The Brotherhood

26

Finley was dreaming, it wasn't a very good dream. It felt like pain and agony and everything wrong with the world. It felt like fire ripping through her veins. Every breath she took felt like a blinding pain that would never end, but it came only with each breath. Finley tried not to think about it or the awful dream. The dream never stopped though. It continued with every breath. Someone was shouting her name. She couldn't hear who it was. In fact she couldn't hear anything over the vicious pain in her chest. 

The shouting didn't stop. The voice kept roaring her name over and over. Finley shuddered and threw herself into wakefulness. Her eyes opened, but she couldn't move her body at all. Every inch of her was in violent fits of pain. Finley tried to sit up but found that she couldn't. She glanced down at her body to find that it was wrapped tightly in layers upon layers of gauze. Her lungs felt shredded and she was gasping for breath. 

She looked around the room wildly. Finley didn't remember what had happened to her. She had absolutely no recollection of what she'd been doing that had caused this mess. She was waiting for there to be someone, anyone to tell her what had happened. Her eyes snagged on someone who sat in the corner of the room. Dark eyes searched hers and instantly Kane was by her side. His large, warm hands grasped her hand gently, his thumb brushing her knuckles tenderly. 

He leaned down until his lips were brushing the shell of her ear. He whispered gently in her ear, "You killed it, Fin. You killed the monster. It got you good though. Fell down right on top of you. You weren't breathing when we finally got it off of you. I tried to keep you alive." 

Finley cleared the garbage from her throat, "It looks like you succeeded." 

Kane leaned back so that he could see her face. He scanned it a couple times. Then he let out a laugh. It was deep and hearty, the kind of laugh that Finley never got to hear from him. He seemed like he'd been waiting for her to wake up, waiting for her to make a joke again. She tried to laugh along with him, but her chest ached too much. 

Finley groaned, "What the fuck happened to my lungs? Why does it feel like I'm dying every time I take a breath?" 

Kane's face grew serious again. He no longer looked delighted that Finley was cracking jokes. He looked like he wanted the monster to be resurrected so that he could shred it apart with his bare hands. That was how intensely he was looking at her. Finley watched as he swallowed. 

"You cracked you ribs," Kane explained softly, "that's probably why it's hurts when you breathe." 

His eyes searched every inch of her body again like he could find all the sources of her pain and magically make them go away. Finley grabbed his hand and squeezed it. She smiled up at him, her lips cracking from the effort. She desperately needed to drink water and lots of it. 

Still smiling she asked him kindly, "Would you be willing to get me some water?" 

Kane started moving as quickly as possible. He didn't even bother to answer Finley's question. He simply walked over to the small table on the other side of the room that had a pitcher of water on it. He filled a small pewter cup practically up to the brim. He walked over and quickly handed the glass to Finley. She tried desperately not to spill it as she sipped from the cup. She sucked the water into her mouth like she'd been lost in the desert for years. Damn was she thirsty. 

Kane watched every drink that she took. It seemed like he refused to look away from Finley. Maybe now that she'd almost died he was going to watch every single move she makes. Finley cleared her throat. She desperately tried to let him know that she was fine, but she couldn't get her mouth to form the words. Based off of her nightmares alone, she was most definitely not fine. 

Kane stared at her like he knew that she was struggling to get the words out. He stared at her like he knew that the monster she'd supposedly killed still lurked inside her head. He stared at her like he understood every single thought running through her mind and none of them scared him. Finley knew that that look should probably scare her, but it didn't. Oddly enough, it made her feel better, like someone finally understood her. 

Kane opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but before he got the chance the door flew open. Ethan came in wearing an expression that was miles beyond gloomy. Finley's heart squeezed tightly at the sight. Whatever was happening, it wasn't good. It wasn't good at all. 

"Not now," Kane growled at Ethan. Ethan didn't stop moving. He kept coming toward her with purpose in his steps. Kane stopped Ethan when he was halfway to Finley. The look in Kane's eyes was not one that Finley ever wanted directed toward her. 

Finley pulled herself up until she was sitting, "What's going on?" 

Kane and Ethan turned so that they were facing her. Finley watched as both of their shoulders dropped significantly. Finley had never seen Kane look so downcast. Ethan looked like he was taking her to her grave. Her stomach sank as the realization washed over her. Ethan was taking her to her grave. He was going to take her to see the Mother. 

"Please tell me this isn't happening," Finley asked desperately, her voice cracking. "Please tell me that you're not taking me to see the Mother." 

Ethan sighed deeply, "I wish that I could. Unfortunately, I can't." 

Finley desperately looked at Kane. She really hoped that he would get her out of this. She couldn't see the Mother. If she saw the Mother then she would die. There was no way to get around it. Tonight would be her last night breathing. 

Ethan looked at Kane with a grimace, "She wants to see you too." 

Kane didn't look surprised. Mostly, he just looked ready to fight anyone who came near Finley. Finley knew that it wasn't going end well for her or Kane. She just hoped beyond hope that she somehow survived this.