Switchblade

Chapter 81: Kolson

"What is he to you?" Kolson asked.

Tati thought about it.
"I don't know. We're not together. I don't even think we're friends. Really he's just a guy I know."
"So you drive half an hour to check in on just anybody? Cry your eyes out and dirty your hands in their blood for just some guy?" Kolson questioned.
Tati just stared forward.
"What're you, Jesus?"
She snickered.

"Thought you two were datin'." Kolson admitted.
"Wouldn't I be insane for that?"
He decided to act like he didn't know the other stuff they'd done. "Tati, half of us have killed people. And would do it again if push came to shove."
Her eyebrows furrowed.
"Half of the world has been in an abusive relationship where they had some asshole beatin' on them, spittin' in their face, callin' them names, tellin' them they were worthless. They're gettin' cheated on all hours of the day and they know about it and still don't leave. I got no room to tell you if you're insane or not. No one does."
She stared at the floor.
"He hit you?"
"No..."
"Curse at you?"
"Once. But I deserved it."
"If you feel crazy, fine. But do you actually feel crazy or do you feel like other people would call you crazy?"
"Both."
"Then why are you here?"

She just blinked in thought.

"Why did you go to that dinner?" he asked. "Why did you get dressed up to attend and why did you leave with him?"
"You know I left with him?" she looked at him.
"I didn't. But now I do."
She sighed.

"I guess I don't care that I might be crazy." she scoffed.
"Mm." Kolson nodded.

~•~

Tati and Kolson both slept in the hospital lobby in their chairs. She was covered in his suit jacket to stay warm in the cold hospital.

Four hours had passed.

"Kolson." Silas called.
He opened his eyes.
Silas gestured at the nurse.
Kolson looked at her. "He's stable but he's been moved to the ICU to watch for any other issues. If there are warning signs I'll let you know as soon as possible."
Kolson gave her a nod and she walked off.

"You think he's gonna live?" Kanan asked the group.
"He got no other choice." Soren stated. "Who's in charge if he doesn't make it and Doc retires?"
They all looked at Kolson who sat there with low eyes.
"No." he stated.

They sighed.

"He's gonna live." Kolson stated.
"How do you know?"
"Doc ain't tell him he could die."
"Doc ain't who he listens to."
Kolson looked at him.

"Nobody's told him yet." Dominic spoke up. "Who's gonna break the news?"
"He'd kill us." Soren stated.
"Not our fault the boy is suicidal. He wouldn't kill us, he'd kill his nephew."
"How do you kill the already dead?"
"He'd find a way."

A different nurse returned to the area.
"Tests are being done but if any of you are a close relative or spouse, you can visit the patient now. One at a time please. I'm sorry." he stated.
They looked back at Kolson.
He looked at Tati who was still asleep.
He sighed. "I'll go." He stood up and followed behind the nurse.

"What's your relationship with the patient?" the nurse asked.
"Brother."
"I figured. You two look alike."
Kolson looked at him.

They arrived at the room and the nurse opened the door.
Kolson walked inside and saw Killian on his breathing tubes and IV.
He heard the door shut behind him. It left him and Killian alone in the room.

Kolson looked at the ground and watched his own tears drip onto the floor tile.

"What the fuck, man?" he panted.

He looked back at the body in the hospital bed through his blurry vision.

"This the stupidest shit you've ever done, man." he huffed. "And I've seen you try to drink orange juice through your nose so that's sayin' a lot."

"We could'a caught him another way. We were close to catchin' him another way. Why did-..." he panted and looked back at the floor. "Fucking asshole. I could kill you for that shit you pulled, man."

He walked closer to the bed until he stood at its side.

"Wake up." he commanded. "Get up and I won't kick your ass." He sniffed.

He wiped a hand over his face to get rid of his tears. He walked to the bathroom and turned on the faucet to splash his face with water.
He dried it off with a paper towel then walked back out. He looked at Killian. He laid there with his heart monitor beeping and the whirring sound of his oxygen after receiving a bullet to the lung. Kolson faced back forward and left the room.

He made it to the lobby and saw that Tati was awake.

"How is he?" Silas asked.
"He's fine. Hooked up to some machines but he's alive."
They all nodded.

Tati stared into her lap.

"All of you can go home. If anything happens I'll let you know. It's almost 5 in the morning. Go get some sleep." Kolson instructed.
"You sure you'll be alright?" Soren asked.
"Yea."
The men all got up and as they walked out, they gave Kolson a consoling pat on the shoulder.

Once they all left, he saw Tati still sitting there.

"Tati..."
"I'm gonna go home to get some things and then I'm coming back." she stated and stood up.
They looked at each other.
"Don't try to argue with me. I'll be back in an hour. But keep me updated."
Kolson nodded. "Alright."
She walked over to him and handed him his jacket. "Thank you." she grinned.
He gave a nod and she walked off to leave the hospital.

Tati pressed the buttons on her keys to find where Soren parked her car. She walked through the parking lot to head home.

Once she climbed inside, she just sat for a few seconds with hands tightly gripping the steering wheel.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked aloud. "You're free. You were freed and you keep walking back to him like he isn't a fucking nutjob!" she shouted. She violently shook the steering wheel in anger. "He's cut you before. He took you from your home. What are you doing?" She rested her forehead on the wheel. "I don't understand. You're probably so bad for me...and yet I cried for you when you were hurt. I shouldn't have cared!"
She lifted her head and reminisced all of their memories.
"Are you bad for me?" she wondered. "Is it possible that you could be bad for me? Why am I unfazed that you're bad for me?"
She took a moment to herself, just deep breaths and mixed emotions.

She started the car and began exiting out of the parking lot.

Mind racing full of thoughts on how she should feel towards Killian. But no matter what conclusion she claimed to have come to, she still had every intention on returning to that hospital and waiting on his recovery.