I would very much like to thank you guys for the reviews on the last chapter, and let you know that while writing this chapter, I got an idea and one more chapter will be uploaded within the next couple of weeks.
I hope you will like it, and please, let me know what you think :)
I woke up when there was a soft knock on one of the doors, but I ignored it and tried to fall asleep again.
"Ian," I heard my brother's voice from the other side of the door and I groaned. "You awake?"
"Go away," I mumbled, loud enough for him to hear, but low enough not to wake Wanda.
I didn't have to open my eyes to know that she probably had a small smile on her lips. She usually had that when she slept.
I had sprawled, like I always did, and I was now on my back. Wanda had her small head on my chest, our arms wrapped around each other. Both of her legs were tangled with one of mine, and I could feel hear even breaths as she slept. None of us were light sleepers, and I knew that Kyle's knocks only woke me up because I was on my way toward consciousness anyway.
The inside of my eyelids had a warm, red color so I knew it was bright in the room. We had probably overslept, but I didn't care.
"I'm coming in," he warned and as I heard him move the door I forced my eyes open to make sure that both Wanda and I were covered underneath the blanket. She was so much smaller than me, and she was fully covered if you didn't count her shoulders and legs, but I wasn't. The blanket covered enough of me to not show any private parts, but that was pretty much it. And I didn't care. As long as Wanda was covered.
Besides, my brother wouldn't see enough to know that both of us were completely naked underneath.
"Can't you just let me sleep for five more minutes?" I wondered, breathing Wanda in, ignoring my brother as best as I could.
"Can you open your damn eyes and look at me?" he demanded, and I did as I was told. There was something in his voice, and when I looked at him I saw it on his face as well. Worry.
What the hell was going on?
"What's going on?" I fought the urge to sit up, knowing it would unveil Wanda.
"Get dressed, and I'll explain everything," he rushed me, not noticing all of our clothes on the floor. At least not looking enough to see. What the hell was going on? I knew my brother, and he should have made some kind of remark already.
Something was terribly wrong.
"You go out, I'll get dressed, you'll explain everything while we move."
"Oh come on, it's not like you're naked under there. Just get dressed."
I looked at him, and he looked back. Waiting. I didn't say anything, waiting for him to understand. Waiting for him to get the hell out of my room.
Seeing that I was serious, he looked around the room and I could literally hear the click as he understood.
"Oh, oh," he breathed, looking from me to the clothes, to me, to Wanda and then to me again. I saw the ghost of a smirk, and knew that he would never let me live it down as soon as whatever was going on was over. "You have thirty seconds."
He turned around, closed the door behind him, and I tried to wiggle myself out of Wanda's embrace without waking her. As quietly and quickly as I could, I hid the used condom in the box, throwing it toward the laundry pile. That way I would remember to throw it out. I found clothes quickly, not really owning anything other than two pair of boxers, one pair of jeans, a pair of shorts and some shirts. Pulling the clean clothes on, I grabbed my t-shirt from yesterday and threw it over my head as I lifted the door off, and met my brother.
"You lucky bastard," he laughed, trying to nudge me but I leaned away. "Was it good?"
"Kyle," I glared at him. "What the hell is going on?"
The smirk left his lips as we started to walk, and Jared came out of his room as we walked past it.
"Are we ready to go?" he asked,and Kyle nodded.
"Ready to go where?" I demanded, and Jared looked at me.
"You haven't told him?"
"I was going to, but it's not like he was fully dressed in there," Kyle explained and I hit him in the back of his head. Could someone just explain to me what the hell was going on, without mentioning my sex life?
"Looks like I didn't have to tell him," Jared laughed my way and I glared at him as well.
"Yes, I had sex. Now forget it, and tell me what's going on," I was frustrated. I had never been a morning person when someone woke me up, and that someone being my brother only made it worse.
Kyle and Jared shared a glance, before Kyle started to talk.
"Andy saw something about an hour ago, and I went up there to check it out. It's the Seeker, the one in black. We're going out there to kill it, and we need as many as we can."
Shit. We all thought the Seeker had given up. We hadn't seen anything in months, and frankly, a few thought that she had died in the heat of the desert while looking for Wanda. Apparently not.
I nodded, listening to Jared as he continued. He had a plan, of course he had. Kyle grabbed the rifle from Jeb when we reached the exit of the caves. There was ten of us, including Mel and Jamie. I figured that Mel was only there to make sure Jamie wouldn't go, because he clearly wanted to. She held him back as Jared pressed a kiss against Mel's forehead and she whispered something that he answered with a nod. Wes handed me a crowbar, and I shook my head in amusement as I took it from him. We all knew the only thing that would work was that rifle.
