Reconnoiter || Guns N Roses, David Bowie, Bon Jovi

Reconnoiter: Fourteen

I stared at Axl through the rusty old bars of the holding cell, on the verge of tears again. He wasn't alone in there either, and the men that stared back at me along with him didn't look very friendly. It was extremely cramped, about ten people had to be sharing the same old bench.

"Took you long enough." I sighed, forcing myself to come closer to the cell. "Sorry, there was a lot of paperwork." He nodded, clenching and unclenching his fists. They were crusted with blood and his knuckles were beginning to scab over. "Where is everyone else?"

"They're out front, figured it was best if I came in to get you." He gave a little smile and a yawn, standing to approach me. He wrapped his hands around the bars and gazed down at me seriously. "You look tired." I could've said the same for him. He didn't look worried, or scared even, just exhausted.

"Why, Axl? Why would you do this? You got yourself arrested, and now your criminal record..." I trailed off, and bit my lip.

"It's already a mile long. I don't care if I get arrested, it's collateral damage. I had to do it because I... it doesn't matter why, Calliope. A good guy doesn't let anyone touch his girl, and if god forbid it does happen... all hell breaks loose." I gently placed my hand over one of his, shaking my head at him. "Your pride is more important than your well being?" "No, but your well being is."

"You're insane." I giggled at him. The whole situation seemed a bit overwhelming.

"I'm insane, yeah. They told me that a while ago." I reached through the bars to touch his hair, sighing. "You can't do that again, you're just lucky Bret isn't pressing charges. I did that in exchange for dropping the rape accusations." Axl frowned at that. "No, you shouldn't have. Put his ass behind these bars where sickos like him belong."

I signaled the nearest police officer who slid back the wall of bars, allowing Axl to exit. I grabbed onto him and he held me tightly, squeezing as if he would never let go. "I worry about you." He said, before leading me down the hall by the hand.

"I like California and all, but... I can't wait to get back home."

"Don't get too happy, rape happens everywhere." For some reason, that made me laugh.

****

Axl slept on my shoulder the whole plane ride back, and when I woke him up I noticed that he seemed especially warm. He was a bit confused, and his eyes were cloudy. I didn't mention it, but he was extremely sluggish until we got back to his apartment. He went to his bedroom immediately, and closed the door behind him.

It hit me then that I was going to have to face Cap after having mysteriously disappeared for a week. The thought of it chilled me to the bone, so I hoped that Axl wouldn't mind if I stayed for a while and went back to the bedroom to check on him.

He was lying on the bed in the fetal position, shivering wildly while sweating profusely. I could hear his teeth chattering, and feel his desire for me to leave before he even said anything. I walked toward him anyway, pushing his sweat-soaked bangs away from his clammy forehead. He looked up at me reluctantly, letting out a wet cough. "I... I don't think they clean those holding cells, and I have open wounds," he whispered, his voice was shaking and cracking. "I'm not sick, though. I can't be."

I sighed, "Axl..." "I am really cold, though. Could you come here?" He lifted up the blanket he was huddled under and I crawled under it without hesitation. His body was so hot, I thought his skin might give me third degree burns. Using my stomach as a pillow he dozed off, whispering something about how he needed to sleep this off and he'd be fine in the morning.

The exact opposite happened, actually. He startled me awake as he tripped over himself, charging into the bathroom. There was the sound of retching, and he stayed in there for the longest time.