❀❀❀ ⓒⓗⓐⓟⓣⓔⓡ  ⓣⓔⓝ ❀❀❀  

WILL

Miles and I talked it out last night and everything went back to normal, and this was just how our friendship was; some days I want to kill Miles, some days I would kill for Miles, and reciprocally. He spent the night with Lia and when I asked him whether they talked about anything or not, he said she did not wake up all night, which in a way was a good thing.

Now we were both called to a meeting with Gerard at six thirty A.M. because our boss has no value for sleep.

"Do you think he's angry?" Miles questions as we wait for the elevator to arrive.

I give him a sideways glance, "I don't remember a time Gerard called just us both and he wasn't furious."

I'm only beginning to get used to many things, and Miles being here permanently again is one of them. Miles has some sort of reputation here at The Agency, and that has nothing to do with how we both got accepted in ISIA, this reputation was solely Miles taking one reckless decision right after the other, even while he was away, we still heard about the lunatic agent with no sense of self-preservation whatsoever. 

If we had Agent with the Biggest Death Wish Awards, Miles would be the only keeper of it.

"Why does it feel like we're two schoolboys going to the principal's office?" I ask once we reach the top floor, where the offices are located. We pause at Gerard's door and share a quick look, whatever it is we're walking into, it's definitely not good.

"I think he hates me slightly less than he hates you," he says, "Maybe I should do the talking?"

Before I could respond, the door opens and Gerard greets us with his usual grim expression, like we're the ones responsible for all the chaos in the world, "I thought by now you'd know that I dislike all of you imbeciles equally."

"He's still as charming and friendly as I remember," Miles mutters under his breath as we follow inside.

Gerard took his place behind his desk, "Have a seat," he says and I do, but Miles remains standing, leaning by the bookshelf, "I'm good," he replied.

Gerard eyes us both speculatively but says nothing, I look at Miles, who seemed just as confused, he opened his mouth to speak but then Gerard slammed one hand on his desk surface and said, "What on God's green earth do you both think you're doing?"

"Could you be just a little bit more specific, sir?"

I honestly hoped the ceiling would collapse over Miles at this moment because apparently my friend has lost all his common sense along with his will to live.

"You!" Gerard got up, pointing one shaky finger at Miles, "I thought you'd change and be more sensible after everything that happened to you, but nothing seems to affect you at all."

Miles pushed off the shelf and squared his shoulder with his fists balled at his sides, he was angry.

"I'm sick of people watching and analyzing my every move!" he fumed, I sprang off the chair and put a warning hand on his arm, trying to get him to calm down before matters spiral out of control, but he pushed off my hand. "What is everyone's problem with me?"

"Agent Reid was right then, you're not fit to work on any case right now," Gerard did not seem fazed by Miles's inappropriate outburst.

"Fucking Steven said what?"

If Gerard's whole point of this meeting was to humiliate and piss off Miles to no end, then he's definitely succeeding. I, myself, was beyond furious with Steve right now because amid all what Miles was going through; he still could not hold himself back from filing a report against him, for the sole reason of provoking him and not out of actual concern.

"Subsequently Agent Shaw, you are officially dismissed from all missions until further notice," he continued. 

One of Gerard's many talents was pretending that no one else was speaking other than himself, and he could go on with a speech even if the entire room was screaming objection, and that exactly was what he was doing right now. "Your researches will be continued here at The Agency by someone else, and Lia's case will be managed by Steven Reid, you could use that time to sort out your life and be with your sister, both of you have suffered enough losses."

Miles could only stare in disbelief, "This is absurd!" I argued, and it felt like Gerard had just acknowledged my presence in the room because he slowly turned to face me with a look of contempt.

If it was up to Gerard, he would either have me out of The Agency or have me relocated to the farthest place possible, but luckily it was not up to him.

Like he said earlier, he hates almost everyone in here, the reasons are yet unknown but I suspect it's because of who he is as a person that he finds most agents stupid and unworthy. The feeling is mutual though, no one likes Gerard, but they respect him for his position and experience.

With me, however, he takes it to a whole different level of hate, and I'm about a hundred percent certain that it is because I challenge him, and Gerard hates nothing more than to be challenged.

