.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.
𝕂𝕒𝕚 𝕂𝕚𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕠
»--•--«
"Emmaline," I whispered when we laid her down on one of the beds in the medical room, moving her hair out of her face before looking up to where Juliette was, her wide eyes staring at Emmaline as he pressed her hand to the open wound.
Where are we going? Don't leave me. Don't leave me!
I heard her. I heard her thoughts screaming in my head, begging.
I'm in pain. Make it end, please. I can't do this alone.
"Kai," Atlas started next to me, "Davis. Where's he?" He looked at Juliette, "there was a boy, our age, I think. Where is he? Tell me you didn't kill him."
"There wasn't anyone here your age," Juliette shook her head, "nobody is left here, it's over. The ones we didn't kill are with the soldiers, we're bringing them back to the base for questioning. But that's it."
"Okay, so what do we do?" I swallowed. I don't care where the hell Davis is if he's not here. I took a look at Emmaline again, my chest tightening when she didn't respond. I could feel my vision turning blurry, but I didn't care, "Emmaline."
No. No. Don't let go. Kai? Don't leave me, please!
It was like she was the one clinging into me when I was the one about to go on my knees for her not to leave. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't live without her, and she thought I was going to let go?
"Leila," Uncle Warner started, towering over her from the other side of the bed. I think this is the first time I saw him not knowing what to do, his eyes roaming around in pure panic I've never witnessed before. It made me feel sick to my stomach, "we need to bring her back—"
"We won't have time," I snapped, seeing Dad help Juliette try and stop the blood, "she won't make it— she won't—"
Emmaline! I tried to reach for her mind, Emmaline, wake up. Don't do this.
I couldn't breathe, I felt like I was going to pass out next to her. If the soldiers haven't killed the one who shot her, I would have gone there and did it myself. It was the guy that she knocked out when she found me. I didn't even know any of them had powers other than Davis.
Help me! Help! I'm suffocating.
Suffocating. This word alone almost ripped my heart out of my chest. I'm ready to give her my goddamn lungs for her to breathe if she needed it. My heart squeezed looking at her right now, trying to reach for her with no avail.
"Emma," I whispered in a shaky breath, the unfamiliar name rolling off my tongue in desperation. Anything. Anything that would make its way into her mind, "Ems. Emmaline."
Emmaline, it's me.
Nothing. Why isn't she answering? Why isn't she opening her eyes? I grabbed one of her hands, so cold. Why is she so cold? And then my heart almost stopped as it dropped to my stomach when my thumb brushed against her wrist, her pulse.
"Emmaline?" I snapped, tensing up, feeling the wound in my arm burn but ignored it, "Emmaline!" I lowered my ear to her chest, waiting. Waiting for nothing. She's not breathing. She's not moving.
"No," I gasped out, my chest falling up and down harder as my head swayed, "no! No, she's not breathing—"
"What?" Juliette and Dad snapped, but I couldn't look at them, I couldn't pry my eyes off of her face. It looked like it was being drained of color, dead.
She's dead.
My vision blurred more, Emmaline, stop doing this. I tried to tug on her thoughts but I couldn't even find them, I couldn't get to her. Because there is nothing to reach for.
"Move," Uncle Warner said quietly, but I could swear I heard his voice break as he pried Kenji's hands away from Emmaline, Juliette's own going to her mouth as tears rolled down her face, backing away until Dad wrapped his bloody hands around her shoulders as they shook from her silent sobs, "Kai. Kai, listen to me."
He snapped when I didn't look at him, forcing me to glance up at his focused expression, waiting until he said, "we're going to bring her back, alright?" He reached with his hands pressed together to her chest, "we just need to give her air to breathe again, okay?"
I nodded before he could even finish his sentence, tilting her head back a little before pressing my fingers to her face, parting her lips just when he pushed down on her chest with what I felt was all his strength, pressing my mouth to her and blowing the deep breath I took, over and over. It was like I was willing life back into her, begging her to breathe.
I was going to die. If she didn't wake up, I was going go lose it. I was going to die without her. Emmaline, I'm begging you, I thought as I blew another breath, feeling Uncle Warner's uneven breathing become harsher, his chest compressions turning faster.
Wake up. Wake up right now. I don't think there was more air left in me, I couldn't breathe anymore, my hands shook, my grip weakening on her face as I chocked on air, trying to take another breath to give to her. I would give her every beat of my heart if she wanted it, I'd trade my whole life for her to just wake up. Emmaline. Don't leave me.
