87

Ava woke up feeling dazed. Her mind was fuzzy and it took her a minute to start to remember what had happened. She tensed up as she remembered the small room she had been in the last weeks. Then she realised she was home, no, not home. She was in Zane’s bed. Someone was holding her hand and she squeezed it as a way to relax.

“Ava?” She heard Zane say and she turned her head towards the sound. Zane had pulled up one of the armchairs next to the bed and was sitting in it, holding her hand. Ava smiled at him and felt herself relax. He looked tired but he returned her smile.

“Hi,” she said, her voice sounded hoarse and dry.

“Hi, angel. How are you feeling?” he asked. Ava thought about it. She had a feeling she should be in a lot of pain, but she wasn’t.

“Fine, a bit fuzzy, like my brain is wrapped in a soft cloud. And I’m thirsty and I think I’m a little hungry as well,” she told him. Zane reached out with his free hand and stroked her hair.

“You are on some heavy pain medication, I think it’s why you are feeling a little out of it. We can ask Linda if you are allowed to eat and drink,” Zane said.

“Linda?”

“Yes, she is the one who saved you after you was shot. We will talk about that once you are better. She has been staying here to keep an eye on you,” he told her.

“Just to keep an eye on me?” Zane chuckled.

“No, probably not,” he admitted.

“Good.” Ava was happy Jax and Linda had continued seeing each other. There was a knock on the door and Zane asked them to come in. It was Linda and Jax, Ava looked up at Zane.

“I told her you were awake,” he said holding up his phone.

“You gave us quite a scare, Ava,” Linda said as she walked over to Ava and pulled out a stethoscope.

“Sorry,” Ava said.

“I expected these two idiots to do something like getting shoot, but you’re a nurse, you should know better,” Linda said and smiled at Ava.

“You are right,” Ava agreed. Jax had stayed by the door, but was looking at her worried. “Hi, Jax,” Ava said.

“Hi, Ava. Feeling better?” he asked.

“Men,” Linda said, rolling her eyes. “Both of you need to leave so I can examine my patient,” she then told Zane and Jax. Jax opened the door to leave.

“No. I’m staying,” Zane said, Ava looked at him.

“No, you are not. We can at least give her some privacy even if you won’t take her to the hospital,” Linda told him. Ava got the feeling it wasn’t the first time the subject had been discussed.

“It’s fine, he can stay,” Ava said.

“Are you sure? I don’t mind kicking him out.”

“I’m sure,” Ava said. She wasn’t ready to let go of the safety Zane gave her.

“Fine, fine,” the doctor sighed and pulled back the sheet. Ava noticed she was wearing Zanes old t-shirt and smiled. Linda helped Ava slide the bottom of the t-shirt up to reveal the bandage.

“Is it bad?” Ava asked.

“No. The bullet went straight through, and it didn’t hit anything important on the inside. Our biggest concern was the blood loss as you were both dehydrated and malnourished,” Linda told her as she removed the dressing. “But the wound looks good, you are healing. You will be sore for quite some time and I’m afraid there will be no baths for the closest future. You will have to make do with showers. And we will keep a close eye on your bloodwork and make sure you get fattened up a bit. I know Anna is looking forward to that part,” Linda continued with a warm smile.

“She said she was thirsty and hungry, is it okay for her to eat and drink?” Zane asked. He was still holding her hand and stoking her hair, Ava noticed.

“It should be fine. But judging from the bloodwork we did, you need to start out slow. Your body will get a shock if we just give you a hamburger. Some broth and maybe some white bread and tea with honey? I’ll talk to Anna,” Linda said.

“That sounds good,” Ava agreed.
“Let me see her!” Ava heard Gabriel shout. Then there was a murmured voice of Jax. “I don’t care if she is being examined, I want to see her,” Gabriel said.

“Are you done?” Ava asked Linda. Linda attached a new dressing and helped Ava get comfortable again.

“All done. I’ll leave and let the annoying man in,” Linda said and winked at Ava.

“Thank you, Linda. For everything,” Ava said.

“No worries, I have a feeling I owe you big time.” As Linda opened the door, Gabriel rushed in and ran over to the bed. He was about to hurl himself into a hug with Ava, Zane shot up out of his chair to stop him. But Gabriel stopped by the end of the bed. He looked her over and Ava could see the sadness in his eye.

“Do I really look that bad?” she asked.

“Please, honey, you are gorgeous as always,” he said with a smile. He walked around to the side of the bed where Zane wasn’t and crawled up on the bed and gave her a careful hug. “I have missed you,” he whispered.

