Invited

Sixty-One - Wicken

I'd been expecting to hear from Layla the next day. She never came, nor did she come the day after that. In fact, at least two days passed before I had any visitors, which was fine by me since I didn't particularly want to see anyone who wasn't my girlfriend. True to her word, Chev played nurse, making sure to disinfect my wounds and help me regain my energy. While I was still sore, I was all around feeling a heck of a lot better.

"Someone stopped by when you were in the shower and brought by some new cream. They said they'd be back soon," she said as she started to apply said cream over my wounds. "Some girl, not Layla. She was older. Nadine, or something?"

"Nancy," I said.

"Right, yeah, she's coming back with her boyfriend."

"Michael."

"Sure."

I closed my eyes, not sure if I wanted to talk to Michael. Nancy I'd tolerate because she wouldn't want to talk business. I'd just have to deal with it. Not long after the cream was applied, a knock came to the door.

"It's open," Chevelle called out.

Nancy and Michael entered just as I was grabbing my shirt to put back on.

I pulled it over my head, wincing a little as the fabric brushed against my cuts. "'Sup?"

"I wanted to make sure you were okay for myself," Michael said.

"Didn't believe the rumors?"

"It's always difficult to know what to believe on this ship."

Shrugging, I waved for them to sit down in my mini-den. "I guess. You probably hear different gossip than I do."

"Yes," Michael said. "And now that I see first-hand what Layla has allowed to happen to you, I can come up with an appropriate retaliation to her crime."

"I didn't realize it was illegal for her to abuse us poor inferior humans." I rolled my eyes. "After all, Daniel got eaten and chucked into a dumpster. I'm sure worse things have happened to people here."

Michael nodded. "You're correct, but you are not just anyone. It's time she realized that. I should educate her before someone higher up decides to do it for me. She may be cold and selfish, but she is still my sister. I have to draw my lines somewhere in terms of how much I'll make her figure out on her own."

"Okay then," I mumbled. The last thing I wanted to do was talk about how I was "special" or whatever other political crap was going on.

With a sigh, Michael stood from the chair. "We need to get you to Sanctuary."

"To where?"

Chevelle gazed up at him, her jaw dropped. "Isn't that the Achlivans' place designated for all of the Earth refugees?"

"Yes," Michael said. "Focus on resting, and I will find a way to get you back there. I know you say being with each other is all you wanted, but you need to get away from my sister – away from my people. It was foolish of me to think it would be wise to bring you back to Gorgachan to aide me in the revolution."

Wow, thanks, jerk. It sure seemed like his way of saying I wasn't good enough to help out. Who needed him anyway? All of the Gorgachan were nuts, if you asked me.

I let it roll off my back and shrugged. "Whatever you say, man."

"Nancy, we should get going. Staying for too long might cause suspicion and with the mood Layla is in lately, I'm not sure we should test things." Michael held his hand out to his love. She didn't seem like she wanted to leave, but did as she was told anyway.

I ran my hands along the cracks in my counter top. "Your darling sister isn't going to try to do something to Chevelle is she?"

"No, especially not after I finish my talk with her. Doing so would be like her committing suicide, and I know for a fact she doesn't have a death wish...yet."

Yet was the keyword. Chevelle moved behind me and hugged me carefully. Just having her nearby had me feeling stronger and more whole. As I watched Michael and Nancy see themselves out the door, my fear left with them. For the first time in a long while, everything in my life finally was good.