Chasing Anne

Safe

  Bartholomew landed beside Richard, his sword drawn in his hand just as Aleron came down under the clouds for a landing on the Mississippi river. Beside him, landed Cayden, his sword also drawn. They'd surrounded the estate of Ryan Normand and now watched in fearful anticipation as the two legions of demons came to rank across from the home. Richard lifted off on his great white wings, his eyes ablaze with the passion within him, and his gleaming sword over his head.

"If you want to fight us! Then come and fight us!" he cried.
Bartholomew glanced up at him, but tried to keep his eyes on the evil beings across from him instead. For a moment, no one moved, but then one by one, the dark ones began to retreat and disappear from view until only one remained. Then he too turned and fell back, knowing that the battle was not worth it.
Bartholomew wanted to smile, but instead he glanced at Richard.
"What are your orders, Sir?" he asked.
"Stay in position. We don't know what they're planning. Until Markus is awake and has seen Anne, the dark ones will not retreat. We must protect them and keep Parr from finding out where he is."
Bartholomew nodded. "Yes, Sir. We will hold our position."
"And don't get killed," Richard added. "We need all of you alive."



Mitch could feel the pressure weighing upon him as Jadon, Ryan, and David quickly pushed a narrow white stretcher down the loading ramp and into the concrete courtyard below. Mark lay upon it, his weak form growing paler by the minute. Andrew stood beside him, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the scene before him. Dawn sat at his heels and Brianna stood at his other side, her eyes more than just worried.
"Are you sure you've got this, Mitch?" Andrew asked, glancing sideways at his friend.
Mitchel nodded. "I just need you to find out what his blood type is and get a hold of two pints of it. I don't know how to pull it off, but he'll die without it."
Andrew nodded. "I'll head to the nearest hospital and try there. I can't promise anything, but I will try. I just need to get Anne inside first."
Mitchel shook his head. "I'll have David and Jadon take care of Anne. You've got to go."
Andrew nodded and then trotted down the loading door towards the front of the mansion they'd landed next to. He ran to Ryan's side and kept pace with the older man for a moment. Then Ryan handed him something and he ran to his right, disappearing around the corner. Mitch lost sight of him and as soon as he had, he took a deep breath.
"Brianna, wait for Cindy and Jackson. I'll send Ryan and Jadon for Anne in a minute."
Brianna nodded. "God be with you, Mitch," she said softly.
Mitchel smiled and gave her a quick hug. "You too." Then he pulled back and ran for Ryan and the others wheeling Mark into the back doors of the huge building. Once he was inside, his took a spot at Mark side, jogging right along with the others. Ryan directed them to where they were headed, and after two lefts and a few rights, they came to a stop in what looked like an emergency room. Ryan locked the stretcher in place and then each man carefully slipped their arms under Mark's body. Ryan counted off to three and with a grunt, they lifted Mark to the hospital bed in the room as carefully as possible. Once he was laid there, Mitch ordered that everyone leave the room except for Ryan, sending Jadon and David back out for Anne. Once the two had left, the long gruesome process of repairing Mark's nearly crushed arm began. It was surprising to find out how much Ryan knew about medical treatment, but also relieving to have someone who knew what he was doing on task. An hour into the repairing process, Andrew arrived with the requested blood which was a great relief to everyone. And then only two hours after that, they finished their work and were able to breathe.
Mitch nearly missed the chair and collapsed onto the floor, his knees going out from under him. Andrew grabbed him and helped him stand back on his feet, but Mitch was flat out exhausted and just collapsed in Andrew's arms. Ryan stood to help him, but Andrew just shook his head and scooped the weary man into his arms, carrying him over to a sofa on the far end of the room. There, he laid him down and with a deep sigh, Mitchel fell asleep.
Andrew smiled. "Well, that's a relief," he muttered.
Ryan nodded. "Thank God he's going to be okay," he said, rubbing his hands over his face. "Thank God."
Andrew nodded and sat down, resting his head in his hands. It was all over. Mark was stable and on the mend, Anne was recovering, Jackson was healing, and everyone else was getting the rest they needed. But when his thoughts turned to Anne, he jumped to his feet, his eyes popping wide open. He grabbed a coat hanging over the back of his chair and slipped it on. Ryan opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow.
"You okay?"
"I need to check on my cousin," Andrew said, trotting to the door. "I won't be long."
"Take your time," Ryan said, waving his hand nonchalantly. "I don't think Mark's just going to run away. I'm good here."
Andrew nodded and grabbed the door handle, jerking open the door.
