Developmental Desperation (Josiah)

[Siege]

It was late. 2am to be precise. And that was much later than it should have been. He always made a point of being home at midnight, when he had to be out late. Because they both had school during the mornings, and they tended to spend a bit of time together before bed. Whether it was just both of them reading on the couch, or cuddling somehow, or even just talking before bed while they both shared some wine or a drink. It was nice to have someone to live with, someone to see before bed, to see in the mornings. Unfortunatly, she was growing even closer to him. There were often times, that she would pass out leaning against him as they watched TV. While she could sleep alone now in her own room, but she couldn't help that she felt safe and comfortable in his arms when he had an arm around her shoulders, holding her close, while they watched something on TV, or he read to her.

Tonight she was worried. She had tried many things to pass the time. She had drummed for a while, sure that the moment she made a lot of noise he would come home cursing her for being so loud at this hour. But he hadn't. She had tried to read, checked his room, and nothing. She had tried his cell but it went directly to voicemail where she left him a quick and worried message. There was just no way to get ahold of him, and she was worried, afraid he was in his car in a ditch somewhere, having drank too much. Oh she knew of his problem and was trying her best to keep his mind off of drinking and onto other things to busy his mind. Slowly intervening as much as she could. But she didn't want to be intrusive. Still though, as Siege checked the door again, she sighed, the driveway was still empty.

She moved to the third step of the staircase that was in the house that would lead upstairs to their rooms. It was directly in the line of sight for the door, and so Siege sat there, watching the door waiting for him to either call her or come home. Her cell clutched nervously in her fingers, her eyes never left the front door.

[Josiah]

A speedy BMW seemed to race through the streets, it was not like Josiah to ever speed but he needed to get home to his equipment, it was a matter of life and death and he knew it. His right hand on the steering wheel while his left clenched at his torso putting pressure on the bullet wound he had sustained. He had worn a vest, he always had. And while it had stoped the other shots from penetrating his skin the last shot had been at a closer range, and there was no body armor in the world that was effective after a certain distance.

His vision was blurring as he drove, he had already lost a good amount of blood, some of the cuts on his arms and legs still bleeding while the ne on his cheek had actually stopped. It had been a job, one that was suppose to be an quick and easy in and out type of thing. But they had known about the hit and had been ready with loaded weapons.

Even with all his martial arts training and mind over matter techniques to over come pain he could not over come this agonizing pain which ran through him. He was glade he had brought a gun with him instead of just his katar claws which had become his small signature weapon. He leaned back in his seat and winced in pain, there was still glass in his back from the window he had escaped from after his target had been taken care of.

He opened his window the cool air helped to keep him awake and the smell of the ocean was a dead give away he was getting closer. He was hoping Siege was either asleep or had gone out, he was sure he could take care of this himself and he didn’t need her worried over him.

2:15, the glowing numbers on the dashboard were the last things his eyes could focus on as he pulled into the driveway and killed the engine. His vision was all but shadows now. He barely even realized he hobbled up to the front door and managed to open it with his keys leaving a sticky blood trail on the door knob.

He got inside and immediately he heard her voice, it sounded like she was yelling at him or maybe it was just his imagination. His eyes managed to look to her and focus, she had such a worried look on her face, still dressed from school or atleast that’s what he could tell from the light that hit her.

“Sorry for making you wait” Josiah managed in a pant, the smell of copper filling the dark air of the lightless house. He looked over to her.

“You should really get to bed” he managed holding his torso tightly, he knew if he could get to the kit underneath his bed he would be able to do something. He just didn’t need her involved, he was strong enough to get through this on his own

[Siege]

She waited. Fifteen minutes would pass so slowly each minute was agonizingly long, she couldn't figure out where he was, she had tried to call his cell phone over and over again, but no answer. Only his voice mail which when he checked it next would have several frantic messages from a worried Siege on it. Geting more frantic by the moment. But she couldn't get him, and she was more worried than she could ever remember being in her entire life. And yet, she knew that there was no way she could go to sleep until he came home. He was too important to her for her to brush him off in that way. So she would wait, sleep or not she didn't care. She missed their time together, and their evenings taking care of one another.

