Cursed

30

The rest of the flight goes fine. Shay seems to manage pretty well during throughout the hours. She sleeps through most of it. By the time we have to wake her up to get off, she's not looking too great. The bleeding seems to have stopped but she still looks very pale.

We get her off the plane before anyone else and stick her straight into a cab. I can't even imagine how much pain she's in, but to her credit, she's not complaining.

The cab driver looks at us like we're insane, but I yell at him to shut up and drive fast. Yuri's people headed back to their compound with Angelica, so Hunter and Ryder hop into the cab with us.

Hunter looks back at me, "How's she doing?"

I shake my head, biting my lip, "She's tired, I think. We need to get her stitched up by our medic."

We arrive outside of the compound and I help her out, putting an arm around her. She whimpers, falling against me. I hold her upright, "Shay!"

I turn her so I can see her face. Her eyes are unfocused and she looks like she's about to pass out. I scoop her into my arms with no effort. She puts her head against my chest, and her arms around my neck.

Hunter opens the compound door and we race to the medical room of the compound. It's about 10:30 in the morning and several people are walking through the lobby. I look at the receptionist, "Get Doctor Cohen down to medical. Now. And keep her sister in her room. She doesn't need to see this."

She nods and Hunter opens up the doors to medical.

I set her down on the closet bed and a minute later, Doctor Cohen is racing in, slipping on her white coat.

She moves me aside and grabs supplies from her bag.

Shay's eyes flutter open as she groans in pain. I put a hand on her face and frown. I look at the doctor, "She's burning up."

Cohen sighs and rips open her bandage, taking out a needle and thread. She pours hydrogen peroxide on her wound and Shay visibly winces. I hate seeing her like this.

I watch as the needle goes in and out of her pale skin. I feel my heart being stabbed each time it goes in, fearing she would leave me.

Please don't go.

"I'm done. It looks like she'll be alright. She didn't lose a lethal amount of blood, but she's still going to have a tough recovery with this. She's going to have to take things slowly for a few weeks."

I sigh in relief, "Yes. Yes, of course. Thank you."

She nods, "You really like her, don't you Boss?"

I chuckle slightly, "Yeah. I do."

She smiles and puts a hand on Shay's forehead, "She's a little too hot. I'm going to get an ice pack for her. It'll help her body get calm enough to fall asleep and heal itself."

I nod and watch Shay's uneven breaths. She puts a hand on top of mine. I look up at her. She says, "I'm okay."

I run a finger along her cheek, "Don't you ever scare me like that again."

She nods, "Okay."

Cohen returns with an ice pack and gently placed it on her forehead. She smiles at me, "Let her get some rest. You know where to find me if you need me. The best thing we can do for her now is to let her body heal itself."

I nod as she walks out of the room. I look at Shay and she smiles at me.

I let out a breath as I say, "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" She asks gently.

I give her a look, "You know what I'm talking about. Why'd you step in front of that blade?"

"He was going to kill you. You couldn't see him coming. I saw, and I couldn't let it happen."

I sigh, "But you could've died. I'm not worth that. No one should die because of me or for me. Why'd you step in front of that blade?"

She smiles at me, a single year sliding down her face as she reaches up to cradle my face with her hand, "Because I love you, Zack."

Her words fill me up. She loves me. I grin, "I love you too. I have for awhile."

"I'm sorry I got mad at you about Nova. I do understand. This is your job. From now on, I'll support what you have to do."

I smile at her, "Thank you, for saying that. But, I'm over this whole big bad mafia leader thing. I had an idea."

"And what would that be?" She asks.

I grin at her.