"Terrell," he eyed me curiously, "such a shame, you had so much potential and you are one of the best agents out there." That might seem like a compliment, but it was far from that. "John, the man you hit and broke his nose for absolutely no reason, is pressing charges," he continued, "and if you're taken to court then ... I'll have no choice but to discharge you from The Agency. Permanently."

What the fuck?

"What the fuck?" Miles voiced my own thoughts.

"Sort out your problems both of you, and then you may come back. It may seem like I'm against you agents, but after all we're all here serving the same mandate, and it's my job to keep everyone in line," he spoke but neither I nor Miles paid much attention to his words, both of us had our jobs on the line, and here he was lecturing us about discipline. "I don't really hate you like you all may think, but our job requires us to be tough, to be strict, because it's not just our lives at stake here, it is everyone we're protecting. If we fall and X8 rises, then we lose everything we have built over the years, and all the lives that were sacrificed would be gone for nothing. Keep that in mind."

.

.

We both walk out mindlessly, each thinking what this could mean to either of us.

"What was his name?" Miles asks.

"Who?"

"The one you broke his nose, what was his name again?"

"John," I reply. "He works in the cafeteria."

Miles nods, "I'll deal with John, you deal with Reid, and I'll see you back home yeah? I'm taking Lia out of the hospital today, I know how much she hates it and there's no reason to keep her here any longer."

"I'll try not to kill Steve for you," I tell him.

"Not that I have a problem with that but likewise."

MILES

It was my lack of thinking things through has got me in this situation in the first place, so I decided I was going to proceed with caution this time.

I checked my phone one last time to make sure I've got the right address and then I knocked on the door. Minutes later, I was greeted by someone with a bandaged nose.

"Ah, you must be John," I smiled.

He eyed me carefully and then said, "I remember you, you're the maniac's friend."

"Best friend, actually," I shrugged. "Can I come in? We need to talk."

"No, I'm not going to drop charges," he replied, knowing that this is why I'm here.

"Not even for a good ten grand?" I offered.

He hesitated for a moment and then slammed the door in my face. I knocked again and again until he re-opened.

"Listen you spoiled American wretch, if you think you can come here to my doorstep and bribe me with a sum of money, you're wrong because some people actually have morals."

I never claimed to have morals, so his argument is kind of invalid. But I don't tell him that, instead I say, "You think I'm doing this because I like seeing my friend's anger out of control? No I don't. Things got complicated, it was my fault and I'm sorry, we both are, okay? And I'll let you know that if he does lose his job, over your nose may I add, you'll wish you have accepted my offer. Trust me." I take a deep breath and inwardly congratulate myself for being such a great bullshitter. "Think of it as ten thousand apology letters?"

A long argument and a lot of self-control not to bust the rest of his face later, he accepted my offer; he'll drop charges, I'm paying ten grand and Will is keeping is job.

Putting aside morals and everything else, I think if a job pays you well enough that you can offer this amount of money as bribery and still be financially stable, then it's a job worth keeping.

Will is going to go crazy, though, he might even risk getting discharged rather than have me bribe his way out, so I decided I'll tell him that John turned out to be such a lovely guy and agreed to drop charges out of the good nature of his heart.

WILL

I find Steve at the hospital, as expected. He was just coming out of Alexis's room when I see him.

"How is she?" I ask.

He sighs, "She's awake, and mad as a cut snake that she got shot."

"Yeah, sounds like Lexi," I nod. "You have a minute? We need to talk."

"Sure, I was just heading to the cafeteria; try not to punch the new guy bloody, would you?"

I was already beyond angry with him so I ignore his remark for the simple fact that I don't want to start any new unnecessary arguments. Not until I fix the old ones at least.

I wait until we're both seated and then I begin, "You filed a report against Miles, requesting that he be put off work for some time because he's currently incompetent?"

"I filed a report against Shaw, that's it. Whatever action they decided to take after that was not my decision."

"Steve," I say warningly. "I never had a problem with you before and I don't want it to start now."

"Likewise, my problem is with Miles, not you Will," he takes a long sip of his drink, while silently regarding me over the top of his glass. "But since you two seem to be incapable of not jumping to each other's defenses all the time, then I think you're bound to have to deal with his mess from time to time."

"Don't you think you're being overdramatic?" I ask. "Just a little bit."

"I think I'm doing my job, without distractions and without sentimentalities."

"Distractions and sentimentalities?" I retort. "So now his grief over his parents and brother is considered a distraction?"

