Adrenaline

(8)

For some reason, hours later, I find myself staring at the top of the ceiling, listing to Soap's breathing from the buck under mine. I  hadn't done much to day and I'm guessing that's why I'm still awake. I haven't seen Ghost since he threw his shoe at Soap.

I lay with my hands under my head, the rain beating heavily against the roof and windows. Usually the sound would lull me into a serene and blissful sleep, but not tonight. I can feel something is off...something dangerous...it's in the atmposhpere, the air grows thick, and I find myself sitting upright in my bed. It's almost midnight and I should be asleep..but not with this something gnawing at me...I walk downstairs, leaving the lights off and head to the window, something guiding me there. Lightning cracks, Illuminating the the world. In that split second, I see her.  Her raven black shoulder length hair is soak in water, which is pouring down all around her. She wears a trench coat, and ever so slowly, she lifts her arm up, exposing a 1911 Kimber. Time seems to fast forward. A sick twisted grin crosses her face, as she shoot, right when the next clap of thunder sounds.  I let out a strangled cry as I notice it was my brother.

"Soap!" I scream.

He runs down the stairs to find me in the fetal position. "Alex!" He says, scooping me up in his arms. "What happened?!"

Tears streaming down my face, I point to the window, and he almost drops me shocked.

"Alex...I'm so sorry."

I can tell he doesn't know what to do as he sits me on the couch holding me, close to tears. He pulls out his phone and calls Price. I barley pay attention as my mind drifts back to my brother's blood spilling on the pavement..the color diluting from the rain. I cry even harder.

"Alex...you'll be okay...shhh.." Soap says, trying to calm me down. Roach and Price run down the stairs, flicking on the lights. Soap stands, and guides Price away, leaving me with Roach.

"Alex. I'm so sorry." He mutters, tears escaping his eyes.

I hug him. "Me too Gary..me too." We stay that way a while, quietly talking over the memories of Ghost, waiting for  Soap and Price to come  back.

I watch as Price leaves in an ambulance, and Soap walks back, soaking wet. His eyes are red and puffy, and looks as if he was crying. Soaking wet or not, I run up and hug him tightly.

Soap's P.o.V

I had checked for  Ghost's pulse, but there was none. He was gone, and no one knew why. I walk back inside, soaked to the bone. A pang of jealousy hits me as I find Alex and Roach sitting in the couch, him holding her as she cries.

"He's only trying to be a supportive friend, after all she watched her brother die." I remind myself inwardly. As soon as she sees me, she jumps up and and hugs me, crying softly. "You're all I have left." She says, clenching the hem of my black t-shirt.  The words break my heart.

I wrap my arms around her. "I will always be here for you."

She looks up  at me, her face tear stained. "Thank you."

I smile painfully and stroke her hair. "It's my job," I sigh, "You need to lay down now. I want you to rest."

She nods her head, and I pick her up, carry her upstairs and lay her in my bed. "Don't worry." I whisper, tucking her in and kissing her forehead. "I'll be back soon, everything will be alright."

"Okay..." She mumbles, still crying. There is nothing I want more than to go back in time and kill the woman who killed Ghost. Alex doesn't deserve this. I wipe her tears. "Only a few minutes."

I walk back into the kitchen, where Roach is, sitting at the island, his head in his hands.

"Hey man.." I mumble, sitting on the chair next to him.

"Hi...how's Alex?"

"She's not doing well.."

"Figures."

"Are you gonna be okay?"

He looks up at me, his entire face red and splotchy. "The last few days were horrible..he was in such a bad mood. He was always checking over his shoulder, twitchy...I feel like he knew. And what was he doing standing in the middle of the road like that? He didn't fight or anything!! He knew, John, He knew."

"Gary..." I start, unsure how to approach this. I think about it, and realize, he's right, Ghost knew he was going to die. "I think you're right."

"I am." He says, walking upstairs.

I myself, slip into the dorm that I used to share with the Riley siblings. It's just Alex now.

"Hey." She sighs, her breath rattling.

"Shhhh." I say, laying next to her and holding her tight. She lies her head on my chest and closes her eyes. I doubt she'll fall asleep.

"I love you Alex. No one can take that from you. I'm so sorry this happened," I whisper when I'm sure she's asleep.