Chapter Twenty-One

I stared in the mirror at my reflection. It had been a week since Reece rescued me. Blu had told me that the bullet had grazed my side, cutting deeply, but not actually going into me. Between his medical skills and Axel's magic I had healed with no trace of the bullet on my abdomen. The silence in the room was broken by the click of the door.

"Hello?" I said softly, peering over my shoulder.

"Hey Vin." Reece stood in the middle of the room, a small smile on his face. I turned to face him with an arm across my chest, resisting the urge to throw myself at him.

"Reece, you do know that I'm not dressed right?" I mumbled from behind my hand. His eyes looked heavy, as though he hadn't slept in weeks. I stepped backwards towards the dresser so I could grab my sweater. Reece followed, pressing his hands against the wall behind me.

"Do you care?" He asked.

"No." I whispered, heat rushing to my face.

"I've missed you. Blu hasn't let me see you all week." Reece said. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

My lips met his and it was like I'd kissed him for the first time again. One of his hands left the wall to hold my back. I pulled away hesitantly.

"You'll see me later. I think Lauri's here." I mumbled. He sighed and stepped back. There was a smile on his face once more before he disappeared out the door.

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"Come here kid." Lauri was waiting outside the building. She pulled me into a rib-crushing hug.

"L-au-ri." I gasped. Lauri laughed and let go, her hands lingering on my shoulders.

"Let's go home." She said with a sniffle, using the back of her hand to wipe her tears away. I put my arm around her waist and we walked to the car together.

I looked over my shoulder at Blu's truck. Part of the white truck was stained red, dark, blood red. I exhaled shakily and turned to face the road ahead of us. I caught sight of a blue haired figure in the rear-view mirror. He gave a two-fingered salute before disappearing. Lauri drove out of the driveway and out onto the highway.

I'm going home. Finally.

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"Home sweet home!" said Lauri, parking the car in it's usual spot in the grass. The house looked the same. Same green door, same wood exterior, same newspaper sitting unread under the window. Lauri opened the door and ushered me inside.

I sunk into the couch as she dashed to grab the phone which was ringing shrilly on the other side of the room.

"Sorry sweets, gotta take this." Lauri said. I shrugged. A meow from the floor caught my attention.

Church hopped into my lap.

"Hey buddy." I said, scratching the cat behind the ear.

He purred and settled deeper into my lap. Just the sight of the cat brought a smile to my face. I glanced at the clock beneath the TV, it had already been an hour since I'd left Reece's house. Lauri hung up the phone. I was going ask her what was wrong but the doorbell rang.

Church leaped off the couch and slunk away to the bedroom.
"I got it." Lauri said, running a hand through her hair.

"Hm you." I turned around on the couch to see who Lauri was talking to.
"Is Vinnie there?" He asked.
"Yes, but she's had enough trouble from-" I jumped up and rushed to the front door.
"Hey."
"You." Lauri finished with a sigh before walking away. I took Reece's hand and led him to the backyard.

"So. You look better." He offered with a weak smile. I forced one onto my face as well. Reece stepped closer and put his arms around me. I did the same and resting my cheek on his chest.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, tears pricking at my eyes.
"It wasn't your fault Vin."
"And it wasn't yours either." I looked up at him, his amber eyes hard.

"Agree to disagree?" He mumbled, placing his hands on my cheek. I sniffed and sunk to the ground. He followed.

Reece held me while I cried into his shoulder.
"You don't understand." I wailed.
"How so?"
"If I hadn't said yes to meeting you that day Maria wouldn't of...done this." His arms tightened around me.
"She has nothing to do with this. Nor does Koran."
"They have everything to do with this! They're still out there! This is going to happen again." I cried.
"I'm not going to let that happen. I'm here to protect you." He murmured. I pulled out of his arms and stood up.

"I don't want to have to be protected!" I yelled, thankful that we had no neighbors.
"What?! Are you insane?!"
"No, I am not! This is how our life is going to be! You protecting me, the weak human." Reece's eyes blazed.

"I only do it because I love you!" He shouted. "You're being irrational."
"Irrational? I'm sorry for not wanting to be watched over twenty-four-seven!"
"Oh, so you want to be brutally murdered by my uncle?!"
"No!" I snapped. He spun slightly, my vision blurring. I shook my head.

"I can't deal with this right now okay?" I growled. Reece didn't answer as I stalked back towards the house. I slammed the door behind me.

"How'd it go?" Lauri asked. I walked past her into the bedroom, also shutting the door hard. My vision still swimming slightly, I moved closer to the wall.

I caught sight of two glowing eyes. Angrily I pulled the blinds down.

"I do still love you." I murmured, as if he could hear me. My hand slid off the wall as I moved towards the bed. Maybe things will get better.

Hopefully.

Chapter Twenty

Blu's POV

"Alright, back into bed." I said, shutting the door behind Reece.

"What if I don't want to?" She grumbled.

"What if I'm the doctor and I told you to?" I retorted.

"Fine." She eased herself onto the bed. Something about her felt familiar. She laid down and faced me.

"So, I'm going to be stuck with you for awhile, might as well tell be who you are." She said. I walked over to the corner of the room and grabbed a chair. I set it down in front of the bed and sat down.

"Well."

"My name's Blu. I'm a time-jumper and I'm twenty-four. My fiance is named Emily, she's a mortal- human- like you." I started, she stared at me expectantly.

"Childhood? Where were you born?"

"I was born here but spent most of my childhood in a foster home in Sunset Valley. Don't ask me about my parents, I don't know who they are nor do I care. When I was nineteen I came back here and met Emily." I added. "You?"