Then, like she finally heard me, she gasped out a small breath against my face, sudden color slowly returning to her cheeks as I stumbled back a step. She didn't open her eyes, but she was breathing. That's all I needed. Alive. I needed her alive.
I felt my legs give out from underneath me, resting my back against the wall as I lowered myself to the ground, running my hands through my hair as tears still streamed down my face, taking short breaths, looking at Uncle Warner resting his forehead on her chest as Juliette got out of Dad's hold and rounded the bed, brushing her fingers against Emmaline's face and whispering something I couldn't focus on.
I buried my face in my hands, trying to let oxygen in. I think her lifeless face would hunt me forever, even when she's breathing again now. Even if she woke up and talked to me right now, I'll never forget that. I'd never forget how I felt a moment ago.
You have no idea how it felt like being apart from you, the memory of her voice saying this rang in my head, it felt like hell.
If she thought us being apart felt like hell then what about this? This felt like I was being thrown into the depth of hell, a descent into darkness so profound that it consumed every fiber of my being. I've never felt like this before, never felt this scared. Because I was terrified. I felt like she was vanishing from in between my hands and I couldn't do anything about it.
She died. Her heart gave out on me, and killed me with it. What she did, how her pulse stopped against my fingers was way worse than her killing that guy out there. She killed someone. She shot him over and over, even when he was clearly already gone. I saw how she looked at me, she was scared of what I was thinking, she was scared I was going to view her any different.
I didn't care. I didn't care what she does, if she wanted to burn this world to the ground, I'd give her the fucking lighter so she could do it. She can do whatever she wants except this. She can do anything except dying on me. She doesn't get to do that. She'd be fucking killing me in the process.
"Kai," a familiar voice snapped me out of my thoughts by nudging my shoulder, looking up at Atlas's uncomfortable expression as he said, "we're leaving."
"Leaving?" I frowned.
"Yeah, they managed to stop the bleeding... well, the best they could do," he started, "and they called Sonya and Sara, they told them it's dangerous to remove the bullet, so we need to get her back as fast as possible, so they could heal her."
"Are you okay?" Dad asked when I stood up, grabbing hold of my injured arm.
"There isn't a bullet. It's just a wound," I lied, covering it with my hand. It wasn't worth worrying about, I could just wrap it with something until we're back, "are you sure she's gonna be okay if we put her in a moving car—"
I couldn't get the entire question out before he crushed me into him, his hands going around my upper back until mine wrapped around him, hearing him sigh and I did the same, tightening my hold around him, my eyes watering again. I don't remember the last time I needed to hug him like I was right now. It felt like I was a little kid again, like I was scared to let go of his hand when we would be around people when I was young, like I wanted nothing more than for him to tell me everything is alright or crack one of his jokes.
"She's going to be okay, right?" I asked in a shaky whisper, sensing him nod.
"I promise," he replied, "you guys will be fine."
"Her, Dad," I specified again, "I just want her to wake up."
"She will," he leaned back, "we just have to move, okay?"
"Okay," I finally nodded, offering Emmaline another glance.
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫
"Kai!" I heard her loud footsteps running towards me before I caught a glimpse of her blonde hair, not even having a proper chance to look at her fave before Jett crushed her body to mine, wrapping her arms around my neck, mine sliding around her back to hold her up.
"Hey, JJ," I managed to smile, pulling her closer, feeling her feet barely touching the ground, "I never thought I'd ever say this, but I really missed you."
"I was so worried," she just said, leaning back as I put her down, "I didn't understand anything since yesterday when we heard Emmaline scream, and then now when you guys called about her," she paused, looking at Uncle Warner carrying Emmaline with Juliette next to him, walking to the medical wing I forgot even existed here with Sonya and Sara who came running.
"Kai," she frowned, a worry line appearing between her eyebrows when her gaze fell on my arm, "are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I grabbed her hand when she went to touch the cloth wrapped around my wound, "just a small injury."
"Kai," Zade's familiar voice snapped my head up to him walking towards me, "you're back."
"Yup," I offered him a smile when he pulled me to him, patting his back before leaning back, "you made it back alright that day?"
"Oh... yeah," he hesitated before slightly shaking his head, "yeah. Hey, I don't know what you know about everything—"
"Are you going to hug everyone except me or are you saving the best for last?" That voice knocked the air out of my chest, whipping my head back to her walking towards me, a smile drawing on her face when her brown eyes fell on mine.
