Borrowed Time Part 2

Chapter 273

Christmas morning couldn't even compare to the joy that Juliette was feeling at being released from the hospital.  Sure, she had about a million appointments that she probably had to make, she was stuck on the stupid pain meds for another week or two, but she wouldn't have to deal with the incessant beeping of the machines that were supposedly 'keeping her alive'... She was pretty sure that people needed sleep to stay alive.

Granted, she was also pretty sure that she was the only person who was excited that she was being discharged, everyone else looked like they were tense, almost like they were imagining carrying her casket or something... She was pretty sure most people would celebrate being able to take their loved one from the hospital, but maybe she was wrong.

Esme cleared their throat as they coiled up their phone charger, looking at her nervously.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?  What if you get an infection, or what if-." She stood up, grimacing at the burn in her joints and wounds before she stepped into Esme's space, using her good hand to cup their cheek as she shook her head, rubbing her thumb over their cheekbone.  She watched their eyes flutter shut for a moment, a breath that she as pretty sure that even they didn't realize that they were holding rushing out of them as they brought a hand up to rest on her arm.

"If anything bad happens, we'll come back.  I promise... But right now?  I want to go sleep in my own bed."  "Speaking of... Is the trailer safe to return back to  yet?" She asked, looking over at Emma, who was leaning in the doorway with a darkened expression on their face as they fiddled with their fingertips.

"It's... Well, we put up the cameras, things are better secured, and Leto agreed to stay nearby-." Juliette cut them off, raising an eyebrow... This seemed like a very long winded way of saying that she was good to go.  She wanted to go home.

"So that's a yes." She confirmed, and Emma's face dropped, something twitching behind her normal expression, looking almost... Void-like.  She didn't quite look like herself, not obviously, but there was just something.

It was like if she couldn't see what was happening to Juliette at every moment, she might snap.

"Jules, I think it's in everyone's best interest to stay-." Juliette turned fully to him, looking at Emma seriously, taking a deep breath.  She didn't want to set them off, and she doubted that she actually would, but she still wanted to be as careful as possible.

She was very grateful for the hospitality that she had been shown, but hospitality had to come to an end at some point.

"I just want to go home." Emma's face crumbled even more, looking almost like the world was spinning out of control.... Clearly  they had a way that they thought that this conversation was going to go, but she needed to be alone with Esme.  She needed to wake up in their place.  She needed to be awarded the luxary of life feeling normal for a moment. "I love you, Em.  I love your house, but I miss my house... Plus I'm sure Little Man misses Esme." Juliette pointed out, hoping that would get Esme on her side, but they only shrugged, a half smile on their face as they hand tightened around her waist.

"I don't know, Talia sent me a picture of them resting together this morning, he looks content." Shelby said, pulling her phone out to show a picture of Little Man curled into Talia's side, almost like he was some sweet innocent little baby and not a fucking monster from hell.

Juliette scoffed, rolling her eyes.  Brat.

"Does that little bitch like everyone but me?" Juliette asked, not meaning to say that out loud.  She heard Esme let out a low chuckle before they pressed a kiss to the side of her head.