I wasn't comfortable with killing a living thing, but at the same time I knew it was necessary. Wanda was still terrified of that Seeker, even in her new body. Made her feel even more insecure. Mel was stronger, more willing to hurt, and even though I knew Wanda hated violence, she probably would have felt safer in Mel's body on a day like this. Which is why I didn't want her to know about this.
She would eventually find out about it, but hopefully by the time the Seeker was dead. Then I looked at Jeb, realizing that we wouldn't kill her. No, we would take her to Doc, and he would remove her. After Wanda showing how to take a Soul out without killing it, or the body it was in, and Mel waking up successfully, it gave us hope. There might be some life inside that body that wanted out.
"Let's do this," Brandt took a better hold of his crowbar, as Jared took the machete. He nodded toward us, and that was it. Our cue.
I made sure I walked after both Jared and Kyle the entire way, knowing Kyle would find some kind of way to bring last night up, and somehow manage to make me want to forget the whole thing.
That's my brother in a nutshell.
I walked with Wes and Andy, and Brandt along with Aaron walked right after us. Jeb was in the runner up with Kyle and Jared, and so was Geoffrey.
We had to walk for about an hour before we reached her, and the way she was dressed, it was strange that she hadn't passed out from the heat. Even this early, I was already sweating. We all were.
"Humans," she spit, and I felt my grip around the crowbar grow stronger. Kyle had already made sure that the rifle were loaded and ready to use, and I didn't like it. No matter how much I hated the Soul inside the body in front of us, I didn't want Kyle to take a life any more than he wanted me to take one. It would probably have been better if Jeb had the rifle, but Kyle had insisted. Over the months we had spent in the game room, the months I had spent with Wanda, Kyle saw her somewhat as a friend. Someone good enough for me. Besides, Wanda belonged with us, and any threat of her was a threat to all of us. And I knew Kyle couldn't have that. As everyone else stopped, I kept walking until I reached my brother's side, hoping I could somehow prevent him from doing something stupid.
"I know she's with you, you know. Wanderer. Or should I say – ugh, what's that filthy human name again? Melinda?" Jared took a step forward, but I stopped him. I didn't want him to do something stupid either. "See, proof right there. You're probably that man she kept dreaming about – then where's the kid?"
I tried not to listen to a single word coming out of its mouth, and from the way Jared clenched his jaw, he did the same thing. He knew he couldn't let it get to him. Not like this.
Everything happened very fast then.
Apparently Kyle had had enough, and fired the rifle. He shot at the ground next to the Seeker, and she barely even jumped at the sound. She grabbed her Glock, and aimed. I heard a deafening sound, and then screaming. I didn't have the time to see who she hit before she talked.
"This time I'll shoot to kill," she said slowly, her voice full of hatred. And she wasn't just aiming anymore. The gun was pointing directly at someone. At that someone was my brother.
No matter how much I hated the man from time to time, he had done too much for me, and I couldn't live without him. He had saved my life countless of times, I figured it was time to save his.
I had already pushed him out of the way and taken his place when the Seeker fired the gun, and time passed in slow motion. I could see the bullet come toward me, and how it somehow changed its path. I knew it would hit me in my stomach, and I knew it would hurt. I had the time to think, why is it moving so slowly? But at the very same time, I knew that it wasn't. I knew that no matter how hard I tried, I would never get out of its way in time.
As the bullet hit me, I heard another shot ring through the desert, and I wondered why I couldn't feel the pain. I was falling, that much I knew for sure, but everything else was a blur. It wasn't until I was sure that I had hit the ground that the pain came, and it was worse than anything else I had ever felt.
I heard the voices around me, but I could only really make out Kyle's.
"Are you fucking out of your mind!"
"No one's allowed to kill you but me," I tried to laugh, but it hurt too much and I settled with a forced smile as I tried to ignore the pain.
"And you're not allowed to take a bullet for me," he argued, and I felt several pair of arms lifting me up. I heard someone say 'it's bad' but I couldn't make out who it was. Another voice said we had to hurry.
Every time my eyes fluttered close, Jared reminded me to stay awake and I pushed them open again. I was so tired though. So cold. And I knew it was wrong, because the desert was hot. And I had slept. But all I wanted to do was to close my eyes, just for a second.
"O'Shea, don't you dare fall asleep on us," I heard Jared's warning voice and I pushed my eyes open again.
"Hey, Kyle?" I asked, thinking of ways to lighten up the mood. "Remember when you dislocated your shoulder, and cried for like an hour?"
"Yeah," he laughed, but it sounded wrong. "I made you a bet, telling you nothing could be worse than that pain."
"You owe me 20 bucks," I tried to laugh again, but it ended with a cough. I could feel the taste of blood in my mouth.
"Oh come on, it's just a flesh wound. It's not that bad," he tried to joke, and I wanted to go with the flow. But I could feel that it was a lot more than that.
