Eden helped Parker out of the backseat, she lifted his arm and made him drape it over her shoulders. She winced at his weight pressing down on her, but took small steps towards the door. He was close to losing consciousness, she could tell by the erratic way his breath hit her neck, the way he wasn't trying to walk, but merely keep himself upright. She stopped at the door, shoving the key in the lock and nearly making them both fall through the doorway.
She led him down to the basement awkwardly, his weight was crushing down on her with every step. Eden had never thought he was heavy before, muscular sure, but not heavy. Not this heavy. She eased him down onto the metal table and screamed when she saw the blood shinning on his leather suit. She knew it wasn't Danny's. She knew Parker wouldn't be clutching his stomach harder than consciousness.
She stared at him with wide eyes. "Parker. Parker, I don't know what to do." His eyes were pinched closed, his body motionless. "Parker? What should I do? Do you want me... do you want me to stitch it closed?" The idea alone made her want to gag.
He shook his head faintly. His eyes still closed. Even with his mask on she could tell his brows were drawn together in pain. "Cauterize it."
Eden recoiled, shaking her head fiercely. "No. Oh God. No Parker. I can't do that."
He nodded once. "Yes you can." His voice was soft, distant.
She swallowed thickly, then glanced at his woodstove. She walked towards it slowly, her stomach clenching. She knelt, her wet hair clinging to her cheeks as she crumpled up newspaper. Her hands shook faintly as she built the fire, but she calmed herself down enough to strike the match.
She walked back to Parker. "Now what?"
He mumbled something she couldn't hear. Then, "Clean it. Soap or alcohol."
"Okay. I can do that..." She ran upstairs and grabbed a bar of soap, a bottle of vodka, a bowl, and a few washcloths, then ran back downstairs. "Okay. Okay... Are you okay?"
He nodded, his jaw set.
"Okay. Okay good." She grabbed the zipper at the base of his throat and pulled it down slowly. She heard his breath hitch. Or maybe it was her own. His black t-shirt was sticky with blood, she let out a deep breath, pulled her knife from her bra and cut his shirt off carefully. She cringed and began mopping up his blood with one of the cloths. She dropped it to the floor then grabbed a new one and dipped it in the soapy water. "You still okay?"
"Mmhm."
Eden hesitantly brought the wet cloth to his gash, cleaning tenderly. Her eyes shot up to Parker's face, pale and twisted with pain. "Almost done," she whispered. She attempted to pat it dry, but blood pooled immediately, saturating the cloth. She eyed the fire and pressed her hands into his skin. Parker jerked up and groaned. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry... oh God."
Eden didn't know how deep the cut was, or if the knife had hit a major organ. She didn't know if cauterizing it would even help. But she had already moved to put the fire poker in the flames. She pinched her eyes closed and controlled her breathing. "Now?" she asked quietly, more to herself than Parker. He didn't respond anyways.
She pressed her hands over his wound yet again, her gaze moving between Parker and woodstove where the fire poker now sat heating up. The longer she waited, the longer he would lose blood. But she couldn't find the courage to hurt him, even if it helped.
"Eden." He sounded drained. "I branded you. Repay the favor."
She nodded and watched her hands lift from his bloody stomach. She grabbed the red-hot fire poker and walked back to Parker. She wiped the fresh blood away, then held the poker above his rising and falling stomach. She only hesitated for a second before she pressed it down.
Parker let out a howl of pain and shrunk away from her. The sound torn right into her chest. But she held the metal to his skin until his shuddering stopped. She let out a breath of air and held the poker limply by her side. She examined him for a moment, her own breathing rough. She walked around the table, her bloody fingers trailing on the edge. "Are you okay?"
He only grunted.
Eden tenderly removed his mask from his face, then stooped and placed a kiss on his pale cheek. His lips twitched into a weak smile. She picked up a wet rag and went back to work, gently wiping away the dried blood around his wound. "Can you sit up?"
"Maybe," he grunted. Eden eyed the way his abdomen flexed as he attempted to lift himself into a sitting position. "No," he breathed, clutching his stomach and panting sharply. She glanced up, one look at his pale and clammy face made fear rush in.
