"Episode 59 - Night vision goggles."    

I stood up so quickly, that I stumbled backwards. Ross caught me, steadying me on my feet. The edges of my vision appeared darker. Feeling light headed, I planted my palms against the wall behind the couch.

"Elena." I whispered, needing to get to her at any cost. I'd been away from her for long enough.

"Here." Ross hooked one of my arm over his shoulder, almost carrying me out of the door and towards where she was still sleeping. Linda helped me too.

"He just needs to sit down for a bit." Linda said. She opened the door of the O.R, my eyes landed on Elena immediately. Detangling myself from them, I went to her. Using the table as a leverage, I found my footing.

My heart dropped when I saw her eyes flutter, like the wings of a baby bird, trying to lift off for the first time. Someone placed the stool against the back of my knee. Dropping down, I gently placed my palm on her face, stroking her cheek with my thumb.

"Elena?" My voice shook without care. She moaned, turning her head. "Baby, you're awake. Oh, thank God."

"Mmm." She tried to move her arm but I stopped her.

"Just relax okay, don't move at all. I'm right here." I kept caressing her face, stroking her hair.

"Ask her about the pain." Linda urged from behind me.

"Are you hurting?" I brushed the damp hair back from her forehead. She shook her head, her dark brown eyes finally focused on me. The recognition on her face soothed my soul.

"What's..." Her dry throat barely made any noise.

"I'll get her some water." Linda left again, leaving Ross on the other side of the table. Her head slowly turned. She'd never met him before but she didn't startle or question him. She trusted me so fully that she knew I'd never let anyone who I didn't trust anywhere near her.

"This is Nathan Ross." I spoke against her ear.

"Mhmm!" She nodded.

"Hi." He smiled at her, a full blown one showing off his pearly white teeth. "How are you doing?" Linda came back in with a white plastic cup filled with some water. Hoisting her head up, I helped her to take a couple of sips. I didn't remove my hand when she was done, trying to make it slightly easier for her.

"Thank you." She told him, trying to move her hand with the Plasma I.V. drip attacked to it. He extended his hand under her. "You've been looking for me?"

He looked almost stricken, like someone had shoved him back. His whole face reddened, clearing the frog out of his throat, he patted her shoulder with his other hand. "I wish I could have done more."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not. We should have done something to get you out of there." He appeared fumed. Shaking his head, he carried. "Anyways, I heard that your father is alive?"

"Apparently. I don't care about that right now." Even though she had regained some colour her in her cheeks, she still looked sickly. "I just want to get away now."

"You will. Just relax now." His eyes went to the bloody sheets she was covered with. "I'll go, try and find you guys some clothes."

His boots stamped against the hard-concrete floor as he walked away. Linda replaced his place.

"Hey sweetheart, lay still okay. I managed to get the bullet out and sew it back it but I haven't checked for any internal damages. I did, however, take some scans. I haven't looked at it yet because you started to wake up." She explained.

"We need to hit the road, get-"

"You have a concussion and she can't move or it might do her more damage." She exasperated. I understood her concerns but if we didn't move, either police or Jude's goons would find us. Anxiety bubbled up from inside me.

"How about you guys stay here for the night. I'm sure we can get you guys find somewhere to lay low until she heals." She suggested. It wasn't a bad idea because she was my priority. "It would also help you heal."

"Are you okay?" Elena's soft voice, laced with concern reached me.

"I am baby." I tried to put on a fake smile, trying to ignore the pounding headache.

"No, he's not. He has a concussion." Linda sold me out. Elena narrowed her eyes, lifting her hand to place it on my cheek just like I had. "When did it happened?"

"Maybe when we rammed into the other car?" I honestly didn't know but I did receive a whiplash. When she opened her mouth, I could tell by the way her eyes glittered, she was going to apologise. "Don't you dare say sorry." I finally, dropped my mouth on to her lips. The sensation of her touched soothed me, like cold water trickled down my back, dragging the stress away with it.

After a couple of soft brushes, I moved back to find tears in her eyes and it shattered me.

"What's wrong, princess?" Wiping away her tears, I kept stroking her hair, hoping it would calm her.

"I'm so scared."

My gut twisted. It felt like someone had reached inside and squeezed my heart.

"You know I'd never let anything happen to you." It should have been me driving. I should have been shot instead of her.

"I just want to go. Please." She begged as more tears fell from her eyes.

"We will. Everything is ready for us to go. The minute you're okay to move, we'll leave and never look back." I nodded vigorously. Sighing, she brushed her finger around the edges of the bump on my head. We kept staring at each other for a while, grateful to be alive and together. Words couldn't have expressed how relieved I felt to see her dark eyes again.

"I need a shower." She was finally settled, a small flicker of smile danced across her lips.

"We can figure something out." I sighed, dropping a kiss on her forehead.

Hurried footsteps made me turn my head towards the door. Ross nearly stumbled inside, panting heavily. I could tell by the look on his face that whatever he was about to tell us, was not going to be a good news.

"We've got company." He came around, turned all the lights off. "I parked my car about a couple of blocks away and when I was walking to it I saw a car making rounds. I'll go find Linda, tell her turn the lights off in every room."

"I have night vision goggles." I confessed.

"Good, you guard her, I'll take care of rest." He took out his gun from the back pocket before turning the lights off as he went along. She tried to get up but I pushed her down, I couldn't have her ripping her stitches. 

When the beeping was the only noise that echoed through the building, I turned the volume all the way down but the monitor was still turned on. Providing us with limited lighting but in the dark, it was enough to raise suspicion, so I turned the whole damn thing off.

"Stay down. I'll take care of." After putting the goggles on, I could see her but she couldn't see me properly. Darkness and silence consumed us. She tried to say something, lifting her head but I put my hand over her mouth. Crouching down, I whispered in her ears. "Do you trust me?"

She nodded against my hand. "Then trust me to keep you safe even if I couldn't prevent the fact that you were shot. Please, let me do this." She placed a kiss in the middle of my palm, I felt her whole-body sag but she wasn't fully relaxed. 

There was blood on the floor, right under the table. If we moved her whole table that was on wheels, the blood would still remain and they'd see it and know something had happened here.

Granted it was an O.R. and animals get operated on but it was still fresh blood.

I aimed my gun at the door, my head hurt a little but whatever Linda gave me was finally taking on its affect. We heard a car slowly rolling towards us, the sound of the tyres sweeping against tar increased. 

When it stopped, I heard the door open for the second time in the dead of the night. Before I knew it, there was a heavy banging against the grey steel door right at the front where I had foolishly parked my damn car.

We waited patiently, my hand tightly wrapped around hers. I didn't know what the plan way but when I heard loud boots stomping inside, making it way towards the door, my stomach dropped. It sounded like Ross because I remembered him wearing boots and Linda was wear sneakers.

Did Ross of them sell us out?

----------------

NEXT WEEK IS IT. Next week is the last chapter for this book. I am quite happy that this is coming to an end. I will be posting my next book on that day. Same time. So stay tune my loves. 

Don't forget to vote and thank you for keeping up for this long.