"No, Kyle. It's... "
I could feel it inside me, or at least that's what it felt like. The bullet was still somewhere inside me, and every time I moved, even a little bit, it felt like it was killing me from the inside out.
I realized then that I probably wouldn't get through this. It's why Jared was so opposed to me falling asleep, why Kyle sounded so worried. That damn bullet would kill me.
"Tell her I love her, okay?" I struggled with getting the words out, finding it hard to find my voice. "And that I'm sorry."
"No goodbyes," Kyle shook his head, "We're almost there. Doc's gonna fix this. You tell her yourself."
I turned to Jared then, since Kyle choose to not listen to me.
I knew I could trust him. He loved Wanda too, as a close friend. He would make sure that she wouldn't do anything stupid.
"Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid," I said, noticing how my voice sounded a lot like a whisper. I didn't want it to be, I wanted it to be strong. Loud.
"Whatever could Wanda do that would be stupid?" he joked, trying to keep the situation as light as it could be. Trying to make me focus on something other then the pain. It worked.
"She almost died for Mel," I whispered, remembering I had to thank him for that. "Thanks."
"She won't do anything stupid," he promised, and I saw him grin. "Besides, you can't do die on a girl the day after you sleep with her. She'd think you'd hate her."
I was about to reply to him, but I heard other voices then. Screaming. Yelling, from a distance. I realized then that we were back, and already inside the caves. How could I have missed that?
"We heard shooting, what the hell happened?" It was Wanda's voice. But then I realized she wouldn't have that tone. It was... It was Mel. Yeah, it was Melanie. It had to be.
"Ian?" the voice asked then, terrified. Before I had the time to even think about saying something, I heard Jared's voice.
"Find Wanda. Distract her until all of this is over. Jamie, too."
"It's too late," Kyle said under his breath, and then I could hear her voice. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make out her words. I wanted to hear what she said.
"Ian... Kyle... Seeker," was all I could make out from the voices around me, and then I saw that face. Those silver eyes. They were boring right into mine, tears falling down her cheeks.
I felt like it was safe to fall asleep then, just for a second. Wanda had seen me, she knew I was okay. But I felt a slap across my face. Probably from Mel.
Not allowed to sleep, right.
"'S okay," I tried to reassure Wanda. "Just a flesh wound. Gonna be alright."
I knew everyone heard the lie in my voice, but my Wanderer nodded, trying desperately to believe me. I was about to open my mouth and talk again when Wanda pressed her fingers against my lips.
"Save it," she murmured, and I nodded. Kyle knew what I wanted to say to her, and he would say it if something happened. But I had to talk to Mel.
"Mel?" I asked, and I felt someone grab my hand.
"Right here."
All of the words didn't find their way out of my mouth, but it seemed like she understood.
"Watch her, might do s'thing stupid."
Jared laughed, and Mel chuckled but Wanda was dead serious. She didn't think it was funny at all.
"Hey, c'mere," I whispered and she knew what I wanted. I could feel myself slipping away, but I needed to feel her soft lips against mine one more time. One last time.
Her hand stroked my hair as she leaned down, her lips pressed against mine. I wanted to kiss her back, but I couldn't find it in me to do that. I also wanted to tell her I loved her, but her lips didn't have the chance to leave mine before the darkness around me pulled me under.
I heard voices before anything else came to me. I was lying down on something uncomfortable, probably one of Doc's cots, and I felt no pain despite the fact that I knew I had been shot. I moved my right hand, expecting pain, but felt nothing. I felt fabric under my fingers, but there was some kind of pressure underneath it. All around my torso. Feeling through my shirt, I realized that Doc had probably wound something around me. To keep a steady pressure.
Fluttering my eyes open, I noticed that it was light in the room, so I couldn't have been out for long. Long enough for Doc to give me some No Pain and Heal, definitely, but I doubted that it was any longer. Not more than a few hours, from the amount of light in the room. I guessed for around mid-day.
I turned my head toward the voices and saw my brother sitting on a cot not far from me. Sunny was sitting beside him, and he was talking to Doc about something. Sunny's eyes wandered across the room, and her eyes widened when she saw me. She started to tuck at Kyle's shirt.
"He's awake," she whispered when he tried to ignore her, obviously talking about something important. Kyle's head flew in my direction, looking like he didn't believe her at first. Like he didn't believe what he saw. Then he moved and he was beside me in a matter of seconds.
"Worry doesn't suit you," I said, noticing how weak my voice was. I sounded almost sick.
"That's all you can say after two days of being unconscious?"
What did he mean, two days?
"Can't have been more than two hours," I told him, and his eyes wandered from me to his right. I followed and saw Doc take a step ahead.
"Your brother is right, Ian. You've been out for two days; some people thought you wouldn't wake up."
"You're the Doc," I tried, when he looked just as worried as Kyle. He had to have been sure that I would have woken up eventually. Someone had to convince Wanda. Where was she by the way?
