MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter Thirty-Three: The Hospital
---
The hospital was white. Too white. The lights were bright. The walls were clean. The air smelled like antiseptic and something else, something that made Jay's stomach turn.
She opened her eyes.
The ceiling was above her. White. Flat. Endless. She blinked. The ceiling was still there. She tried to move. Her body screamed. She stopped.
Keifer was beside her.
He was sitting in a chair, his elbows on his knees, his head bowed. His shirt was stained with blood. Her blood. His hands were still red. He hadn't washed them.
She tried to speak. Her throat was dry. Nothing came out.
His head lifted. His eyes were red. His face was pale.
"Jay," he said.
She looked at him. His face was blurry. She blinked.
"Keifer," she said. Her voice was a whisper. Barely there.
He took her hand. His fingers were cold. They were shaking.
"You're awake," he said. "You're awake."
She looked at her hand in his. The ring was still there. Gold. Thin. A circle that meant something now.
"The others," she said.
He squeezed her hand. "Ci N is in surgery. He's going to be okay. Care is with him. She's fine. Her arm is bandaged. She's working."
Jay closed her eyes.
"Freya is in the next room. Her shoulder is bad, but she's going to be okay. Rakki is with her. Mica is tracking the money. Ella is with Care."
She opened her eyes. "Lyra."
Keifer's face tightened. "She's in surgery. Her side was bad. But she's strong. She's going to be okay."
Jay looked at the ceiling. White. Flat. Endless.
"Alex is with her," Keifer said. "He hasn't moved since they brought her in."
Jay closed her eyes. She didn't open them.
---
Ci N was in the recovery room when Jay woke again.
Felix was beside him, his hand in Ci N's, his face pale. Ci N's eyes were closed. His face was white. The machines beeped beside him, steady, endless.
Felix looked up when Jay walked in. She was in a hospital gown, her side bandaged, her arm bandaged, her face bruised. She looked like she had been through a war.
She had been.
"He's going to be okay," Felix said. His voice was steady. His hands were not.
Jay sat beside him. She took Ci N's other hand. His fingers were cold.
"He's strong," she said.
Felix looked at her. His face was young. Too young. His eyes were old.
"He was scared," Felix said. "When he saw you bleeding. He was so scared."
Jay looked at Ci N's face. At the boy who had followed her into every fight. The boy who had never once been afraid.
"I know," she said.
Ci N's eyes opened. Just a slit. Just enough.
"Jay," he said. His voice was a whisper.
She leaned close. "I'm here."
"You're bleeding."
"I'm okay."
He smiled. It was small. Tired. Real.
"I know," he said.
His eyes closed. The machines beeped. Felix's hand tightened on his.
Jay sat beside him. She didn't leave.
---
Freya was in her room when Jay came.
She was sitting up, her shoulder bandaged, her face pale. Rakki was beside her, her feet on the bed, her face turned toward the window.
Freya looked at Jay when she walked in. Her eyes went to the bandages. The bruises. The blood that was still on her hands.
"You look terrible," Freya said.
Jay sat on the edge of the bed. "So do you."
Freya almost smiled. "I'm beautiful."
"You're bleeding."
"I'm fine."
Jay looked at her. Her best friend. Her sister. The woman who had been with her through everything.
"You saved my life," Jay said.
Freya's face didn't change. "That's my job."
"It's not your job. It's who you are."
Freya looked at her for a long moment. Then she reached out. Her hand was cold. Her grip was weak.
"You're my family," Freya said. "You're the only family I have."
Jay held her hand. "You have me. You always have me."
Freya's eyes closed. Her hand went limp.
Rakki looked at Jay. Her face was calm. Her eyes were not.
"She hasn't slept," Rakki said. "Since the warehouse. She's been waiting for you to wake up."
Jay looked at her friend. At the bandages on her shoulder. At the blood that was still on her gown.
"She's going to be okay," Jay said.
Rakki nodded. "She's going to be okay."
---
Care was in the hallway when Jay found her.
Her arm was bandaged. Her face was pale. She was standing outside Lyra's room, her hands in her pockets, her eyes on the door.
Jay stood beside her.
"How is she?" Jay asked.
Care didn't look at her. "She's out of surgery. She's going to be okay."
Jay waited.
Care's voice was quiet. "She almost died. The knife went through her side. It missed her kidney by an inch."
She looked at Jay. Her face was calm. Her eyes were not.
"She almost died," Care said again. "And she kept fighting. She pulled the knife out of her side and she kept fighting."
Jay took her hand. "She's strong."
Care looked at their hands. Her fingers were cold.
"She's the strongest person I know," Care said. "After you."
Jay squeezed her hand. "We're all strong. That's why we're still here."
Care nodded. She didn't let go.
---
Lyra was awake when Jay walked in.
Alex was beside her, his hand in hers, his head on the bed. He was asleep. His face was pale. His hands were still red.
Lyra looked at Jay. Her face was blank. Her eyes were not.
"You're alive," Lyra said.
"I'm alive."
"You're bleeding."
"I'm fine."
Lyra looked at Alex. At his hand in hers. At the blood that was still on his fingers.
"He hasn't left," Lyra said. "He's been here since they brought me in."
Jay sat beside the bed. "He loves you."
Lyra looked at her. Her face didn't change. But something shifted in her eyes.
"I know," she said.
---
Keifer was waiting outside Jay's room when she came back.
His shirt was still stained with her blood. His hands were still red. He looked at her. His face was tired. His eyes were dark.
"You should be in bed," he said.
"I'm fine."
He walked to her. He took her face in his hands. His fingers were cold.
"You almost died," he said.
"I didn't."
"You almost died. Three times. The doctors said—"
She kissed him. His lips were cold. His hands were shaking.
"I'm not going to die," she said. "I'm not going anywhere."
He pulled her close. His arms went around her. His face was in her hair.
"You scared me," he said.
She held him. His heart was beating fast.
"I know," she said.
---
The night came.
Jay was in her bed, the machines beside her, the IV in her arm. Keifer was beside her, his chair pulled close, his hand in hers.
The door opened. Percy stood in the doorway. His face was pale. His eyes were red.
"You're awake," he said.
"I'm awake."
He walked to the bed. He sat on the edge. He took her other hand.
"You almost died," he said.
"I know."
He looked at her. His face was young. Too young. His eyes were old.
"You can't do that again," he said. "You can't—" His voice cracked.
She squeezed his hand. "I won't."
He leaned forward. His head was on her shoulder. His hands were shaking.
"I can't lose you," he said. "You're my sister. You're the only sister I have."
She held him. He was so big. So loud. So young.
"You're not going to lose me," she said.
He pulled back. His face was wet. His eyes were red.
"Promise?" he asked.
She looked at Keifer. His hand was in hers. His eyes were steady.
"I promise," she said.
---
END OF CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE