"Hey," I said as I slid into the passenger's side of the Blueberry.
Gus gave me a faint smile. "Hey yourself." He looked behind him, then back at me. "Is Juliet coming?"
I sighed. "She needs time."
Gus just nodded and started the car.
QQQQQQQQQQQ
We'd just finished some amazing pancakes, and I was sitting in a booth in the corner, waiting for Gus to come back from the bathroom. My wrists still hurt from the plastic ties that Alison had used to trap us in the chairs. Gingerly, I reached for my left wrist, pulling at my sleeve. I hadn't said anything to anyone, but that wrist had been hurting since Jules had cut me loose hours before.
I pulled at the fabric of my sleeve, and became perplexed when it wouldn't pull back. I tugged again, harder this time - and yelped in pain. The patrons around me looked up, but I hardly noticed because I was too busy staring at my wrist. There was blood. Fresh blood. Because my sleeve had been stuck to a dried scab from last night. I'd cut myself when I'd tried the hardest to get loose, right when Yin was about to kill Gus. I had to get loose, to save him...
"Shawn! What the -"
I looked up and saw Gus staring at the blood that was dripping from my wrist and onto the table.
"Shawn, you're bleeding."
"I-I-" I stammered, looking up. Gus was okay. He was fine. Yin was dead.
"It-It's just a flesh wound," I whispered lamely.
"You should get that checked, Shawn," Gus said, concerned. "Why didn't you say anything last night?"
He knew. Of course. We'd both been tied up, together. It occured to me that I might be in shock. Maybe just a little.
I don't blame you, Shawn.
"Shawn? You okay?"
I swallowed.
"Gus," I said hoarsely. "He was gonna kill you."
I'm sorry I couldn't always cut loose the way you wanted me too.
"I couldn't get free. I tried..."
Gus pulled me gently up to my feet, ignoring the staring that was still going on from everyone around us. I didn't question this, just let him lead me back to the Blueberry. We got in and Gus drove me to the ER, and after waiting for hours, I got my wrists properly bandaged.
Finally, we both headed back to the Blueberry. Gus stuck the key in the ignition, but instead of turning on the car, he let his hand drop and turned to face me.
"I know your feeling guilty, Shawn."
I stared down at my newly bandaged wrists, not wanting to meet his eyes just then.
"I meant what I said."
I just want you to know that if I had a chance to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing.
"You did save my life, Shawn," Gus said, his voice suddenly thick with emotion. Then he laughed. "You did what you do best. You talked. You kept talking. You didn't let him get me."
I took a deep breath. And smirked.
"I don't talk that much, c'mon son," I said, blinking back unshed tears and laughing when Gus glared at me.
"Um, yes you do, Shawn. A little too much," Gus said with feign disgust.
"Do not," I retorted.
"Do too!"
I was still laughing as we pulled away.