Tommy couldn't find anyone to fix his hand so he wandered out into the compound plaza. But there were too many celebrants pairing off. He calls in his destination and wanders outside the compound. The low light as the sun sets makes walking dangerous, so he puts on his infrared goggles, makes it easier to see if there are any shifters playing possum any way. He finds and kills many shifters that are only wounded and it helps him to channel his frustrations. He wonders why these haven't been taken care of by the leaders, but doesn't really care.
He is so frustrated, it would help if the bond wasn't closed, but all life bonds are. He viciously stabs a shifter. It's only after fights that it becomes almost impossible to deal with. Now with Alpha and the older kids here the pheromones are intoxicating.
Tommy whips around and has his knife to the soldiers neck before the man could say anything. "Hey, calm down. I just saw you out here and wanted to invite you to celebrate with us. You're with Jade and Jax's Aunt's security team aren't you?" The student continues without pausing for an answer. "We noticed that there weren't that many females and thought you might like to be with some of our girls. A couple saw you pass through and are interested."
Tommy smiles bleakly, which the student couldn't see. He lowers the knife, "Thanks, but I'm life bonded."
The student stops then in tones of awe says, "You're one of Kadance's mates?"
"Yeah," Tommy replies. "She and Jayse are busy right now." He manages to get that out without too much pain.
"You're Tommy?" Tommy could just about see the hero worship shoot up. "Oh, my. Won't the others be jealous. Look, you're welcome to join us, we'd love to hear some stories." The student says excitedly.
"Thanks again kid." And Tommy has never felt so much older than he did in that minute, "but the air is getting a bit thick there. Right now I'm pretty much on edge. I just need to be alone." Just then a wave of dizziness knocks Tommy down and he passes out. The last thing he hears is the kid calling for medic help.
"Keep him in a sterile room. Only people freshly showered may visit..." The words fade out again as he loses consciousness.
"...internal bleeding. Blast caused..." He heard before fading out once more.
Kadance's anxious voice brings him swimming back to consciousness. "Shh, Stefi." He looks at Jayse and says, "M'be better this way." He sighs and stops fighting to stay awake.
"Taren Thompson don't you dare leave me." Kadance demands, not allowing the tears to come out. In reply he smiles faintly and his hand goes limp in hers. Jayse takes her in his arms and guides her from the room. The doctors work feverishly on him.
Kelan comes out sometime later. She wipes her brow as she sits in exhaustion. She looks at Kadance and Jayse, although the other team members are gathered around. "He's a fighter. More than he wants to be I think. He's fighting hard to make it, but from his words I think he's also fighting himself. He needs a reason to fight to live and stop fighting himself and he'll make it. Otherwise," she shrugs, "he's lost a lot of blood. I've seen worse survive and I've seen better die."
"I need you Taren Thompson. You made some promises to me, don't you dare leave me now. I need your help." Kadance alternates between ordering and pleading with Tommy. "I love you."
"Dammit, Tommy, don't you dare leave me. Kadance will be impossible to live with if you leave. And being on full time as her shadow, horror. Don't you dare do that to me. You're all I've got left of Sigma. You're my only family Tommy, don't you dare leave me alone to help with all our babies. Just think Tommy, think of your babies. Think what sneaky things you can teach them at Kadance's home on Gaia. She'll need us both." Jayse orders, begs and teases Tommy.
"Tommy, I slipped out. I left Jayse back at our quarters so I could be with you." Her words reach deep into Tommy. The terror they invoke do what all the other words couldn't, he fights to awaken. He hears words but they make no sense. He feels her hand caressing his face, then her lips on his. It ignites a hunger for more. Hunger and terror combine to bring him back to consciousness. He brings his hand up behind her head to keep her there as he kisses her desperately, but he's too weak to do anything more.
"Kadance," he manages to say, but that's all.
"Shh, it's alright," she can't stop touching him. "I know," after she finishes she lies beside him.
"Kadance you shouldn't be here alone," Tommy manages to get out.
"I'm not alone, I'm with you," she returns happily.
Tommy is unimpressed, "Right now you might as well be alone. I have no strength, I can't even sit up."
"True my love, but you're alive," Kadance says smugly.
"You should have let me die Kadance. It would make life a lot easier," Tommy states flatly.
