Lab Rats: The New Addition 2: Lost

Taking Risks

  I am awoken from my peaceful slumber when Genius begins to stir in my lap. "Genius," I whisper, patting him gently. "What's wrong, boy? Are you okay?" Suddenly, he sits up, his ears pointed straight up, fully alert. His nose is twitching. He must sense something. Or someone. "Someone's here," he says. I sit up, worried now, looking around for any signs of trouble, but I can't see a thing because it's pitch black outside. Something is definitely wrong, though. I'm sure of that. I stand up and get into a fighting stance. Genius is standing as still as a statue, his ears twitching, his eyes alert. I question whether or not I should pull out my flashlight, and I eventually decide against it. Whatever, or whoever, is out to get me, will probably just use the light to trace me. "Who's there," I ask, loudly. "Show yourself!" I feel a tap on my shoulder, causing me to flinch and Genius to bark. I spin around. "Hey," I snap. "Don't be a coward! Show your face!" I freeze as soon as hear her voice:

"Ooh, I can see why my sister treasures you. You're so full of fire! Just like me! Tasha was always jealous of me."

  "Tanya," I growl. "You finally decide to show up." "Yes," Tanya says, walking out from behind a tree, an evil smirk plastered upon her face. "Now, I can finally have my revenge. Revenge on my sister. If I can't hurt her, then I'll have to hurt those who are close to her, starting with you." I scoff, "Yeah, right. There's no way you're gonna beat me." Tanya smirks, "Oh, I will." She walks up to me and bends down to Genius 's level. My chest burns with worry. Tanya smiles smugly at Genius, "And your little dog, too." Genius barks and Tanya laughs. I pat Genius's head and Tanya smirks. "I'll be back. And I will have my revenge, even if it means killing the rest of your family to get it." "Over my dead body," I growl. She laughs, "Well, if you insist. But I'm tired right now. Do you mind if I destroy you a little later?" I glare at her. She smirks and walks closer to me. She puts her hand on my shoulder and squeezes it hard, causing a wave of pain to wash over me. She turns away. Then it hits me. She's right there.

I can't let her get away.

  "Genius, come with me," I order my dog. Genius barks and the two of us sprint after Tanya. I run as fast as my legs can possibly take me. Knowing that dogs' senses are stronger than humans, I tell Genius, "Let me know if you find, Tanya, boy!" He barks and runs faster. I try to keep up with him, but I can't. He notices and slows down. "It's okay," I gasp. "Keep going! When you find her, bring her back to me!" Genius looks at me. I see sorrow in his eyes. "I can't just leave you here, Princess," he says. My eyes well up with tears. I cannot believe how much this dog reminds me of Chase. I smile sadly, "I'll be okay. I promise. Just go. I'll be right here when you get back." Genius looks at me, then in the direction that Tanya ran, and then back to me. He whines, "Lyrica-" "Just go," I cry. His ears flatten. "Okay," he whispers. He trots to my side and locks my cheek. I hug him tightly before he runs off to find Tanya.

  I feel so helpless. Here I am, on a journey to prove to myself that I can be strong, and I'm letting my dog do all the work. But I just can't run anymore. I'm too tired. No. Not tired. Sick. I feel sick. Sick to my stomach. Something is wrong. I start puking up blood. I've been poisoned, and I know how it happened. Tanya must have done something to poison me when she squeezed my shoulder earlier. The pain is excruciating. Suddenly, I hear a voice. "Lyrica," it shouts. "Lyrica, are you okay?" It sounds like Chase, but I'm probably just hallucinating again. However, I start to rethink this when I feel myself being lifted up off the ground and into a strong pair of arms. I snuggle into my rescuer 's warm, soft chest and smell schoolbooks and cinnamon. It is Chase. I wish it wasn't. I don't want to be rescued.

  "No," I gasp. "Leave me alone! I have to find Genius!" "I'm right here, Princess," Chase whispers, brushing the hair out of my eyes. "No, not you," I snap. "My dog!" "Baby, you're not making any sense," Chase says, softly. The poison is fogging my vision. "I am making perfect sense," I yell. "I have a talking dog with bionics out there in the woods chasing Tanya and I need to get him back! I need to defeat Tanya! I'm not helpless! I can take care of myself! Go away!" Chase just chuckles and tightens his grip around me as I try to get away. "I know that you can take care of yourself," he says. "But you have to let me take care of you sometimes, and right now, you need me." "Not right now, I don't," I say, trying to squirm out of his arms.

  "Yes, you do," he says, pulling me back. I try pulling away from him with all my might, "No. I. DON'T!" I pop out of his arms and roll back against a tree, groaning. "Lyrica," Chase cries, running over to me. I jump up before he can get ahold of me again, feeling very dizzy. "Oh no, you don't, Prince Charming," I say. "I am gonna do this by myself. So I suggest that you stop trying to help me, give me a quick kiss goodbye (if you must), turn around, and take your cute tushie all the way back home." "Why are you being so difficult," Chase asks, becoming frustrated. "Why are you being so difficult," I retort. "You're gonna get yourself killed," he says. "I'm not an idiot," I say. "I know you're not," he says, raising his voice. "It's just that-" "You're being ridiculous," I yell, interrupting him. "Let me do this! I am perfectly capable of saving the world on my own! I honestly don't understand why you're being so overprotective over me! Why are you not even letting me out of your sight for five seconds!? You are the most difficult-" He interrupts, picking me up gently and yelling, "I can't lose you again!"

  He sets me down gently and cries. "I can't," he says. "I can't lose you like I did when I left. Not again. I...I don't wanna make that same mistake again." I sigh and place my pointer finger under his chin, lifting his head up. "You never lost me," I say, gently. "I lost myself and I still haven't found myself yet. But I can't find myself if you won't let me fight on my own so that I can prove to myself that I'm not completely helpless. You have to let me do this, Chase. I need to fight my own battles." We're staring into each other's eyes now. His eyes are shiny and filled with tears. His cheeks are tear-stained. I wipe his tears away with my thumbs. "I am in love with you," he whispers. "I've never felt this way about anyone before. If you go off on your own and something happens to you, and I know that I could have been there to save you...I'll never be able to live with myself."

  At this point, I know that there is nothing I can say to make Chase think otherwise, so all I do is stand on my tippy toes, kiss the bridge of his nose, and pull him into a tight hug. "I love you," I whisper. "I have to do this. I will do this. I'm sorry." He wraps his arms around me, stroking my hair and crying. "You have to let go, Chase," I say. "You have to let go of me." "Never," he whispers. "C'mon, Little Genius," I plead, stroking his hair. He won't let go of me. I sigh, "I didn't wanna have to do this, but you leave me no choice. Now before I do this, I want you to know that I love you dearly, and this is really gonna hurt." He tightens his arms around me and I elbow him in the stomach. He groans and drops the ground. "Lyrica," he gasps, holding his stomach. I bend down to his level and press my lips against his, kissing him with more passion than I ever have before, savoring every last bit of it. I don't pull away until I absolutely must pull away in order to breathe. "I love you," I whisper against his lips. "I love you, too," he breathes. I look at Chase one last time, engraving his appearance in my brain, reminiscing  all of my memories with him and of him. Memories of the Davenport family and the people at Mighty Med. I think of something that I wish I could say to all of them in person before I leave:

I love you all.

  I kiss Chase one last time and run off, preparing to continue my journey. To prove what Skylar said to me.

I am a fighter.