Doc let out a sigh, and started to explain.
"The bullet missed most vital organs, but there was no exit wound. So I had to cut you open, and take the bullet out on my own. Candy helped me clean and heal, and we've been giving you No Pain. We thought you would wake up on your own, but when you didn't we gave you some Awake. It didn't help. But you're awake now, and you should be fully recovered."
"So what, I was in a coma?" I asked, trying to sit up. I failed at the first attempt, the pain coming from nowhere. Doc noticed and quickly handed me the bottle of No Pain. As I took it, I almost expected Kyle to tell me not to be such a baby, but nothing came out of his mouth. He just stood there while Doc explained it to me.
He didn't want to call it a coma either, because I had been responding to some things. Actually, to Wanda only. My fingers would twitch when she held my hand, or my eyes would flutter as if I was having a bad dream.
Doc said he could only explain it like I'd been in a really deep sleep.
I could feel myself grow somewhat stronger as he talked, but I could feel that I still wasn't my usual self. I didn't have as much energy as I usually did.
But I needed to know where my girl was.
"Where's Wanda?"
"Mel eventually forced her up to the kitchen, she hasn't been eating or drinking or anything... That's what happens when you sleep with a girl, y'know. They begin to worry."
"Shut up, will you?" I felt like hitting my brother in the head, but I didn't want to risk feeling the pain again. I still hadn't swallowed the friggin' pill.
But I placed it on my tongue then and felt it melt. When I was sure that it had gone into my system, I reached my arm out and slapped him. It wasn't hard or anything, and it only caused him to laugh.
As I jumped off the cot, Doc shot me a warning glance.
"I'm not sure you should..."
"I'm gonna go see her, like it or not," I told him as I started to walk.
"You should listen to the doctor, bro," Kyle stated as he walked up to me, but instead of dragging me back, he made sure he supported me by taking a steady grip around my arm.
"You're so gay," I laughed as we walked out of the hospital, but he didn't laugh with me. He didn't even let go. I must had really freaked him out.
"I'm sorry, y'know," I told him honestly as we walked through the corridors.
"Yeah, yeah, you took a bullet for me. Don't act like I owe you something," he told me, trying to joke it away, but I saw through him and he let out a sigh when he knew he couldn't hide anything from me. I knew him too well. "I thought I lost you for a second, there. We all did."
"I couldn't let you die on me, Kyle. Sure, I hate you sometimes, but you're my brother. You're the only family I have."
"You have Wanda," he disagreed with me. "Speaking of which, about what you were doing the other night..."
"Kyle," I was about to argue but he ignored me and continued.
"I was thinking about that, with me and Sunny, y'know."
He was embarrassed to say it, and I stopped in my track. He seriously thought about having sex with Sunny? I knew they had gotten close over these months, but that close? And she was in Jodi's body for god's sake!
"Don't look at me like that, man. I know it's bad, but Jodi's not coming back to me. She's gone, no matter how much I wish she wasn't. And Sunny's nice, you know. I thought all souls were the same, but she and Wanda are so different. They have such different personalities. The only thing they actually have in common is the fact that they're aliens, kind, and unwilling to break laws. And looking away from all of that, looking away from the part that she's in Jodes' body, I think I kinda like her."
"I can't believe you've actually given up on Jodi," was all I managed to say.
"I have to stop hoping. We both know she's not coming back."
"I've known that for a long time, Kyle. But I never thought you'd actually let her go."
"I have to," he mumbled again and I could see how much pain he was in. He loved Jodi, and he always would. Especially with her body here in the caves. But he was right, and he had to move on. He had to stop hoping. Otherwise it would kill him some day. Drive him crazy.
"We never had this conversation, okay?" he asked as we rounded a corner, and came out into the main plaza. The people around us hadn't noticed us just yet, but they did before I had the chance to answer him. He let go of my arm the same second people saw me.
"Only if you give me those 20 bucks," I joked and he laughed with me as people around us started to greet us with welcoming smiles and hugs. I smiled back, but all I wanted was to get out of there and find Wanda. As we managed to get through the crowd, Jamie saw me and grinned.
"Where's Wanda?" I asked after smiling back, telling him I was really okay. He told me I could find her in the kitchen with Mel and Jared. Kyle followed me, still checking up on me, but he stopped outside the entrance.
"I've got something better than those 20 bucks," he told me and reached into his back pocket. Tossing me a box of condoms, he laughed as he turned around and walked away.
"Asshole," I laughed under my breath, not really caring to be annoyed because I knew I would actually use them. Placing the box in my pocket, I walked into the kitchen and saw Wanda and Mel with their backs against me. Jared faced them, and I listened as they tried to get Wanda to eat.
It was bad.