The door opened about seventeen minutes after two o'clock. Siege shot up off the dark stairs, as she saw him stumble inside.

"I was SO worried! Where were you?!"

“Sorry for making you wait”

There was something wrong with him. Her fingers fumbled for the light switch only to see that he was .. bleeding all over himself. She could smell the blood now that she could see it and her worry went through the roof. She could see him sliced up and bleeding, and she could see him clutching at his side.

"What happened?!" she gasped. Rushing down the few steps and to him.

“You should really get to bed”

"Keep dreaming."

Tears stung her eyes, but she was not going to let him know how much this was bothering her. She pulled his good arm up around her shoulders taking a good portion of his weight. She could tell that he was going to pass out soon, and she could feel him give in after a moment. He was too exhausted. Too hurt, and had probably lost a great deal of blood. It was not easy to get him up the stairs, they had to stop twice so he could catch his breath, but she was in no hurry. She would take her time. Once upstairs she got him to his room, she could feel the blood on his back, as well, which meant she would have to treat it as well, but the gunshot wound, or stab wound, whatever it was that was bleeding the most, was first of course.

She took him to his room, and gently got him on his bed, sheets and things could be watched, blood came out easily enough. She brushed his hnd away and ripped the buttons off his shirt as she ripped it open. And then the under shirt, she hissed when she saw the wound. It certainly wasn't a stab wound, which meant it was a bullet wound. She looked up at him and sighed as she touched his face softly.

"Where is your kit, I know you must have one if you were ready for me to go to bed."

He grunted out something that sounded like under the bed, and she went down. Of course, there was also all the fun stuff he had bought, reading material so that he apparently could better himself at sexual encounters. She rolled her eyes but grabbed the first aid kit that stuff was for later. Opening it up, she sighed as she saw the fun stuff for taking care of bullets, and there was even a small book on how to do it yourself. While she read as quickly as possible she kept pressure on his wound. He was in pain and she wanted to do whatever she could do to help him.

"Christ." she cursed as she grabbed the scalpel. "this is gonna hurt like a bitch."

She gave him a small bottle of brandy that she found in the kit and waited for him to drain it, before she placed a small rubber pad between his teeth so he could bite into it. Gently she sliced at the sides of the wound, just enough so she could see. It was a long and careful process. But she got the bullet out as soon as she could, and checked, there was no real internal bleeding, so she placed some ointment on it, and sewed him up as best as she could. He would have a scar but she couldn't do much with that.

She cut the rest of his clothes off leaving the boxers only. Tossing the rags away, she wrapped his gunshot wound, and then turned him over and began pulling the glass out of his back, though he won't need the rubber gag this time, she saw he had spit it out now. She cleaned his wounds carefully, and did her best to put gauze on the worst, the others would heal up without much assistance. Turning him back over gently she attended to any of the other wounds, before she closed the box finally. An hour if not more had passed. She put the box to the side, and she carefully covered him with a blanket. Turning the light out, she would hold and stroke his hand.

"Rest." she whispered to him, "I"ll be right here when you wake up." she promised him.

[Josiah]

Siege didn’t give him a choice in her help or not, no she made sure of that, but there was little he would be able to do to fight her, the look of worry on her face told him he would have to die before she left his side. He didn’t remember getting up the stairs but he vividly remembered her beginning to work on his wounds. It was impossible to ignore that level of pain, constant grunts and some yelps escaped his lips as she cut his open to remove the bullet, it would have been worse but he was doing his best to control the pain and his reaction to it helping him to lie still as she worked.

She removed it and he remembered feeling her roll him over to remove the glass from his back. If he lived through this he was going to have to find that informant, while he was not the best Josiah knew he was good, meticulous and careful. Things like this just did not happen, if he had the element of surprise he would have been fine.

He passed out some were between being rolled over and bandaged, the loss of blood making it impossible to stay awake. He was cold and injured, he figured that maybe this was it and was almost about to welcome it.

He fell into a nightmare filled void of pain and bad memories. In the middle of the night he could feel her laying down at his side well it was more of just a mass of weight, one holding onto him.

