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Chapter Twenty One

I'm still mostly asleep when I hear someone shout my name. Great, now I'm dreaming about AJ's voice. I hear my name again, only this time it sounds a lot louder and... closer? I feel a hand land on me and begin to shake me, as if they were scared I drank a deadly poison. "Car, answer me!! Please gorgeous" My eyes shoot open. I see AJ's face, panic laced through it. "AJ?" I manage to squeak out. "Hey, Hey, You're ok! We're here. We found you! You're safe now." AJ picks me up bridal style in his arms and hugs me to his chest. I inhale his scent and lean into him. I'm safe.

I enjoy being wrapped in his arms for a little while before I realize. He said "We" found you. We. "You said We. Maya's here?? Where is she?" I say, excited to see my best friend. I know she is going to chew me out for leaving like that, but she will get understand once I get a chance to explain. It was for Blue. Blue Baloo. I hear footsteps coming down the hall. "Maya!! You guys found me!" I yell, expecting her to appear in the doorway shortly after. That's not who appears though.

"Uh, sorry I'm not Maya." The words come out of a face I have seen before. He still doesn't realize he dropped his license. I contemplate how to play this. I could just tell AJ right now! But then Ryan would probably kill all of us. I decide to play it clueless. "No, no you're not." I say with a fake laugh. "My stayed at your house, in case you escaped and made it there." AJ says, pulling me tighter to him. "Carter, this is Ryan. He's been helping me when he can. His Mom keeps him busy but he knows how important it was for me to find you." Ryan steps forward and gives a shy wave, "Hey Carter. Nice to meet you, although I wish we met under better circumstances" Ryan says. I lock eyes with him, trying to keep my thoughts calm. How is he playing so innocent? He's a fucking psychopath.

"Come on Car. There's an ambulance outside, let's get you to the hospital to get checked out." I go to protest but then he continues, "Blue is coming too, don't worry." My mind calms slightly at the thought of Blue. My sweet Pup. Even though he doesn't understand stranger danger, which we are gonna work on, he is still the world's best doggy. AJ walks me to the ambulance and puts me on the stretcher. I'm loaded up into the ambulance, and as promised, Blue is as well. He jumps up on the stretcher with me and I wait for the paramedic to shoo him off. To my surprise, she doesn't. She just works around him as best as she can, and I am beyond thankful for that.

We arrive at the hospital and the Paramedic prepares for me to be unloaded on the stretcher. She has Blue get down, and I feel my anxiety start to rise. She looks in my eyes, and she must have noticed, because as soon as the stretcher was stable on the ground, she had him jump back up and lay with me. I need to get her name and bring her cookies or some shit when this is over. I'm rolled into the Emergency Room and it's not long before I hear AJ's voice. I'm put into a room fairly quickly, and hooked up to all sorts of monitors.Shortly after, AJ enters into the room. He stands in front of me and starts to say something. I don't hear what he says because I am busy looking around him for Ryan.

"Car? Are you listening?" I turn my head towards AJ and he looking at me, but with concern in his face, not anger. "What?" I say. AJ let's out a subtle sigh before saying "She's on her way. She should be here any minute." He thinks you're looking for Maya. "Okay. Good." I say awkwardly, but I continue, "Is Ryan here?" I try to look around AJ again. I don't see him, so I look back to AJ's face. He has an unreadable expression for a moment but then it flashes to somber. "No, he needed to get back to his Mom, and he figured I would probably want some time alone with you." I nod, "And he was right." AJ continues. He leans down and places a kiss on my forehead before lowering his forehead to touch mine. We make eye contact and I can see the plethora of emotions he is feeling. I sigh deeply, and brace myself. This is gonna be hard.