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They try to side swipe me before we settle into a rhythm as I continue. “Feels personal.”
“You feel something for her.” The words are sympathetic, and I relax a little more.
“Yeah, I dunno.” I take a swing, aiming for their torso, but they block me at the last second.
“Are you worried about us? Because I understand. You know how we work.” The consideration they put into their words makes me appreciate my partner even more. I love what we have. I don’t want to lose it. “I can see myself feeling something for her too. Not physically, but you know that.”
Meeting their eyes, I drop my hands.
“What?” Their response puzzles me. The girl draws me to her, but it’s a little shocking to hear Ember feels something too. They don’t typically respond to new people like that. Though it’s a comfort to hear. “I don’t understand.”
“She’s special, for lack of a better word. I don’t know what it is, but she feels different, right?”
“Yeah, she does.” We’re silent for a moment while we stand there looking at each other before I speak. “Whadda we do?”
“Who knows. But for now, we keep her safe. Eventually, we reunite her with her friend, and we go from there,” they say.
“What about the other guy? The one from the compound?”
“What about him?”
“You heard ‘em. Obviously something between ’em, and you heard their last conversation. The promise he made her,” I say.
“We’ll deal with that too when the time comes.”
Their confidence in whatever plan is forming in their head settles my nerves.
I’m not normally like this; I’m the grounded one. I’m good at staying in the present moment. You have to be in our line of work.
I know I can trust Ember, but I don’t like this feeling of losing control. Like there’s nothing I can do.
“How’s she?” I inquire.
“Well, you storming out wasn’t the best way to make an exit. So that didn’t really help, but Sage gave her a sedative, so she’s sleeping.”
“Should probably talk to her. Apologize.”
“Ya think? Look, whatever is going on with you is yours to deal with. I’m always here for you. You know that…” They begin unwrapping their hands in preparation to leave. “but don’t let this bleed onto Juliana. She’s dealing with enough. Plus, I think Sage would strangle you. She’s been mothering her.”
Watching them go, I sit with my thoughts for a while before resuming my workout and venting a little more of my unwanted emotions.
Resolved to apologize for my behavior, I make my way back through the building to the room where I’ve put the girl. I really should have taken her to the med bay we have set up, but instead, my feet carried me towards the section where Ember and I live.
I don’t allow myself to pause at the door, and I swing it wide open as I enter.
The good doctor is standing next to the bed and looks up at me with a glare before motioning for me to close the door.
I click the door shut and make my way to stand opposite the doctor. I stay there for a moment before I can bring myself to speak.
“Sorry,” I say. The statement is clear, but the doctor looks at me skeptically.
“It’s not me you need to apologize to.” When the woman turns to look at the girl lying in bed, her face softens from its previously hard state. “She noticed, you know.”
Which puzzles me. The idea that the girl clocked my earlier departure while in such a state of distress is confusing, to say the least.
“What?”
“When you left, she noticed. You took something away from her that she needed right then. Of course she noticed when you stormed off.” She takes a breath in an attempt to collect herself. “She was so worked up I was forced to sedate her. I was afraid she would hurt herself.”