She wasn't sure if it was sweat or rain made his shaggy hair cling to his forehead, but she pushed the dark strands back. "Let me get you to bed."
"There are better times to hit on me, Eden." He tried to laugh but it came out as a cough. She knew he was trying to lighten the mood, to comfort her, but she was scared.
Eden smiled weakly, grabbed his hand and helped ease him off the table. "Come on, you dork. Put your arm over my shoulder."
"Yes, ma'am." He put his arm over her shoulder, his weight once again crushing her. She gritted her teeth and walked back up the stairs. He inhaled against her neck, then pressed a lazy kiss there. "Don't leave me, okay?"
Eden glanced down at him. She didn't want to pick Parker over Lily. Not again. But she wasn't sure Parker would be okay alone. She wasn't sure either of them would be okay alone. "I... promised Lily I'd come home tonight but if you need me..."
"Bring Lily here," Parker said breathily. "You guys can sleep in my spare bedroom... I just... don't leave me."
Her own breathing faltered. "I—okay."
"Ever," he whispered. "Don't leave me ever."
"I won't." She readjusted his arm, then hauled him the rest of the way to his bedroom, his words ringing in her ears. She helped lower him to his bed with difficultly. He closed his eyes the second his head hit the pillow. "How you feeling?" Eden whispered as she knelt beside him. She brought her hand to his sweaty forehead, then wove her hands in his soft hair.
He grunted again. "Terrible. Dizzy. Cold. I might throw up."
She eyed his trembling body. "Did you break any ribs? Would you know by the bruising or... something?"
He shrugged half-heartedly. "Eh."
Eden smiled faintly, her hands still woven in his hair. "I'm going to get you some ice and ibuprofen, okay?"
He nodded and Eden left. She let Bear inside, grabbed the icepack from the freezer, the ibuprofen from the cupboard, and then walked back to Parker's room with Bear at her heels. Bear trotted around the edge of the bed, his large tongue coming out and licking the side Parker's face.
Parker's laugh was breathy and drained. And the most adorable, heart wrenching thing Eden had ever heard. She helped Parker sit up and then handed him the bottle of water and the three ibuprofens. He handed her back a pill. "Two's enough."
She put the pill back then sat on his bed and watched his throat bob as he swallowed down the pills. "Are you comfortable? I mean, I know you're not comfortable, but would you be more comfortable in pajamas?" She glanced at his leather pants.
He leaned back down against his pillow and smirked lazily. "If you want my pants off, all you have to do is ask."
Eden fixed Parker with an unamused glare, her lips pursed but slowly twitching upwards.
"Please take them off," Parker said, voice tired yet content. "I'm being pinched in too many places."
Eden arched a brow. "Are you going commando?"
Parker stared at her blankly for a second, confused. "No?" he said slowly. His eyes started drooping closed. "I think."
Eden couldn't tell if he was tired or losing consciousness or if they were one in the same in this case. She wasn't sure if she should let him close his eyes or make him keep talking. "Parker? How much blood did you lose?"
"I dunno, babe," he murmured.
She lifted her eyebrows and the word. He had never called her anything but Eden. "Should I be making sure you stay awake? That you keep talking to me?"
He shook his head. "The pills work fast."
Eden's brows drew together, her eyes trained steadily on Parker. "They were ibuprofen," she said flatly.
His laugh was closer to a wheezing giggle. "Those weren't ibuprofen."
She smiled softly and got his pajama pants from his dresser, then went back over to the bed. She worked on the button of his leather pants with surprisingly steady hands. This seemed too intimate. More intimate than the act itself. She glanced up at Parker as she pealed his tight pants down his thighs. He was already staring with dilated eyes. Her face flamed. Eden assumed drugs were a big influence in his hooded gaze, but she also knew she was a main factor.
She liked being a main factor, it reassured her that whatever she felt for him, whether it was love or lust or something more complex than either, she wasn't alone. He felt it too.
Graduation had come and gone. But that hadn't been the event Eden was nervous about. She was worried about right now. Parker knew this. He found her hand under the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
She hadn't even known Parker had a younger sister. Or that the reason Mrs. Yates had invited Eden along to dinner on Tuesday was because it was Parker's birthday. Parker was officially twenty-six. Another thing she didn't know.
