Freedom Is My Redemption

Chapter 6

I awoke in a room, it was dark and I was alone. As I sat up slowly I pulled the blanket to me. As I did, though, I realized it wasn't a blanket. It was a jacket. I felt the smooth texture of it as it crinkled under my fingers familiarly. Davi, my body felt stiff and I frowned, slowly everything came back to me. The meeting, Kai briefing us on Johnny, Johnny yelling and the flash of pain as he slit my throat.I gasped and put my hand to my throat, I felt the slightly raised and puckered skin.
My blood ran cold in my veins as though someone poured ice water into my blood, and I felt my stomach churn just as the door opened. I forced myself to be calm, to face whomever was there, "hey you're awake, good." I looked and, thankfully, saw Julia standing in the doorway.
She looked tired and I could see she had bags under her eyes, but was other wise fine. "Ugh I don't know why he insists on putting this ratty thing on you," she said and tugged at the jacket. I frowned at the loss of its comfort and warmth, "let me see." She said and before I could protest she put her hands up to either side of my head.
She closed her eyes and I felt a tingling in my mind as she moved her fingers. "Good, you're fully intact. Sorry about the scar, I couldn't quite get rid of it." She bit her lip and I saw the worry in her eyes, I put my hand over hers and squeezed to reassure her, "hey don't worry- I've had worse. Besides, I'm sure I look badass, right?"
I put on my best tough guy look I could muster and she spluttered out a laugh before she could help herself. "Oh gosh, yes. The most baddest of bad asses." We laughed for a minute and it felt good. I felt my spirit rising, for the first time in days. Just as it was rising, though, the door opened. I sighed but stopped as I heard it hit something.
I turned my head to see Julia behind it blocking it with her foot. "Nope, go away she's not ready." I frowned as she said that, there was a scoff from the other side of the door and I heard a humming sound, "David Michael Kenton-" she said in a menacing tone and I stifled a laugh.
She shot me a glare, "you're not helping." I closed my mouth, "I'll send her out when she's ready. Shoo, go run Kai's errands I know he gave you. "
There was silence and she glared at the door before leaning her head against it to listen, I opened my mouth to warn her not to when there was a loud thud against it.
Like a fist punching straight where her head was. I grimaced and closed my eyes as she growled, "DAVI!" She screamed, he didn't say anything but I swear I could hear him laughing as he walked down the hall.
She turned back to me and rubbed her head, "your boyfriend's an idiot." Her tone was short and clipped and I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corner of my mouth. She sighed, "We need to fix your hair, I'll clean ya up." I frowned in confusion but looked down and saw my clothes were burnt and tattered.
Didn't I just change? My hands had black smudges on them, my arms and legs were covered in soot and dirt and as I reached up to my hair she took my hand.
"Don't worry, I'll fix it." I felt my eyes widen at the urgency in her voice, "Julia- what happened?" She wrung her hands in front of her and wouldn't meet my eyes, I stared at her refused to budge. Eventually she met my eyes and huffed a sigh.
"So- Johnny decided to run his mouth and try his hand at being in charge, he in turn probably killed his guys. The idiots," she said as an afterthought and I frowned. "Anyways, he got ahead of himself started blabbering stuff about you and then decided to force our hand and-" she stopped mid-sentence. Her hand instinctively went to her throat and I dropped my gaze for a second.
I couldn't speak, suddenly as if her small movement had triggered it I remembered. I felt that awful warmth spilling down in front of me, the god awful gurgling my throat had made when I tried to speak. I couldn't help but shudder as I did. When she spoke again, her voice was soft, "If Kai hadn't warned us before- I would've lost it" her voice shook at the end and I looked up to see tears in her eyes. "Hey- it's ok. Don't cry I'm here," I said and held my arms open for her. She scoffed, "you literally died-again- and you're comforting me?"
I shrug and drop my eyes to my hands in my lap, "I- I've always been the caretaker. Even if I'm hurt, I make sure everyone else is ok. I'll be fine and check on myself later, besides I'm not worried about me. " I heard a scoff and looked up to see she had her hands on her hips.
Uh-oh I'm in trouble now, this was her signature I'm-about-to-start-telling-you-off stance. I was about to get it. "Listen to me, right here and right now, if Davi hasn't made you realize your worth being taken care of-that's his business. Also, he's an idiot." She says and steps closer to me and wraps her arms around me.
It hurts at first but quickly subsides as I feel warmth enveloping me and my spirit rises. I feel warm and bubbly and I can't help but smile, when she pulls away I realize I still have a stupid grin on my lips. She boops my nose and I laugh, "you're amazing dude. You truly are." She shakes her head as she says this and smiles at me, "you don't even realize it, but you help keep all of us grounded and you're the strongest person I've ever met. You always put everyone first and no matter how many times you've been broken down, you've just gotten back up. So, let me take care of you and help you just once- ok?" I nod slightly taken aback at the praise. She smirks knowing my silence means she got to me, and steps back.
"Ok, so your injuries are mostly healed though you're gonna need to see Doris to fully check you out. Now then- looks," she says and bites her lip. I frown, "how bad?" She shrugs, "I can fix it." With that she picks up scissors and I feel myself inwardly cringe as she goes to work on my singed hair cutting it and fixing everything. It can't be that bad- right?