"But, Andrew!" Ryan called just as the young doctor left the room. "Tell Brianna that Mark's okay."
Andrew smiled and nodded. "I will." But then he turned and raced out of sight.
Ryan sighed. "When will we truly be able to rest?"



Andrew bolted through the many hallways of Normand Hall, his eyes searching for anyone who could give him directions. He was convinced that he was running in circles by now, as he hadn't seen anyone in the halls that he'd run through so far. His heart was racing—pounding so hard in his chest that he felt as though he would explode. With a gasp, he fell to his knees, catching himself with his hands. Only then did he let himself catch his breath. He had no idea where David, Jadon, Brianna, Jackson, or Cindy were. In short, he didn't know where anybody was. He could try to make his way back to Mark and Ryan, but he knew he was sure to lose his way in doing so. He was already lost enough. He leaned sideways, rolling onto his side and leaning against the wall behind him. Why hadn't he asked for directions? This was almost as hard as it had been when he had first started his practice at the hospital. It was just too easy to get lost. He sighed and covered his face with his hands, groaning.
"Think before you do this next time, Andrew. Think!" he scolded. But he hoped that there wasn't going to be a next time. With another groan, he forced himself to his feet and began walking back up the hall, his eyes on the floor. He needed to find someone that could give him directions. Better yet, he needed to find someone he knew who had directions, but he thought that that might be too much to ask at the moment.
But then Brianna appeared, her face glowing with joy like he had never seen. Her eyes met his and with a happy squeal, she ran toward him, throwing herself into his arms. Andrew just froze and stared down at her a moment before hugging her back. She was laughing uncontrollably, tears running down her cheeks, and her body shook nonstop. Andrew pushed her backward slightly and looked into her eyes, hoping for some sort of clue as to why she was acting so odd. Brianna only smiled and grabbed his hands, squeezing them tightly.
"Andrew, it's Anne."
All the worst possibilities of what could have just happened shot into Andrew's head. His face clouded with concern. "What happened?" he asked, his voice calm, but utterly alarmed.
"She's awake!"
Andrew's eyes lit up as his eyebrows shot upward. "She's awake already?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Brianna nodded. "She wants to see you. I came as fast as I could! Tell me Mark is going to be all right too!"
Andrew smiled and nodded. "He's going to be just fine in a few days."
Brianna's face had never been happier. She squealed again, crying, "Hallelujah!" And then wrapped her arms around Andrew again.
Andrew wrapped his own arms around her without hesitance, too happy to care what she thought of him. He gave her a squeeze and then leaned back slightly, raising her upward and swinging her around. Brianna laughed, and the look of joy on her face made his heart to flips. He brought her back down and let go of her, smiling wide, but she just grabbed his hands and pulled him backward.
"She's waiting! Come on!"
Andrew couldn't help but laugh and run with her. He was too happy to care what anybody would think of them if they saw them. All he cared about in that moment was seeing his cousin. Nothing else came to his mind. Brianna zigzagged her way through countless different halls and even up to flights of stairs before finally skidding to a stop on the third floor of the mansion. She nearly doubled over laughing, Andrew wrapping an arm around her waist to help her remain upright. She gasped, trying to catch herself and grabbed Andrew's free hand, trying to get back on her feet. Andrew pulled her upward, lifting her in his arms and letting her rest in his hold. For a moment he simply cradled her in his arms, letting her catch her breath, but then he carefully set her down.
"Where to now?" he asked, a grin twitching at the edges of his mouth.
Brie smiled and pointed to her left. "That way."
Andrew nodded and then began walking in that direction, Brianna right behind him. They walked slowly, quietly, and as calmly as possible, not wanting to scare Anne back into unconsciousness. Their shoes were the only sound that came to their ears, Andrew's leather soles quietly tapping against the floor, and Brianna's sneakers creaking slightly. Andrew could even hear the tick of his analog watch. But the quiet was welcomed by both Brianna and Andrew. For too long the peace and quiet that now surrounded them had been absent—drowned out by the noise of their wild lives. But now all was over. At least, for now, it was over. Parr was back in Wisconsin and for the time being, he didn't know where they were. At long last they were safe.
Andrew only wished that they all had made it. Blaze's pained yet trustful face came to his mind, triggering tears to his eyes. He swallowed hard and refused to let them spill out. He had to be happy. Anne and Mark were going to be okay! That was all he could think about. He forced the image of Blaze out of his head as Brianna came to a halt in front of a navy blue door. Flashing a smile to Andrew, she opened it quietly and then stepped inside the small room that had become Anne's hospital room. The walls were a light gray, the little furniture in the room navy blue, and the curtains hanging by the window were light yellow. Sunlight danced through the window panes into the dimly lit room filling it with tender golden light. David stood to Andrew's left and smiled, nodding to the hospital bed on his right. Andrew turned his eyes to the bed and a smile instantly exploded onto his face.