Reagan and John, Regan's new husband, were scrutinizing both Eden and Parker with furrowed brows. Eden had tried to cover up the bruise on her cheek with makeup, and it was mostly covered, the cut had scabbed over and was still prominent, though, and she felt Mr. and Mrs. Yates's eyes on it. Eden hated that either of them were even entertaining the idea of Parker hitting her.
"We ran in to Matthews's a week or so ago, and he told us you quit," Regan said to her son. "Were you going to tell me?"
"I was," Parker said, "I just didn't know when."
Eden glanced at Parker. His jaw was tight. She knew he felt the third degree too, that his mother and John thought the bruises on her check were from him. Eden could see how much the idea hurt him.
"Matthews's said he was trying to get you to come back."
Parker's eyebrows shot up and he leaned forwards a little, shock written on his face. "Really? Did he say why?"
"He said something about missing person files and how you said there was something bigger at play. I guess you were right, because Matthews's said he could use your intuition."
Parker's face paled and he sat back swiftly. Eden leaned towards him, hand on his bicep. "What does that mean?" she whispered.
"Nothing good."
Eden was about to ask what that meant when Regan turned her attention of her.
"So Eden," Reagan said, her brown eyes finally meeting Eden's, "what do you plan on doing now that you graduated?"
Eden squirmed in her seat. "I... don't know. I'm going to the community college in the fall, but I'm all over the place with my studies."
"What classes interest you?" Reagan asked, leaning forward on the table.
Eden fidgeted again. Parker set his hand on her thigh and gave her an encouraging squeeze. "Psychology. And maybe a minor in criminal justice."
Parker tilted his head at her curiously, a soft smile playing on his lips. They never talked about normal things like this. She wished they could; she kind of liked it. The normalness of it all.
"You never mentioned that," Parker said, turning in his chair, eyes bright.
Eden rolled her eyes. "What can I say? You inspired me when you quit the force."
"Funny."
She laughed quietly and looked down at the table, smiling.
"Why psychology and criminal justice?" John asked. He had short black hair that was greying at the temples. He was nice and charming. It was clear Reagan and him were in love, all the stolen glances and unspoken conversations.
"I..." Eden glanced around at them all, not making solid eye contact. "I haven't had the best life. Not as bad as Parker's childhood, but mine wasn't good either. I want to help people—kids, mainly." Eden thought of Lily and how she had left her alone after Drew. Eden's face fell. "But I don't think I'd be a good consoler. I'm just..." she trailed off, her hands wringing in her lap.
Parker frowned. "You'd be a great consoler, Eden. I've heard you talk to your sister." Eden gave him a deject look. "You're blunt, yes, but you're bold. You know when to talk about real problems, and you know when to just listen."
The timer for dinner went off, thankfully ending the conversation. Eden exhaled at the same time Reagan stood. "John, can you go get Penelope from her room? And Parker? I could use your help in the kitchen."
Parker nodded and stood. "I'll be right back." He leaned down and placed a kiss on Eden's temple, then followed his mom into the kitchen.
Reagan had made a chicken casserole, Parker's favorite. It smelt wonderful. His mother pulled it out of the oven then rounded on Parker with determined eyes. "Don't think I don't see her bruises. Or the cut under her eye. I see them and I want the truth from you."
He recoiled, eyes wide and unblinking. "What? You think I hit her?" His voice was quiet and hurt.
They stared at each other for a long moment.
"You say her name like it's a privilege, but then I see bruises and cuts on her face and I don't know what to think," Reagan said.
Parker shook his head. He couldn't even tell her where the bruise came; he couldn't tell his mother he used his girlfriend as bait. But not being able to say where the bruise came from made it worse.
Reagan folded her arms across her chest, face hard. "Parker, tell me I'm wrong. Tell me you're not following in your father's footsteps."
"Unlike dad, I'm in love with her!" Parker took a calming breath and lowered his voice. "Dad wasn't in love with you. He wasn't, I'm sorry. You don't hurt people you love, you protect them." He held his mother's eyes. "I'm going to marry her someday. But I'm not going to be able to protect her from all the bad people in this world. And she doesn't want a protector. She wants to be able to protect herself, so I'm teaching her how. That bruise wasn't from me. I don't hit her to teach her."
