Kate and Sean

Jersey

      Sean pulled his hoodie up tight over his head and looked down to hide his face, so he wouldn't be recognized. His short stature had him looking like a teenager to most passers-by. As soon as the thug that was looking for him drove past, he stepped out into the dark street and trailed his way through the alleys to Kate's house.

    The entire place was dark, most likely due to the electric bill being let go again. It didn't matter how much money he gave Kate's father, he would still spend it on booze and meth. Sean shoved the window open and climbed up on the old ripped sofa in the back yard before jumping to the doghouse roof.

        He heaved his way in through the window, landing ankle deep in trash. Then he kicked through it and tripped once before he made it to her dresser. He pulled out a few pairs of her jeans, grabbed a fist full of bras and panties and then opened the trunk to take out enough t-shirts for both of them. There was a couple of her father's flannels piled by the door and he snatched those too, knowing she would want to wear them if it got cold.

He used his cellphone as a flashlight and navigated down the hall to the living room. The stench of old beer, cigarettes and vomit burned his nostrils. He used his switchblade to pop the vent behind the TV open and grabbed a small yellow package, stuffing it into the pouch of his hoodie. A groan permeated from the kitchen and Sean froze for a moment, shining his phone light in that direction. There were no shadows moving and no further sounds. He got up to investigate, keeping his blade at the ready should he need it.

He tsk'd through his teeth when he discovered Kate's father passed out at the table. Sweat dripping down his hairline and the remnants of vomit pooled beneath his cheek. Sean wanted to cut his throat. He looked over his switchblade for a moment just contemplating it. It wasn't like he could get into any more trouble than he was already in. Plus, Frank was the whole reason Kate was in the hospital to begin with. He was the one that brought her to that junkie neighborhood. Her own father left her alone to be attacked by two thugs.

Sean had already killed one of the bastards, it would be no skin off his back to do Frank too. The only problem was that killing him would hurt her, and he couldn't do it. He couldn't do anything that would bring her pain no matter how justifiable it was.

Sean took the bottle of whiskey from Frank's hand and dumped it on the floor, then stole his pack of cigarettes just to be an asshole. Once outside there was a cop car prowling down the street. Sean saw it and hung back in the shadows till the coast was clear. He stuck to the alleys all the way to the subway then hopped the Metro downtown.

The hospital was only a block away from his stop. He quietly ducked through the halls, twisting and turning towards the floor he knew to be the secured wing she was in. When he got to the desk the charge nurse was already skeptical, "I'm just visiting my sister. Brought her some stuff that reminds her of home. The doctor said it might help wake her up." He held up the duffle bag. He seemed legit enough. She hit the buzzer and he smiled and opened the door to the wing and made his way down the hall. Finally, he came to her room. The TV was on, but there was no need for it. Kate just stared off into space, lost in her own world.

He closed the door and put down the duffel bag. Then he climbed the bed straddling his girlfriend and taking her head in both his hands, "Hey sweetie, it's me baby." He kissed her delicate pink lips as her eyes rolled up towards the ceiling. "Oh, what did they do to you? Come on, sweetie. We need to get outta here." Again, he kissed her softly... gently. Her eyes started to flutter and she flailed a bit, but his weight helped keep her calm. "That's it sweetie. You hear me?"It took her a few seconds to focus on his face, and he kissed her again. "Hey, we gotta go. You wanna get dressed?"

Sean yanked out her IV out and pressed on the wound. Then he pulled a cartoon Band-Aid from his pocket and covered the insertion point. "I brought you some clothes. We gots ta get outta here before the boat leaves without us."Kate sat up in bed and pulled on the hoodie he gave her. She was still groggy and despite the fact that she wasn't quite sure where she was, she recognized Sean's hurried state. She didn't bother fumbling around with a bra. She hopped into her jeans and buttoned them, and then her boyfriend pulled out some tiny army style boots for her to put on.

After Kate was dressed, Sean packed up what he could for hospital soaps and shampoos. He found a couple of toothbrushes still in the wrappers in the bathroom and a foil tube of toothpaste. As soon as he was sure he had everything he could snag from the room he grabbed Kate by the arm and whispered in her ear, "Go wait by the door for me, don't leave till you see me come back in here."

As soon as he finished talking, he darted into the bathroom and came out the other side into an adjoining patient's room.He found a man asleep in his bed and shut off all his equipment. He pulled the emergency cord and darted for the bathroom again; locking it from inside and running towards the door Kate was standing in front of, "Go! Go!" Kate opened the door to run out and as she made it to the corridor, she saw the last of the floor staff pouring into the man's room next door. Sean took her by the arm and hurried her towards the hall staircase.

They made it down one flight of stairs and he pulled her out into that floor and pushed the button for the elevator. The doors opened to a full cart of visitors and hospital staff going down for a late evening snack in the café. The two of them boarded the elevator and Sean leaned on the wall pulling her to him by her ass, he bit his lip, "Hey sleepin beauty, ya miss me?""You know it." Her lashes fluttered as her lips closed in on his, her short, pink hair brushed his cheek as she kissed him. Her hazel eyes peered out from under her lashes and he found himself lost in them like a kid at the fair.When the elevator opened a few of the patrons grunted in disgust at the sight of Kate's hand down his pants, with no shame whatsoever. Sean wasted no time returning the disgusted looks with one of his own. "You got a problem, bro?" He grabbed at his pouch to make it look like he had a gun in there. The last man out simply averted his gaze and left. Kate giggled and abandoned Sean in the elevator. He quickly straightened up and followed her as if she had him tethered by some invisible rope.