{BOOK 1} I Thought We Would Be Safe - Paulkins/TGWDLM fanfic

Chapter 17 - I'll trust you

"Fine." Emma said, "I'll trust you. But first explain how you got here."

The professor sighed, "Alright. I can't remember everything about being infected, just some blurry memories. Anyway, I was infected, and still had all the knowledge I had before I got infected. I had something with me that caused that when I died, I'd return in human form. So when Paul was killing all the aliens, I injected it into my arm, with the thought that I could get myself infected again." He rolled up the sleeve of his jacket, "It still feels numb. But anyway, I think it was two days later when I woke up, and I didn't want to get infected again. I had a friend who worked for PEIP, and I already thought they would take care of the survivors. So I called them, and they said you survived and were here in Colorado. So I went to them yesterday evening, because they first wanted to test my blood."

Emma finally relaxed a bit, knowing that PEIP made sure he wasn't infected. Professor Hidgens sat down on the other couch, Paul went to sit next to her and held her hand.

"They told me about a certain Tom Carter, did they inform you about that?" Emma nodded, unconsciously pulling Paul closer to her. "What happened to your leg?" he asked, pointing at it.

Emma sighed, "We tried to escape out of Hatchetfield in a helicopter, but the pilot was my former coworker, who was basically evil. So we crashed and I injured my leg. I've been in the Clivesdale hospital for two weeks, but during the fight where Paul killed most of you, I fell on it and couldn't walk, or even stand on it anymore." She rested her head on Paul's shoulder. She still didn't feel completely safe with professor Hidgens around.

"Listen, I'm sorry. It just got too much, knowing that I would be responsible for you making it out alive or not." he said.

It's like he could read her mind. "So you just wanted to get us killed?"

The professor sighed, "Emma, you have to understand that I had been doing research on those things for nearly thirty years. I just wanted to know what it would feel like." He stood up and lifted up his turtleneck, showing a huge scar, "But it was not that great."

Emma looked at him in disgust, making a mental note that she'd never want to see her professor's chest hair ever again. "Okay. I'll believe you." The professor smiled, pulling his clothes back down.

"There are multiple bedrooms upstairs, you can use one of those." Paul said, "We sleep here, because Emma can't get up the stairs and I keep her company."

Professor Hidgens glanced at her. Emma rolled her eyes, "Not like that. I just don't want to be alone right now."

"Oh, no. I wasn't saying-"

"You were thinking about it." They both stopped arguing about it.

Professor Hidgens cleared his throat, "Have you bought the essentials to survive?"

"I bought some food, not a lot though. We were in the hospital until yesterday, so we didn't really have had the time to go shopping." Paul quickly said, glad that the subject has changed. Emma closed her eyes, leaning against him. "Em? Are you tired?" he asked.

"Nah, it's fine." Emma replied, opening her eyes.

Professor Hidgens kneeled beside her, taking her hand, "Emma, dear? Are you okay?"

"I'm great. I mean, I'm a bit tired and I just want to be able to do something, but I feel great. My leg still fucking hurts though." The professor smiled, and he and Paul went upstairs to his room.

A few minutes later, Paul came back. "I got a new phone, and I was thinking, maybe it's a good idea if we got one of those apps where you can follow your friend's location. You know, for if something happens." He sat down next to her, showing his brand-new iPhone.

Emma nodded, "Sounds good." They exchanged their phone numbers, for which Emma had to look into the files she was given, because she hadn't got the time to remember it yet.

Paul smiled, "You should try to sleep now." Emma nodded as Paul walked away. She drifted away, feeling much safer now.