Cale entered the ED bay alone. Alex rolled over to watch who entered.

"Well?" she asked.

"Broken nose, past broken cheek bones and jaw, and old broken pelvis," Cale said. "Something called cigarette burns, too."

Alex yawned. "Glad I don't remember them. And?"

"The doctor will set the nose and stitch the knife wound. You should file something called a police report."

"I'm too tired and I want to go home. The police can't stop Morgan, you know that." Alex rolled over again and closed her eyes. "Wake me up when they come to set my nose and stitch me up."

  Cale walked to her side. "File the report. It may help someone else."

"Who? I don't know Morgan's last name and I'll be here hours more. I want to go home and sleep. I'm so tired." Alex curled up.

Cale laid his hand on Alex's. "Creator of All, send Your comfort and healing to Alex. Let her accept your love and grace."

"You're near perfect but you can be ignorant," Alex said. "I don't deserve that."

"None of us do. That's the point of grace."

  "You do, Cale."

"Do I? You don't know me." Cale tilted his head and gazed steadily at her.

"I know enough."

"What would you do if you found the ones who slaughtered my clan?"

Alex's eyes flew open. "I'd execute them. Duh. They're mass murderers who would kill again. Execution necessary to save the innocent."

"I wouldn't. At least, not at first. I'd torture them for four days, the amount of time it took the cleansing fires to consume all the bodies of my clan. I want them to scream for death to make the pain stop."

Alex stared at him, wide-eyed. "Fire truck, Cale. That's dark."

"Still think I deserve grace?" He looked down at her.

"Uhmmmm...still more than me?"

"No one deserves it, Alex, but it's still given."

"That's why you forget the past, Cale. It twists you." Alex turned her hand over and squeezed Cale's.

"I don't want to forget my family. I loved my father, mother, sister, cousins, aunts, uncles." Cale stared off in the distance.

"It turns you into a torturer. Forget them. They're dead. The past is dead. Remember who you are: a wonderful Guardian who saves others and the universe." Alex tugged on his hand in concern.

"You think I'm wonderful?"His gaze returned to her.

"You're near perfect. You've even inspired me to be a better person and that's no easy task." She smiled faintly up at him.

Before Cale could answer, a nurse entered the bay and set up the suture tray. "How are you feeling? Those pain meds take effect?"

 
"Yes," Alex said. "Suture first, then the nose?"

"That's what the doctor said."

  "Sutures aren't too bad," Alex said. "Never had my nose set. Broken bones creep me out, though. High on the ick factor."

"I'll hold your hand again," Cale offered and held it out.

"For the lidocaine and the bone setting. Don't need it for the suturing."

  The doctor walked in. "Sutures ready?" he asked the nurse.

  "I'm ready," Alex said.

  "Sorry again," the rumpled doctor looked truly repentant. "The lidocaine is first. There will be a stick and burn."

"Lots of sticks and burns. Go ahead." She closed her eyes.

Cale took her hand and rubbed her forearm. Alex sucked in a breath when the doctor started injecting the numbing solution of lidocaine. She squeezed Cale's hand until the doctor announced that he was finished with that part. Alex breathed out a long, slow breath and released Cale's hand.

"You can sit down now," she told him. "Sutures aren't too bad."

"I'm already here." He took her other hand and watched the suturing process with interest.

"Now for the nose, unless you want the ENT resident to do it," the doctor said.

"I don't want to wait. Go ahead."

Cale took both of her hands. The doctor was swift and Alex cried out when her nose was straightened.

"Fire truck, I hate crying." Alex accepted the tissue to dab her eyes.

"Perfectly all right," the nurse said. "Here are your discharge instructions. There's a fast track for the suture removal so you don't have to wait as long in the main ED. Here is your prescription for pain meds."

"No narcotics." Alex handed the script back, forcing back the memories of being drugged before the gang rape sessions. "Something else. Please."

The nurse and doctor exchanged glances. With a shrug, the doctor scribbled another script and handed it to Alex.

"Thank you. Let's go." Alex stood on shaky legs so Cale supported her.

*****

There was a line of cabs at Charity Hospital. Cale opened the door of the next one in line and flashed the cash at the driver. He told him the address after they settled in the back seat.

"This was a particularly nasty fight," Cale said. "What prompted you to start it?"

Alex leaned against the opposite door again, eyes closed, fatigue lining her face. "I said things I shouldn't have to Rile. I had to pay."

  "You shouldn't pay. Rile is a master at provoking others to say things."

Eyes still closed, Alex shook her head. "Not all his fault. I felt things, too. Soft feelings. No soft feelings. That's bad. Best to cut things out. Thugs like cutting things out."