“Get…get off me” he whispered in his sleep a familiar nightmare playing through his head, “Don’t…don’t touch…me” he whispered out he felt a comforting hand touch his cheek and he pulled his head away.

“Don’t touch me…get off….I’ll...I’ll slit your throat again you bastard” his body then seemed to relax and go limp. A bit of his past, something he could never escape still haunted the strong young man to this very day and now Siege could probably guess what it was

[Siege]

He fell to sleep, and she was grateful for it. While he did so, she made sure the house was secure, going back downstairs she cleaned off the handle, and locked the front door closng all the blinds. She got some ice and found a little cooler for the beach. Packing it full of drinks so she wouldn't have to leave his side much she hummed softly as she worked, trying to keep quiet and keep her mind busy. She was sick with worry, her stomach was turning and she felt ill, but he was first and foremost. Taking the small cooler upstairs she entered the room, and sighed as she saw him shivering. Going to he room, she gathered the comforter off her bed and brought it with her. It was likely with the lack of blood and the wounds he had a fever. She tossed it over him, and took her shoes and socks off. Gently she slid into the bed with him, and wrapped her arms around him rubbing over the undamaged flesh as much as she could.

“Get…get off me”
“Don’t…don’t touch…me”

She froze for a moment worried that he had woken. She swallowed and watched his face, her heart pounding in her chest, but his head shook for a moment, and she realized he was dreaming. She sighed and kissed the crest of his bare shoulder softly, he meant the world to her.

“Don’t touch me…get off….I’ll...I’ll slit your throat again you bastard”

She cocked her brow, that was something similar to what she had told her own tormentor, it was then a few things in her mind clicked. His inexperience with women and sex in general. His unwillingness to touch and be touched, the way he never smiled, the way he held himself in such perfect regard, he was trying to make up fr things that were not his fault. Her hand slid down and clasped his, which in turn squeezed hers tightly.

Siege lay her head on his shoulder softly and there, stroking his hand with her thumb, she began to humm for him. some of the classical crap that he enjoyed listening too. It was Beetoven's 5th, popular and something that she knew, but something familiar to him she figured, and she hoped it would calm him down. She would spent the rest of the time that he slept keeping him warm and humming to him.

[Josiah]

10 am, his eyes opened slowly. They were cold and guarded and the pain that shot through his body did not make it any better. His free hand came to his torso and felt the bandages on it the sudden pressure though enough to make his shiver in a tingle of new pain. That was when Siege moved and his eyes looked to her at his other side, dark lavender circles play beneath her grey eyes which seemed to look so worried.

“Hey”

He managed, his mouth dry and his body felt like it had been fast frozen and he was slowly thawing out. He hated to think what the leather seats of his car looked like, he had bleed out a lot it seemed though he guessed as soon as she had managed to get the bullet out it had stopped which meant it had not been horribly deep enough to his anything major.

“Tell me you have my smokes” Josiah managed to whisper as his head titled to look towards her, he needed that comfort from his nicotine friends. His hand shich was in her own gave t a small squeeze still holding onto his anchor of warmth as well as another kind of comfort he was slowly beginning to understand

[Siege]

He didn't move, but she could hear his body change it's breathing and she knew that he was awake. Gently, she stopped humming and looked up as his groggy eyes opened. She smiled softly at him, she was dead tired, but she also didn't plan to sleep any time soon. He was first and foremost she would come when she had time to take care of herself.

“Hey”

"Hey, baby." she whispered softly and almost caringly as she sat up from him touching his cheek with her free hand. She was glad to see him awake, it was good that he was coherent as well. Though she knew he had to be in pain and from the sound of his voice he would be parched.

"I'm glad you're awake. I was so worried."

“Tell me you have my smokes”

Siege chuckled.

"You come home, shot, cut up, with glass in your back, and the first thing you want is cigs. You ARE nuts."

But she said it in a soft loving way as she kissed his cheek, trying to make him as comfortable as possible. He squeezed her hand, and she thought she saw appreciation in his eyes as he lay there. She smiled softly at him, as tired as she was, he was first, and she would make sure he was alright, and on the mend before she worried about herself. Siege was the kind of girl that once you got in her good graces, you would not find someone more loyal and caring.

"First, drink this."

