Outsider

Thirty-one

"Sarah's home!" cried Jasmine, running to the door.  Dirty and bloodstained, walking with a limp, I had made it home.  Somehow Matt and I escaped S.H.I.E.L.D.- it was extremely difficult.  Luckily, no one died on either side.  Everything was a blur, I faintly remember running for my life to an elevator, then sharp pains.  My leg was stunned with something that froze all movement, I was still recovering.

Dizzily, I made it to our car and hopped in the back seat, with Matt's help.  He gave me a gun, and I fired aimlessly out the back window to ward off the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.  They shut down the bridge, Matt carried me down a rocky path and we were planning to swim across the river to get back to Washington.  But, just as we hopped into the water, a fisherman's boat pulled over to us.  In exchange for my pill box of Criz, the drugged fisherman agreed to take us across the river.  Once in the ship's hull, Matt and I attempted to resurrect my paralzyed leg.

"What the fuck did they stun me with?" I hissed, whacking my leg.  I felt nothing.

Matt grimaced and said, "Stun gun.  It should wear off soon."

"Hopefully,"

Matt looked uncomfortable, he kept pulling and massaging his shoulder.  Hobbling over to him, I said, "Matt, something happened to you."

"I'm fine,"

Then I saw the blood seeping from his shoulder.  "Matt, you got shot!"

He nodded, clenching his fist.  Quickly, I grabbed a blanket from the ground and began blotting his shoulder, asking, "Did it hit anything major?  Why was S.H.I.E.L.D. trying to kill you and not me?"

"Because, Sarah, they need you for some reason."

"Well, hopefully not anymore.  Hopefully once they see that I'm dead, that bitch Agent Thirteen will call of her search.  The people tonight will think I'm someone else."

"Maybe,"

I drove us home in a stolen car, using my good leg.  We called ahead notifying Crimson Night of our arrival, so when we ditched the car one of our gang's signature sports cars was waiting to take us back to Trish and Tobias'.  Anyway, Trish ran over to us and said plainly, "You two look terrible, come sit down."

"You probably don't want me to.  I'm filthy." I told her.

"Nonsense,"

Trish stitched Matt's shoulder, she was the best with medical care.  "Mommy says she wishes she were a doctor!" sung Jasmine, bouncing around me.

"A doctor?  Really?" I asked in disbelief.

Trish said nothing.

After a shower and a change of clean clothes, I felt a lot better.  Matt got cleaned up to, and he stayed the night at the apartment in my bedroom.  We lay next to each other in bed- him on his back as to not further injure his gunshot wound, and me with pillows propped under my foot.  Tingling sensations returned to it, and it was beginning to swell like hell.  As I was being lulled off to sleep with Matt stroking my hair, I whispered, "Why were you ignoring me?"

"Huh?"

"In the elevator... You didn't speak to me."

Matt propped himself up with his elbows and replied, "I just didn't like it that you were flirting with that security guard,"

"Matt!" I groaned, "It's just acting, I don't give a shit about that fool.  And why do you care?"

Quietly, he breathed, "I want us to be official, y'know?  I seriously thought you felt the same way, Sarah.  If you don't love me, I'll probably... kill myself."  That should've sent off red flags, but in his innocent face I saw hurt.  Somehow I felt pity for Matt, like I had done something wrong by tricking the guard.  Matt saved my life tonight, carrying me to the boat, I owed it to him.  "I do love you," I argued-