Survivin' - [B.C.]

Chapter 36: The End of An Era

"Thank you so much, Rodney." I said. He hugged me back.

""You're welcome, kiddo."

========== SURVIVIN' =========

I love Saturdays.

A lot of good things happen on Saturdays. Like this Saturday morning, I woke up wrapped in a cozy blanket on Rodney's couch, with a view straight out into the street below. I took a few moments to stretch to the point of shaking, and to sit up and get myself ready for another day of bullshittery.

"That's a cute sweatshirt," I heard from behind me. I turned so fast I got whiplash to see Rodney standing in the kitchen with a mug in one hand. He nodded his head towards the green hoodie I wore.

"Or jumper, I should say," he joked in a fake British accent.

"It was my friend's."

"Oh, it was nice of them to give it to ya."

"Didn't even know they did. Kinda just happened." I shrugged.

"Well, anyways, Morning Bird," Rodney changed the subject as he walked over to the couch, sitting next to me. "How did you sleep?"

"Give me the coffee, Rod, and no one gets hurt." I said, pointing a finger-gun at him. He laughed as he handed me the stained mug, and I snatched it from him and chugged the liquid.

"How's your cannula?" He asked as I was still drinking. "Everything fine?" He gently fiddled with the tube, then checked to make sure it was tight enough in my nose, and eventually checked the portable oxygen box in my little bag.

I finished the coffee and handed it back to him. "Everything's good," I said.

"Ready to go back to your place?"

"Not really," I chuckled. "I kinda wanna just stay here and stare at your workshop all day." Rodney smiled and ruffled my hair.

"Sorry, kiddo. But I think you'll find something even better waiting for you at home."

The drive back to my house was anxiety-inducing. Separation anxiety, that is. I don't have an issue with it, but in those moments as I was thinking about having to part from Rodney for God knows how long, I found it hard to breathe.

"This is you," his voice broke my worrisome brooding and I looked up to see that we were parked outside the Great Cumberbatch Mansion. I groaned in an exaggerated fashion. Rodney laughed at me.

"I know, kiddo. I'm just so amazing," he joked. "But you will see me later, though."

My head snapped to the side to look at him. "Really?!" I exclaimed. He nodded with a smile. I threw open the car door.

"Well now I don't care!" I hopped out with my stuff and tossed a careless goodbye before I barged into the house.

"Oh, well, look who it is!" 

Ben was walking down the stairs when I entered, and he sped up his pace when he saw me. He wrapped his arms around me and placed a kiss on the top of my head. My cheeks heated up with excitement.