"Annabelle," he whispered.
Anne blushed slightly and raised her pale blue eyes to meet his, a smile crossing her face. Her complexion was pale and her hair frazzled, but Andrew had never thought her more beautiful than when he saw her in that moment. He slowly walked to her side and sat down on the edge of her bed, holding out his hand to her. She smiled and took it, her cold fingers wrapping around his. Andrew clasped his hands over hers and gently rubbed it, trying to warm it. She blushed again and then with a deep breath, she began to speak.
"Is Mark alive?" she asked, her voice weak and trembling.
Andrew smiled and nodded. "Yes, he's alive."
A wave of relief washed over Anne's pale face, her eyes brightening slightly. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes. "Thank God."
Andrew let a moment of silence fall between them and as it loomed over the room, David and Brianna excused themselves. Once they'd left, Andrew stopped massaging Anne's hand and instead he simply held it in his, his eyes worried.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
"Cold," Anne replied with a smile. "Cold and tired."
Andrew nodded and laid her hand on her stomach. "That's what I would expect," he said softly. "You've been through quite the adventure."
Anna laughed. "I wouldn't call it an adventure, Andrew. I'd call it a nightmare."
Andrew shrugged. "Well, it's over. That's what we'll call it now."
Anne smiled. "And that's a huge relief." She sighed and moved her hand to her shoulder, wincing slightly. "So, how did you get mixed up in this mess?"
Andrew shrugged. "Brianna called me because of Mark's broken arm. I went over to her house to check up on him, but when they left to rescue you, I volunteered to stay back with Brie and Cindy so that I could watch over the two. We didn't know when, where, or how Parr was going to make his next move, so we decided to just play it safe."
Anne's eyebrows scrunched downward. "What happened to Mark's arm?"
Andrew laughed. "A lot of things."
"Is he that hurt?"
Andrew hesitated, and then gave a slight nod. "He's in pretty bad shape, Anne. I can't keep that from you. But I must add that he's safe now and on the mend. He just needs some time to recover."
"When can I see him?" Anne asked, her eyes searching her cousins for some kind of hope.
"I'm not sure, Anne. But we'll try to get you two back together as soon as possible, okay?"
Anne nodded slowly, noticeably disappointed, but though Andrew wanted to, now was a really bad time for Mark and Anne to be reunited. Their conditions were just too serious to meddle with. Anne needed to stay in bed for at least a few more days, and Mark needed to rest in bed until he came back to consciousness. Only then would Andrew know how much longer he needed to rest. Though he was quite certain that it would be a while after that. He took Anne's hands in his once more and smiled, giving them a gentle squeeze.
"It's going to be okay," he whispered. "I promise."
Anne nodded, but tears pooled in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks, splashing onto the bed sheets. She closed her eyes, trying to hide the redness that began to tint the whites of her eyes. Andrew raised a hand to her cheek and smiled gently, wiping back her tears with his hands. She broke into sobs at the tender gesture and dropped her head into her hands, weeping. "Why did any of this have to happen?" she asked, in a broken whisper.
Andrew sighed and wrapped her in his arms, letting her lean into his embrace. "I don't know. But I know we can trust the one who does," he added, smiling.
Anne nodded, wiping away her tears and taking a deep breath. "Thanks, Andrew," she whispered.
Andrew laughed. "Don't give me credit. Now, are you hungry?"
Anne's eyes popped wide open. "I'm famished! I was wondering when you'd ask!"
Andrew chuckled and stood, letting go of her hands. "I'll get you some soup to eat."
"That and a burger with fries," Anne muttered. "And a steak."
Andrew raised a brow. "Let's start small, Anne. We don't need to overwhelm your stomach and make you sick."
Anne sighed and nodded, knowing that he was right. "All right," she muttered. "But is Dawn here?"
Andrew nodded. "Yeah, why?"
"Could I see her?"
Andrew nodded and smiled. "Absolutely," he grinned. "She'll be thrilled to see you again."
Anne nodded a final time, but then closed her eyes and let herself doze off into a peaceful sleep. Andrew quietly closed the door after himself and then went off to find the kitchen. Once he had the soup ready, he could find Dawn and bring both at the same time. To his relief, the kitchen wasn't all that far from where he was and was stocked with everything he might need for chicken noodle soup. It was one of Andrew's favorite soups to make, though he accredited it to the fact that chicken soup was the easiest to make and very helpful for colds. He'd just begun boiling water for the noodles when Jackson knocked on the kitchen door, peeking inside.