She ducked down, not removing her hand from his since he still clung to it tightly. She opened the cooler and got out a bottle of cold water. She twisted the cap off and handed it to him before getting a bottle of pain pills she had found. Opening it with her hand she placed two on his tongue and nodded.

"The whole bottle, then you can have a smoke, I swear, and then I'll make you some soup before you go to sleep again."

When he finished she would take the empty bottle away, and then dig around in his end table and find his cigs. Taking her hand away cuz she needed it for a moment, she lit the cig for him and placed it between his lips moving his ashtray close.

"I"m going to go to make you something to eat, so, don't go anywhere, move and you'll wish that gunshot had kiilled you, get me?"

She was serious too, she wanted him still, her eyes narrowed, and then she smiled. Kissing his forehead, she tucked him in under the warm thick covers and headed down to the kitchen.

[Josiah]

She called him nuts and in a way he probably was, for some one so perfect and anal he took worse care of himself then most would think. A heavy drinker and heavy smoker it was no wonder why his blood did not clot sooner then it had and probably why he had bleed out so much. She kissed his cheek lightly and he sighed, she had been doing such things frequently something he had taken notice of. She liked to touch him and did what ever she could to initiate it though she seemed happiest when he touched her unexpectedly.

She told him he had to drink something first and he gave a small nod letting her get him a bottle of water, his mouth was dry and so it seemed like a great idea to drink something after all. She was dotting on him even making sure she up pain pills in his mouth. He didn’t like coming off as weak but he had little choice at the moment.

He did what she siad and was rewarded with a cigarette like she had promised, he puffed on it heavily they were his oldest and most reliable friends. She told him she was going to go make him something to eat, he was not horribly hungry but he gave a small nod. “Don’t worry…I’ll be here” He siad softly with the cigarette dangling from his lips.

When she was gone though he sighed, he was all tucked in and comfortable but at the same time felt figity. Tossing the blanket off of him he saw he was only in his boxers, she had stripped him down apparently but she had seen him before so it was not anything new he guessed.With a painful grunt he got up panting, clouds of smoke coming from his lips and nostrils from the cigarette lodged within his lips.

He moved as best he could, using walls to steady his dizzy and weak self to the bathroom where he did his business, flushing his cigarette down with his morning relief he looked into the mirror for a moment to see himself and shook his head at his own imagie. He was worse then he thought, but he was still alive which meant he could still get revenge.

Leaving the bathroom and stumbling using the walls as a brace much like he had before Siege caught him just outside his bedroom door, holding the food she had said she was going to make. “Crap” he muttered looking at her for a second before he hobbled into his room, he knew she would yell at him but he just could not be cared for, he was unused to it and was doing his best to accept her help.

When she followed him into the room he’d sigh moving slowly to the bed.

“How…how was your night” he asked sheepishly trying to talk about something that would not be in the range of him getting shot

[Siege]

Siege bounded down the stairs in a hurry to get back to him. She entered the large pantry and moved through it to where the canned goods were, she collected an arm full of things that she wanted. Peanut butter and jelly, for a sandwich for the each of them, as well as a bowl of soup for him. She moved to the kitchen and rooted around finding a bowl and poured the soup in slapping it into the microwave for about three minutes to get it good and hot. While it cooked she took the bread out of the bread box and made the two sandwiches hoping that she could get him to eat it all, he would need his strength to get better, and his body was going to have to make up for the blood he lost and for that he was going to need to feed his body so that it could work at optimal potential.

The beeping of the microwave told her the soup was done and she took it down putting it on the tray she had used that morning for fruit. She got the sandwiches on a plate and headed back up the stairs, figuring he should be done with his cig by now. But when she got to the top of the stairs her eyes narrowed as she saw him stumbling around, the grip on the tray made her knuckles go white.

“Crap”

"Bed.. Now."

She ordered coldly. He hobbled back and she went on ahead of him putting the tray down she went over and grabbed him a bit forcefully and got him back to the bed and laying down. She covered him up with the blankets again but this time he was propped up so that she could feed him. Moving the covers she checked his bandage and her eyes narrowed, there was blood. Shooting him a look that could kill, she peeked under the bandage, the stitches were still in, but the scab had ripped.