"Wanda, you have to eat something," Mel tried, her voice almost desperate. She didn't answer, and when Jared lifted his gaze he saw me standing in the doorway. He was about to say something when I shook my head and placed my finger to my lips. I made a motion for him and Mel to leave, and he stood up.
"Mel, can I talk to you?" he asked, and she stood up. As soon as she turned around, he made a quick move and held his hand over her mouth. She got the picture, but she reached up and gave me a hug before they walked out of the kitchen. Jared gave me a nod and a small smile, and I returned it.
A short moment after they both had left, Wanda moved in her seat and got up. I could see that she stared at the bowl in front of her, but she decided not to eat. When she turned around she didn't notice me at first since she kept her eyes on the ground, but I could see them clearly enough to know that she had been crying. And not just a little bit.
"You have to stop worrying so much, Wanda," I murmured and her eyes went from the ground to me within half a second of her hearing my voice. Her arms were tightly crossed over her chest, but when she saw me her arms fell to her sides as she threw herself at me. Once her arms were around my waist, her tiny body collapsed in sobs against mine. My arms snaked around her shoulders, holding her up, holding her close to me as I let my head lean down towards hers. I pressed a soft kiss on the top of her head, letting my lips linger there as she cried into my shirt.
Eventually she calmed down, but she didn't move. And neither did I.
"I woke up from the shooting, and then I couldn't find you. Mel promised everything was fine, just fine, but I could feel that it wasn't. And then they... Wes was hit in the shoulder, promised everything was fine. But his face Ian. And that's when I heard your voices. Everyone's but yours, and I just knew. And you were..." she cried against my chest, and my hand started to stroke her back. I didn't know how to comfort her. I had no idea. I didn't know what to say, so I just listened.
"Doc wasn't sure if you would wake up, but I refused to believe that you wouldn't. Mel forced me up here, I didn't want to go. Jared threatened to carry me, so eventually I just went."
"You need to eat," I murmured, but she continued as if she hadn't heard me.
"I wanted to be there when you woke up. I wasn't."
"You're here now," I told her as I leaned out from our embrace to look at her. She had the shadow of a smile on her lips, and as I grabbed her hand she gladly took it. "And you really do need to eat."
I lead her to the table, where I sat down and as she was about to do the same I pulled her closer to me and she ended up in my lap. Wrapping my arms around her to keep her there, she relaxed against me and let out a sigh before she took a piece of bread and placed it in her mouth.
When she had eaten at least a little bit, I asked her if anyone had told her what had happened out there. Jared had eventually told her, but not in detail. I couldn't remember much besides the pain, but as she recalled what Jared had told her I remembered some more things. Like the conversations we had when they carried me back. I really did think I was gonna die.
"Did it hurt?" she whispered, hesitant.
"Yeah," I murmured, placing a kiss on her temple. "But Kyle and Jared tried to make me forget it."
I would have to thank them for that. For not letting me close my eyes. For making sure I didn't die.
"Jared even brought up how I couldn't have sex with a girl, and then die. You'd hate me."
"I could never hate you," she looked up at me, worry in her eyes. But I already knew that. I never doubted her love for me.
"I know," I reassured her as I pressed my lips against hers a few times.
"Kyle's been talking about that a lot, by the way," she whispered, a soft red color on her cheeks.
"He's probably told the whole place, hasn't he?" I laughed, shaking my head.
"No," she murmured. "He'd only mention it when we were in the Hospital, alone."
"You could have told him not to talk, and he probably wouldn't have."
I knew my brother, he would have continued. Made it worse. But somehow, Wanda didn't seem to care.
"He seemed to forget about you – I think it was his way of dealing, so I let him."
She was so kind, so selfless. And I knew deep in my heart that I didn't deserve her. I had hurt her over and over again. She was too good to me.
"I'm sorry. For everything," I whispered, but she shook her head. Told me I didn't have to be sorry about anything. Nothing was my fault. She told me she loved me, and I pressed my lips against hers again. Harder this time. Thanking her for everything.
"What's that smile about?" I mused when I leaned out, and she relaxed against me.
"I was just thinking about something."
"What's that something?" I wanted to know, and I felt her relax more and more. I wouldn't be surprised if she fell asleep right there and then. Kyle did tell me she hadn't been sleeping anything.
"That even though I hate that we took your planet, I'm really glad I'm here. That I choose Earth when I did. Otherwise I wouldn't have been placed in Mel, and she wouldn't have brought me here. Brought me to you. I would never have known what it's like to love someone – love you. I would have just lived on the way I did, not ever feeling anything. When I think back of those days now, the only way I can explain it is as if I was numb. But that sounds wrong too. I just wandered, around looking for something. And now I realize that I was looking for you. All along, it was you."
