released a tiny bit, allowing me to put more weight on the ground. I gritted my teeth and swallowed a yelp as my knee threatened to give out. But I wasn't sly enough to get my discomfort past Reed, however, as his arm instantly wrapped around my waist. I sighed in defeat and allowed him to help me step forward. A tiny urgent care office was in front of us.
"Here?"
"The nearest hospital is almost an hour away. I wasn't waiting for an ambulance, either. You need to be seen now." His arms tightened around me, pulling me in closer. I was thankful for the support, since I was pretty sure I would have faceplanted otherwise.
What a waste of a beautiful day. So much for thinking I'll get to spend time outside for once. Another plan bites the dust.
A familiar car idled across the lot.
My face scrunched as I turned to Reed, who looked absolutely murderous. "What is he doing here?"
"He's going to wait here if he knows what's good for him."
The car door opened, the stranger from before popping out, turning to us immediately. He looked apologetically at me and nervously at Reed.
"I am so sorry! I didn't see you." He stepped forward, causing Reed to tense.
The young man paused, looking even more nervous as Reed snarled, "Stay over there."
What the hell did he say to this kid?
"It was an accident." I attempted a painful smile, but it fell quickly into a grimace. Reed scoffed quietly against me.
"You're going to stay right here until I know she's okay. I dare you to try and run," Reed threatened. The stranger bobbed his head anxiously.
"Of course. I want to make sure you're okay. Again, I'm so sorry. I'll be here. I hope you're okay."
He wrung his hands as he shuffled awkwardly, babbling in a way that told me he wasn't doing well with this. Even in his anxiousness, however, good manners shone through. This was a young man showing a care and respect reserved only for small communities. Even without Reed's threat, I had a feeling he would stay. Guilt surely played a part, but it also felt like authentic goodwill.
Reed helped me with every step as we neared the office, supporting most of my weight. My knee buckled slightly with every muscle shift, but I never got any closer to the ground. His firm grip refused to let me fall.
"It was an accident, Reed. It was my fault. He doesn't need to stay."
"He's lucky I haven't called the cops yet. I'll deal with him later," he flared angrily. His whole body was tense, but his hands showed none of it as they guided me.
Painful strikes of heat repeatedly shot through my knee as my bones jostled against each other. The burning flares caused me to inhale sharply if I stepped a little too far. Each time, Reed's hands tightened their grip, ready to catch me.
We finally entered the mostly empty office. Paintings of ducks decorated the lobby, the entire room a scene from a movie shot in the seventies. It was a time capsule of designs from decades past but that hopefully did not extend to medical care.
I could use some modern medical care right now before I pass out.
Reed set me down slowly in one of the hard chairs, waiting to make sure I was steady before quickly moving to the desk. He spoke gruffly with the nurse as I stared at the watercolor fowl on the wall. When he returned to my side, his hands once again found a way to support me. He cursed as he settled in the hard chair next to mine.
"We didn't have enough time to get new identification."
"What do you mean?"
He looked pained, furious at himself. "I had to grab your real I.D. earlier. We didn't get your new ones yet, so I just gave them your real name."
"I think I have a tiny concussion. What does that mean?" I wasn't following what he was trying to tell me. I didn't have any brain power left.
"I used your real name. I just sent up a red flare showing your location," he said quietly.
"Oh."
Oh. OH. Now I'm following. I'm in danger again. Right.
"I really can't catch a break, huh?" I asked weakly. He didn't respond, having already retreated into analytical mode as he made a plan. Making a run for it was currently out of the question. I couldn't make a walk for it if I wanted to.
I trust that you'll get us out of here, Reed.
He helped me back up as the doctor called for me and stayed next to me like a tightly wound shadow as I was examined. Intimidating waves of anger rolled off of him, creating a tension in the room the staff picked up on. They tread carefully, feeling his watchful gaze. I wasn't sure if he was even aware of it. He had slipped out of my reach, resistant to my reassurance, and I couldn't pull him back no matter how hard I tried. Telling him it was an accident only pushed him further away.
His eyes hardened at every wince when the doctor manipulated my leg. His muscles tensed at every stifled yelp as the doctor pressed her hands into my abdomen. His jaw clenched and his shoulders rolled as the doctor carefully examined the bruises that were starting to show.
You would think he was on the table instead of me.
He leaned in closer when the doctor shined a light in each of my eyes and asked me the same questions he had pestered me with in the car. If I knew the president, what day it was, how old I was, if I knew my name. He watched closely as the doctor bandaged my knee and listened intently as she gave me instructions for recovery.
I'm glad he listened because I think I spent more time looking at him than listening to the doctor.
In all, I had a concussion, a thoroughly banged up knee, plenty of bruises, and some pavement burn. I was given some pain medication and instructed to take it easy. Reed's demanding glare had burned into my head when I asked the doctor what that entailed. I could hear him accusing me of doing too much already.
I'm trying to take it easy. The universe just hates me.
Reed only left my side when I finally escaped to the bathroom, grudgingly releasing me to a nurse that helped me hobble.
When we exited the bathroom, my eyes scanned the room for him. He stood down the hall, his back to me. He hadn't noticed me yet.
"I got it from here." I smiled and thanked the nurse who helped me.
She stared doubtfully at my bandaged knee. "Are you sure?"
"I'm fine. He'll help me," I explained, pointing down the hall. The nurse smiled and agreed, surely remembering his reluctance when I was handed off. She disappeared as I leaned against the wall, supporting myself to slowly move closer.
Reed was on the phone, and I could see prominent agitation in his movements and tone. I paused when I got close enough to hear. I wasn't exactly trying to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help it as his words halted in my tracks.
"It has to happen now," he snapped into the phone. I sagged against the wall, my heart thumping a little louder and a little faster. Reed paused before stonily continuing, "He'll get the job done."
Uncertainty and panic began to coil in my stomach. My lungs filled and caved as they fought to get more air. I slid down the wall a few inches. Reed ended the call abruptly and spun on his heel. His eyes widened when he saw me, concern flashing quickly, his mouth turning down on the corners.
"What are you doing by yourself?" he asked gruffly, stepping forward with his arm outstretched. I held up a hand to stop him, ignoring the throbbing in my knee.
"What has to happen now?" I asked firmly. Reed looked startled. His hard façade cracked before he could compose himself, his hand slowly withdrawing as he looked at me cautiously.
"Who is he, and what job is he going to get done?" I asked louder when he didn't respond.
"Do you trust me?"
I stared at him. That wasn't an answer. He looked frustrated when I didn't respond immediately, but quickly melted back into his usual expressionless gaze.
"Avery. Do you trust me?" he repeated.
I don't know. I thought I did. But that was a really sketchy phone call.
"I want to." I settled on that response, knowing that was the most honest answer I could provide right then. His hands twitched by his side as I slid down the wall another inch.
"Let me help you, and then I'll tell you what you need to know."
"There it is again. Need to know."
"Avery, please," he urged.
"Everything, Reed. You'll tell me everything, not just what you think I need to know." I was firm as I insisted. He considered for a moment, before he nodded.
"Everything. I'll tell you everything."
Author's Note: Surely we all know I would never do anything to the best character — I mean who could hurt Rolo?
This chapter was originally titled "Had a Great Fall" but it wasn't nearly as much fun as this title! Did I worry anyone?
What is Reed up to? Should Avery trust him?
Please remember to vote, share, and comment! (And if you know anyone who is good at making covers, please let me know!)
- H