Missing Part: When Broken Is Easily Fixed
A.N. The last chapter was so big as it is that I didn't include this, but you might find pieces of it in the sequel. I'm sure you'll recognize the beginning because I wanted to show where its place is in the original story.
If she had traced him to the room, and he knew she had been looking for him since she had no reason to be seeing Cody herself. That meant the nurses were probably looking for him. He'd have to remember to ask one for a sling. No longer did he intend to play the good patient, forced to remain in bed over a little fever.
"Well if it isn't the vigilante cop," came the taunting voice of Cameron Bosa.
"What the hell are you talking about? For that matter what the hell are you doing here? How did you find us?" Sam retorted, still too tired to play games.
"I am a cop Genet. I'm privy to acts of violent destruction even if this hadn't landed on my doorstep this morning. Private investigator takes down church in order to save hostage from God of War."
"Cut the bullshit," Sam retorted, scrubbing his hands along his face, just barely managing to suppress a grunt of pain at having jarred his wound, and irked by the coarse stubble that grated along his fingers.
"If only it was."
At the sound of a paper snapping open he turned only to be faced with a front-page article of their encounter of the previous night.
Ah damn it.
"Let's get a coffee huh?" Bosa questioned with a meaningful look towards the bed.
Cody couldn't even bring himself to react over waking up in a bed. Before wakefulness had even fully consumed him, he was already being accosted with images of Soren and the burning church. He didn't know what had happened to the God of War, but at the moment he wasn't worried.
He tried to shift, his stiff limbs begging to be stretched out, but even the smallest of movements sent a tidal wave of pain coursing through his chest before spreading out to his extremities. Very carefully he slid his fingers along the bedcovers searching. He had been sure that Sam had been with him, but all his fingers managed to make contact with was a warm dent in the space beside him. Heavy disappointment filled his chest at the thought that he might have simply dreamt it.
Of course Sam hadn't come to see him. After all, he was injured himself. Sam was probably really angry at him for what he did. He'd yell at him for having gone off alone like that and letting himself get captured because of his own stupidity. Cody had put all of them at risk by making them come after him and face Soren. The heaviness on his chest intensified and tears pricked his eyes when he thought of how selfish he'd been. Sam wouldn't want him staying with him for sure now. Sam would kick him out and then what would be left of him?
Still wrapped in misery, he forced his eyes open, the lids feeling heavy as lead. That's when he realized one of his eyes was bandaged shut. The dressing itched and the skin beneath felt hot, but he was too tired and his limbs too heavy to bother trying to lift them and do anything about his discomfort. Besides, he was sure he wasn't supposed to touch it and he was afraid that if he did he would just incite more pain on himself. He supposed it was divine punishment that he found himself in such misery to begin with. Maybe he had done something truly terrible in a past life.
Lost in thought, Cody didn't hear someone enter the room and it wasn't until a throat cleared rather loudly that he made the effort to try and turn his head. As he did so his half un-obscured gaze caught sight of the nightstand and noticed that the small desk lamp was on. Sam was the only one that knew about his fear, so maybe he had been there after all. A grin pulled at Cody's lips, or as best it could considering the condition of the lower part of his face.
"Sam…" he tried to question, but the words came out sounding so strange and unfamiliar that it scared him.
All sense of happiness fled in an instant, however, when he finally managed to wiggle himself up against the pillows and noticed that it wasn't Sam at all. The man that stood before him could scarcely be described as anything but a gorilla and his narrow gaze focused in on Cody with such intensity that he found he couldn't even look the stranger in the eyes. There was no mistaking who he was either. The beige uniform was accented by a low slinging gun holster and walkie-talkie, pointing to the fact that he was a police officer while the badge he wore clarified that he was, more specifically, the sheriff.
"So you're the Soren boy huh?" the sheriff asked with a decidedly evil looking leer.
Cody did not – now or ever – want to be associated with his menacor in such a friendly manner. He wanted to make his feelings known, but was afraid to talk again and so settled on trying to prop himself into more of a sitting position. Lying as he was made him feel weak and vulnerable, an especially threatening thing with the vulture-like man now looming above him.
Sam, please come back soon.
"So…let's cut the bullshit. We both know little urchins like you aren't innocent so why don't you just tell me what your relationship is with the God of War and what you were really doing at that church."
Cody's eyes widened, the bruised skin beneath the bandages pulling taunt in surprise. He didn't like what the sheriff was implying and his heart rate instantly jumped at the entailment of his guilt. How had an alliance with the enemy even become a possibility?
When silence was met in the wake of his command the sheriff continued, "Not talking won't matter if you're taken in for questioning, but for now why don't I just tell you how I see things."
Cody could feel himself shake now, but still he couldn't find any words to protest. His eyes darted to the door, but the hall beyond was empty and if his voice sounded so distorted just from talking he was afraid what screaming would produce.
"The way I figure, a little slut like you living out on the streets, you probably found a quick way to make a buck. Just spread your pretty little legs and you get the protection of one the most powerful men around huh? What's the matter?" he suddenly asked, almost cruelly. "Did he have a penchant for sadism and you thought you were above that?"
Just the thought made Cody nauseous. He could feel tears burning to the surface again, but struggled to hold them back. He knew the sheriff was waiting for just such a reaction and he'd sooner die than allow a bastard like him witness his utter breakdown.
The sheriff thoughtfully drummed his fingers against the nightstand before continuing, "Did he make a deal with you kid? Maybe your freedom for…say the detective?"
"No!" Cody stated firmly, not even considering his voice at this point.
His muscles felt tight enough to snap and sweat ran in cold rivers all along his skin. He was feeling more trapped by the second, but just then the door opened. He looked up hopefully, but it was just a couple of nurses. They hovered uncertainly in the doorway and Cody knew right away they'd be no help.
Sam.
"Sheriff please don't upset the boy, he's gone through a great ordeal and he needs rest," one of the women spoke up, but the burly police officer ignored her completely.
"Quit fucking around! We both know you don't have anything of value and I don't care how good a lay you are, there's no way the God of War would put himself in danger for the likes of you. Now you want to tell me what this Genet guy's got that has a leading weapons smuggler so interested?"
"What do you mean by all this? Sheriff you need to leave now! You're upsetting the patient and he's just come out of surgery. I'm going to get the doctor," the other nurse broke in, but the sheriff looked unfazed by the threat.
"You just had to play around with him a little huh? Wrap him around your little finger and lead him to the church for Soren to deal with. Was that your part?"
Another figure pushed into the room then and to his relief and despair Cody noted that it was Sam. The detective had such a look of rage in his eyes that it made him cringe. Had Sam heard what the sheriff said? He couldn't possibly think it was the truth though…could he?
Cody couldn't bare the thought of Sam thinking he had betrayed him like that and so he tried desperately to reassure, "I didn't, Sam, I didn't."
It was with the greatest sense of relief he could ever remember feeling that Sam came to him and placed a calming hand on his head. The touch was warm and full of strength, but in no way meant to hurt or punish. It was all the reassurance he needed and it was like the huge pressing weight on his chest was being lifted.
The sheriff crossed his massive arms over his chest and demanded, "You the detective?"
"I am, now what the hell do you think you're doing?" Sam shot back.
A.N. And the rest continues in the original story line from Sam's point of view.