"Call it whatever you want but we're being held back because of him, because of his reluctance to ask his sister for information that could be- no not could be that is definitely going to be useful in our case! And because in the middle of all this, he drops it all and leaves the country and comes back wearing a damn suit like he just came back from The Opera. Does he seem like someone capable of leading a mission right now?"

If I'm going to lose my job anyway, might as well make it worth it.

"I swear to god Steve-

"Even if I take back my report," he interrupts, probably regaining his senses and realizing that he was two seconds away from having his face disfigured. "They might not put him back on mission right away; it was a decision from the high panel anyway, and you know how stubborn they are with their pronouncements."

"At least you'd have spared yourself getting your face scarred by me," I push back my chair and stand up.

"That's reassuring," he replies sarcastically. "Honestly Will, you're a good one, it's beyond me how you and Shaw could be friends."

I clap a hand to his shoulder, "and it's beyond me how neither of you have strangled the other yet, but here we are; twenty-six and alive."

"So is it a permanent thing?" he asks, changing topics. "Him, staying here now?"

"Most probably, yes."

"Fantastic," he mutters.

"Indeed," I reply, because I was in the mood to be an asshole to Steve. "Best thing ever, right?"

.

.

On my way to Lia's room, I get a text from Gemma saying that she'll pass by today at five. She got held up yesterday with her cousin and some family matters and couldn't come as promised.

I spot Lia's friend, Venus, out in the hallway, angrily kicking the wall while speaking on the phone.

"You," -kick- "are," -kick- "a worthless piece of shit!"

The worthless piece of shit on the other side of the call replies with something that further provokes and angers her so much that she ends the call and kicks the wall even harder.

Why is everyone having an awful life all of a sudden?

I step in before she breaks a bone.

"Hey, hey. Calm down, what happened?" I ask, she doesn't bother acknowledging me but I continue anyway. "Being angry, with a broken foot is much worse, trust me."

She eyes me with very little interest and continues with her angry assault on the wall, while muttering under her breath.

"Stop kicking the bloody wall, you need to calm down."

"What do you want?" she stops and turns to face me, her eyes are shining with tears that are threatening to spill.

"What's wrong? Boyfriend problems?"

"Not mine," her reply was curt and then she turns and walks away.

I am honestly out of energy to play Will-the-therapist today, so I let her leave and knock on Lia's door.

LIA

It may have been several minutes, or several hours, I wasn't sure. But I have been staring at the wall for some time now thinking of how my life has changed until a knock on the door snapped me out of my introspection. It's definitely not Vee because Vee wouldn't knock. She left to try calling Adam outside; the reception in this hospital room was crap she said.

I feel like all that remains of my old life is just the both of them, my best friend and my boyfriend. Even though I haven't talked to Adam yet but I remember him the way I remember Vee, all the memories, the feelings, every thing is still there. I would say my brother too but my memories of Miles are very distant and unclear, it's like whenever a memory of my family resurfaces, he's almost always never there. On top of that, the fact that he's not present most of the time now is not helping, and it's not like the times he's here we do much talking. It's just awkward, when it shouldn't be, and I hate it. I hate it because this is the time I need him the most, yet I can't even get myself to talk to him. I need to tell him everything but I just can't, and every time I hold it back in, the feeling of loneliness amplifies inside of me.

"It's me," the door opens a crack and Will peers inside. "Hey."

He walks in and stands at the foot of the bed, "How are you feeling today?" he asks.

"Fine," I smile weakly at him, but I couldn't hold it so I look down at my hands.

"Uhh, I...," he hesitates. "I have good news and good news." He tries sounding happy and cheerful, but he's not a very good actor.

I nod in response.

"Well, Miles is going to be here in an hour or so and then we leave the hospital."

"Finally," I let out a breath. "Hospitals are just... suffocating." 

For a second, I feel myself back at the weird, hospital-like place. 

I think she's ready for the final dose, doc?

This is going to be a magnificent breakthrough. Proceed.

Continue under observation.

I think she's ready for the final dose, doc?

I think she's ready for the final dose, doc?

Breakthrough.

Observation.

I think she's ready for the final dose, doc?

"Hey, hey Lia?," Will was snapping his fingers in front of my face, pulling me out of my trance. My mind was alternating between the past and the present; it was like I was reliving it all over again.