I remembered how Mel had told me about Wanda's love for me. How I was like her anchor, how I was what kept her here. I knew I could never love her the way she loved me, and I hated that. But at the same time I knew that we're from different species – they have their love of mating and we have ours. They become partners for life – and life can last forever – but us humans, we could go from a relationship to another, all our life. Never find someone we would actually live our whole lives with. But still, that's how I felt for Wanda. I knew that my love for her was as strong as human love came, if not stronger. And I knew that I would always love her, always keep falling in love with her. Because I did, everyday. And I loved it.
"Doc doesn't want you moving anymore," Kyle screamed at the top of his lungs from outside the kitchen, and before he had the chance to actually walk in, I whispered to Wanda that I loved her.
"I'm not moving, are I?" I asked as he took food from the counter and I heard several footsteps behind us.
Great, lunch.
I could forget being alone with Wanda. At least for an hour.
"You could have been," he stated as he flopped down opposite to us and started to eat. Mel, Jared and Jamie squeezed in at our table and Mel looked relieved.
"You got her to eat."
"Not much," I murmured, holding Wanda closer. She had managed to fall asleep, but I didn't want to move her. "Where's Sunny?"
"Hiding," Kyle answered me as he shoved the roll of bread into his mouth. He rolled his eyes at my confused looks, and explained while chewing. "Andy saw Nate and Burns out there, and they're bringing them in here now. And since Burns doesn't really know about Sunny, we figured she might as well hide for a while."
I hadn't even noticed until now that both Andy and Wes was missing, and I guessed that Wes had gone with Andy to show them the way. Actually, most likely to blindfold them and lead them inside. Yeah, sure, Nate was human. But that didn't mean we trusted him and his cell enough to show them the way to our caves. Anything could happen.
But I really didn't like that Burns was with him. I had only met him that one time, but despite that I knew that he was just like any soul. Like Wanda, in a lot of ways. But Wanda was Wanda, and Burns was Burns. And I really didn't like the way he looked at my girl.
"Whatever happened to the Seeker?" I asked, forcing myself to think of something else. I saw a shared glance between Jared, Mel and Kyle and wondered what that was about. "What?"
"We haven't been able to get any answers out of her," Mel explained. "Not even me, when I pretended to be Wanda. She didn't buy it, and she didn't even say anything when I hit her. Wanda's been really uncomfortable, even with her being down in the hospital all the time. Doc was supposed to remove her today; see if the body wakes up. But now when Burns is on his way..."
"You can't," I finished for her and saw her nod. Of course we couldn't risk that. We all know how much Wanda had sacrificed to give that secret away, and how guilty she felt about it. Especially me. Even though she did it for Mel, she felt like a traitor sometimes. For turning her back on her own society. And I figured Burns wouldn't exactly like it if he knew that we knew how to remove a soul from a human host. If he knew that a soul had told us.
So I figured we had to get them out of here as fast as possible, and remove the soul from the body.
"Where are you keeping her?"
"Walter's old room. There's always two people standing as guards," Kyle told me, still food in his mouth.
They had the time to finish eating before I heard Wes' voice, and turned around to see four people walk into the kitchen. I noticed Burns first. Maybe it was because he was so tall, or maybe it was because I disliked him so much.
Doc had already told me that he wanted to examine me, and I promised him I would let him as soon as Wanda woke up. But she was still asleep, and no way I would let her out of my sight now when Burns was here. So Doc would just have to wait until Wanda was awake, and willing to walk with me down to the hospital. Because I knew she wouldn't let me out of her sight.
Burns and Nate stood by the counter when Jared finally asked what they were doing here.
"Figured I could help with a raid," Burns answered him with a small smile. "It's faster with two Souls."
He glanced at Wanda, sleeping in my arms, and his eyes lingered on her tiny body. I didn't like it, and Kyle laughed when he saw that I cradled her closer to me. Mel chuckled with him.
I knew that Wanda and Burns got along pretty great. She was fascinated with him. Despite her living on so many planets, he had been on one she had never even considered living on. He told her stories, and she told him stories. Despite his looks, she always looked at me and I knew that she didn't feel anything toward the other soul. I also knew that she was very unaware of his glances.
She was the only one.
"We do need a short raid," Jared agreed, liking the sound of having two souls with him. But he looked at me and then at Wanda and laughed to himself. "I have a feeling Wanda's not coming with us though."
I knew what he meant, and I wondered if he was right or not. I knew she wanted to be with me, but she would also want to be on that raid. She would be confused, wanting to go to help everyone, but wanting to stay because I wanted her next to me. I already knew that Doc wouldn't let me out on a raid in a while, and he had probably talked to Jeb about not letting me do any work either.
"Why not?" Burns asked.
"Ian's not going," my brother explained quickly with a grin. "But I am. Jared is. Probably Mel."
"Actually," she interrupted him, placing her hand on Jared's knee. "I think I'm gonna sit this one out."