"Mum?" I practically breathed the word out, my feet moving without me intending to until she pulled me flush against her, making me bury my face into her shoulder, hugging her tighter, "Mum."
"Hey, habibi," she whispered, her hand going to the back of my head, "I'm so sorry I wasn't here. If I was, I would have never let anyone touch you."
"Don't leave again," I found myself saying. I didn't even care who was standing or what was going on around me, "just stay here."
"Why do you think I came back?" She leaned back, her hands holding onto my arms as she gave me a soft smile, "nobody knows I'm here, well, except for Haider and you guys now. I shouldn't be here, but I couldn't just leave you alone. I just took my private jet and fled right out of there."
She hugged me again before I could reply then her body tensed up a little, quickly leaning back with a frown, looking at my wound, "what's that? Are you okay? Does it hurt—"
"It's fine—"
"Atlas!" Aurora's voice cut me off, watching her come running towards where he is as he let out a smile when she carefully hugged him because of his still broken arm.
"Hey, Rory," he grinned wider when she tightened her hold around him before leaning back.
"I don't know how this is possible but I think I've missed you these past couple of days more than I miss you when you're in another continent," she said, but her smile was still intact when Atlas scoffed, "speaking of other continents, want to call Nia?"
"Did she miss me though?" He gave her a look, "I bet she threw a party."
"Don't say that!" She threw her arm around him, "let's go heal you first though. I'll call James down, I don't know what the hell he's doing."
"What do you mean?" I asked before she could leave.
"Nothing, he just hasn't come out of his room for a while, I don't think he knows you're here yet," she shrugged, "I'll go tell him."
The moment she was out of sight, Mum held my arm again, "Kai, you're bleeding."
"It's more stained than how it was earlier," Dad chimed in, taking hold of my arm before unfolding the cloth.
"Wait, no—" he gripped my arm tighter and unwrapped it, causing me to give a face when his eyes widened and snapped his head up at me.
"Kai, what the hell?" He frowned, "are you serious? You said there was no bullet."
"You've been walking around with a bullet all this time?!" Zade snapped, but I just closed my eyes with a sigh. I didn't want anyone to know until she woke up, I don't want them to waste their powers on me when she's the one who's unconscious, and even if they healed her first, I didn't want them to have in mind that they should take care not to use too much of their powers because they still have me to help, I wanted them to give her whatever they could. All of it for her.
Guess Mum and Dad had other plans.
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫
"You're crazy, dude," James said once he was done healing my arm, "do you know how dangerous this was?"
"Not more than Emmaline," I pulled my sleave down. James healed Atlas quickly, all he had was his broken arm and even the injury on his shoulder would have healed on its own since he sanitized it when we were there, "can't I go to her now?"
"You heard what they said," he took a seat in front of the bed I'm on, throwing his bloody gloves in the trash next to him, "they removed the bullet and healed her, but they still need to make sure as doctors that everything is alright with her. Plus, don't worry, J and Aaron are with her."
"I want to be with her," I sighed, cracking my fingers as I went on, "I want to see her. I wanna be there when she wakes up."
"You will," he smiled, "I'm sure she'll ask for you the first thing if you're not there too."
I took in a breath, letting my mind wander to everything that happened since I got back here. Jett is okay, Zade made it back the same day alright, Mum is back. She explained that literally nobody knows that she's not in Asia anymore, she said she told Haider to hide it from everyone, to act like the supreme was still in Asia, that everything is going normally. The borders were still closed though.
I blew up a breath and looked at James again, seeing his eyes distant, like his mind was somewhere else, "what's going on with you?"
"Huh?" He blinked rapidly, snapping his gaze to me.
"Aurora said you have been in your room the whole day," I gave him a look, "I thought you'd be more excited that we're coming back, it's offensive."
He let out a chuckle, "trust me, I'm so excited that I'm willing to cook for you guys for a whole week."
I rolled my eyes, "why did you lock yourself in your room then? A certain someone looked upset."
"Who?" He frowned, but I just tilted my head.
"Who do you think?" I raised an eyebrow, "come on, you basically became her tour guide the moment we moved here."
"No, I didn't," he shook his head, "we're not even close enough to be friends. And mind your own business, you're a kid."
"Well, that kid has a girlfriend and you don't," I tried to smile even when I didn't feel like it, "what were you doing when you were my age, huh?"
