“Thanks,” I mumble, taking off down the hall as Cade and Rae finally make it into the building.
I don’t stop to wait for them to get their own badges.
I’m so preoccupied by my thoughts that I run right past the elevators and have to go back. I press the button impatiently, willing the elevators to go faster.
Finally, the doors slide open and I step inside. I press the 4 button and the doors slide closed.
When the elevator stops on the second floor to get people, I nearly lose my mind. I’m wasting precious seconds getting to Thea, and that’s not okay with me. I have no idea what’s going on and it’s coming up on two hours since I’ve seen her. Anything could’ve happened.
Thankfully, we don’t stop again until we reach the fourth floor and we all get out. I turn to my right, scanning the room number directions that hang from the ceiling. I follow them until I find the right room and then I burst inside.
Thea lies in the hospital bed, hooked up to several monitors, and from her eyes I can tell she’s been crying. I rush to her side and take her hand, bending to kiss her forehead, each of her cheeks, and finally her lips.
“Are you okay?” I ask, brushing her hair off her forehead so I can see her better.
“They made me wear the stupid gown.” She pouts.
Despite my worry, I laugh. “That’s the first thing you have to say?”
“It’s really ugly,” she reasons. “And itchy.”
I chuckle. “I don’t care about the gown, I care about you, what did the doctor say? Have you seen one yet? Do I need to get one?” I ramble.
She presses her hand over my mouth, shutting me up.
“They’ve looked me over thoroughly, I promise.” She forces a smile. “I have a minor concussion from the fall, and they said he fractured a bone in my cheek when he slapped me. Didn’t even know that was possible,” she mutters the last part.
Anger simmers beneath my skin. “How do they fix a bone in your face?”
“They don’t,” she sighs. “It has to heal on its own. They said they’d give me pain medicine and something for the swelling.” She shrugs and her hand flexes around mine.
“I should’ve been there,” I whisper.
“You were there,” she counters.
I shake my head. “Too late to protect you, though.”
“You’re not Superman, despite what you seem to think, and from where I’m sitting, I’m okay. Beaten and bruised, sure, but I’m alive and that’s what matters. You risked your life by coming into the house. You didn’t know what was happening and you could’ve been hurt too.” She moves her hand up my chest, brushing her fingers over my cheek. “You’re still my hero, though. You always have been, and you always will be.”
I close my eyes and grab her fingers that linger by my cheek and bring them to my lips, kissing each of her fingers.
“All of this is so crazy,” I tell her. “I feel like none of it would have happened if we hadn’t gotten married. You wouldn’t be lying right here, right now, hurt.”
She shakes her head. “That might be true, but I don’t regret it.”
“You don’t?”
“No.” She smiles. “Sure, things didn’t go perfectly, but life never is perfect. Don’t get me wrong, I was completely against this whole marriage thing, but not anymore. Having you as my husband isn’t so bad. In fact, it’s pretty great. You bring me McFlurrys. What’s not to love?”
I laugh heartily. “McFlurrys, huh? That’s all you love me for?”
“I love you for a million reasons, that’s just one.”
I grin. “Does this mean you’ll marry me for real? In front of all our friends and family?”
She smiles back, her eyes shining with happiness and not tears this time. “Yeah, I’m game for that.”
I don’t know what the future holds for us, and knowing us, the road is bound to be rocky, but with my partner in crime by my side, something tells me it’s going to be the best time of my life.