“I know. I missed you too,” Ava told him. As he drew back to sit next to her, Ava tried to sit up.

“What are you doing?” both Gabriel and Zane asked.

“I’m going to sit up so I can talk to you,” Ava told them.

“I’ll help you,” Zane said. He carefully adjusted her in the bed and Gabriel made sure she had pillows propping her up, both men fussed over her for a while until they were satisfied and Ava felt like she was propped up by every available pillow in the house. It was then she noticed Gabriel didn’t look at Zane, in fact, he hadn’t spoken to him either. When she shifted focus to the opened door, Ryder stood there next to Jax, looking at Gabriel with such longing it made Ava’s heart ache.

“What’s going on?” she asked Gabriel.

“What do you mean?”

“Something is wrong, you aren’t hardly looking at Zane, even less so speaking to him. And Ryder looks like he hasn’t seen you in years. Have you been fighting?”

“I need to talk to you. Alone,” Gabriel told her, adding the last part while shooting Zane an angry look.

“Okay,” Ava agreed.

“Come on, Ryder. It seems I’m destined to keep getting thrown out of this place,” Jax said with an overdramatic sigh. Zane got up, closed the door, but remained in the room. Ava gave him a questioning look.

“I’m not leaving this room,” he said. But he went to sit down on the armchair he hadn’t moved over to the bed, giving her and Gabriel some privacy. Gabriel was watching him like he didn’t trust him.

“I think this is as good as it’s going to get,” Ava said. Gabriel shifted his focus back to her. He took both of her hands in his and gently squeezed them.

“Ava, I think it’s time you and I got out of here. I know that you are still healing, and we can stay for a while. But you aren’t safe here. We can leave all of this, go someplace fare away and start over. Sure, we will have basically nothing, but you will be safe,” he told her. Ava looked at him in stunned silence. She saw behind Gabriel; Zane had tensed up in his chair.

“What are you talking about? What about Ryder? Our lives here?” she asked. She watched as an expression of hurt and sadness mixed with anger darkened her friends face.

“You are the one who is important right now.”

“I appreciate that, and I love you for it. But I won’t let you sacrifice everything for me. And for no reason. I’m perfectly safe here,” she insisted.

“That is what you said before, and now look at you. Kidnapped, starved and shot. That isn’t to be safe.” He sounded almost panicked.

“I know. But I’m not going anywhere, not for now at least,” Ava told him.

“Are you sure I can’t persuade you?” he asked.

“I’m sure.”

“Really sure?”

“Really, really sure with extra on top. Now will you please explain what is happening between you and Ryder?” Ava demanded.

“Fine. I’m not speaking to him, or the others. I haven’t been since you were kidnapped,” he told her.

“What?”

“I turned to Ryder when I knew something was wrong, I wanted him to help me find you. Instead, he dismissed me and make it sound like I was fussing about something insignificant. He made me doubt myself. I can’t be with someone like that,” Gabriel said. His voice had become thin, and he was looking down at his hands.

“It’s okay. Those are valid concerns. But how come you are here now if our not speaking to anyone?” Ava asked and placed her hand on top of both of Gabriel’s.

“They locked me up here. I’ve been here for almost four weeks.”

“They did what?!” Ava looked over to Zane.

“When Ryder wouldn’t help me, I came here to see if they were behind your disappearance. They locked me up and kept me from going after you. I would have come for you if they hadn’t,” Gabriel told her. He was pleading for her to understand he hadn’t abandoned her.

“I know, Gabriel. I knew you wouldn’t give up. Never doubted you. But if you had, you would probably have got hurt, or worse. I’m not saying you should forgive Ryder, or that he was right when he made you doubt yourself. You know I understand why it is a big deal. All I’m saying is that shutting him out won’t fix anything. Shouldn’t you at let find out if he just made a mistake and can change, or if this is a real issue?” she asked him.

“I guess so. But I really don’t like what he did,” Gabriel told her.

“I understand. And thank you for fighting for me, I am so happy you are my family,” she said and raised her arms to ask for a hug. Gabriel hugged her and she send him off to talk to Ryder. Zane stood up from his seat and moved towards the bed.

“Are you angry at me for ordering to place him under house arrest?” he asked.

“No, not really. I appreciate you kept him safe,” Ava said. Zane nodded and looked at her.

“Are you tired? Do you need to rest a little?”

“No, I’m okay,” she said. Truthfully, her side did hurt a little and she liked the idea of snuggling down in bed for a little nap. But she also had a feeling Zane needed something from her.

“Can we have a talk?” he asked.

“Of course,” she said, patting on the spot on the bed where Gabriel had sat.