Officer Russell’s POV
I came into the infirmary room. Connor was in the bed, unconscious. He was finally stable but hasn’t woken up for the past few days. I see that Alex is here. The boys have been switching off every few hours. Connor hasn’t been alone since he’s been stable. I go over to Alex and sit down next to him. Alex looks at me with a pleading look but doesn’t say anything. I put my hand on his leg for comfort before taking it back. Alex gives me a small smile before looking back over at Connor.
“How you holding up, kid?” I ask.
“Honestly, I don’t know. Connor’s in a coma. Anna isn’t talking to anyone. The whole camp is in chaos.” Alex looks back at me. “What do we do?” He whispers.
I sigh and stand up.
“We take it a step at a time. While we’re waiting for Connor to wake up, why don’t we try and get through to Anna.” I say.
Alex nods and gets up.
“Aren’t you going to stay with Connor?” I ask.
Alex shakes his head. “No, I want to help you with Anna and I don’t think Connor will mind.”
“I don’t know about that. You are competition.” I smirk.
Alex’s face turns bright red. I laugh at him while escorting him out of the room. We walk over to the other side of the infirmary and I knock lightly on the closed door. After a seconds pause, I let myself in, knowing no one was going to reply.
When I get in, I stop in my tracks as I see Tristan is also in the room. He’s sitting in one of the chairs as Anna is sitting up on her bed, looking out the window. Tristan looks up and gives me a desperate look. I sigh as I go over to Anna’s side and sit down next to her bed. I see a cup of water and grab it.
“Hey Anna, would you like some water?” I ask lightly.
Anna doesn’t respond. I put the cup back down and notice that she hasn’t eaten her breakfast yet.
“You know you should really eat. You have to keep up your strength.” I say.
Again, she does nothing. She just keeps staring out the window. I turn to Tristan and he looks desperate, not knowing what to do either. Alex goes to the other side of Anna and blocks her view of the window. He kneels down in front of her.
“Hey Anna. Do you remember when we went on a mission together and you lead the team? Remember when we’re hacking the computers and that other General was picking on me?” Alex pauses and looks at Anna. She doesn’t say anything, just staring past him. He continues, “Remember when you stuck up for me and even said how I was a great person for doing this for my country? How no one could compare to my computer abilities? You had so much confidence in me. It was the first time someone truly believed in me. From there I knew that you were special. I knew you were a strong and proud woman. I couldn’t look away from you. You showed me that everyone has their weaknesses and strengths. I showed you mine but you never showed me yours. I knew you were strong but I also knew you had weaknesses. I tried to figure you out to help you but you always just brushed it off and kept everything bottled up.” Alex grabs Anna’s hand and he gasped as he saw her react. She looked down at her hand in his. “Please Anna, let me in. I want to support you even with your weaknesses. I want to help the woman I love.”
Anna looks up at Alex with a blank stare. He looks hopeful as she opens her mouth but then she closes it and pulls her hand away from his. Alex looks dejected as Tristan comes to his side and moves him away. Tristan maneuvers Alex to a chair and we all just sit in silence.
After 10 minutes have gone by, Anna spoke for the first time.
“Kelsey is my weakness.” She whispered so quietly that I thought it was my imagination.
“Kelsey and Cassy are my weaknesses.” She looks at Alex.
“How do I overcome such weaknesses?” She asks.
None of us answer her as she turns her head back to the window.
“If I hadn’t been distracted during that mission, would Kelsey still be alive? Would Jessica be safe? Would I have left the company and found Cassy? I have so many questions and ‘what ifs’ that I’m losing my mind.” She says.
“Who’s Jessica?” Alex asks.
Anna doesn’t look at Alex but still answers his question. We were making progress.
“My best friend. My only friend.”
I gulped as I thought about the next question. Did I dare ask?
“What happened to Jessica?” Tristan asked the question I was dying to ask.
Anna didn’t answer at first. She still stared off into space before looking at Tristan, straight in the eyes. Her eyes then turned dark and her demeanor became cold.
“She died. Her and Kelsey died and left me behind. They’re both such selfish brats.” She spat.
Tristan and Alex’s mouths drop open and I’m sure I’m mirroring their expressions.
