Belladonna

3.4 ] Not Dead Yet

••●••

HER HEART IS still beating. I check every fucking second. Her eyes are open. But her breathing definitely isn't steady. And her eyes are taking longer blinks. And her hear taking slower beats. 

"They'll be here soon." I say to Vika reassuringly, "Elliot and Keagen are getting your supplies - this'll all blow over."

I can't tell if I'm saying this for myself or for her.

Vika just nods groggily, eyelashes fanning her cheeks as her blinking slowly starts to turn to closed eyes. 

"Fuck." I whisper with the crack of my voice before I'm tapping her cheek lightly, "I need your eyes open, okay?"

"Mmkay." She hums weakly, opening them with what seems to be a lot of effort.

"Fuck." I say again and face Heather, "Where are they?!"

"They should be here any-"

"We're here!" Keagen calls as he runs to the table with a box and Elliot in tow. Liam steps forward and replaces Heather's hands with his as she moves to start working on Vika's wound. I can't imagine what I'd do if Heather and her medic skills wasn't here. I think I'd have to shoot myself. 

"Give her something to bite on for this part." Heather instructs quickly. 

I roll out the sleeve of my shirt so that there are loose parts hanging off my arm and stuff it in Vika's mouth, holding it firmly there. She bites down hard, groaning when Heather starts piercing her skin back together. 

"Look, I know it's painful - but think about dinner tonight! Your choice, I promise." I say frantically, keeping a smile on my face as long as I can. Vika hisses a little louder, earning a squeak from Heather saying something about a sorry.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." Keagen runs his hands through his hair before facing Heather, "Is she going to make it?"

Heather simply says; "She's lost a lot of blood."

"This is survivable though," I butt in quickly, "Vika can survive this easily."

Heather smiles back at me almost with pity, "If anyone can, it's Vika."

When I look back at Vika she's passed out. Breathing, but unconscious. I need her awake. Now. She can't be asleep during this.

"Vika." I say. She doesn't stir. 

"Vika." I say again more sternly.

Liam, out of frustration, bangs his fists on the table before walking towards the doors with purpose, quickly, and firmly. 

"Hey, hey, hey." Elliot pulls him back, "Where are you going?"

"To finish the job." Liam bites.

"You can't do that alone."

"Well we all need to go out there and do that! Right now!" He pushes Elliot off of him (quite roughly might I add).

Sasha comes to Elliot's defence quickly, pushing Liam away, "Hey." 

"What? You gonna preach about rainbows and puppies?" Liam scoffs, mocking her. "Guess what?! Vika could die. Because of them. And if they're the reason she dies so help me god all the shit they've done plus this will-"

"I get it." Sasha interrupts him. It's not a sorrow tone she holds though. It's calm. Firm. Not erratic or stressed like she was back in the van when we realised we'd been tricked. 

It's actually a little terrifying, coming from her of all people. The person who is, like Liam said, all rainbows and puppies most of the time. 

"You're upset," Sasha continues, "We all are. We all want revenge for Vika - not even the bullet part, the part where they even hurt her a little. But we can't do that right now. Now, we stay here, we help her, and we fucking figure this out. Do you understand?"

"But-"

"Stop it." She steps forward, pointing a finger at him, "Collect yourself. Grow up. Do what you need to do. You going out there and killing them right now isn't going to save Vika - what might, is your cooperation. You really wanna be out there if she dies?"

"She's not dying!" I laugh a little desperately, "She's just been shot, of course she's fucking weak right now - can we stop acting like these are her last moments? Please!?"

Sasha calms down then a little. Maybe out of respect for me. Or Vika. Or maybe she pities me. She sends me a look Heather was only sending mere moments ago.

"Okay." Sasha says softly. And despite Liam's stubbornness, despite his brash and ruthless behaviour, he calms down as well. He nods and listens. Maybe because of Sasha's words, or maybe because of my outbreak. Either way, we're all here. For Vika.

Except Margeux. 

Who...who I like. Maybe a little more than necessary at the beginning of our relationship, but she's truly my friend now. I don't think she betrayed us. I don't believe that. I think something else is going on. And if I lose Vika and her? I can't help but feel that today will be the day I lose myself as well.

"I'm leaving." Reign pushes off the wall suddenly.

"We just talked about this-" Sasha starts with a sigh before he's interrupted her.

"Vika won't mind if I'm here or not, if she dies or lives. You guys stay here. I agree with that. But I'm going back. Margeux might be waiting." Reign starts walking towards the doors like Liam did minutes ago. 

"No." It's not Elliot who stops him. Or Sasha. 

It's me. 

He raises a brow at me, probably conflicted, definitely confused. Reign and I have a complicated relationship. He sucks a lot. I genuinely do think I hate him. But we were friends once. Before he killed my other friend. 

And although he's betrayed my friendship - he didn't betray Vika's. And despite the both of them lacking an outlet to show their appreciation or to evidently care in front of others, they do. They do care. If it were me on this table, not giving a shit about whether Reign was here or not, that doesn't matter.

Because it's not me on this table with a bloody wound. It's Vika. And I love the girl. She's one of my closest friends.

"Odyssey." Reign says my name once; a warning. 

"I hate you dude - I do - but please, just-"

Reign doesn't get to make a choice. This repetitive and constant, dragging conversation doesn't have to go on any longer. Because the doors open, and everyone looks to them in the middle of an action, to see Marguex. 

Margeux drenched in blood, holding a knife. 

••●••

Liam and Reign getting ready to fight their way out:

- Juana.