Like Fire and Powder

14. Paradise

The devil knows your Achilles' heel and will [try to] use it.

-- Elizabeth Smith, God Speaks Through Ordinary Things

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As soon as you pulled away from Connor's house, you called Gavin using the car's hands-free Bluetooth.

When you came to an abrupt stop twenty minutes later, you were still on the call with him, and you knew you weren't making much sense because you were wailing. Looking back, that was the only way you could describe it.

Gavin knocked on the window, startling you, and you reached over to unlock the door. When you did, you glanced down at your fingers, which were wet with your blood.

"(Y/n), shit. Nines, get the paramedics. (Y/n), come on. Let's get you out of there. You said he shot you in the arm?"

Did I?

"He-- He--" You couldn't even speak.

When Gavin reached over you to unbuckle the seatbelt, you jerked away from him and grabbed onto the strap with your left hand; you couldn't get your right arm to move.

You sobbed so loud you couldn't even hear Gavin trying to talk you down.

You knew nothing would help, so you just squeezed your eyes shut and rocked against the strap.

Your head pounded, your ears rang.

You were terrified because Connor was gone.

I lost him.

The thought only made you cry harder, something you hadn't thought was physically possible.

"Gavin, you have to--"

"She won't lemme touch her," you heard Gavin say.

The sound of a tactical knife opening got your attention, and you took hiccupping breaths as you looked down at -- Nines.

He was crouching by the open driver door and cutting through the seatbelt with a tactical knife. He lifted his head as he worked, nodding and smiling encouragingly.

"That's great, (Y/n)," Nines said. He cut through the seatbelt, and you felt it slacken around your hips. "Can you keep breathing like that for me? But just a little slower?"

Nines handed the knife to Gavin and held your gaze. "(Y/n)?"

"He-- He--" You felt like you were about to lose it all over again.

"No, no," Nines said, waving a hand. "Just breathe. With me, okay? Watch."

He lifted his right hand, and you watched his chest rise.

As he inhaled, he unfurled his fingers and spread them wide, and as he exhaled, he curled his fingers into a fist.

It took you a minute, but you managed to match his pace.

You glanced from his hand to his face, nervous, but he remained encouraging and patient.

And when you were finally breathing normally, and not like someone on the verge of a psychotic break, Nines put his hand down and pushed the severed belt away from your hips.

He leaned forward and slid an arm under your knees, and then he wrapped one around your torso.

You closed your eyes as he moved you out of the car, and he stood up straight. You were a little disoriented as you looked around; you hadn't realized how many people had gathered.