Page 25 of Rough Love

Sage wasn't sure what to say. He’d be lying if he said he hadn't been thinking about their next move but he also didn't think he could leave the Screaming Demons. They had become a family to him and he owed so much to Fiona and Grier that he wasn't sure if he could just walk away from them. He knew they weren't really in the greatest situation but he also couldn't imagine what his life would be like without his job. He knew he could get a new job, maybe something that didn't involve so much messed up shit and the wrong people, but he wasn't sure if it would bring him as much happiness as the life he had created for himself recently.

"Do you think you could walk away from Fiona and Grier? The rest of the Hell Kats?" Sage asked Mia.

"I don't know. I feel as if maybe things would be better if we did walk away but of course, I'd miss everyone. They’re family to me too but at the same time, would we be involved in so much bad shit if we walked away?" she asked in return. Sage knew that the chances of them having a more normal and calm life would be slim if they stayed.

"Maybe, maybe not, but where would we be without them?" he asked. He knew he would do whatever he needed to do if it meant Mia was happy. He would cut off his own leg if he had to. It sounded dramatic even as he thought it but he knew it was true; he would do anything for her.

They rode the rest of the cab ride in silence. Both had a lot to think about. Sage didn't know what he would do if he didn't work for the Screaming Demons. Would he go into security or would he do something else altogether? He wasn't sure. If he thought about it he knew he could do anything he put his mind to. He had always been strong-willed when it came to doing things correctly even when he didn't enjoy it.

Once they arrived at Adam's apartment they made their way to the guest room. Both of them were extremely exhausted as they looked at the comfortable bed in front of them. Adam had told them to make themselves at home so they both decided to have a shower before borrowing a few items of clothing. Mia showered first and scrubbed her body clean. Her feet and legs were extremely dirty and her hair smelled of smoke. She felt disgusting as she watched the dirt make its way down the drain. She washed her hair twice just to make sure it was clean before she got out of the shower. She had borrowed an oversized shirt that was long enough to reach mid-thigh and so she put her clothes in the wash before she climbed into bed.

Mia waited for Sage while he went to shower. She was exhausted but couldn't fall asleep as there was too much on her mind. She knew the life she had chosen had been better than the one she almost ended up with but she wasn't sure if she could do it anymore. Sage had almost died when he had been kidnapped and then they had both almost died when their house had been set on fire. She hated to think what might happen next. She knew they could only beat death so many times that before it caught up with them and she didn't want to think that being involved with the Screaming Demons would cause that to finally happen. She loved them, she loved the Hell Kats, she loved the Screaming Demons and she really loved Fiona. She had learned so much since being a part of their world and their team but at what cost? If she thought about having any sort of normal life she couldn't picture herself still working with the Screaming Demons. It was the only way she saw it.

Sage joined her in the bedroom a few minutes after he had finished his shower. They were both extremely happy to be clean and in clean clothes.

"Are you hungry? I'm sure Adam wouldn't mind if we make something to eat, " Sage said. Although they hadn't eaten much the day before, neither of them were that hungry.

"I'm okay, I'll just wait for breakfast. It’s 1 am already," she replied. Mia's body melted into the bed as she relaxed further into the mattress Sage soon joined her and they cuddled up close to each other.

"You know, I keep thinking about what our life would be like without all of this and yet something keeps telling me that I wouldn't have you if I didn't have all of this. I mean, we may not have even met if it weren't for Fiona and the Screaming Demons," Mia said as she rested her head against his chest. They both knew she was right. It was doubtful that their lives would have crossed paths if they didn't know the Screaming Demons. Sage could've gotten a job somewhere else and Mia would have either been still involved with the Omens or possibly dead. Mia didn't want to think about her near-death experiences; she was grateful to be alive.

She moved closer to Sage, as close as she could possibly get as she felt the warmth of his body against hers. She had been so close to never feeling it again and as she lay there she inhaled deeply and relaxed completely after the day they had had. Sage was also extremely happy to be close to Mia, feeling her skin next to his sent a feeling of love through his body like never before. They fell asleep in each other's arms and they both dreamt of a life where they were happy and healthy.