"Working as a babysitter, you ungrateful idiot," he shot back, "you all stole my youth, and I didn't even get paid for it."
Someone cleared his throat from where the door is, snapping my head up to Dad leaning against the door, "hi."
"Hey," James stood up, "he's all good now, not even a scratch."
Dad smiled and thanked James before telling him if he could talk to me for a second, waiting until James left and closed the door behind him to walk up to me, "how are you?"
"In desperate need of a shower," I flatly said, my eyes still on the door, "why can't I see Emmaline right now? It's not like I'll slow the process of whatever Sonya and Sara are doing."
"It's not that," he started, "I just don't think they'd love to work under all that pressure. Warner and J being in that room is enough."
It felt like I had no soul right now, no real feelings. Even when I was with James, I tried to show him I was happy talking to him, but in reality my mind wasn't even with him. I couldn't feel anything but anger that I'm not allowed with her and the weight that she hasn't woken up yet. They assured me that she's safe, that she'd wake up if not tonight then tomorrow morning before I could even wake up if I slept, which I don't think I'd be able to even do.
That's the only thing keeping me from losing it though, that she's fine. She's just sleeping. Just sleeping. Not dead. She's not dead. I needed to lock that in. I needed to remind myself that this will not happen again, I would never forgive myself if this happened ever again.
"You know, when your mum left, I had my mind set to go with her, I didn't even think about it," Dad's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, seeing him sit next to me on the bed, "and to be honest, I was a little angry with J when she told me to stay."
I finally looked at him when he paused, waiting to understand what he's going with until he spoke again, "but I stopped being so literally a moment after, you know why?"
"Why?"
"If I hadn't stayed I would have never forgiven myself for leaving you," he explained, my chest tightening with every word he let out, "Nazeera told me I should stay for you, and I should have thought of that myself. I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" I frowned, "you saved us."
"That wouldn't have happened if I'd left," he sighed, "I would've known about what happened to you too late like Nazeera did, you would've been away knowing both me and her are not there for you—"
"Dad, don't say—"
"Look," he shifted on the bed, turning to me, his eyes pinned on mine, "back then I didn't want her to go alone, there was a lot happening at the same time, and she just said that she was pregnant. I couldn't really think straight, but I don't want you to feel like I didn't think of you."
"I'd never even think about feeling like that," I shook my head quickly before looking down, pausing for a moment then deciding to open up a little, sensing he might need this reassurance, "I'm really glad you're here though," I took a deep breath, "the whole time I was there I was focused on always keeping my guard up so I could watch over Emmaline. I didn't give myself the chance to think about myself, I was focused on protecting her. I couldn't even sleep well."
I only slept when I was holding her so that if she moved I'd wake up. Yesterday when she wasn't with me, I slept because she was in my mind, she wasn't just with me, she was a part of me, her thoughts became mine. I think we talked for hours, I think the only reason I slept was because of my exhaustion, not because I chose to sleep and leave her. I didn't know if I should talk about that yet, we don't know how these new powers are supposed to work, and it's her thing to tell not mine.
"I gave her my food, I kept talking even when I wanted to rest, even when I had nothing to say, I even joked around like you do," I scoffed, "even when I didn't have the energy to joke, all I felt was anger but I couldn't let it sink in, I couldn't show it because of her. But when I saw you," I gritted my teeth for a moment, remembering the moment Emmaline told me that he was there, that we weren't alone anymore, "when I saw you, all this weight lifted, like I had someone to protect me while I looked over her."
I knew he had my back, I knew he'd always be there for me. I couldn't deny I was a little shocked today, seeing what he'd done, how he killed all these people single handedly. It's not like I didn't know they all killed way more than twice the number of these people today, but seeing it was different. It's not like I didn't believe he could do this, I just didn't believe I was witnessing it. And he did all that for us, for me. He went out of his way alone to save us, and then has doubts that I'd be upset or think less of him for wanting to be with his wife.
His arm slid around my shoulders, pulling me to him so that my head was resting on his shoulder, "I'm really glad I could offer you this feeling, but I think Warner should be brought back to earth and admit that he's lucky to be related to us."
"Okay, one, we're not related. Two, the day he admits that would be the day this world ended, Dad."
He shrugged, "it's not like he doesn't show it."
"What do you mean?" I leaned back, watching a small smile draw on his face.