I'm her brother. Let me in.

Talon James Wilkinson.

Matt James.

Talon.

Missed me, sister?

"What's wrong?" His worried eyes moved frantically from my face, to my hands to the monitor beside my bed. "Nurse! Doctor! Anyone?" he shouted.

Many people came rushing in at once. Or maybe it was just one person, I couldn't be sure, my vision was hazy.

"What happened?" I hear different voices asking at the same time.

I need to get up, I can't breathe in here.

"What is going on? What is she-" Someone grabs my shoulders, gently pushing me back. No, I need to get out. I have to leave this place. "Lia- it's Miles, look at me."

I push away his hand and try getting up again.

"She was fine," I hear Will explaining. "And then all of a sudden ... she wasn't."

I think you know what this place is.

They took Holly.

We're going to play a game.

They took Holly.

"-no, she wasn't sleeping!"

"Then what the fuck happened?"

"Amy- Lia Lia, can you hear me?"

I looked around the room, all the familiar faces merged with non-familiar ones. Flashbacks were colliding with the present and my head felt like it was going to explode. I felt disconnected with the world around me, yet I was aware of everything that was happening, from the quivering of my body to the hands on my shoulder. It seemed like someone was trying to shake me awake, but I was awake already.

I just want this to end.

"Stop ... stop," I whisper unsure if someone heard me. The room falls silent indicating that they have heard me. They look at one another, unsure if someone should address what just happened. Miles had his arm around my shoulder and he slowly guided me back to the bed, Will and Vee stood next to the two nurses, silently staring and probably wondering if I'm going to spaz out any moment now. Thing is, they may not be wrong.

"Do you want to talk about it?" my brother asks in a hushed tone as he sits close to me. He's looking at me in concern, fear and confusion all at once and, up close, I can see tears welling up in his eyes.

I close my eyes and shake my head, "no."

"Okay, I'll ... uhh... I'll let you get some rest then," he looks back at the others. Will nods and motions for the rest to follow him outside.

Miles stands up, "do you want me to get you anything?"

"No," I shake my head again. "Stay. I don't want to be alone."

He immediately sits back down, putting an arm around my shoulders and I lean against him.

"You're not alone," he whispers. "You're not alone, you have me."

WILL

Before I exit the room, I glance back one last time at the broken siblings; Lia looked completely out of it, staring blankly at the wall while leaning against her brother's arm, and Miles was trying- trying to do the right thing, to say the right thing, but he was just as lost as she was.

A muffled sob breaks from somewhere outside the room and I divert my attention towards the source. I find Venus crouched down, hugging her knees to her chest and crying, so I make my way towards her and sit.

"It'll pass," I try reassuring, but I'm not sure if I believe it myself. I've never seen Miles this way before, and I thought that his worse was after Cami's death, but this? This is entirely different.

"I don't know," Venus sniffles. "I've never seen Lia this way, it's just... not her. And she's ... she's strong but this is too much. It's way too much for one person to go through. And I feel so helpless, I don't know what I'm supposed to do to help her. I just don't know."

"I get it, trust me I know how you feel," I let out a sigh. "But we have to be strong for both of them. I know Miles, he shuts down when he's in pain and his sister needs him right now, but I don't think he knows what to do either, so they need us. Me and you, we're their strength right now okay?" 

.

.

After my not quite convincible pep talk with Venus, I went for a walk to clear my head. Venus stays, waiting outside her friend's room for Miles to come out, saying she wanted to talk to him about something.

An hour passed. One whole hour of aimless walking outside the hospital, I considered going back to continue looking up the missing girls Lia has told me about earlier, but then I remembered I was temporarily put off and I didn't get the chance to ask Miles what happened between him and John. The reality of the situation only hit me then, that I might wake up the next day and find myself discharged from the only job I know. I decided not to dwell on the thought, because maybe after all, Miles somehow managed to talk, hopefully not beat, some sense into John and get him to compromise and drop charges.

William Terrell, terrific agent, kicked out because of a bloody nose. That sure would make a good headline.

Miles calls, probably thinking I was back home or in the office.

"Where are you?" he asks, sounding exhausted.

"Just outside the hospital, I'm coming up."

"No need, Lia's awake and we're leaving anyway, I'll meet you up front?"

