The Professor

Twenty-five

Blake wears what appears to be a police uniform; a bulletproof vest with a black T-shirt and a weapon belt. He keeps his gun pointed at Alex while men, who are dressed like him, rush in from the doorway. A couple of them slam the joining room door open and begin shouting. Two other men handcuff Alex and guide her out the door.

My head still aches as my vision blurs off and on. I exhale a relief while resting my head against the railing. I'm just glad that I can go home now.

Blake walks up to me while sliding his gun into his belt. His eyes watch me with concern as he unlocks the handcuff.

My eyelids weigh down forcefully. I swallow hard, trying to push the dizziness away. My head is fuzzy, causing me to feel like I've been struck by hammer. It's painful. I also feel super peculiar, like I'm floating in air.

Blake grabs each side of my face. "Hey," He snaps. "stay with me."

He quickly lifts me off the bed from under my knees and arms. I hang my head back as my eyes close.

He carries me outside. I can feel the air against my bare skin. It's freezing.

"How is she?" A familiar voice panics.

I open my eyes as Blake stops to meet the man.

Dean's eyes glance down at mine. He's breathless with anxiety. "My God." He mutters while examining me.

"She's going to be alright." He assures while laying me down on a stretcher that the paramedics brought. "You helped us a lot today. You saved her life." He nods his head at Dean.

Dean saved me?

"We saved her." Dean places his hand on Blake's shoulder.

The stretcher begins to move back towards the ambulance. I close my eyes.

I'm going to live.

* * *

The first sound I hear is the heart monitor beeping steadily. I open my eyes to recognize that I'm in the emergency room.

  My eyes draw down to my ugly hospital gown from under this blanket. My arm is beside me with an IV needle taped to my wrist.

"Hey." Dean's voice startles me.

I turn my head left to see him in a chair, his elbows resting on his knees while his joined fists rest under his chin. He sits up with a grin. "How are you feeling?"

I suck in my lips. "Like I've been drugged and betrayed by my best friend." I chuckle softly and sigh.

He turns his head away. "I'm sorry." His voice mutters.

I frown. "Don't be sorry for anything." I push myself up so that I sit. "You didn't do anything wrong."

His eyes meet mine. "I just feel like I could've stopped it."

"No, Dean. You didn't have any idea about this. No one did." I explain softly.

"Actually," He inhales. "I saw them take you."

I swallow hard, hoping for a good reason. "What?" Please don't tell me he's betrayed me too.

"I was in the parking lot. I planned on talking to you, until they snatched you. I ran to stop them, but they sped off." He shakes his head at the ground. "I failed."

  My shoulders slouch with relief. I sigh. "Just because you didn't get there in time, doesn't mean you failed. I'm alive, Dean." I pause to see him grin.

"I'm grateful that you are." He declares gently, his expression warm and full of relief.

I think about what Blake said to him earlier, about how he saved me.