"Easier for you, not for me, not for the team, and definitely not for Jayse. He's worried sick. He won't eat. He won't sleep. We had to drug him to get him to sleep. Not for my nephews, they need your training. Not for Alpha company, they need you to train my nephews. The team needs you. I'm terrified at the thought of losing you. You made me some promises. Besides Rueton's so scared that you're going to die he turns sickly white every time your name is mentioned," Kadance is all wide eyed innocence.
Tommy gives a little coughing laugh, "What did you say to him?"
Kadance pouts, "They won't even let me talk to him. Jayse had Candlen put a block on all unit coms and the room com to him. Only Jayse is allowed to talk to him, I don't know why. I don't blame him for your injury. I do blame the shifters. Dest won't even look at me. He blames himself you know."
"Wasn't his fault," Tommy protests.
"I know, but he won't listen to me. Maybe you could make him listen to you," Kadance replies.
"I'll talk to him tomorrow morning. How long have I been out?" Tommy asks fighting to stay awake.
Kadance answers as she gets up. "About four days, a little less." She goes about giving him a sponge bath. "They're still working on the cleanup. Graduation will be in four more days. I expect you to be at my side."
"As my Lady Faire commands," Tommy jokes weakly.
"Huh, not true, I commanded you to wake up days ago," Kadance chides him.
Tommy turns serious, "It would've been better had you let me go. In time mourning would end and it would be easier for Jayse. He's very on edge with me in the picture."
"He's been impossible since you've been in here. If he loses you, I might not be enough to keep him from going over. Like it or not you are as much a part of his life as I am. More actually. In different ways, but just as or more important as I am," Kadance says matter-of-factly.
"As much, never more," Jayse says swaying slightly in the doorway. He's staring at Tommy with haunted eyes. "Are you truly back or am I only dreaming?" Jayse looks horrible, hollow eyed, gaunt and wild.
"Good heavens Jayse, you look like death warmed over," Tommy jokes. "I thought I was the one dying. Sit down before you fall down. Your swaying is making me sick." Tommy has to close his eyes and swallow several times before he can answer. "Yes, I'm back Jayse. I'm not leaving you or our Lady Faire anytime soon."
Jayse makes it to a chair before he collapses. "Oh, thank the merciful heavens."
"When was the last time he ate?" Tommy demands from Kadance.
"I told you he wasn't eating or sleeping. He hasn't eaten since the last meal during the attack. And before you chew me out I've tried, but he's bigger, stronger and faster than me even now." Kadance says defensively. "And he's defying my orders."
"Not her fault. She's tried, my ears are still blistered from her words. I couldn't eat, the smell made me sick. I couldn't sleep, 'fraid you'd go while I slept." Jayse says exhaustion slurring his words.
Kadance gets on her com, "Rackem come to Tommy's room. Bring broth, and you might want to bring help. Jayse is falling over he's so tired." She waits for the affirmative then cuts the link.
"Looks like I'm staying here for the foreseeable future, seeing as how my two main knight protectors are out of action," Kadance says wryly.
"Oh, well you got what you wanted didn't you?" Tommy says drifting off.
Kadance whispers softly, "Ohh yeah, and don't you forget it Taren, don't you forget it."
"Jayse don't you dare get up yet. He's just sleeping. He'll wake and fade a lot for awhile. That's normal. Don't worry he's going to get better now," Kadance says.
"Tommy's better?" Trader says, walking through the door at Candlen's side. "He woke up?" He asks smiling anxiously.
Kadance smiles reassuringly at them both as she takes the large mug of broth. "Yes, he woke up. He's going to be just fine now."
She gives the mug to Jayse and Jayse drinks it quickly. "Tommy jumped on Jayse's case about not eating or sleeping." Almost as soon as he finishes drinking the broth he collapses, Kadance barely catches him and the other two barely catch her.
Candlen and Trader pick Jayse up and move him to the other bed in the room. Kadance makes sure that he's comfortable and pulls the blankets up over him. "Now he'll sleep again."
Kadance turns to the other two, "I'll be staying here tonight. Seeing as how my two main knight protectors are down, I'd better have a couple outside the door here. Trader, would you stay? Candlen you better get back to the com." Kadance smiles, "Send Dest, but you don't need to tell him about Tommy. Let him find out on his own. Also send a blanket please. I couldn't find any extras and I might as well be comfortable." She turns to the sleeping men as the other two leave. A small smile playing about her mouth.