All These Years

Chapter 15

SHANE

Thea regained consciousness as I carried her to the bathroom. After setting her on the toilet, I ran the water in the bathtub. I couldn't take my eyes off of her as she watched the swirling water fill the tub, I had missed so much about her.

I couldn't find the words to say to her but there was so much to apologize for. So much to hate myself for. All of this was my fault. I missed her so much even though she was right in front of me, missed who we had become and who we were together. I had ruined her, ruined her light. The only girl I loved. The most beautiful girl I had let this happen to and the fact that it was all because of me destroyed me. Suddenly I registered her hand on my face and it pulled me back to the moment and out of my thoughts once I realized she was wiping away a tear as it trailed down my cheek.

I inched the leather jacked off her boney shoulders and lifted her up and into the warm water. As she sank down into the water I watched all the dirt float off her body to the surface. She sat there for a while enjoying the hot water. As I washed her hair her beautiful black hair started to show through the dirt once again. When the water was nearly as black as her hair, I drained it and wrapped her in the towel. Then I helped her into a pair of sweats and a tee shirt we'd brought for her.

Putting my arm around her waist and slowly lifted her up, carrying her into the bedroom where She sat on the bed and watched me, still not saying a word. Her beautiful green eyes never left my face as I kneeled down in front of her.

"Ham is gonna help me stitch you up in a couple places then you can eat."

She just shook her head in agreement, her silence shook me.

I opened the bedroom door and let Hampton in. He got to work quickly on the smaller cuts binding them with liquid skin and butterfly bandages while I got to work stitching the deeper cuts.

Slowly I raised my fingers to her stomach, I knew every inch of her perfect body. Closing my eyes I grazed my finger tips over a foreign spot knowing exactly what was under the small healed but mangled scar  on her stomach.

"Do you remember having surgery in the past few months?" I asked in the quietest whisper I could manage. Hampton quickly looked over at me before his eyes landed on my hand.

Thea's eyes flicked down to mine with a questioning look on her face " no " was all she said. I pushed my fingers into her skin harder and instantly knew I had been right.

"Don't panic, but you have a tracking device in you. I can get it out though."

Her eyes widened and her fingers scratched around mine to feel what I was talking about, her body rigid and tense as she tried to dig her nails around my hand and into her stomach.

"I'm sorry but we need to get it out as soon as possible, our location has already been compromised."

As soon as I touched her skin again, her body relaxed under my fingers. I looked up at her face and her eyes had closed. She still trusted me. I laid her down back against the pillows.

I rummaged around in the bag with my free hand and pulled out a scalpel. I didn't want to hurt her, I'd only ever done work on myself, never someone as fragile and delicate as Thea.

"Its going to hurt but I'll make it quick, I promise." I reassured her, and her hand wound into my hair. I looked up at her but her eyes were still closed.

As she rubbed her fingertips along my scalp. I lost all concentration, her hand in my hair made me want her touching me more. I wanted her hands in my hair for a different reason. All I could think about was nights of falling asleep next to her while she rubbed my hair. her eyes were searching my face as mine fluttered closed, she slowly pulled her hand out of my hair and I was able to concentrate more. She grabbed my arm instead.

With her hand secured around my arm I focused my attention on the small raised scar tissue under her right breast. I had to stay focused, it would be over in a few minutes. I raised my scalpel to her skin and she sucked in a breath, I made the cut.

She bit her lip and a stream of blood slid down her side onto the bed. I threw the scalpel down and grabbed a pair of clamps and plunged them into the incision. A small feral growl escaped her lips, I hated hurting her.

"I've got it," I finally breathed not even realizing I had been holding my breath. "I'm pulling it out now." When the clamps and tracking device was clear of her body she let out all of her air. " I've got to sew this up, ill be as fast as possible. "

"I've been hurt worse" she whispered as calm as ever. That made my jaw clench. I didn't know what she had experienced but I knew that I would kill anyone that had helped do it. Ripping open a gauze I placed it on the cut wiping the blood away. I worked fast, aware of her eyes searching my face and her fingers idly running along my bicep. Then my hands left her skin and I was suddenly aware of the absence of her skin against mine.

"I'll let the others know we're leaving Tonight instead. " Hampton said as he stood. He looked down at Thea who just glanced up at him blankly. Then he walked out of the room.

I hauled her into my arms and walked into the kitchen. Finn sat a bowl of soup in front of her and she started to sip on it without it saying a word. I missed hearing her voice.  

Everyone gathered their things and we quickly left the Arizona desert. It was a six hour drive to my house in the mountains. we drove in two separate trucks, Hampton, Harley and Finn in one and Thea and I in the other. Thea slept the entire way. I glanced over at her periodically, curled up in the front seat with her hair covering her face, she looked peaceful for the first time. I couldn't help but once again wonder what she had gone through.

I pulled into the garage after driving up the secluded driveway, and turned off the truck. Once again I was surrounded by darkness and pulled into my thoughts. It was almost hard to be excited about finding the love of my life when the state she was found in had been so horrible. At that moment I felt her tiny hand lay on my arm.

"were here, at the Montana house, were in the garage. I didn't want to wake you so I was just taking a moment."

We got out of the truck and I walked over to her and wrapped my arm around her waist to help her into the house. At the the bottom of the stairs I bent down wrapping my other arm under her knees. I lifted her up and was once again reminded just how small she was, folded up in my arms. Her eyes never left my face and I felt my skin getting warm under my 3 day scruff. Her gaze was drilling holes in my face but her body seemed to melt into my chest. By the time I reached the top of the stairs I found myself just standing there, unable to put her down. I finally looked down at her green eyes as they slid closed once again and my heart began trying to beat out of my chest.  I stood there for a few more minutes as she slept in my arms unable to look away from her face. Everyone filled in behind me waiting for me to move. I walked to my room and laid her in the bed, she took up no space at all curled up in a ball. I sat down next to her and finally realized how tired I was. It wasn't long till I was passed out next to her. The house slowly fell quiet as everyone went to their respective rooms and settled in for the night.