Dedicated To Disney

26: Tub Talk With The Boss

My hand lifted to my head, slowly emerging from a swirling liquid around me. I could feel droplets trickle down my wrist. My fingers grazed tenderly over a bandage on my forehead. A bandage that pinched at my skin.

My eyes snapped open as the memories flooded to me. The founders. Freezing. Ben. Rescue. Zeke. Strange apartment.

My disoriented vision quickly cleared to allow me to see the shower curtains folded up against the wall on their metal rod. Warm water sloshed around my body as I slowly moved. Immediately, a rush of pain met my head. I quickly laid back against the back of the tub, squeezing my eyes shut. Voices murmured on the other side of the bathroom door. I forced my lips to part and croaked, "Zeke?"

The voices stopped. Seconds later, Zeke was rushing into the bathroom, his blue eyes frantically meeting mine. I could see the relief slip through his agitated gaze as he sank to his knees beside the tub. "Hey, do you feel alright, Gianna?"

"Um." I looked up to watch another young man enter the bathroom. His green eyes met mine, seeming to calculate something, before he gave an awkward wave. I only stared, bewildered. "Who are...Who are y-you?"

Zeke glanced back at the man and gave a soft laugh. "Uh, this is my roommate, Marcus."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "I never knew you had a roommate."

"Yeah, well, I was always at work with you. I don't really talk about my personal life on the clock."

Marcus nodded in agreement, rubbing his tanned neck. "Yeah, uh, it's...it's nice to meet you. Although, circumstances could have been better."

I cracked a smile at his light humor. Zeke smiled, too, shaking his head. "Forgive him, since he won't ask for forgiveness himself."

Marcus only winked before glancing at the door. He shrugged. "Okay, I'm going to leave you two alone. I'm sure you have a lot to talk about."

Zeke and I nodded in unison. We watched him leave and shut the door before Zeke turned back to me. An awkward silence filled the air, interrupted only by the sloshing of the warm water as I shifted. "Thanks for...for saving me."

He nodded, but his smile didn't reach his troubled gaze. For another moment, there was but silence. Then he grabbed my hand, entwining my fingers with his and said in a shaky tone: "You...You were so pale and your lips were so blue. You looked dead. I...I thought you would..." he trailed off, shaking his head and gripping my hand more tightly.

I swallowed hard, squeezing his hand reassuringly. "But I didn't. I'm okay. In fact, I don't think I ever want to leave this tub. It's so freaking warm."

He laughed again. "I had to drain and refill it three times, since the water kept cooling off before you woke up."

"How long was I unconscious?" I asked abruptly, my thoughts straying to Mom and Mary-Ann.

"The whole day. It's currently 11:06pm."

I inwardly groaned. "Mom and Mary-Ann are going to murder me!"

"Actually," Zeke reassured, "I called and told them what happened. They were freaking out, wanting to come over here right away, but I told them that it wasn't a wise choice. Stermin and Ykell would no doubt contact them about your "accidental death," and would most likely get suspicious if they were here at my apartment."

"Are they okay?" I asked, my chest tightening.

"Yeah. Just a bit shaken."

My eyes skimmed over the creases in his forehead. Beneath his eyes, there were light shades of darkened bags; proof of his fatigue. "Are you okay?"