NUMB

16 - A bond so strong

The bright light prickled in Magnus's eyes as he slowly tried to open them, unaware of his surroundings. His mind was blank with no memories of the last few hours. The heaviness, the ache, and intense burn, as if his body had been exhausted from days of endless workout, it was so much to carry up. Where was he and what was going on?

The faint sound of constant beep, the strong scent of bleach and weird food, the cold crisp sheets beneath his body, that he was pressed against it as if his body was nothing but a heavyweight, it all indicated that he was in hospital, but why?

"Aggh... Aggh..." He tried to sit up, scrunching his eyes with the pain that rushed throughout his body when a pair of strong arms held him firmly, helping him with the action and he fluttered his eyes to clean the vision in front, only to find Catarina and Ragnor gazing at him with relief and worry.

"R.. Ragnor? Cat? What's... aghh!"

"Two days, Bane! We were gone for just two days and you decided to die on us!? Do you know how big of a heart attack you gave us!?" Ragnor fumed, but his tone was anything but angry.

"D...die?" He frowned but then the events of the day came rushing to him like a huge wave. The news, the cafe, getting shot in broad daylight. What day was it and how long has it been? "That... that reporter... R.. Ragnor..."

"Magnus! Oh thank the lord!" Valreen rushed in and gave him a light hug, careful of not squeezing the life out of him.

"I'm.. fine uncle Val."

"Fine!?" Valreen looked dead in his eyes after he broke the hug while Ragnor and Catarina exchanged confused looks. "You almost died, you careless idiot! Died! I shouldn't have let you out of that house! It's my fault-"

"Uncle Val, please, aghh! Don't blame yourself. You know I'm stubborn. I would've left on my own if you hadn't agreed." Magnus said and bit his lip when Valreen shot daggers at him.

"Just like your father..." Valreen sighed.

"First of all Bane, the heck is wrong with you!?" Ragnor snapped. "And second of all, what's going on and who is he!?" He eyed Valreen and Magnus looked between his friends, remembering all the times they had been there for him, been his rock whenever he hit the bottom of an ocean, even bearing his annoying, depressive ass and him keeping things from them, keeping secrets after everything they did for him wasn't right. They deserved better.

"He's my dad's friend and... my lawyer. I didn't know he was in town until I decided to have a lawyer. Sorry, I didn't tell you both. That commissioner bitch got into my head!"

"You hired a lawyer. Thank god, Magnus. We were so scared when you refused earlier. That's why we went to Yorkshire to meet Tessa." Catarina said. "I'll inform her that she need not to come. But... what happened here when we were gone? You got out of that confinement?"

"Yeah, FBI let me go. They had enough evidence in my favor and after that bitch's death, it's been a little peaceful. Though that reporter, Uncle Val-"

"Wasn't a reporter. Those bastards did that. There's a lot going on but you don't need to worry. Just lay here and recover. You got shot in your heart, Magnus! You're lucky that you're alive. I would've died, he would've died if something had happened to you."

The events leading to the incident flashed in front of Magnus's eyes and a shudder went through his body. How smart were night ghosters? He was surrounded by officers, hell, even a known mafia member, but they still got him. "How... how long it's been? How long am I-"

"A whole fucking day!" Valreen said. "You had multiple surgeries Magnus, multiple! Doctors said you didn't have much chance of survival, and when you didn't wake up after eight hours of waiting, even I started giving up. But someone didn't. And here you are. All safe but your body is still weak so don't you dare try to be a fucking superhero! You need rest!"