Sixty- remember how far you've come

Temperance

Without thinking, I swiftly aim my gun to his thigh, pulling the trigger. The gun lurches back, causing me to flinch as my ears ring. As I look at the man, his hands fly to his thigh, grunting in agony.

Before he can lift his head, Zander appears behind him, clocking him on the head with the handle of his gun. The man falls to the floor unconscious as Zander steps over him, walking towards Connor and me.

"You missed his head." He tells me, obviously worried that I was in danger only seconds ago. "I wasn't aiming for his head," I respond as he squats down to Connor. "Do you want to die, Temp?" He asks me. I am taken aback by his question.

If I were still like I was a while back, I would've said yes, maybe even let the guy kill me. But that's not me now.

"I don't mean like that. I mean... If you don't kill him first, then he will kill you." He stands, gently taking Connors's gun from my hand. "I don't think I can kill a person," I respond honestly, my legs shaking at the thought of ending someone's life.

He rubs my head, telling me it's ok as he holsters Connors gun. "We need to get Connor out of here. He's losing a lot of blood." Zander states, his face laced with worry as he looks down at his bloodied friend.

"But what about the shooting?" I ask, tearing the bottom of my shirt and wrapping it around Connors head.

"Fuck. Ok you need to stay here with him."

"What about Alec?" I question, suddenly fearing for my fiancés life. "He's fine, Temp. He's always fine." Zander responds, suddenly digging through the bathroom counter, looking for anything to calm Connors bleeding down.

Suddenly I hear a scream that causes my heart to shatter. I know immediately who screamed.

Ella.

"ELLA?" I jump to my feet, somehow avoiding Zander's desperate reach for me as I scramble out of the door. I close the bathroom door on Zander and Connor as I leave the room, desperately trying to find where Ella is.

"Ella?" I call again, looking through the hallway as gunshots continue to ring out.

"You need to go back Temperance." Bee appears on front of me, trying to push me back into the room. "N-no. What happened?" I shove past her, mumbling an apology as I jog down the hall.

Suddenly I can feel my legs shake and give out as I gaze upon the puddle of blood laying beneath the stairs. My knees hit the wood hard as the love of my life lays lifeless at the bottom of the stairs.

"A-Alec? ALEC? ALEC!" I desperately scream, tears rolling down my cheeks. My heart throbs and my hands shake.

"He still has a heartbeat." Vanessa exclaims, desperately trying to stop the blood as Ace pulls out his phone, calling anyone he can to help.

"I... I can't..." I try to catch my breath but the sobs wrack my body too hard. My head is light as the rest of my body collapses to the ground. I lay on my back, the world spinning above me.

All I can see is Alec.

Alec covered in blood, half dead.

My Alec.

"YOU SAID HE IS ALWAYS FINE. ZANDER YOU TOLD ME!" My hands find their way to my hair. Before I am able to grab and pull Ella's hands are gently placed on mine.

"Remember how far you've come." She says through shaky whispers. I don't dare look up at her as I drop my hands.

"Alec..." I mumble as I pull myself down the stairs, tears blurring my eyes.

I sit in front of him, Arella coming out of nowhere and placing her hands on my shoulders, looking down at her brother.

I extend my shaky hand towards his pale face, gently placing my fingers on his cheek.

His eyes flutter open, revealing he is awake. His face scrunches up with pain.

"Hey flower, you look absolutely gorgeous." His voice is raspy as he smirks, attempting to give me a wink but instead cringes with pain.

I sniffle, giving out a soft smile, thankful he is still awake. "I love you." I tell him, my tears sliding down my face and landing on his cheek.

"I need you all to move out of the way!" The doctors exclaims as he comes pushing through. Arella yanks me back, trying to keep the doctor from running into me.

She lifts me up, taking me into her arms as she tries to keep her own mind from wandering into the darkness.

"He will be ok." She whispers into my hair.

What am I supposed to do if he dies?

"I... I thought it would get better. I thought my life would get better but if he dies-"

Arellas hand goes over my mouth, stopping me from finishing my sentence. "Please don't talk like that." She begs, placing her forehead on mine as she lets her hand off my mouth.

"I NEED A DOCTOR UP HERE STAT!" I hear Zander scream from my room.

I feel like I'm going to suffocate.