"Born here. My parents disappeared when I twelve, my aunt raised me." She said shortly. I watched as she sat up and swung her legs off the bed. 

"Hey what are you doing?" I cried, jumping out of the chair, sending it a few feet away. She stood up.

"I'm capable of standing." She said, a smug grin on her face.

"I'm pretty sure that I'm the one to say so." I grumbled. Her expression hardened and she moved towards me.

"Why?! Why didn't you help me?! I may have been half dead but I know I saw your face!" She shrieked.

"What?" I had been hoping that she hadn't remembered.

"What if Reece didn't contact you? I really would be dead!"

"I want an answer!" The girl screamed.

"I couldn't!" 

"You couldn't?! Couldn't what? WHY?"

"I was working for her, I didn't know anything about what was going on. She just wanted me to cover a time trail." I explained.

"I don't know what the HELL that means but I don't care." She shouted. She took a deep breath and placed a hand on her forehead.

"Are you okay?" I moved closer.

"Don't...touch me." Her words slurred together as she swayed slightly.

Her body dropped to the ground suddenly. I fell to my knees and crawled over to her.

 "Vinnie?"

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I sat on the bed beside her, holding her close. The door swung open and Reece dashed in.

"I heard her yelling. Is everything-" I stopped when he saw his girlfriend, unconscious on the bed. He shook with rage.

"What the hell, are you doing in bed with her?" He growled through clenched teeth.

"It's called healing dumbass." I said with a smirk.

"Just...leave her alone. I'll sit with her." Reece said, walking towards the bed.

"Fine." I liked watching vampy boy squirm.

As I moved to get up her hand grabbed onto my vest.

"No." She mumbled, resting her head against my shoulder. It was weird. I felt something when I was with her, nothing romantic, but something.

"She has chosen." I snickered.

Chapter Nineteen

"You guys run ahead, I'll carry her." I said, watching them fade into the darkness. Leaning into the car I gently pulled her into my arms.

"It's gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay." I whispered to her lifeless body. With a shaky sigh I hurried towards the entrance, blood dripping onto the pavement.

A woman stood at the doors in a sweatshirt and slippers.

"I came as fast as I could." Lauri said, taking sight of Vinnie. "Is she-"

"I don't know." I snapped. She stepped aside as I entered the building, yanking the elevator open.

 

The ride up was quiet. Every so often Vinnie seemed to breath, which seemed like a good sign. But anything could go wrong. The elevator made bing before opening onto my floor. I kicked the apartment door open where Blu stood waiting.

"Reece give her to me."

"No, I'm taking care of her." I said stubbornly.

"I'm a doctor, she's losing blood, give her to me." Blu said before gently pulling her from my arms.

"Now stay out here."

"What?! Hell no!" I cried. I had to be with her, I'd just found her.

"We don't need you hovering. Kaya!" Blu called and the ginger came out of my room.

"It's all set up." She said.

The door opened and Blu headed inside, taking with him the only thing I cared about.

"Why does Axel get to be in there but not me?!" I asked, turning to face Kaya.

"Because he knows a few healing things, Lauri's in there too." She murmured.

"Reece, it's going to be okay." Kaya placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Is it really?"

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I had pulled one of the couches from the living room so we wouldn't have to sit on the floor. Already three and a half hours had passed.

"How." I muttered. "How am I supposed to make up for this?!"

"It isn't your fault." 

"Yes. It is. Who's uncle is it? Who's crazy ex-friend is it? Who's fucking father is it?!" I spat.

"Yes but It wasn't you." Kaya said. As I started to look up to say something the door opened.

Lauri stepped out, sniffling.

"Well?" I said, jumping up.

"She's okay. She's still unconscious but we were able to clean off all of the blood. That man-"

"Blu." I interrupted.

"Yes Blu, gave her stitches for her face and side. The bullet wound is heavily bandaged, but she'll be okay for now." Lauri said. I let out a sigh of relief. The door opened again and Axel stepped out, a tired look clung to his face.

"Ax, you okay?" Kaya asked, reaching for her boyfriend. Axel nodded.

"Come on, we should go." He said. I stood for a moment watching them leave. I slid past Lauri and into the room.

My room had been turned into a makeshift hospital room. Blu got up from his spot and walked out of the room.

"Half an hour." He said as he passed me.

Vinnie definitely looked better, her face had no large smears of blood and she was wearing cleaner clothes.

"Vinnie?" I said softly, moving closer. No response. I sighed and started to head over to the chairs.

She sat up suddenly, her breathing ragged and she was looking around wildly. I hurried over.

"Vinnie, Vinnie calm down. You're safe." I whispered, staring into her eyes. She didn't speak, as though she'd forgotten how. 

"Lie back down, you're injured." I sat down on the bed and pulled her into my arms.

"You're safe. No one's going to hurt you." I rested my cheek against her forehead.

"Please don't leave." Vinnie murmured, tightening her frail grip on my arm.

"I won't." We stayed like that for awhile. Neither of us spoke, all we needed was each others company.

"Reece, time's up." Blu called through the door.

"No!" She cried. I slid off the bed.

"I'll be back. But you need rest."

"I don't need rest. I've been unconscious for who knows how long." She snapped, hurt swimming in her green eyes.

"I know I know. But you're injured. We don't need you overexerting yourself." I said, squeezing her hands before standing up.

The door opened as we both turned to look at Blu. He pointed to me and tapped his wrist. 

I sighed and kissed Vinnie's forehead, looking at both of them one more time before walking out of the room, leaving Blu to do what he did best.

At least I hope it was what he did best.