“Anna, why would you say such a thing?!” A voice yells.
All of us except Anna look over to see Brock and Gale come into the room. Brock stomps over to Anna and grabs her shoulders. He shakes her lightly and looks right into her eyes.
“Brock, I don’t think-” I get cut off.
“Why would you say such awful things about your family?” Brock yells.
Anna doesn’t answer but for once she does keep eye contact. I take that as a good sign as Brock continues.
“They didn’t mean to leave you. They wouldn’t want you to live your life like this. Heck, I bet when they were dying they were worried you would become depressed and be lonely. Don’t you want to show them that you’re alright and that you will live, for them?” Brock says.
Anna glares at Brock and you don’t see any sign of emotion besides hate.
“They left me! They left without me! They abandoned me just like my parents.” Anna stops for a second and then her face changes to hurt. “It’s my fault they left me. I got distracted. I shouldn’t have gotten distracted. I was supposed to protect the target and then a stupid boy comes along and I get distracted. What the hell is wrong with me? Why was he different? Why did I have to have feelings for him?” Anna yells before panting for air. She looks down and then quietly says, “Why did he betray me?”
I stiffen as I listen to each word she has said. All the other boys have seemed to have stopped also. They all looked broken and I’m pretty sure it was because Anna was broken. I look at Anna and see a tear slowly slide down Anna’s face. She doesn’t move to swipe it. It just slowly travels down her cheek, showing Anna’s vulnerable side.
Gale moved in quickly and hugged Anna. Anna stared wide-eyed and tried to pull away but Gale just tightened his hold. Anna kept struggling but Gale wouldn’t budge. He just held her as her struggling started to subside. As she calmed down the room filled with quiet sobs and none of us moved for what seemed like hours.
After a long sobbing fest, Anna started to calm down and you could hear her hiccup once in a while. Gale loosened his hold on her but still kept her in his arms. Anna looked up at him with such a vulnerable look that she looked like a small, frail child.
“You’ve changed Gale.” She says quietly. “You never showed emotion and we only talked when necessary. You never worried about anyone including me and only smiled a few times when we were together. You always kept to yourself and never really interacted with people. What happened in those 2 years?” She asks.
Gale looks at her thoughtfully.
“When you left, I realized that I loved you. I felt heartbroken and didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t find you anywhere and I started to get frantic. I thought I was never going to see you again. You just disappeared. The company wouldn’t give me any answers. I thought you died.” Gale looks away and sighs. He looks back at Anna and gives her a small smile. “I was so happy when I found you. You don’t know how long I have been searching. When I realized I loved you, all these emotions just came out. I was sad and angry that you were gone. I was frantic and worried because I thought you might be dead. But the one emotion that I would make sure to keep was the love for you. I felt reborn. You saved me and you didn’t even know it.”
Gale hugs Anna to his chest and Anna slowly puts her hands around Gale. Some of the boys look annoyed but also relieved that we were reaching Anna. I notice that Jackson was in the room too. When did he get here?
“I love you Anna.” Gale whispers in her ear.
I notice Anna shiver and smirk. I then see each of the guys giving off a murderous aura.
“We all do.” Jackson pipes in angrily.
Anna pulls away from Gale to look at Jackson. There seems to be life back in her eyes. Not much but at least it’s there. Brock grabs her hand and she turns her attention towards him.
“So you have to live for us now Anna. No more running away and trying to hide that you’re ok. We know you and just want to help the woman we love.” Brock looks deeply into Anna’s eyes. “So please live for us.” Brock pleads.
Anna stares at Brock for a moment before she slightly nods. Right away everyone lets out a breathe of relief. Anna gives us a confused look.
“You were all really that worried about me?” She asks quietly.
I step in.
“Of course Anna! We all love you very much.” The boys’ backs stiffen. I turn to them and smile. “Relax boys. My love for her is strictly friendship.” I say.
They relax and I laugh and even hear a little chuckle come from Anna. Alex and Jackson blush and Tristan just smiles while Brock grunts awkwardly and Gale just stares at the floor. Ah youth! What am I saying? I’m not that old, I think to myself. I get up and hug Anna and she complies. We release each other just in time to hear a knock on the door. I look over to see a nurse.