Andrew looked up at him and grinned. "Good to see you, Taylor!"
Jackson nodded and leaned back against the kitchen counter, sighing deeply. "How's Anne? Brie told me she was awake."
Andrew nodded and set a lid over the pot of water he was trying to boil. "She is, and I'm happy to say that she's doing splendidly. She's just hungry so I'm cooking her up some soup. It'll be easy on her stomach which is essential as she hasn't eaten in quite some time."
Jackson nodded again and winced slightly, his hand going to his side. "It smells delicious. I was actually on my way to find Ryan and ask when dinner was. Do you know?"
Andrew shrugged. "I don't even know what time it is. Is your side feeling okay?"
Jackson tilted his head from side to side and then shrugged. "It's sore. That's about it."
"No serious pain or bleeding?"
"Neither of the two. I only got up because I was hungry and Cindy finally fell asleep."
"Oh yeah, about Cindy. She's been quite nauseous lately. It may just be a virus that's going around, but-." Andrew stopped when Jackson's face tightened slightly. "It's not a virus, is it?" he asked, concern flooding his face.
Jackson shook his head, and then smiled. "Cindy's nauseous because she's pregnant, Andrew. That's why I really didn't like leaving her to find Anne. No offense to you, but I didn't know you too well and having her stay with you made me uncomfortable also."
Andrew sat up straight, his eyes widening. "Why didn't you tell me she's pregnant? That would have been a huge relief! Brianna and I have been worried sick about her!"
Jackson shrugged. "It didn't come to my mind to tell you. I had hardly known for twenty-four hours myself!"
Andrew glanced at his pot of boiling water, and then sat down, sighing. "Well, it's a relief to know that she's not seriously ill or anything. I just wish I would have known sooner."
Jackson nodded and shrugged again. "I would have told you, Andrew. I just had a lot on my mind at that moment."
"I'm perfectly aware of that. But if you're still looking for Ryan, I think I know where he might be."
Jackson's eyes brightened at his words. "Where?" he asked.
"Down two flights of stairs in the main hospital room of the main floor. If Brianna were here she could give you better directions, but I haven't quite mapped this huge place out in my head yet, so-."
"I'll find him, Andrew. Don't worry about it. But if you don't mind me asking, how's Mark?"
"Stable, thank God. We're just waiting for him to come out of unconsciousness now."
"And the dogs?"
Andrew's eyes instantly went to the floor as tears welled up in his eyes. "Dawn's fine . . . but we lost Blaze," he whispered, his voice choking out with emotion.
Jackson's eyes widened. "Blaze," he repeated. "Blaze is gone?"
Andrew nodded. "I tried to remove the bullet so he could start to recover, but while I thought I was successful I guess I missed something else. He died in my hands." Again, Andrew's voice choked out.
Jackson walked over to him and sat down beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his own voice filled with sorrow. "Blaze meant a lot to all of us."
Andrew laid his head in his hands and for a moment did nothing but mourn once again over the loss of the golden retriever. But then he wiped his face with his hands and stood, walking over to the now boiling pot of water. Jackson could tell that their conversation was over and quietly stood to his feet.
"If you need anything, I'm here," he said, walking out the doors.
Andrew nodded and then waited for him to leave before continuing to make Anne's meal. His stomach growled at him, but he shook his head at it, knowing that the food he was making was for Anne, not for himself. He sighed and dumped a box of rotini noodles into his boiling water, setting a timer on the digital clock on the stove. Once he'd done that, he turned to the other counter and began to dice up the chicken.
But Blaze still tore at his mind. The picture of the dog's pained face had branded itself on his memory. Btu why? He hardly knew Blaze at all! Yet that didn't seem to matter. The loss of the beautiful golden retriever ripped his heart in two. Why Blaze? Why now? Why after all that the dog had done? He'd given everything for his Master's life. Why did he have to die for it? Andrew felt tears coming back to his eyes and set the knife he'd been using for cutting down on the counter. He then strode over to the sink and washed his hands. He was relieved that Anne and Mark had reached safety, that Cindy, Jackson, Mitch, Jadon, David, and Ryan and Brianna were all recovering. Yet he was still miserable. He sighed and wiped his face with his hands. If only they'd all made it to the protection of Normand Hall. If only they all were safe. If only Blaze were alive.