"Leave this bed again without my help, and next time you can tend to your fucking self."

She was trying to be nice, trying not to get mad, but she couldn't remember the last time she had slept and that made her a bit cranky. Especially when he was being an idiot. As she reached for the tray he asked her a very stupid question.

“How…how was your night”

She rolled her eyes to hide the dark and worried and pissed, and hurt look on her face. With a sigh, she moved to the edge of the bed and lifted the bowl of soup, she wasn't going to let him feed himself, and he just got to deal with that fact. So gently, with napkin and bowl in hand she began to feed him some vegetable soup so that his body would have fuel to heal.

"Well lets see, everything started off pretty fucking crappy. Got a note in my locker, ~Dear Siege, sorry I have business to attend to, you'll have to find a ride~ Oh yes, the highlight of my otherwise fantastic day." she growled.

"so I walked YES walked home, by the time I got here, I thought, okay I could make my excellent and oh so devoted roomate something nice for dinner, so there I go to find the cook books and make you something nice, except that something went wrong and it turned out all black and crispy. So dinner was a bust. But he wasn't home yet, so I guess it didn't matter."

"Now, when I tried to call this guy, he had his cell phone off, which was really smart ya know, because it isn't that he lives alone and has no one to worry and fret over him anymore. Noooo he thinks that he lives in a world all his own, rude awakening no? So then I did my homework, and then, I watched TV, I ate the last of your waffles, and I doin't care if your pissed, and then, it got later and later and later."

"But instead of calling his roomate that might actually care and be worried sick for him, he decides to still keep his phone off regardless of all the messages she leaves. Not nly that, but then he comes home at the bright and shiney hour of 217 in the morning and tells her she ought to be in bed, and he wonders why she calls him pops. But then we geet to see that once we turn on the lights there is a reason he's late. No explanation offered, so she stays up all night to nurse him, and the first thing he asks for is a Cigarette and the moment her back is turned to take care of him, he gets up disobeying orders, and pees! Yes, I can see that this was a great night, don't you think so?"

All this time she fed him, her cold eyes were on the spoon or the bowl and never on his. She knew that if she saw his eyes, she would probably cry and that was something she wouldn't do here. Putting the soup to the side she began to tear off bite size pieces of the sandwich she made for him and feed him that to change it up and give his stomach something to help absorb the soup.

"so since today is apparently show and tell, do you want to share anything with the class?"

[Josiah]

She began to feed him, he hated it to be honest though it was carring he hated to be taken care of, it was something no one had ever done for him and he did not want them to start now. But the look in her eyes told him that he was just going to have to deal with it and like it unless he wanted the bowl of soup on his head..

She began to speak telling him about her night with the letter he had left her. He had left school early yesterday to take care of the final arrangements and so he had not even spoke with her. He felt bad that she had walked home, though it was not horribly far away it was still a bitch and he knew it. She seemed pissed that his phone had been off but it had to be, he didn’t need the signal showing up on any broadcast towers or anything and plus he had done it so he didn’t have to lie to her about what he was doing at the time.

He was to afraid not to keep eating as she spoke to him, keeping his thoughts it was either his mouth or his lap. She then began to fed him bits of a sandwich but his hand came up and stopped her own from reaching his mouth grabbing her wrist softly but yet with a firm grip, he was weak and dizzy but he had strength enough to manage a few movements, just so long as it didn’t require him to stand up straight or walk, he clearly didn’t have enough blood yet to do it without wanting to black out.

His eyes looked to her own, those eyes of his which always had a tendency to be so strong in there gaze had an almost comforting quality to them. “Sound…like one hell of a night” He said softly

He yanked her to him letting her fall close to him and his chest, the ar that had grabbed her had managed to come around her now. He could tell seeing him hurt was wearing on her more then it was himself, did that mean that she cared for him?

“Sorry I made you worry…I..I should have called or been home earlier” Josiah said to her comforting red orbs looking to her Before he leaned down and kissed her forehead

[Siege]

As she moved up to feed him the sandwich he grabbed her wrist quickly. Squeezing it and stopping her from reaching his mouth. Her eyes shot up to his, and found herself frozen in their gentle gaze. She wasn't sure what had made that look come up but she had to admit that she favored it. It was almost as if he wanted to say something more than what he did, and as if he was actually sorry for making her worry like he had.