"On that phone call, when they... hurt Emma," he swallowed as I held my breath, the memory not sounding pleasing to my mind, "we heard you too before they hung up. It sounded like you shouldn't have been out to begin with, but you found a way. We knew it was still dangerous, but I swear to you there was a slight expression of relief that crossed his face. He knows that you'd always protect her, Kai."
"Well, I failed," I looked away, clenching my jaw as I dig my palms into my knuckles, "I didn't protect her when she got shot. When she died, Dad. Emmaline was dead—" I took in a breath, "it almost knocked the life out of me."
"Did you forget about the part where you saved her?" He raised an eyebrow, "or did you forget about the part where Warner asked you to help her?"
I don't think I had anything in my mind back then, I wasn't thinking about who is saving her, I just wanted her to breathe again no matter how.
"Yeah, you're right," I said anyway, not wanting to talk about what happened anymore, every time I remember, my lungs close in, "I'm going to go take a shower then ask if I could go in."
Once I stood up he said, "don't be too hard on yourself, just focus on being there for her when she's awake."
"I will."
"And also," he paused until I turned to him, "can you tell your mum that she should forgive me because that woman doesn't even want to hug me because of what happened to you. Why do I get to be punished?"
"Did you seriously come in here just so you could ask me to be your wingman?" I blinked at him.
"Maybe?" He tilted his head with a smile causing me to shake mine.
"Solve your marriage problems away from me," I turned and opened the door, "remind me not to have important talks with you again."
"Remember that one of these important talks were the reason you have a girlfriend right now!" He snapped after me, but I just rolled my eyes, stealing a glance at the door next to me, knowing Emmaline is in there but deciding to give them more time because when I'm back here I won't leave them alone until they let me in.
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫
I threw the towel that was resting on my shoulder on the bed, running a hand through my somehow less wet hair and grabbed a grey shirt to put on over my sweatpants, already walking to the door to go downstairs but the moment I opened it, I saw a familiar figure walking to where Zade's room was, stilling in place when she felt my presence.
Amelia slowly turned her head to me, her hazel eyes widening slightly before she swallowed and looked away, looked back at me, hesitating. Why are they leaving her to walk around however she wanted? Didn't they threaten the men who kidnapped us with her and her sister? Speaking from experience, that's not how you treat kidnapped people.
It hurts when I try. It hurts so much.
I'm in pain. Make it end, please. I can't do this alone.
I can't breathe. I want air.
Help me! Help! I'm suffocating.
Emmaline's voice was still in my head, loud and clear. The memory of her bleeding in my arms never left. The memory of her pulse stopping against my fingers, her cold skin, her drained face. She did that. She's the one who made us leave. I trusted her. I made her get close to Emmaline.
It sent a surge of rage through me, gritting my teeth and before I could even gather what I was thinking of, I stormed towards her, wrapped my fingers around her wrist, and pulled her with me back to my room, locking the door behind us before caging her in between the wall and my arm next to her head, feeling her let out a shaky breath.
"Do you understand what we went through because of you?" I gritted out, feeling my breathing turn harsher as I leaned down, invading her space, "what she went through? Do you have the slightest idea of what I want to do to you for it?"
"I didn't do any—"
"Don't interrupt me," I snapped, my tone not loud but fury behind each word I let out, my muscles tensing at her sight, "she died because of you, Amelia. Do you understand what I felt in that moment?"
I tilted my head when her head slightly shook, blinking rapidly as a tear slipped down her face, she's scared. I want her to believe everything I said, so I went on, "I want you to imagine every cruel act one can inflict on another," I paused, seeing her back away less than one step for her back to be against the wall, shrinking into it as I went on, "then multiply it by thousand," my words were venomous, dripping with menace, "because it would still not come close to what I want to do to anyone who hurts her. I trusted you with her."
"I didn't do anything!" She shouted, pushing my chest, but I grabbed her wrist, pinning it in the air between us, "I didn't know! I would never do something like that to you guys. To anyone."
"You didn't know?" I tilted my head, "you didn't know that there was a whole plan to kidnap us from the same place at the same day you decided to have your little birthday? It was pure coincidence?"
"Yes," she stressed, trying to pull her hand away, and I let her but didn't back away, "do you think I'm willing to risk my sister's safety for you to get kidnapped? You trusted me? Well, I trusted my dad too. These awful things you want me to think of, I know them by heart. I already have them in my mind for all the lies he told me."
"I don't believe you," I flatly said, causing her to let out a frustrated breath.
