Control » l.h

Chapter Eleven

The side of my face and my palm were both resting on something hard. I breathed deeply and smelled woods, gasoline, and some sort of cologne. That's what brought the memories of yesterday and earlier this morning into my head. Running away from Luke, running into those men, running away from his home; everything.

I felt my heart begin to beat fast. It was weird to think that for the passed few weeks I'd hated Luke with my everything, but now I didn't even want to move from where I laid. Then again, getting your life saved by a person could change your feelings towards them, so...

There was a light knock at the door and Luke softly called, "Come in."

I didn't look to see who walked in, but it didn't sound like Michael. "How is she?"

"Still asleep, I think," he said. "Her heart rate just sped up a minute ago, but hopefully she doesn't end up thrashing like she usually does when she has nightmares."

"Maybe she'll whack you in the nose again." they giggled.

Luke's chest bounced with his chuckles. Then he sighed and rubbed my side with the arm wrapped around me. "I hope she doesn't go back to hating me. It's nice to have her want to be near me for a change."

"She'll warm up to you eventually, Luke," they assured. "You've saved her ass more times than she knows."

"But I did take her away from her family." he pointed out.

"Her family who doesn't love her like you do," they said. "She's better off here with you and me and the other two. She's safer than she's ever been, despite having the cops after her. But that thing with those guys last night, she wouldn't have gotten out of that one without you. You know it and she knows it."

"Thanks, Ash," he said with his voice showing hints of a smile. "I just hope you're right."

"I am," Ashton stated proudly. When he spoke again, though, his voice had dropped lower. "Also, it's already two and the cop hasn't woken up. He's breathing, but it's weird. Maybe Mikey hit him hard enough that he's brain dead or something."

The cop Mikey hit? Why were they talking about him? He wasn't waking up? How would they know that? None of that made any sense at all.

"He'd need life support if that were the case," Luke said. "Just keep monitoring him. I'll check it out after Jemma wakes up."

"Oh, and we're on the news," Ashton reported, but he sounded smug about it. "Well, not us specifically. They're talking about Jemma and Mikey."

"What have they said?"

"Officer Michael Wigg went missing last night after reporting he'd seen Jemma. Also reported that there was a boy with bright pink hair with her. They think he might be the one who took her."

"Sometimes I really don't like having you guys around because then shit like this happens and Michael's going to have to lay low because of me."

"But you love us and you need us and you and I both know that."

"I know."

"I'll be downstairs."

The door quietly shut after a moment and Luke softly hummed to himself. He must've been bored just waiting for me to wake up, but I was too exhausted to even move at all. It actually felt...comfortable laying with Luke. Safe, even. I assumed it was the events from the night before that changed my outlook towards him.

"I don't know if you know this," Luke said softly. "But I really have to pee. It's been like that for about an hour, actually. And it would be wonderful if you would wake up. Please."