“Sounds…like one hell of a night”

Siege rolled her eyes.

"It wasn't as if I had a choice."

Suddenly, with probably all the strength he could muster, he yanked on her arm. She wasn't in the best possible position, for balance and so she was easiliy pulled down and into his chest. Her eyes stung with tears as his arm came around her holding her there, they both probably needed the comfort. The attention, the affection of the touch from one another. They seemed to grow closer every day, laughing and talking and getting to know each other but never getting down to the deep stuff.

“Sorry I made you worry…I..I should have called or been home earlier”

Siege sighed a long drawn out sigh, as her eyes closed. A small pinprick of water would fall to his chest as she released her anger and worry and snuggled into his hug for a moment. She felt his lips on her forehead giving her a soft kiss, and it helped even more. She was by nature, a creature of touch for comfort, and this was helping her immensly calm down.

"Just.. you know.. a phone call or something kay, cuz.. I get worried you're never late coming home, you're like the freaking subway system always on time. When it changes I just.. got worried and I don't know how to contact you if your phone is off, and.. then you come home shot.. I .. I didn't know what to do."

She pulled back, her eyes soft again, the anger for the moment was gone as she gently fed him a piece of the sandwich. Leaning forward she placed her forehead to his for a moment and looked into his eyes touching his cheek gently.

"Even if you hate me, I care about you, whether you lke it or not. So whatever it is you're into; drugs, gangs, whatever. Try to be safe."

Pulling back she continued to feed him til he couldn' take anymore, she knew the food and the drugs was going to put him back to sleep soon enoug.

[Josiah]

He felt a drop of warmth hit the bit of bare skin he had on his chest. There was no question that she had been worried about him though he had never thought any one would care enough about him to worry. He had been independent at such a young age, working paying for his own food, rent, and clothes things that had been well beyond his years. Why was it now though that some one cared if he lived or died, why was it her?

She soon pulled back her eyes soft as she looked at him trying to get him to eat some more, but he wasn’t hungry. He tended not to eat much when he was normal now in the state he was he didn’t want to really be bothered with food. She surprised him though when he felt her forehead against his own, her speaking to him telling him that she cared for him even if he hated her, a concept he couldn’t understand though he did know he didn’t hate her.

He had about two more bite before he shook his head, telling her he couldn’t do anymore as far as food was concerned. He looked at her and her state and sighed.

“You should eat something yourself…and get some rest” his eyes were all to serious. “You don’t have to worry about me at the moment…I’m weak…but I’ll be okay for now” he said trying to reassure her he was fine

“You’ve done more then enough for me…you can’t forget to take care of yourself….I’m not that important” he said a soft grin cracking his lips

[Siege]

He ate another bite or two and he had his fill. She leaned back and rubbed her eyes. She was tired, but she wasn't falling asleep now especially with the rule breaker here. She had a feeling that the moment she crashed he was going to do something stupid. His hand came to her shoulder, causing her to look up and a finger brushed over the tattoo of her cheek causing her to blush slightly. She wondered if he was ever curious why she had a number on her face, but perhaps one day he would find out.

“You should eat something yourself…and get some rest”

“You don’t have to worry about me at the moment…I’m weak…but I’ll be okay for now”

She chuckled.

"I have something to eat, but you were more important first."

She motioned to the other plate of the uneaten sandwich but first just for him she quickly devoured the rest of his, there was no reason to let the food go to waste. She liked being around him, she liked that she could make him smile and laugh, and she liked that as they got to know each other they seemed to work well even if they had their little spats and fights, it always seemed to work out somehow.

“You’ve done more then enough for me…you can’t forget to take care of yourself….I’m not that important”

Siege chuckled and shook her head.

"More important than you know."

She got up, and pulled him towards her, letting him hug onto her while she moved the pillows around and helped him lay down. Once the food really hit his system he would be out like a light. Tucking him in she kissed his forehead and touched his hair softly for a moment. Having always wondered what it felt like. With a smile she sunk into the chair beside the bed, and grabbed an energy drink. Chugging it all down quickly, for the boost that she needed she finished off the other sandwich.