Reagan was quiet for a long time. Parker was sure she didn't believe him.
"I'm not dad, Mom. And she's not you; she would not still be sitting next to me if I hurt her. She just wouldn't." Parker winced at the harshness of his words; his mother was the bravest, most loving person he knew. He shouldn't be spitting words at her. Words that were lies. He had hurt Eden. He'd branded her, torn open her skin, put her in harm's way constantly...
"If not you, Parker, then who? Her dad?"
"I took care of it." That was a lie too. Eden had taken care of Danny. Parker had let her take care of Danny even though he knew what the darkness was doing to her.
Reagan's eyebrows furrowed. "Who?"
"I took care of him, okay?"
Realization seemed to dawn of her as her gaze drifted from his face to his stomach. "Is that why you're wincing?"
Parker raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"You hold your stomach when you sit down and breathe through your teeth. You use to do that when you were a kid too..." She trailed off and clicked her jaw. "How bad is it?"
Parker shrugged and tried to pull away as his mother grabbed at is shirt. "I'm fine. Maybe a broken rib or two. Don't tell Eden."
Reagan's small hands touched her son's flat, bruised stomach with her mouth drawn into a frown. "This scar is new." She glanced up at Parker. "What happened?"
Parker tugged his shirt down and shrugged again. "He had a knife."
"Don't act like being stabbed isn't a big deal!" Reagan said, her voice shaking. "You're going to get yourself killed."
"He was hurting her," Parker said fiercely, "did you expect me to let him?"
Reagan shook her head. "Your life matters too."
"I know. I know that. But if it's her life or mine, I'd save her first."
"Don't say that." The voice was small and came from the doorway. Both Parker and his mother turned to see Eden standing a few feet away. "Don't say that."
"Eden."
Her lips were trembling but her voice was firm. "Don't."
Parker looked at his mom pleadingly. Reagan opened her mouth, closed it then nodded. "I'll give you two a minute."
Parker watched as Eden bit her lip then glanced at her feet, waiting for Mrs. Yates to leave the kitchen.
"Eden—"
"Just don't," she said quietly.
"I mean what I said."
"I know," she said, her head snapping up, eyes blazing into his. "I know you mean it, but I don't want you to. Why do you put more value on my life—on other people's lives—than yours?" She didn't know why it pissed her off. Maybe because both their lives were constantly in danger, maybe because she knew he'd save her without hesitation, or maybe because she'd rather be hurt than live her life without him.
Parker leaned back against the refrigerator, his arms crossing over his chest. "Why do you think?"
The answer was in his eyes, the sadness, the compassion, the love... His emotions were too real, too soon. A smartass reply was out of her mouth before she could over analyze the look in his warm brown eyes. "The hero complex."
He watched her for a moment, lips lifting, then pushed of the fridge and closed the space between them. His hands held her face, thumbs brushing her cheekbones and the new scar the rest there. He kissed her lips lightly. "I'm not a hero," he whispered.
"Parkerrr," a girl with a high, sing-song voice squealed.
Eden and Parker sprang apart. Eden stared for a moment at the little girl, transfixed; she was eleven or twelve, and while her hair was a shade lighter than Parker's, they shared the same, warm brown eyes as their mother.
"Penelope, come here and give your big brother a hug," Parker said, crouching down and opening his arms wide. Penelope smiled wide and ran towards her brother, her arms thrown over his neck. He picked her up and turned to Eden, smiling as Penelope whispered something in his ear. "Well," he said quietly, "why don't you ask her?" He set her down gently.
Penelope turned to look at Eden. She stared shamelessly, and in a way, Penelope reminded Eden of Lily. "You're really, really pretty. Are you Parker's girlfriend?"
"Yeah," Eden said, glancing at Parker. "I am."
And before Eden could react, Penelope had wrapped her in a tight hug. "I've always wanted a big sister," she whispered.
Eden stood with her hands by her side for a moment, startled, but then she brought her arms around Penelope, hugging her tight to her chest, feeling the same protectiveness she felt for Lily towards Parker's little sister.