The Love Interest (Ethan Landry x female!Reader 18+)

Chapter 9: And you?

You shift your position on the cold uncomfortable floor, awaiting the fate of the woman you just met- Gale Weathers. You knew her so little that it felt odd, maybe even disrespectful. Yet the group refused to let anyone disperse, barely even for bathroom breaks.

So instead everyone stared blankly into their laps quietly attempting to come to terms with the situation. It could've been any one of us really, just a waiting and guessing game of who would be next in a hospital room.

You weren't sure exactly when Ethan had draped his zip up hoodie around your shoulders but you took comfort in the soft fleece, smelling inherently like him. It brought you back to a world of safety, to his apartment room underneath the bed sheets.

The sound of the door opening breaks the silence. Everyone looks up quickly in panic, noticing Danny in the doorway gasping for air.

"I got here as fast as I could," he breathes and Tara looks at him sharply.

"Did you?" She retorts.

Honestly, at this point you were tired of everyone pointing fingers. You felt sympathetic brown eyes on you as you pulled your knees up to your chest, holding them there protectively.

The sudden silence hums in your ears for what feels like forever. It was so quiet it startled you a little to hear Mindy speak.

"I'm really scared you guys..." Mindy's voice is thickened with fear and sorrow, "I really don't want to get hurt again."

"Neither do I," Chad says looking down at his feet.

You rest your chin on your knees, feeling your chest rise with every breath. What if it was me on the hospital table, what if I'm next?

"I don't want you getting hurt again either," Chad lays his head on Mindy's shoulder after she speaks and Ethan squeezes your shoulder, reminding you of his presence.

"So what do we do now?" Chad asked the empty room.

"Maybe he gets to win this time." You look up registering Sam's voice but not what she's saying "he wants to punish me. Me."

There was a ghost of tension in the room, as everyone knew she was right yet it was not something anyone here wanted.

"Maybe I'll let him. I'll give myself up. If this is what I have to do to keep you safe it's worth it." Sam looked sadly over everyone's faces.

"No we're not doing that!" Tara interjects angrily "you came back to protect me. Every day you make the decision to protect me. None of us would be alive if it weren't for you. You have to let us protect you this time. We're a team, remember?"

Sam looks back at her taken aback, unsure of how to respond. Tara's voice was filled with desperation, afraid to lose the sister she had just regained.

"We're a family." Mindy says.

"Let's go, core four!" Chad remarks happily.

"Core what?" Danny asks and Chad shakes his head.

You look at Ethan unsure of what to say or think. He looks back down at you, eyes filled with concern.

"Isn't there somewhere safe we can hold up in?" He asks.

"He's just going to keep finding us," Tara replies and Ethan sighs frustrated, running his hands through his curls.

"We could use that though..." Tara says after a moment of thinking "hang on let's call Bailey."

Ethan shifts uncomfortably and you put a hand on him, squeezing gently "it's okay. He's helped so far." He flinches and you can sense his unease still present.