Forged In Hellfire

Part 1(Ch2)

The next day Emilie thinks about texting Robbie for a ride. She decides to just take the bus, but he pulls into her driveway just as she's heading out the door.
"I thought you might work today." He says from the driver side.
"Yea..." She says reluctantly.
"Hop in." He says opening the door.
"So, are you just going to drive up and down my street waiting to give me a lift?" She asks getting in the car.
"If you go two blocks that way and make a left on Vista I am right there. I told you it wasn't out of the way."
Her whole shift at work she thinks about Robbie. There was something about him that interested her. She wasn't sure if it was just that he was a good-looking guy or the fact that he was different like her. Every time she thought about distancing herself from him, he popped up. The same went for Robbie. Ever since he sold his soul he had changed. He didn't have time for a social life and his personal life was barely even a life. It was hard enough keeping his secret from Gabe, but then again with Emilie they had the same secret. It was kind of a relief to know that he didn't have to hide himself from someone.
"Robbie." Says Canello. "Your girlfriend is back." Giving him a hard time.
Robbie walks into the lobby and sees Emilie with a bag of food and drinks.
"Hungry?" She asks holding up the bag.
"I could use a bite." He smiles. "You didn't have to bring me anything."
"I didn't feel like eating alone today. And since you wouldn't take any gas money, I figured you could let me buy you lunch."
They step outside to the back of the shop and sit on one of the junk cars to eat. They sit in silence for a few minutes before Emilie starts giggling.
"What's so funny?" Asks Robbie who starts to laugh too.
"We are so socially awkward."
"So, don't make it awkward." He says.
"Why do I have to be the awkward one? You're the one who's head catches fire." She smiles.
He laughs. "How about we just go with it? Pretend we aren't who we are and see where the conversation takes us." He suggests.
They finish eating and he tells her he'll be waiting for her after work to take her home. The next couple of days Robbie gives her a ride to work and they start getting more comfortable hanging out. One night around 1 A.M Emilie hears a knock on the door. She gets up to see who it is and sees Robbie through the peep hole.
"Robbie?" She opens the door, half asleep. "Oh, my God are you okay?"
He is posted up against the door frame bleeding.
"Yea," he says leaning on the doorway, "Can I come in?" He walks in wobbling and she helps walk him over to a kitchen chair.
"Is this all your blood?" She asks concerned.
"No, but...this is." He removes his jacket and his white undershirt is torn on the left and dripping red.
"Robbie, you need a doctor..."
"No. I'll be fine. I just..." removing his jacket in pain. "I can't sneak in the house and risk Gabe seeing me like this. I'll be fine, I just need a minute."
"I'll be right back." She pours him a glass of water and runs to the bathroom to grab a couple of rags. She runs some hot water in the sink and fills up a pot.
"I hope you're not attached to this shirt." She starts cutting it off. "What happened?"
"I was out, found a group of guys beating on some homeless junkie down an ally. I thought the Rider took care of them all, but another snuck up behind me and stabbed me."
Emilie wipes the blood from around the wound and sees his body twitching and throbbing as it attempts to heal itself.
"It looks like you have it handled from here."
"This one's pretty deep. It's gonna take a minute." He says leaning back in the chair.
She looks at his face as he tries to fight the pain.
"Let me get you something stronger." She takes his glass of water and pours it out. She then fills it with ice and whiskey, before pouring herself a small glass. "That should take the edge off." She says handing him the glass. She sits down across from him.
"You sure know the way to a man's heart." He says taking a big sip.
"How have you been keeping this from Gabe?"
"Usually it's just a scratch or something I can hide. By the next day I'm fine." He finishes off his drink.
"Perks of making a deal with the devil."
"Is that how you became the Ghost Rider?"
"Yea." He says wincing as he sits back.
"Need a refill?" She asks.
"Nah, I think I've lost too much blood," he laughs "I think it's already catching up to me."
"Light weight. Just, please don't combust in my kitchen." She grabs the pot with the bloody rags and takes them over to the sink. She grabs his jacket and tries to clean some of the blood off. When she looks back at him his head is on the table looking at the ground starry eyed.
"I think I poured you too much. Maybe you should rest for a bit before heading home." There is no way she was letting him drive home. She grabs a blanket and pillow and walks back into the kitchen.
"Robbie?" She calls, trying to wake him.
"Hm?" He says sliding around in the chair.
"Come on." She helps him up and walks him over to the couch. His wound has stopped bleeding. She helps him lay down and pulls the blanket over him. She turns to walk away, and he grabs her hand.
"Where you going?" he says, slurring his words.
"To bed. You lost too much blood and drank too much. Get some sleep."
"I don't get a kiss goodnight?" He asks.
Emilie looks at him with a side eye and decide to humor his drunken stupor with a kiss on the forehead. He grabs the back of her head as she pulls away and holds it close to his. She can feel his warm breath tickling her skin.
"Goodnight, Robbie." She says nervously wondering if he's going to let her go. His eyelids slowly close and his grip loosens as he passes out. She walks to her room and close the door. Her neck still tingling from his breath and unsure of what may have happened had he not passed out.