I understood why when she glanced at Wanda. She wanted to make sure she was alright.
"Can I go?" Jamie asked Jared excitedly, but fell in silence with one glare by his sister, and I kept a quiet chuckle to myself.
"So me, Kyle, and Burns. Should be enough, since we don't need much," I heard Jared say. We were pretty much alone in the kitchen by now. Jeb had kicked everyone out a few moments after Nate and Burns showed up. There was more work to deal with.
"What exactly do we need?" I heard Wes say, and from the sound of it, he would be coming too. "I mean, didn't you guys just come back a few weeks ago?"
Jared looked at Wanda, glanced at Burns, and then he pursed his lips. I knew exactly what he meant by that. Doc was running low on medicines, and Wanda would easily be able to get us some. Again, neither of us trusted Burns enough. Who knew, maybe he hadn't even fixed medicines for his own cell? I knew we were more than lucky to have Wanda in our lives, but we only had those medicines in the first place because Jamie fell on that knife. Because it was the last way out. Because it was the only way to save him.
"Food," Jared stated and I knew that Wanda and I would probably make a small raid in a week or so. "Jamie, you have school."
I laughed, knowing Jared would bring up the fact that we needed condoms, but he didn't want to do it in Jamie's presence. I understood more than enough.
"But I wanna-"
"Go," Mel insisted and Jamie muttered something as he left and Jared waited a few seconds before he continued with the list.
"Food, soap; the normal stuff," he looked at Burns as he spoke. "And condoms."
"The condoms are all out?" Wes asked, a small pout on his lips.
"Don't look like that, I saw you with two boxes just a few days ago," I told him.
"Don't look at me, Kyle stole one of them from me," he argued back and everyone looked at Kyle.
"Hey, I gave it to Ian like an hour ago," he lifted his hands up into the air as if to surrender, and I felt all eyes on me and Wanda. Burns as well. And I didn't like it.
"I want 20 bucks for it," I stated with a grin and Kyle groaned.
"We don't have 20 bucks, bro."
"I know," I laughed and Jared shook his head in amusement. He and Kyle knew why I wanted those money. They were there for the conversation after all.
"We leave after sunset," Jared exclaimed a moment later and he left with Mel. Probably to go pack. Doc walked into the kitchen then, most likely to check on me. I could feel Wanda stir in my arms, and knew that she would wake up soon. Placing a soft kiss against the top of her head, I felt her move and a second later her beautiful silver eyes bored into mine. She looked tired, but she had a small smile on her lips.
"Wanda," I heard Burns say, and my eyes moved from Wanda to him. I was annoyed. Couldn't he even let me have a small moment with my girl? Did he have to interrupt us?
"What's going on?" Wanda whispered, her voice still deep with sleep. She hadn't slept for long, and I knew that she would fall asleep easily tonight.
I smiled as she looked at me when she asked the question, and not at Burns. Even though the question was obviously about him and his presence.
"Burns thought a few extra hands would be handy on a raid," I explained and she didn't break our gaze.
"We're going on a raid?"
"Jared, Kyle, Wes and Burns are. Doc won't let me go. They probably need you too," I told her. I actually knew that they needed her, and I ignored Kyle's laugh. He heard the jealously in my voice, even though I thought I had hid it pretty well. Of course I was jealous. I didn't want Wanda and Burns on the same raid. Not even if I was there.
Wanda looked between me, Kyle and Burns several times before her eyes stopped on my face.
"I- Would it be okay if I stayed here?"
"We expected so much," Kyle told her but her eyes never left mine. We barely heard him, having a conversation on our own.
"You can go, if that's what you want. You don't have to stay for me," I murmured and she shook her head.
"I know. But I want to stay here, with you."
I smiled, hearing the truth. She did something for herself for once, and not to please everyone else. That was big of her, to be a little selfish.
I pressed her lips against hers for a short moment, but I felt Doc's eyes on us and I broke the kiss with a sigh.
"Doc wants to check on me. I'll be right back."
She moved from my lap but she quickly grabbed my hand.
"I'm coming with you."
Doc sent me away with a bottle of No Pain after a very long and thorough examination, muttering something about the fact that we were running low on meds. Wanda looked at him before she looked at me, and I knew that she really wanted to go on that raid. Get medication for Doc, and for all of us.
"Don't worry so much," I whispered and she leaned into my side with a small smile on her lips.
Doc had warned that it would probably hurt for a few weeks, but he couldn't know for sure because he didn't know how exactly the soul's medications worked. He knew that they worked – we all did – but he didn't know how. Not even Candy could help him with that.
Jeb had told me not to work for at least a week, and by the look on Wanda's face she didn't want me to work for at least a month. If ever again.
But I knew that I had to, and I also knew that I would have to ration the bottle of No Pain I had in my hand. I would only take it if it was absolutely necessary. A little pain I could handle.