"Alex, that's awful," Cale said. "You can trust us with these soft feelings. Well, all of us together. Might be best not to share them alone with Rile. He's, ah," Cale stopped, searching for the words.

"Not tactful? Not caring?" Alex supplied.

"Not tactful," Cale said. "He cares too much and covers it with hard words and hard actions. I suspect you are the same."

Alex, eyes still closed, said, "Please stop analyzing me. It's very painful."

"I'm sorry. May I sing some hymns?"

Alex cracked an eye open at him. "One hymn. If you're too screechy, no more."

Cale smiled. "I've been told I have some small talent singing."

His light baritone voice filled the cab and Alex fell asleep.

******

At her apartment, Gabe and Rile were waiting when Cale opened the door for Alex.

"I told y'all to go to bed so you wouldn't lose sleep," Alex greeted them. "I'm going straight to sleep."

  "I'll fill your prescriptions," Cale said.

"Thanks, Cale. Tired and wanna sleep. Which I was doing before alien dragon busybodies ruined it for me. Y'all need to be watch out who you care for. I don't want to cost you anything, not even sleep." She wobbled into the bedroom, ignoring offers of help.

"Tell us what happened," Gabe told Cale.

"The doctor said nothing vital was injured and sutured the knife wound. He set her broken nose. Now let me drop off her prescriptions. One is for pain and the other is for infection. I want her to have both when she wakes up. Do you have Dr. Dewey's monthly payment for patrolling?"

"Here." Gabe dug it out of his belt pouch. "Rile, go with him. It's late."

"What are you going to do?" Rile challenged.

"It is not for you to ask. Go with Cale." Gabe turned his back on him.

"Let's go." Cale nudged Rile. "We want these filled quickly. For Alex."

Rile looked over his shoulder as they left.

*****

Gabe entered the bedroom quietly. He sat on the bed and said in a low tone, "Alex, it's me, Gabe."

She mumbled a reply. He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"You're hurt and tired. You shouldn't be alone. Let me join you. I'll behave myself."

  At her mumbled assent, he slid under the covers close to her. She rolled on her side and he pressed against her back. He stroked her hair.

"You'll miss me when I'm dead," Alex sighed and leaned her head into his hand.

"Don't talk like that."

"It's true. Or won't you miss me?" Alex cracked open her eyes. "You won't be here anyway."

"Don't talk about dying."

"Silly lizard, we all die. Me sooner than most. What do you care? You'll be off restarting the clan. Good for you. Cale needs it." Alex closed her eyes.

"I'll care." Gabe stroked her hair back from her face. "I'm sorry I have to leave eventually ."

"Don't be sorry you have a future. That's good, the only reason I let you close. Can I sleep now?"

"Yes. Sleep and heal." Gabe clasped her close.

*****    

"Fill these quickly. Our friend is hurt." Rile shoved the scripts at the pharmacy tech.

"Sorry about my brother." Cale smiled at the girl behind the counter. "He's upset and insane. What must I do to make this faster and easier for you?"

"Insurance card." The girl didn't look mollified.

"Cash." Cale pulled out the roll of bills. "Please. Our sister was beaten by a stalker."

"That's awful!" The girl took the prescription and picked up her pen. "What's your sister's name?"

"Healer's handwriting is always terrible, isn't it?" Cale smiled again. "Alex Arceneaux."

"Address? Phone?"

Cale supplied the same information that he had given at the hospital.

"Did they catch the bum?" The tech placed the prescription in the bin.

Cale shook his head and his smile vanished.

"That's too bad," the tech said with feeling.

"Too bad for him," Rile said. "He'll wish the cops had caught him when I find him."

"Good," the girl said with vehemence. "Screw the courts. Let scum go all the time."

"You got someone you want me to kill?"

Cale glared at him. "We don't do that."

"Speak for yourself," Rile retorted.

"What's going on?" A man in a white coat peered around the counter.

"Nothing, sir," Cale said. "Our sister was assaulted and your technician was consoling us."

The pharmacist looked suspicious, peering at them over his reading glasses, but returned to his work. The tech handed him the bin with Alex's prescription. Cale grabbed Rile's arm, but his younger brother shook him off. Cale jerked his head toward the front of the shop and Rile followed him, expression sullen.

"When did you grow tired of being a Guardian?" Rile asked, arms crossed over his chest.

"I'm not. But we're not hired assassins."

"Who's an assassin? It's justice."

"Last I checked, there's not a death sentence for assault," Cale replied.

"Check again. There is in my book."

"You don't write a book. No vigilante stuff."

"In the meantime, Alex and the other females on this planet suffer." Rile stared down his brother.

Cale turned his head to avoid his gaze. "I didn't say that you couldn't track that guy down and exact a little justice, but that you couldn't murder him."