"Ask Emmaline's father," she sniffed, her eyes watering, "he knows when people are lying and when they're not. Why would he bring me here to stay with you if he didn't believe me?"
"Stay with us?"
"Seeing you know who my dad is then you know Evelyn's my cousin," she sighed, her eyes still glassy as tears streamed down, "she lied to me, said she was protecting me. But I didn't want to stay with her anymore, I didn't want to talk to her. So he offered that I come here, and I took the chance. If he sensed that I was lying, would he have done that?"
Yes. Because she's not staying with us. He freaking kidnapped her. But she doesn't know. This just became more complicated. He may be playing it smart, knowing she's lying but pretending he doesn't know, kidnapping her without telling her so that she wouldn't suspect anything, so she'd let her guard down.
And she may be telling the truth, Kai.
Maybe. But I would not risk Emmaline's safety again on a maybe. Trusting her blindly again was a bad idea.
"I trusted you with the one thing that meant the entire world to me, Amelia," I whispered, swatting her hand out of my grip and pointed at her, "you made me trust you. You approached her first."
"You told us to treat her good," she shot back, "you warned us."
"I know," I nodded more to myself than to her, "I shouldn't have."
"I didn't do anything, Kai," she wiped the tears away, "I don't care if you believe me or not, it won't change the fact that I'm not that cruel scheming person you're saying I am. I approached Emma because I genuinely liked her. I wanted to be her friend."
"She wanted to be your friend too," I finally pushed off of the wall, taking a step back, "but if that brings harm her way then your friendship is not essential in her life, Amelia."
"I understand that you want to protect her," her voice cracked as I turned to unlock the door, my hand freezing on the doorknob, feeling her step forward, "I don't blame you because I know what you're feeling. I feel it for Margrette, so you of all people should understand that just like you wouldn't hurt Emma, I wouldn't hurt my sister. I wouldn't risk her safety in order to help someone do something this horrible to you."
I waited a moment to see if she was going to continue, but she said nothing so I just twisted the door handle and stepped outside, leaving her alone. I turned to head to the elevator and almost bumped into Zade, halting my movements when his eyes went from me to over my shoulder, probably seeing Amelia, sighing.
"Kai—"
"I'm going to Emmaline," I cut him off, I wasn't in the mood for a lecture or excuses for her by him, and above all I didn't want to hurt his feelings. If I talked, I would be harsh on him, and that's the last thing anyone wants to do with Zade of all people, he doesn't deserve it, "I'll talk to you later."
I didn't give him a chance to reply before I rounded him, trying to empty my head from everything bothering it. All I wanted right now was to just see her. Even if we're not talking because she's asleep, I just want to be in her presence, it had enough power to soothe the chaos I'm feeling right now. As I walked towards the medical wing, my thoughts untangled as if they're knots in my hair. All the anger and frustration that had wound themselves tight inside seemed to loosen their hold at her door. I paused there, hand on the knob, drawing a slow breath then knocking, waiting a moment before Juliette opened the door.
The first thing I noticed was her dry tears staining her cheeks, her puffy eyes that she tried to hide by looking down, shifting on her feet. A sudden wave of worry swept over me, my heart pounding against my chest as if it were trying to break free as my thoughts raced, each one more frantic than the last, "what happened? Is she okay? Did something—"
"Oh, no, she's fine," she quickly said, putting her hand on my chest to slowly push me back when I tried to get past her, "she's okay, I'm just—" she looked back before nodding for me to step back and closing the door, grabbing my arm to walk a little farther, "I'm just still not processing what's happening, that's all."
"What's happening? Didn't they say she's alright? She'd going to wake up, right—"
"Yes, yes, don't worry," she breathed out, running a hand through her hair, "Sonya and Sara aren't even in the room anymore, she's fine, just sleeping. Her blood pressure is okay, her temperature is normal, her heart rate is stable, everything is fine."
"Can I see her then?" I spoke calmly to not spook her again, "please, I just want to check up on her."
"Yeah," she nodded and glanced back, "Aaron is in there though, I don't know if he'd leave."
"He doesn't have to leave," I suggested, "I just want to see her. He can pretend I'm not there."
"...okay," she sighed and turned, opening the door carefully before stepping inside with me following, "hey."
I followed her gaze, seeing him slowly lift his head from resting it next to Emmaline on the bed, blinking at Juliette before his eyes met mine as Juliette said, "he just wants to check up on her."
