The File

The File ~ Chap. 18

Well, I decided to upload again since I'm in the middle of a snow day! I don't know how the weather is everywhere else, but I hope you're all having fun!

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Enjoy! :)

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Cole

I didn't know what to think when something hard smacked into my head and pain erupted. Well, nothing but "oh god, Tate, run as fast as you possibly can. Don't stop for me". And when I felt the water just a moment before I was enfolded with blackness, I knew it was over.

But then the blackness disappeared, and there was light. Faded light, but it was something. And when I opened my eyes, I swore I was staring at the face of an angel. Those thoughts didn't weaken much when I realized Tate was who I was looking at. She was the light after the dark.

My whole body felt like it would shrivel up until she lent me her heat and brought me back to life. Then I never felt so alive.

Then my brain returned to me at the mention of the attackers, and how close they were. It dawned on me that one of them had sent me to my almost watery grave, and my brain told me with all its might that we really needed to leave. I finally succeeded in persuading Tate that it was okay to go and I could handle it, but I knew she was still tense as we rode. Her whole body was stiff behind mine on the bike. And I didn't know what to do to help her.

Especially after she had helped me. How did you repay someone that saved your life? Was it possible? I felt like I was in her debt for the rest of my life, no matter what I did. Not that it was really a bad thing.

"Tate, talk to me," I pleaded after ten minutes of silence.

"What do you want me to say?" she asked. I felt as her head shifted from its resting position between my shoulder blades to her chin sitting on my shoulder.

"Anything. I don't care. I can't stand the silence." Some payback I was giving her. I was still ordering her around.

"Okay...well, I cursed for you," she said weakly.

Uhh.... "I don't understand."

"Well, being spawned from a navy soldier, I've always been very proper in my life. And don't start with the whole 'sailor's mouth' because that is such a lie. Anyway, I've never uttered a single profanity...this is until now. As I was busy freaking out over your state of unconsciousness, I actually spoke the cuss version of darn it. So you better be happy."

I couldn't hold back my laugh. "You did that all for me? Oh, you shouldn't have."

She laughed too. "I did, and it actually felt good. I was filled with worry for your life and it felt nice to release some of it in the form of words. So I actually want to thank you."

Was that supposed to make us even or something? That was ridiculous! "Are you serious? You're thanking me for your use of a curse word?" I wished she could see my unbelieving face.

"Why not?" I could hear the smile in her voice.

I laughed once. "Okay, you're welcome."

Her head returned to its place on my back.

I felt a little better now that I had heard her voice speaking about something humorous-?-and completely off the topic that we were almost killed and everything. Distractions were good.

Out of pure luck, I glanced down to look at the gas meter and noticed that we were almost out of fuel. Maybe not all distractions were good.

"Shit," I muttered.