Page 25 of Deep Connection

He kissed me suddenly and I think both of us forgot the food that was now getting cold on plates right in front of us. I had been starving for him before, but now it was to the level that I was going to lose my mind. What was it about Jason that worked me up so well? It made no sense, but there didn’t seem to be anything that I could do about it.

We were halfway to where we needed to be and then the next thing I knew, there was a loud crash to the side of us from the window. It happened so fast that I screamed, but I didn’t even know what I was screaming about. I didn’t know what was going on, but that scream would be the least of my worries. I looked to Jason to see how he was reacting to maybe gauge what I was supposed to do. He seemed to know that it wasn’t someone good. He told me to hide, and I didn’t want to hear that. I started to say something, and he practically threw me over the back of the couch. I didn’t know what he was thinking, but I tried to convince him that he didn’t have to do all of this. He didn’t want to hear it though.

The next thing I knew, there was a man going to Jason and attacking him. I met his gaze, and it was a dark one. Jason was right, I had to get out of there as quickly as I could. I could get help. My phone was in my pocket, and I started toward the front door on my knees, when I heard him asking Jason between punches where I was, “the bitch”. I had literally never been so scared in all of my life. I abandoned Jason and it felt like shit, even if that was what he told me to do. I could hear the blows landing on him as I raced out to save myself. I felt horrible about it, just horrible, but I’d never run so fast in all of my life.

When I got outside, my phone was almost dead, but I made the emergency call and hid in the woods a block away from Jason’s house. I didn’t know what was going to happen next, but I prayed that someone would get here soon. Jason was in danger, and I didn’t know what to do. About the time I got the courage to go forth, the assailant was coming out of the house and not long after that, the police were there. It wasn’t until I saw them taser the man and put him into handcuffs, that I came out from my hiding spot. I rushed in to see that Jason was out of it. He had been beaten badly and I swore that it was all my fault. I didn’t know what happened or who that guy was, but I knew that Jason had saved me. I shuddered to think about what would have happened if he wouldn’t have been there for me. It could have been really bad and there was no way to get around that. I wasn’t even going to try.

I held him until the ambulance got there and he was put into the back. I had to give my statement later, but I was able to ride with Jason to the hospital. He was my hero, and I wouldn’t have let them tell me no anyway.

Nothing made sense. I was at the hospital and Jason was in the bed. Doctors and nurses came in and out and there was no word to me about what was going on. I wanted some answers, but I wasn’t his wife or family, so no one would tell me anything. That was a shame too, because all I wanted to do was help. I knew that I wasn’t really his family, but we’d just told each other that we loved each other. I felt closer to Jason then I did any other man. I probably wasn’t supposed to be there, but I wasn’t going anywhere, and I suppose that it was seen on my face. As much as I wanted things to go another way, I knew that it wasn’t going to make anything better. I tried my best to focus on something else than the machines beeping and the grave looks of the doctors.

Finally, I had to take a break. I was told politely that I needed to go for a moment, they had some more tests to do. I wanted to argue with them, refuse to leave, but I knew that it wasn’t going to do me any good. I needed to know what was going on, but I wasn’t going to find out this way. I touched Jason’s hand softly and hoped that soon he would wake up and everyone would leave us alone to talk. I had so much to say, mainly that I was sorry that this had happened, and I hadn’t done anything to stop it. I worried that he hated me, what I hadn’t done. I had let things happen to him, and I swore that I was never going to forgive myself. I didn’t know how I was supposed to do that.

I wasn’t gone long. I grabbed some coffee and a few eggs to have some breakfast. I was sick of the food; we’d been here for a couple of days now and the food was never as good as it looked. It was a shame that they couldn’t do a better job. I wanted to say something when I got back, give them a piece of my mind, but it was chaos when I got back in the room.

A new doctor had shown up and he wanted to move Jason. I wanted to know who he was and why he would want to move him in the state he was in. Wasn’t it dangerous? Was he the doctor that Jason had refused to work with? What had he wanted him to do again? I was searching my memory to figure out what to do next and then I was kicked out of the room. I was “causing a scene” but really, I just wanted answers. Nothing made sense and no one was telling me anything. I’d never been so frustrated in all of my life. It was like I was failing Jason again. I kept doing that, too much.

I listened outside of the door, trying to get information. I wanted to see where they were going to take him, but I didn’t know exactly. I heard a couple of names of streets and addresses to another place. I hoped that one of those places was right. I wrote down what I could and when the door opened to his room, the doctor with beady eyes and a smirk told the nurse to get security. “Get this woman out of here. She doesn’t belong here.”