When he woke this time he would find her doing something he had never seen before, from her. She was leaning over her chair, a block of wood and a knife in her hand. Whittling, the small wooden shavings falling into a trashcan knowing how much he hated mess. But she couldn't hack it, she had to do something to keep her mind busy and this was one of her favorite things, she didn't even know what she was making yet, it would call come from the wood.

[Josiah]

As she helped him into a laying position he could not help but dwell on her words, what did she mean he was more important then he knew? He didn’t think he was important to anyone. His old boss had only thought he was important because of the jobs Josiah could do, the same thing could be said about those he had worked with. He could only wonder what it was that made him important to her.

As he lay there his eyes slowly began to close, as much as he wanted to stay awake truth was he barely had enough energy to walk to the bathroom and back, and the pain killers she had made him swallow only added to his already groggy state, not to mention all the blood he knew he was missing. He knew he should be glad to be alive but the truth was he wanted to be up and moving already.

He slept for a while, there was no way around needing rest at the moment. He slept till around 2 in the after noon until his eyes opened again, this time to a scraping sound, his head tilted to the side and saw her whittling of all things. He gave a grimace as he lay there looking at her.

“I though I told you to get some rest” he groaned his tone clearly not a happy one. “You need your rest just as much as I do” he sighed he was still in a lot of pain nothing about that would change for a while and he knew it.

“If the normal parental tone doesn’t convince you…” he sighed “Think about it this way…you can’t play nurse if your exhausted…and I won’t be able to rest if I have to worry about you” He patted the bed next to him

“You have a choice, here” his arm bandaged arm raised his finger pointing to his door since her room was right across from his “Or your room” His tone was sturn, serious, the kind of tone you expected from an over protective father. His eyes were like red stones, there was no reasoning with him, no getting him to bend to her wishes on this one.

“Don’t make me get up and toss you out…I’m stubborn enough to give it a shot and you know it”

[Siege]

“I though I told you to get some rest”

“You need your rest just as much as I do”

Her hand slowly stopped it's work, and her grey eyes looked up, the circles underneath them were even darker than before. Because, she couldn't do much else though, she was afraid to fall asleep afraid he would do something stupid. But she could tell even in his tired and pained state that he wasn't gonna take no for an answer, she was growing to know what his different looks meant. Siege sighed softly.

"I'm not tired."

Which wasn't exactly true, but the moment he fell asleep again she would just chug another energy drink and pass out later when he was able to take care of himself.

“If the normal parental tone doesn’t convince you…”

“Think about it this way…you can’t play nurse if your exhausted…and I won’t be able to rest if I have to worry about you”

Siege sighed as she folded the blade back into her knife. And sat it and the wood block on the table to the side where she looked over at him and then put her fists to her eyes and rubbed hard she was tired, she couldn't help it. She was used to getting a good deal of sleep but she was worried, she knew now that he would be alright. But she was still worried that he might do something stupid when she was knocked out.

“You have a choice, here”

“Or your room”

He had patted the bed beside her, and then pointed at the hallway, she knew what he was pointing at. Her room was straight across his down the hall. Siege groaned, looking at him, and shaking her head, she didn't know what his problem was, why he cared so much.

“Don’t make me get up and toss you out…I’m stubborn enough to give it a shot and you know it”

Siege sighed. Gently she rose and unbuttoned the button on her jeans. Jumping for a moment she got them off and tossed to the side. She was tired but she also knew that he wasn't going to give up and the last thing she wanted was for him to get up again without him needing to. She took her cover and shoved it to the end of the bed, with them both in there.

"This is the thanks I get."

She got in the bed and curled up in his arms. He moved, but she didn't stop him because instead of gtting up he turned sideways in the bed and pulled her close. Putting his arms around her and pressing her into his chest. She had a feeling this wasn't just for her, but that he needd to have her close. And she needed him. She lay a soft kiss on his chest and in moments she was deeply asleep in his arms. so tired that she was, and so comfortable in his arms she could be, she whispered his name in her sleep.