I walked towards them, taking a seat next to the bed, across from where he is, finally allowing myself to look at her. The faint beep of the heart monitor filled the air, a constant reminder that she's breathing, alive. She lay motionless on the bed, surrounded by a tangle of wires and tubes, but her face wasn't as exhausted and drained as it was before. The painless I saw earlier faded, color drawn on her face, her parted lips returned to their normal shade of pink.
Taking her hand in my own trembling grasp, I felt the coolness of her skin, a stark contrast to the warmth I had grown accustomed to. It wasn't as freezing as it was when she... died, but it was still cold, uncomfortable. The rhythmic rise and fall of her chest was the only thing that offered a small reassurance.
Emmaline, I thought, hoping she'd hear me, hoping I would tug on her thoughts and pull her out of her sleep, I told you I missed you. Don't leave for a long while.
I heard a sharp intake of breath, snapping my head up to Uncle Warner standing up, "where are you going?"
"To have an important conversation I've been keeping on hold," he let out through a stern voice, walking around the bed until he was in front of Juliette, speaking in a low voice, but I heard him, "how many did we escort back?"
"Eight."
"How many are healthy enough not to die today?" My thoughts stilled at this question, lowering the sound of my breathing as if to hear the conversation clearer.
"...three."
I glanced back at him kissing the top of her head before rounding her and leaving, seeing her freeze in place then shake her head, looking back at me, clearing her throat, and offering a smile, "stay as long as you want. If you need anything just call on me or Kenji. James and the girls may be busy."
"Why?"
"When the guards searched whatever was left from the place, they found some medicine, and it looked like it had been used recently, so they're studying it—"
"I know about the pills," I shifted in my seat, my hold tightening slightly around Emmaline's hand, "they, uh, they gave them to us to disable our powers."
"What?" She blinked at me after a moment.
"That's why we couldn't fight them back," I explained, "I... I swear I didn't even think of it, I thought someone had powers like Uncle Adam and was projecting it, and I..."
"You what?"
I closed my eyes with a sigh before shaking my head, "I just wanted to make sure she eats, and I gave her my food along with her own," I swallowed and opened my eyes, "they drugged the food with these pills. I'm extremely sorry. I'm very—"
"Calm down," she cut me off, "you didn't know, and you were trying to do a good thing. Plus, the girls said she's healthy, so the pills effects probably wore off, even if it was an overdose. She's okay."
I didn't know if she was convincing me or herself, but I decided to believe her for now, nodding as she gave me another smile and walked out, shutting the door behind her. I looked back at Emmaline, my heart warming at her peaceful state unlike how she looked like earlier, no signs of pain or discomfort.
"If this is you paying me back for being in a coma, then I'm sorry, okay?" I whispered, my fingers moving the strands of her hair out of her face, my thumb brushing against her cheek, "you can wake up now, that's enough. I won't do it again, I promise."
I don't know how she did it, I don't know how she managed to get through a whole week with me asleep like this, not answering her, not moving. Because I can't stand it. I can't stand a few hours with her like this. And back then I had the freaking nerve to shut myself out from her? To tell her to go away when she tried to reach out to me?
How could I have been so selfish, so blind when all she wanted to do was help me? The thought of her reaching out to me, only to be met with silence and rejection, made my heart ache with regret. Putting myself in her place now, I would have fucking died if she did that. I wouldn't have been able to take it.
"You're so much stronger than me, you know that?" I started, pulling her hand up towards my face, my lips as I kissed her palm once, "you waited by my side for days, you reached out to me even when I pushed you away like the ungrateful jerk I was," I felt my eyes burn, my vision blurred as tears pooled out of the sides of my eyes, "you forgave me for telling you to leave when you've been waiting to just hear my voice. I would have totally broke if you did that to me, something inside of me would have died."
I realized just how much her presence meant to me, how she had breathed life back into my soul. Her voice had been my lifeline, pulling me back from the brink of despair. I know that the reason I woke up was because I wanted to hear that voice more.
"I'm sorry," I swallowed, pressing her knuckles to my lips again, talking against her skin, "I'm sorry for everything I put you through, I won't ever do it again, just wake up. Please."
I wanted to being her back just like she had, I wanted to pull her out of her dream state and have her look at me, smile at me so I could see her dimples again, wrap her arms around me like I did when I found her earlier. I miss her. I rested my fingers against her wrist, her pulse, feeling her it thud against my fingers the same time the heart monitor beeped. Alive. She's alive.
