Star: Take 3

Chapter 27

MIKE POV

The drive to my condo was a blur. Derek's condition was deteriorating rapidly. As soon as we arrived, Messiah and I helped Derek inside, laying him down on the couch. His face was pale, and he was sweating profusely. The wound in his side was bleeding heavily, and I knew I had to act fast.

"Stay with me, Derek," I said, my voice steady but filled with urgency. "I'm going to take care of you." I grabbed my medical bag and began to work, cleaning the wound and assessing the damage. Derek winced in pain, his eyes fluttering as he slipped in and out of consciousness.

"Don't... tell Alex," Derek mumbled, his voice weak and strained. My hands moved with practiced precision, my face a mask of concentration. "Just focus on staying with us, Derek," I said, my voice calm but firm. I carefully sterilized the area around the wound, my movements efficient. Reaching into my bag, I pulled out a pair of surgical tools.

"This is going to hurt," I warned, my eyes meeting Derek's for a brief moment. "But I need you to stay as still as possible." Derek nodded weakly, his breathing shallow and labored. I took a deep breath and began the delicate process of removing the bullet. Derek's body tensed as I worked, his face contorted in pain. He let out a low groan, his eyes squeezing shut as he fought to stay conscious.

"You're doing great, Derek," I said, my voice steady and reassuring. "Just hang in there a little longer." After what felt like an eternity, I finally managed to extract the bullet. I quickly cleaned the wound again and began to stitch it up, my hands moving with practiced ease.

Derek's breathing began to steady, and his eyes fluttered open. "Don't... tell Alex," he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded, my expression serious. "I won't," I promised. "But you need to focus on getting better. We'll deal with everything else later." Derek nodded weakly, his eyes closing as he slipped back into unconsciousness. I finished stitching up the wound and carefully bandaged it, my face etched with concern.

"He's stable for now," I said, my voice filled with relief. "But we need to keep a close eye on him." Messiah nodded, his expression serious. "Thank you, pops," he said, grateful. I nodded, my expression softening. "We're family," I said simply. "I'd do anything for you."

As I cleaned up and put away my medical supplies, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of responsibility. Derek had gotten himself involved in something dangerous, and now it was up to me to save him.

ALEX POV

When I got home, the house was quiet. Derek wasn't there, and a sense of unease settled over me. I called his phone, but it went straight to voicemail. I left him a quick message, trying to keep my voice calm. "Hey, Derek, it's me. Just checking in. Call me back when you get this."

I tried to shake off the worry as I headed to the bathroom. The hot water from the shower helped to relax my tense muscles, but my mind kept drifting back to Derek. Where could he be? Why hadn't he called me back?

After my shower, I got into my pajamas and tried Derek's phone again. This time, someone answered, but it wasn't Derek. "Hello?" I said, my voice filled with concern. "Alex, it's Mike," came the reply, his voice calm but serious.

"Mike? What's going on? Why are you answering Derek's phone?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Alex, there's something you need to know," Mike said, choosing his words carefully. "Derek was... someone tried to mug him. He got shot, I'm taking care of him."