The Collection: Short Stories, Misfits, and One-shots

Don't Let Go

Here we are again with more shorts! Thank you to all of you for being so patient with me while I pulled together more for you guys to read. This one was a dream I woke up from and was so sad to see end that I wrote it almost immediately. There was a little more happening in the dream, but I think in the end that I captured the major emotion that was between Michael and Laura. Comment, vote, and let me know what you think of this short. Thanks again guys for your amazing patience!

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One of the guards gave her a hand as she hauled herself into the helicopter, Ashley already starting to come up from below. She wanted so badly to ignore the help,but the fighting from before had left her worn out and bruised.

Michael smiled at her as she finally was fully inside, making room for her on the seat next to him. Knowing him, he would've said something more if it weren't for the sound of the helicopter blades thumping all around them.

Laura though only shook her head and plopped herself in the seat farthest from him. She didn't miss his frown. She didn't sugarcoat the feeling of betrayal that filled her heart. He continued to watch her as the seats next to her filled up with Ashley and one of the men they had fought earlier.

Michael looked as hurt as she felt, but she was so tired; tired of wondering if he knew, tired of fighting, and tired of standing up for him. She still loved him, but not even that could make this any better.

The helicopter surged forward, heading north of the office building. All three of the guards stared at her and Ashley during the ride, waiting for them to try to attack, but neither girl moved. Ashley had taken the brunt of the hits, her suit hiding the majority of the bruises Laura knew were there.

Daryl would pick them apart when he saw them, lecturing on all they had done wrong. She had known she was too emotionally attached to the mission. She wasn't stupid, just love-sick, and all to forgiving, too soon.

When the helicopter touched down at the airport, Laura had to help Ashley out of it, only letting go of her partner when Daryl showed up. Most of the guards had already gone into the hangar, their job done.

The hand she felt on her arm was all too familiar. She wanted more than anything to lean into it, to hold him.

"What's wrong?" That hand turned her to him, forcing her to look up at his face.

She couldn't shield the hurt from him as it edged into her voice. "What do you think?"

Michael took a step back, moving a hand through his wind blown hair.

"How can you expect me to just know these things Laura? I can't just automatically know your feelings every time."

She looked over at Ashley who was being helped into a car, and he followed her gaze, some understanding crossing onto his face.

"This time should be obvious, Michael. Do you know how much I wanted you to be innocent?"

"Innocent of what? I don't understand, Laura. Did they send you?"

She could only nod as the tears started, neither of them trying to brush them away. "You're consorting with the enemy, Michael, willingly too. How am I supposed to support you?"

"The enemy? Millenium is hardly the enemy, Laura. What did your organization tell you?" His hands gripped her ever more tightly, trying to breach the new divide between them.

"That's classified and you know it."

"Classified as usual? See, this is the problem with your organization Laura. They don't tell you anything, but expect you to follow like a good puppy! How is that something you want to be a part of?"

"My loyalty to them is not up for discussion," she started softly, prying his fingers off her one by one. "Michael, this is your last chance. Come with me and I can get you a deal."

Now that his hands were off her they remained at his sides, still and frozen like stone, the same as his emotionless face. "A deal? Is that the best they taught you?" He stepped back from her further, and his right hand slid to his belt area, resting there for a moment. "No, I think not." Slowly, as if playing with her, he moved the hand to push his suit jacket back, showing the colt he had been keeping quiet about.

"Try that on me and you will be sorry, Michael." Her own gun was still out of sight, tucked in its holster, and a knife strapped to the inside of her boot, but neither seemed right for this situation.

"I won't need it if you leave me be."

"Very well, go right ahead. I'll let Daryl know your new status."

"Good." He kept his hand on the gun, but nodded, letting her be the first to fall back. Daryl watched silently as she came to the car, and jumped in the back with Ashley.

"Do I want to know what just happened?"

"No."

"Well I'm going to ask. Why did you let him go?"

Laura tensed in the seat, her eyes finding Michael's fading form in the distance. "It was time."

"Well, David is going to have a fit when he finds out. I hope it was worth it."

"It wasn't. I don't think it ever will be." Daryl turned in his seat and looked her straight in the eyes, his usual anger gone.

"You gave him more chances than any of us would and he flung it back in your face. This is on him, I'll even let you add his picture to the wall, and throw the darts at it first if that helps. He's the jerk and idiot here, not you. You got that?"

Laura nodded, and tackled him into a hug, Daryl squirming underneath her hold. "Thank you!"

"Yeah, yeah. This is great, but you're squishing me. Let go." He pushed at her arms, sighing as she released her hold on him.

"I get first dibs on darts?"

"Sadly yes, even if I really want to be the first to throw pointy objects at that smug mug of his. For someone who seemed nice then, he had the worst smile."

There were tears in her eyes, but she found herself smiling at that all the same. "It was horrible, wasn't it?"

"Truly horrible. The man's mother must have cried when she saw it. Stuff of nightmares, really."