“Sir, Mr. Smith has woken up and he seems in high spirits.” The nurse grins.
“That’s wonderful news.” I turn to the others. “How about we greet him?”
The boys start to move but Anna stays in her spot.
“Anna?” I ask.
“I can’t.” She says.
“Can’t what?” Brock asks.
“I can’t see Connor.”
“Why not?” Gale asks this time.
“Because I’m the reason he even got hurt in the first place. He protected me and I failed to lead you guys back home unscathed.” She doesn’t look up.
I go to sit on her bed and make her face me.
“You did nothing wrong. Connor protected you willingly and I don’t think he would ever take back what he did. Like everyone has admitted here, we all love you and would do anything to keep you safe.” I get up and pull Anna with me. “Now come, if you really feel bad then apologize and make it up to him because he isn’t dying today.” I say confidently.
Anna looks up at me and smiles. A real, genuine smile. She keeps a hold of my hand as I lead her to Connor’s room. I knock before entering and Connor gives me a huge smile. Anna walks in behind me and Connor’s face lights up. Anna runs to him and hugs him tightly. She keeps whispering she’s sorry while Connor comforts her and telling her it’s ok. This goes on for about an hour before Anna finally decides that that is enough apologizing for one day. After the apologizes, Connor takes Anna’s hands and looks her straight in the eyes.
“Anna, I’m sorry about Cassy.” He says.
Anna’s eyes become gloomy but she still gives him a small sad smile.
“It’s ok. I still have you guys.” She says.
I smile at what she says and so do the others. She was accepting us as her new family. Connor looks shocked but still happy. Connor hugs Anna again and holds her tight. Brock starts to get frustrated as he tries to get Anna away from Connor. Connor pouts as Brock holds Anna in his arms. Then each guy tries to have a turn with her and Anna allows them, but just this once, she said. She didn’t want them to get spoiled. I chuckled as I saw the old Anna. Just when I was about to leave, a knock sounded on the door. I opened it to find one of my solders.
“Yes Martinez?” I say.
He salutes me before talking.
“I have come back with the information you wanted me to collect.” He says seriously.
I notice the room goes quiet as they listen in.
“It seems your suspicion was right. The town wasn’t under attack and the little girl is just fine.” He says.
I have a huge grin on my face as I nod at Martinez and dismiss him. I turn to look at Anna. She gives me a questioning look.
“What was that about?” She asks.
“Well when I heard what that General said, I just looked into it. And it seems he lied. Well he actually did attempt to try to destroy the town and kill Cassy but recently we made an alliance with the Russians and they stopped his men before they could even get there. During the time of your mission was when they were supposed to attack. The General must have not known that they failed.” I say.
“W-what are you saying?” Disbelief showing on her face.
“Cassy’s alive.” I grin.
Anna’s eyes widen before she slumps down to the ground. The boys reach for her.
“Anna, are you ok?” All of them frantic.
Anna laughs as she starts to cry.
“That’s great. That’s such great news.” Anna looks up at me. “Thank you.”
I smile and decide to tell her the rest.
“Then you’re really going to love me.” I say.
Anna looks confused again and I hold in my laugh.
“Everyone gets to go home for a week to spend with their family and friends before we get back in the field.” I say.
Everyone’s, including Anna’s mouths drop open.
“I-I can see Cassy?” She asks uncertainly.
I nod my head. Her eyes light up like the fourth of July and she yells out with joy. The boys do the same thing and they all laugh. I just smile at them. She really is something. I can’t wait to see what she can do in the future.
>()<>()<>()<>()<>()<>()<
I just wanted to say that the nurse is a man. There are no girls, what so ever except for Anna. Just putting that out there. Also, I know it's really fast paced with the romance and all but I'm not good at slowing it down. I'm trying to make this whole book at least 20 chapters and that's starting to become difficult because I know how I want to end it and I'm running out of the things to do beofre the climax comes. Also, you will find out in more detail about how Kelsey and Jessica died in the next few chapters. Aaanyways, hope you liked the chapter and I just wanted to dedicate this chapter to kiachi13 because she's one of the few who actually likes me story XD