"Leaving? In that state?" I question.

"Yeah, the hospital is draining her even more, she hates it. Just act normal around her okay? I don't want to freak her out."

I go back up anyway and meet him in the hallway.

"Are you sure about her leaving?" I ask again.

"Yes, she doesn't need to be hospitalized, she needs to rest somewhere where she doesn't get panic attacks at the sight of a needle," he sounded agitated.

"Alright," I don't push it any further. "Let's go."

✿

Venus was walking ahead of us, expressively talking on the phone while waving her free hand, pointing here and there, and inserting occasional profanity. Clearly, she was angry with whoever was on the other side of the call. Clearly, it was the same person from earlier today.

Miles had Lia by his side as he distractingly guided her through the hallways, keeping one hand firmly on her shoulders and the other typing awkwardly, yet ferociously, on his phone. Another angry person on the phone, maybe I should make a list?

"Miles," I called for him as we approached the main hospital entrance, my car was parked in the underground garage and I wanted to tell him I'll meet him back home but right as he turned to face me, someone screamed at the front desk and then the place exploded in chaos.

Someone was running towards him and Lia, I was shouting for him to move out of the way as I had my gun drawn and ready to shoot. More screams emerged from somewhere outside, Lia was pushed to the side by her brother as he collided with the man who was running and they were both knocked backwards.

"You have ... you have to help me," he was panting as Miles pushed him off. Now there were two guns pointed towards someone who was defenseless, out of breath and crying while asking for help. Miles lowered his gun first and approached him, "who are you? And what do you want?" he questioned.

"You... he said you could help me, you're Miles Shaw, the doctor, he said you could help me."

He was not making any sense.

"Who told you that? Help you with what?"

"My fiancée, she's infected, sick and ... and she's dying. He said you could help. Please help me, I can't lose her!"

At his words, we both casted a look at the entrance where a group of people have gathered around something- or someone.

"Infected with wha – fuck! Fuck! Everyone move away from the girl!" Miles screamed and ran towards them.

"What's going on?" Lia and her friend timidly approached me, I looked from them to Miles, who was shouting orders as he stood over the motionless body of the women, everyone else was keeping their distance. As he turned, he caught my eye for a moment and a brief, subtle shake of his head indicated that the situation was bad.

I turned back to the girls, "I can't explain right now but I need you both to go back to the third floor and stay there until either your brother or I come to you, do you hear me?"

"But...

"Lia, please just do this for your brother now, we'll explain later, right now we've got a situation and your brother needs to know that both of you are safe. Please."

I waited until the elevator doors closed behind them and then I dashed back to where the chaos was.

Someone grabbed my arm and yanked it, stopping me in my tracks, "Is she going to be alright? Please, can your friend help her?"

I looked down to his shaking hand on my arm and noticed there was blood smeared on across his thumb, he followed my eyes and quickly removed his hand, subconsciously wiping at his nose, where there was more dried blood.

"I can assure you that we'll do our best," I assured him. "Right now I want you to come with me so we can check you up-

"I am not sick," he hissed. "You will focus on Jennet, my fiancé, and make sure that she doesn't die."

"You still have to undergo a regular checkup just to be sure, so if you could please be-

He angrily shoved me backwards, while screaming "I told you I am fine!" and for the sake of irony, he started coughing blood, right onto my face. I pushed him away as someone rushed towards us.

"Will?" I slowly turned to face my best friend, whose face was masked in pure horror as he took in the sight of me and the clearly infected man.

The man was doubled over, still coughing and spluttering blood. The hospital alarm was on and everyone who was in the reception area was now being ushered by doctors, to where I assumed was the quarantine area. Good thing about this hospital is that it's quick in action.

One of the doctors approached us; he looked at Miles first who only had gloves and a face mask on unlike the full body protection the other doctors had.

"We're getting everyone tested, you should be too," he told Miles. "And if you have any idea what we're dealing with, get on fast with it because I don't think the girl can hold up much longer."

At that, the man looked up. Realizing the doctor was talking about his fiancée, he was about to jump him but I held him back. Miles winced at that, but seeing as my face was already covered in blood, holding back the man wasn't going to do any more damage than that.

"If she dies-" he began.

Miles put up an interrupting hand and said; "No one is going to die," his gaze was fixated at me, "No one."

✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿

A/N

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