Light A Way

61

Feeling weightless was an odd sensation. The only time this was felt was when flying. Elsie was rather sure she wasn't flying. Then what exactly was going on? Opening her eyes she struggled to focus, dark material mixed with a deep red. Hearing the steady beating of a heart, she quickly managed to deduce she was leaning against someone. Only she did not expect that person to be Erik. Her mind was rather slow in piecing together the information present. The only other person able of sustained flight was him. He wore dark coloured clothes. And well, unless he had a twin running about in the world...the person carrying her looked a lot like him.

"Stay awake." Erik glanced at her as he realised she was awake for a moment. Talking to her could keep her from falling unconscious again.

"You're...helping me?"

"No need to sound so shocked. You were the one who kept calling me a good man. Do good men stand by as defenceless women get shot in the back? No, they don't."

Elsie struggled to cough. It came out as a horrible gurgled noise which caused her to wince and for him to hasten his pace. "Hardly defenceless."

"Yes, you're not the typical damsel in distress, are you?" Erik commented simply while spotting the hospital. Elsie shifted her head away from his chest and looked down at the clinical building. Descending slowly he stopped near the emergency department and steadily walked towards the doors.

"Not the typical knight in shining armour, are you?"

Erik couldn't help it, he let out a laugh. "You said something of a similar sort when we first met." He remembered that too well, oddly enough.

Elsie let out a wheezed sigh and nodded slowly. "And yet...you are playing a part in saving my life."

"You're not dying." Standing on the outside of the building he looked down at her as she looked at him blankly. Elsie didn't believe him, and he wasn't surprised. Even as he held her, he could feel her blood coating his arm. She was bleeding a lot. Exactly what had been hit and damaged by the bullet, he didn't know. He would remove the bullet, but honestly; he didn't know if that'd make things better or worse.

"We're not going to cross paths again, are we?"

"I wouldn't say that." Erik frowned steadily in thought.

Elsie coughed, she put a hand to her mouth and winced as sharp pains encased her ribs. "That's if I survive."

"You're not dying!" Erik exclaimed in annoyance. "How does Charles put up with you?"

"You are the one who said we were similar."

Erik rolled his eyes as he walked into the building. "It'd make sense for Charles to ultimately find someone similar to himself. He tolerates you because you are like himself."

"Tolerates...is the L word too hard to say, Erik?"

He didn't reply, looking around he called out for help. Where were all the nurses and doctors in this place? Even as he stood he could hear the steady dripping of her blood hitting the floor. If possible she looked even paler than usual. Which really was quite an impossible thing considering she had snowy skin.

"What's happened?" A frantic nurse suddenly appeared.

"She was in a shooting accident." Erik explained while watching as a stretcher was pulled over. He placed her down and took a step back only to stop when Elsie clutched onto his wrist. He had it in mind to escape now while he could.

"You are a good man, Erik. Don't doubt that. And for what it's worth...I think we will see each other again. Look after yourself, yeah? Don't go getting arrested again any time soon. Keep fighting the good fight...by doing...it...the right...way..." Elsie said her voice growing quieter with each word uttered as her consciousness was slipping away. Erik merely removed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before stepping back and exiting before anyone could even stop him, or notice that his presence had disappeared.