The Price I Paid

5: Thinning Patience

I shot up with a gasp, looking around me to take in my surroundings. I was only welcome by the dull, blue walls and the beeping of the several monitors they had me connected to...

Thing was, I felt perfectly fine.

There were no aches, there were no troubles...

F-I-N-E fine.

I needed to get back to Gigi and the team, find out what happened. I pulled the wires and tubes from me, the beeping then receding to a flatline. I wanted to get out as quickly as possible, and no nurse charging in would be able to stop me. My legs were a bit wobbly when I got off my bed, and I froze when I heard him.

"You're okay."

I turned to face Griffin, and my high came crashing down. Gigi was dead, Red and Raven had [hopefully] escaped, and I was stuck here... I pulled away the collar of my hospital dress and realized the dog tags were still there, clinking together now that they had room to. Hands cupped my face and forced me to look up, my gaze then matching Griffin's.

Locked in his beautiful, green eyes, I could feel time freezing around me. It all became a blur, like a trance that his stare put me under-- and I couldn't help but smile as I placed my hands over his. I couldn't seem to focus on anything else, and the course changes rolling through my head seemed as if they were nothing but water drifting past. My eyes flickered down to his lips, and I chewed on my own.

"Ma'am!" a women yelled, snapping me from my trance. I jumped in fright, and Griffin only chuckled. I looked to the nurse, who appeared to be prepped for the worse situation possible, and the sound of metal clinking together aired as the cold dogtags pulled against my chest. I looked up to Griffin, watching as he examined my new accessory. Griffin looked up, dark specks in his eyes, and gestured for me to pay attention to the nurse as he further examined the necklace.

"Yes?" I replied, my sound hinting at my annoyance. I never pleased to be interrupted, and this situation wasn't an exception.

"Ma'am, you have to get back in bed," the nurse ushered, desperately trying to get me back to the hard matress.

"Why? She looks fine!" A second voice echoed in the room, and the nurse stopped. I looked up to the doctor, and my eyes widened at the sight.

"Za..." I began, but stopped myself and cleared my throat, "Doctor..."

Zachariah's eyes raked over me, as if he were some artist praising his own work, and Griffin tucked himself close to me-- glaring right at my "doctor." I smacked Griffin in the chest and pushed him away, taking the dogtags from his hand.

"Perhaps this is a conversation we should have in private," I suggested to Zachariah, and a low grumble slipped from Griffin-- but it was just loud enough to freak the nurse out. I looked to the nurse with a wry smile.

"My apologies, I wasn't aware I'd have my guard dog around," I spoke suggestively, then turned to face Griffin, "If you'll excuse me, I do believe the law enforces patient privacy."

I secured the dogtags in my fist, then walked out the door in expectance for Zachariah to follow. I walked far down the hall, glaring at the nurses that looked at me questioningly, until we reached a private little corner at the end. I turned to face Zachariah, and dropped his dogtags onto his little clipboard.

"You never told me you had a mutt in your back pocket, my dear Clarissa," Zachariah said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

"And you never told me our deal included your following me," I replied accusingly. Zachariah only chuckled.

"Please try not to flatter yourself. I do not need you immediately." Zachariah leaned in close, holding his smug expression just inches from mine, "But if you craved seconds, I might just oblige."