Chapter 23

I'm not sure how long I spent looking at properties, but before I knew it the guys were back, and they brought food. Knowing my throat was likely still sore from the assault I suffered, they brought me a variety of soft foods. There was a variety of soups, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, and steamed vegetables. My mouth was watering with each new scent that filled the room as Corey pulled the food out of the carry bags they came in. It helped that the bags told me the food came from Bob's Diner and I happened to be a big fan of Uncle's cooking.

We ate in comfortable silence, taking the time to enjoy each others company without unnecessary words or the need to be someplace else. Once I had eaten my fill of the potatoes, eggs, and soup, I offered the vegetables to the guys before deciding to start a conversation. While the silence wasn't uncomfortable, I missed hearing their voices. Today had been the longest amount of time I had spent apart from my guys since we had met and I missed them.

"So Marc, how did your appointment go?" I rasped out.

"It helped. I worked through a few things and don't feel like a pressure cooker ready to explode anymore, though James' face also helped as an outlet. Lily said to tell you hello, that it has been too long since you visited her and her guys and that you need to take better care of yourself. She also said to let her know if you want an appointment booked and she will make the time for you."

Lily had been my psychologist since I first moved in with Phil. He and Mrs. Rose wanted to make sure that I had all of the emotional support I could, not just from them, but from a professional who could help me work through the feeling of the things I had experienced as a child. I knew that she only worked with Academy members, but I had no idea that any of the Toma team were clients.

"Thanks". I could feel my throat starting to get scratchy again so popped a piece of ice into my mouth to hopefully numb the feeling a bit longer.

"Andy," Corey started and I flinched.

I had completely forgotten to ask them if they had spoken to Phil since they had been back and Corey's use of my name reminded me they needed to be brought up to speed on the plan. I had to work out how I was going to tell them that I knew James wasn't the brains of the operation and that someone else put him up to come after me. That would be the easy part though. There was no way they wouldn't want to know who I thought it was that put him up to it and I wasn't ready to tell them the truth on that one. I wanted information on Doyle first.

Brandon's eyebrows furrowed. "Why the flinch at your name?"

Crap. Well, I guess there is no time like the present to tell them. "Phil was supposed to catch you before you made it in. I will give you the cliff notes version and he can fill in the details. James isn't smart enough to have pulled off any of this stuff on his own. I am positive someone else is behind it and Phil agreed. He has people on it, but we won't know more for a while. Long story short, there is a plan in place that will result in the permanent retiring of my name, Alexandria Roberts. Phil is having the new documents drawn up. I will officially become Mackenzie Rose."

The room exploded at my admission of Phil agreeing that all of this wasn't orchestrated by James and angry shouts asking why I didn't tell them and who I could possibly trust more than Corey to look into it. I sat in silence, not bothering to compete with the volume they managed to produce until they finally quieted and asked why I wasn't answering.

I told them they would need to speak to Phil for the details, as I had originally stated, and that the reason they weren't directly involved in any of the planning was that I needed them. It took me a couple of goes to actually get the words out, but when I told them that even the thought of being alone terrified me right now instantly diffused their tension. They relaxed further when I said I wanted to be around them and that my selfishness was the reason they weren't included in the decision.

At my admission of wanting them nearby, They all reached out in some way. Axel rested a hand on foot at the bottom of the bed, Brandon held the other. Marc was holding my left hand and Raven was at my left leg. Corey sat on my right side, taking my right hand in his, leaning his head down on my shoulder. We enjoyed a few moments of comfortable silence before Axel spoke up.

"While we were all out earlier, we talked about everything that has been going on and we want you to move in with us", he said.

"We are going to remodel the apartments and knock down the adjoining wall. we'll make the kitchen bigger and add an extra bedroom. It's something we have talked about doing in the past, but we never really got around to it. After everything that happened, we ended up feeling like it would be for nothing", Brandon continued.

"We would have to rent a place while we are doing the work, but we should be able to get it done in just a few months. Knowing that you don't want to be alone, helps make us feel better about asking you to move in with us", Marc picked up where Brandon finished off.

"We all know how we all feel about you. How we have felt about you since the moment you walked into our lives. It isn't often someone gets the drop on Raven like that and I knew at that moment that I wanted to get to know you more. We all do. What none of us actually know, is how you feel about us. So do you want to move in with us? At least until you feel comfortable on your own again?" I could feel the tears forming as Corey spoke, threatening to spill over.

Thankfully, Raven broke the moment by chiming in with "Da, what they said", making us all laugh.

"Actually I think that would be great. I would like to spend time getting to know you all better when we aren't under the constant threat of someone trying to hunt me down. I actually contacted my property manager earlier, when I found a great little estate online - I was looking for apartments to start with and it spiraled from there. Anyway, long story short, I just purchased a new house a few minutes before you all came in with food. It is livable, but could definitely use some TLC if you are all up for it?"

I was once again blown away by their reactions. They asked to see pictures of the property and we got talking about the changes to the home and to the yard that would need to be made. We agreed that the existing pool should be removed and a new, larger, resort style pool should be installed in its place, as well as some cosmetic changes to the outdoor entertaining area. The structural changes to the house included adding additional shared bathrooms between bedrooms, as well as closet space, replacing windows, and updating the guest bedroom and downstairs bathroom.

It wasn't long before I was smothering a yawn, the excitement of renovation plans wearing me out. Brandon was the one that caught me.

"We should get going and let you sleep, Fozzie." I shot daggers at him for calling attention to how tired I was. I was enjoying their company and was nowhere near ready for them to go. It took me a moment to realize what he had called me.

"Did you just call me Fozzie? Like the muppet?" I asked him.

Looking somewhat ashamed, he replied "I did. I loved watching the Muppets as a kid. Fozzie was one of my favorites and your hair kind of reminds me of him."

I decided to let it go.

"We should probably go and talk to Phil to get the full details of this plan before it all comes to fruition anyway. We will see you in the morning, Andy." Axel's voice was soothing, but I still wasn't ready to let them all leave, even with the numerous hospital and security staff around.

"You go. I will stay", Raven demanded. When Axel sent him a look he continued, "I am not ready to let Mishka out of my sight."

"You better not keep her awake, Raven. She has been through a lot today and sleep helps the body heal." Marc called out Raven on any possible bad behavior before it had even crossed my mind as a possibility.

"IF I sleep, I sleep on the floor. Happy?" He countered.

After several nods of approval and a round of goodnight's and hugs for everyone, I found myself being tucked into my hospital bed by the big, bad professional Russian that so many people are afraid of. Raven moved to the other side of the room and grabbed a clean shirt from the go-bag he brought in with him.

I watched on as he pulled off the dirty shirt in one swift movement and couldn't help the sigh that escaped my lips at the sight of his sculpted back. It really was pure luck that I had been able to take him down the night we met and the more time I spent around him, the more I realized it. After a minute or two, Raven pulled his clean shirt over his head and chuckled at me as he moved back toward the chair beside my bed. I waited for him to be sitting before I rolled over to face him.

"Rave, what does the tattoo on your back mean? The bear? I know that your tattoos all hold some sort of meaning and I was wondering..." My question trailed off as I drifted closer to sleep.

"Shh. You sleep now, Mishka. I tell you tomorrow," He said as I finally allowed my eyelids to flutter closed, finally giving in to the sleep my body desperately wanted.

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