He acted like he hated me, like he had a reason to, and I had no idea why. I’d never met the guy before, but I wasn’t going to let someone put their hands on me. “I’m leaving,” I said it just as hatefully as he had me. I didn’t know what this guy’s problem was, but I wasn’t going to let him get to me. I had all the information I could muster, and it was going to have to be enough.

I left the hospital with the worst feeling. Something was happening and now I wished that I had listened better and asked more questions. He hadn’t wanted to talk about it, and I hadn’t wanted to push. Now, I wished desperately that I had asked. It was silly of me to pretend like I couldn’t have ended it all with a question.

Later, maybe half an hour or so, I saw the ambulance leave that I thought Jason was in. I’d waited all that time because I didn’t expect anyone to tell me what I wanted to hear. I was going to follow it instead and find out for myself. As the ambulance took off, I stayed behind it a little ways. I was going to find out one way or another what was happening to Jason. I wasn’t going to let them take him without trying to get him back. I had already left him once. I couldn’t do it again.

21

Jason

Iwoke up in the hospital and I had this bad feeling when I realized that it wasn’t the sort of hospital that I should have been in. It felt old and dank, pipes leaking sort of feel. It wasn’t a building that was used much, certainly not for a hospital. I knew that it was Dr. Griffin that had brought me here, before I realized what was going on. I thought of Abigail, but nothing was going to make me see it otherwise.

Feeling around, I was afraid to call to Abigail because then someone else would come. I was able to sit up, but I was attached to a machine that I knew would rat me out if given the chance. I had the worst feeling in the world going on. I was prepped for surgery by the state of what I was wearing. I couldn’t see the paper gown, but I knew it to be one for surgery. I had had several before and it was hard to focus on what that meant. Why was I going into surgery? For what? I had many bandages and pain coming from multiple places on my body. I didn’t know what was wrong with me, but I remembered the beating and Abigail getting away. Did she stay gone like I’d asked her to? Was she okay? The words ran through my head, questions that I didn’t have an answer to. I wanted it to be different, better, but there was a part of me that didn’t know how to deal with it.

“Ah, you’re finally up. I was wondering when you were going to get around to coming back to us. You had a hell of a beatdown, Jason. You keep pissing people off.” He chuckled and it made my blood run cold.

“I could have sworn that I made it clear I wasn’t interested in working with you, Dr. Griffin. You want to go too far, and I declined. Do you remember?”

The older, balding man agreed that he had heard and remembered what was said. He looked upset about it all, though there was nothing more that could be done about it. “I did, but you were pronounced dead at the hospital. You were in quite a state. We brought you back to life and while you were here, I suspect that we wanted to help you further and fix your eyes. When you wake up, you will be grateful. Won’t that be enough?”

I disagreed and told him again that I didn’t want someone else’s eyes.

“Too late, Jason. They are already on their way and the medicine has just hit your veins. You won’t have much longer to fight about it. I bet you have already lost the strength to fight me. The power of it happens really fast.”

I tried to test his theory. I needed to get the hell out of there, but I couldn’t even move my arm or anything. It was like I had no say in what my body was doing anymore. I was helpless, a feeling that made me sick to my stomach to feel. That sickening feeling was back, overwhelming me.

“Don’t worry, Jason. We are going to make history together. Don’t you see?” He chuckled at his own joke. “Well, you don’t see now, but you will, I promise.”

I didn’t have anything to say even if I could have talked. I wanted to ask about Abigail, wondered what had happened to her if I was pronounced dead already. I had no answer and that killed me. I needed answers, but all I got was forced darkness with no light in sight.

I came to with the doctor tsking me with concern. Something was wrong and I was afraid to ask him what it was that had happened. It wasn’t something that I was going to want to hear. I could just feel the softness that was coming over me. I had a lot more to say and the quicker I got it out, the better.

“You have to talk to Abigail. She is on the phone and isn’t going to leave this place until you tell her to go. I don’t care what you say, as long as it has nothing to do with me or my people. Get her to leave or I will, though I promise that it won’t be done nicely. I don’t have time for this, Jason. We are on a schedule, and the organs are only good for a little while.”

I swallowed hard, my mouth dry, and got some water. Then I agreed, because he made it clear that he would do what he “had” to Abigail to keep his secret. The idea of that scared me. I mean, it really scared me. “Give me the phone. I will say what needs to be said.” I didn’t have another choice, but damn if I wanted to do it.

When the phone was handed to me, it was ringing, and Abigail picked it up. She was relieved to hear from me, but not for long. The relief was quickly picked up and turned into something else. I wished that I could have done something different, but I had to break the link. Something bad was going to happen if I didn’t.

“Abigail, the doctor says that you won’t leave, and you are keeping me from getting the help I need. You need to go. I don’t want you here and you are messing it all up.”

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