So I waited by her side, I don't know for how long. I just sat there, staring at her until I heard a sound behind me, snapping my head back to Atlas looking at me with an anxious expression, hesitant. I think I had an idea what he could be thinking. She got shot saving him, she got shot because of him.
I just had to tell him that's nonsense, "hey."
"Hi," he cleared his throat, stepping inside before shoving his hands in his sweatpants' pockets, rocking back on his heals, "how is she?"
"Sleeping," I looked back at her, running a hand down my face to wipe away any stains of tears, "but stable. She should wake up anytime now."
I heard his footsteps until I saw his figure across the bed, gazing up to see him looking at her with a sympathetic expression before looking at me with an apologetic one, "I'm sorry. This happened because of me."
"Did you shoot her by any chance?" I lowered my eyebrows, "because last time I checked, you didn't have a rifle tucked away in your pocket. If you do, back away, five feet, please. Stay away from her."
Atlas blinked, taken aback by my unexpected response. Then, a hesitant smile tugged at the corners of his lips, a glimmer of relief drawing on his face.
"Hey, by the way," I decided to change the subject, getting a little uncomfortable with this not so rude conversation, "yesterday was Jett's birthday, you better have been nice to her."
"Nice to her?" He scoffed, the content expression on his face vanishing as he crossed his arms, "you know what, you all have been asking her about how her day went, what about me? Because, news flash, I'm the one who was locked with a psycho for three days not her."
"Good point," I nodded, resting Emmaline's hand on the bed with my fingers still checking her pulse, steady, "still, it was her birthday."
"Listen, for all I care about, this girl's birthday was just a day this earth was doomed—"
"That's dramatic."
"She punched me in the throat the moment she woke up," he said in a flat voice, "and may I ask who the hell is Mr. Bunix? And why is he better hugger than me?"
"You hugged Jett?" I felt my eyebrows shoot up, watching him open his mouth before closing it, looking away and clearing his throat.
"Well, remember when she told you we had to make it convincing that we could disappear from where the camera's pointing at so that she could talk to you?"
"Yeah?"
"I think we convinced these people that we're another version of you and Emma."
I felt my jaw slightly drop, squinting my eyes as I processed what he said before shaking my head, "yeah, okay, that's enough information. Get out of here."
"Yeah," he breathed out, looking down at Emmaline, "bye, Warner. You better wake up soon, or you'll be late on our secret rendezv—"
"Do you miss your broken arm?" I asked in a flat voice, giving him a blank look.
"...no."
"Then the door's that way," I pointed towards it with my thumb, "close it behind you."
"Yup," he nodded and waved at Emmaline like she could see him before heading out, hearing the door shut behind him.
"I don't know why you want to be friends with that idiot," I told her in a flabbergasted tone with a shake of my head, "you already have a best friend, me," I pointed at myself, "and a boyfriend, also me, by the way. I'm basically a 2 in 1 offer, I literally made the process so much easier for you, for God's sake."
I may have rabbled some more about the pros and cons of giving up on Atlas's friendship, the only pro I gave him was that it's interesting to threaten him from time to time, but that's about it. As exhaustion engulfed me, I felt my eyelids growing heavier with each passing moment. With a weary sigh, I let my head sink down until it rested gently next to Emmaline's on the pillow. Blinking a few times in a futile attempt to keep my eyes open, I surrendered to the overwhelming fatigue that consumed me.
I want to be there when you wake up, I thought, I wasn't sure if she could hear my thoughts, if she could sense my presence beside her, but I said them anyway, clinging to the hope that somehow, someway, she would respond.
The steady beep of the heart monitor faded into the background, the sound becoming a distant echo as I succumbed to sleep's embrace. With Emmaline's hand clasped gently in mine, I drifted off into a restless slumber.
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A/N:
Bro I really hope I portrayed each one's emotions right because this was so hard with so many people lmao. If I didn't write it deep enough, idk why I feel that way, I'm sorry you get the point anyway.
Writing Kai's emotions is still hard for me to this day for some reason. I don't want to say its unrealistic for him to act normal when Emma is sleeping but at the same time I don't think he was actually acting "normal" yk? Anyway yeah I think his emotions show when he's alone thats why he showed his thoughts when he's alone with Emma.
And!! I'm going to write the new Hide Me chapter right now! Stay tuned.