After washing off the dried blood I still had on me, Wanda and I walked hand in hand to the kitchen for dinner. I could see that she was still worried about me, worried about me moving so much, but I felt better and stronger for every step I took. I was beginning to get my strength back. Beginning to get back to myself.
But I was hungry, and I ate a lot more than I usually did. No one stopped me though. No one said I ate too much, said I had to share. Technically, I hadn't eaten for two days. Almost three. They couldn't blame me for being hungry. And besides, the raiders would leave shortly and return in about a week with more food. It was a small raid, after all.
Even after dinner, everyone seemed to linger in the kitchen, for obvious reasons. We always ended up like this the night someone left for a raid. Talking until it was time to leave, or time to go to bed.
"Wanda, tell us a story?" Jamie asked with a grin on his face, and every discussion in the kitchen fell silent.
"You already know everything," she murmured, glancing at me.
"No we don't," I argued, wanting to hear her stories. It had been a while. Actually, she hadn't been telling stories in this body at all. It was always something she did in Mel's body, something she did to get us to accept her. To get us fascinated rather than disgusted. She didn't need that anymore.
"What do you want to know?" she looked at Jamie now, and I laughed at the expression on his face. It was like he was trying to solve a hard puzzle. But someone else beat him to it.
"Why did you pick Earth?" Burns wondered, and I clenched my jaw. I didn't mind hearing the story again, even though I already knew it. Everyone in the kitchen knew it. Everyone but Burns and Nate. And in a way, I didn't want Burns to know. Picking a planet was rather private, and he should know that.
But of course Wanda didn't mind telling him.
I tried to concentrate on the story, on Wanda's hands playing with mine, but I couldn't. All I could see was Burns' eyes on Wanda. Like she was the last woman on earth, and he just had to have her. Like he owned her. Almost like he loved her.
Wanda and I left the kitchen shortly after the raiders did, and we passed them on our way to our room. Wes saying goodbye to Lily, Jared to Mel, and Kyle to Sunny. My eyes lingered on the two, on the way Kyle tried to figure out how exactly to say goodbye. It was natural for Wes and Lily, as well as Jared and Mel. But Kyle had a hard time trying to figure it out, but then he decided to place a kiss on her forehead before he quickly turned around and followed both Jared and Wes as they walked toward the exit.
My eyes was on Sunny then, on the way she looked at Kyle as he left. There was something odd about the look. Something odd, but yet something very familiar.
I didn't have the time to think about it before Wanda interrupted my thoughts.
"Why don't you like him? Burns, I mean."
I wasn't surprised that she had noticed.
"It's not that I dislike him," I tried but she saw through me and I let out a sigh. I didn't know how to explain it. Telling her that I was jealous wouldn't be enough. She would want to know why. "Look, Wanda... You said once that Mel only really belonged to Jared, right?"
I saw her nod, and I continued.
"As much as you belong with me, you don't belong to me. You don't belong to anyone but yourself. And Burns, he looks at you like you're his. Like you belong to him, and like he loves you. And no matter how much I can understand why he looks at you like that, I don't like it. You're not his."
"I'm yours," she murmured with a small smile; her way to reassure me that she loved me. That she wasn't going anywhere. "And you're mine. Right?"
"Right," I told her as I moved the red door and let her into our room. "But you're not a possession, Wanda. You might be mine, and I might be yours, but we don't own each other."
As soon as the door was back in place, she grabbed my hands and pulled me to her. Her tiny hands moved to my sides, her fingers playing with the fabric of my shirt as her silvery eyes bored into mine.
"You're jealous of him," she whispered and I nodded. "But Ian, I love you. No one else. You're the reason I'm here, the reason I don't ever wanna leave. You're my anchor."
"And you're my reason, Wanderer," I smiled until she returned it, and then I leaned down to gently press a kiss against her full lips. I heard her sigh as she kissed me back, the smile still playing on her lips. Shivers rose on my body as her hands moved under my shirt, her gentle fingers drawing patters on my back. As she captured my lower lip softly between her teeth, I knew exactly what she wanted. And god, I wanted it too.
There was a voice in my head telling me that Doc wouldn't approve, but I really didn't care and I pressed my tongue into her mouth.
Pressing her body closer to mine, Wanda's hands grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. Her lips pressed against my chest with feathery light touches, and my mouth found it's way to her throat. Just as I leaned out to inspect the hickey I gave her, there was a knock on the door and Wanda groaned.
"We're not here," I whispered to her, hoping that who ever was out there would leave us alone.
"Ian?" We heard then, Sunny's voice careful from the other side of the doors. "I have to talk to you."
"Can it wait until tomorrow?" I wondered, watching Wanda as she breathed in and out.
"Actually no," she answered. "It's... It's Jodi."