"Alex Arceneaux."

Rile and Cale looked up at the name. Rile strode ahead of his middle brother. When the tech told him the price, Rile leaned forward.

"Write the name and address of the scum on that white bag. I'll make sure he gets a taste of his own medicine," he said in a low tone.

The girl looked over her shoulder at the pharmacist. Her pen flashed across the bottom of the bag. Cale walked up.

"Pay her," Rile said.

The tech repeated the price. When Cale paid, Rile grabbed the bag.

"Hurry up," Rile said. "I want Alex to have her medicines as soon as possible."

"Let her sleep. Don't wake her up for pain medicines."

"One's for infection."

"Still, let her sleep."

They walked out of the pharmacy arguing.

*****

At the carriage house, Cale said, "I'm not giving you the key. We're sleeping in our apartment."

"You want Alex to wake up hurting and sick with infection?"

"A few hours won't make a difference. Let her sleep."

"Infected and in pain is Cale's vote." Rile started up the stairs.

"Wait," Cale ran up after him. "Compromise. We'll sleep on the couch. If she wakes up in pain or sick, we'll give her the medicine. If she doesn't, we'll give her the medications in the morning."

Rile made the landing and his fist poised to bang on the door. Cale caught his wrist.

"Don't let your jealousy of Gabe hurt Alex more."

"I don't think I'm the one hurting her."

"You never do."

Rile snatched away his arm. "On the couch it is."

Cale unlocked the door. Rile strode to the bedroom door and listened at it before opening it. Cale hissed softly but waited. Rile watched for a long moment before flopping on the couch. Cale curled around him and closed his eyes.

*****    

Alex froze at the familiar sensation of awakening in pain and in bed with a body pressed against her. Oh so carefully, she held her breath and looked behind her. She let it out when she saw who it was. Gabe waited, still as a stone, expression somber, as Alex sorted through her memories.

"Can't take a shower, fire truck it," she said at length. "Stupid sutures. I'll spring for a haircut at a salon just for clean hair." She raised up to her elbows, wincing.

"Careful. Let me help you." Gabe stabilized her upper body.

"I have your pain medication!" Rile yelled from the living room. "And meds for infection! Coming in!"

"No!" Gabe yelled back. "I'll get them!"

"No fighting in my bedroom," Alex said. "Sheesh, can't a girl recuperate in peace? Some Guardians of the universe. Cale, are you out there? Make them stop."

"You have a lot of faith in my abilities," he called back.

Gabe got out of bed, walked to the door, and yanked it open. "You two buy breakfast. Hand over the medications."

Rile body-checked Gabe entering the bedroom. "Morning, Alex. This one is for pain and this one is for infection."

Alex swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Did you bring a glass of water? I'm not good at choking down pills dry."

"I did." Cale entered, holding a glass.

"Mr. Perfect," Alex said and smiled wanly at him. "Thank you."

"He didn't bring the medication. I did," Rile said.

"He's not perfect," Gabe said with a frown.

"I'm not perfect," Cale said with concern and clacked his claws slightly.

"Thank you, Rile, Cale," Alex said with sincerity before she swallowed both pills. "What are you buying for breakfast? I'm not hungry so buy what y'all want. You can go now because I want to use the bathroom. I can at least splash water on my face. Fire truck not being able to take a shower." She gained her feet and leaned against the wall. "Argue outside. Or save the universe. Or both. Us mere mortals will get by. I've wasted too much of y'all's time."

"I'm a mere mortal." Rile took her arm. "Not Mr. Perfect or Perfect Eldest Son. It's no waste of my time at all."

"If I didn't need the bathroom so much, I wouldn't let you help me. Sadly, I will, being a mere mortal."

"Really, I'm not perfect," Cale said again, but with greater intensity, and clacked his claws faster in anxiety.

"It's a compliment, Cale," Alex said with alopsided grin. "Are you as bad at taking them as I am?"

"I should help Alex," Gabe said with force.

"Gabe, tell me where to buy breakfast." Cale eyed his eldest brother's expression. "Better yet, come with me."

"I don't want to be caught in a tug of war between quarreling Guardians of the universe," Alex said. "Please hurry."

Now they're quarreling because of me. Lack of sleep,family fights, what next will my toxic presence do to them? Better ratchetup the action and shut them out more.

Rile helped her to the bathroom and Alex shut the door on him when they reached it. She couldn't let him see the scrub brush she was aboutto bloody further.

*****

A/N

Will Alex ever allow the brothers close again?

Can they stop her spiral of self destruction?

Dedicated to:

Cocosghost  for her enthusiastic support

@DianaTheThird for her faithful support

@AngelEditor for her editorial support!