Authors note: Hello fan fiction readers I want to thank everyone for their kind words in regards to Bump and Road Trip. What's Next is the newest installment of the Paige and Mike story. After all the craziness these two have dealt with now they have a new challenge marriage. This story will focus on what lies ahead for Graceland's coolest duo both in their personal and professional lives. This story will also bring back the rest of the Graceland crew back including Briggs. There will be comedy, action, suspense and of course romance. So I hope you all enjoy. So my fellow readers sit down and enjoy What's Next. I want to thank all the wonderful people who read my stories and write to me. You're the reason I keep on doing this. I also want to thank you for being so patient. This is the second of the five chapters I have already written. I will be posting them out daily. I tried to get them out earlier but my editor had a busy week. Right now I am working on the final chapter which may be split into two depending on how much I write. I am also creating an outline for my next story. Again Thank you all for your encouragement and a special thank you to Hopeful Shipper for helping me with my spelling and grammar you're amazing. Enjoy chapter 28
Mike sprang up out of bed clutching his stomach while short of breath. He closed his eyes trying to calm himself down. "Mike you ok?" Paige asked as she sat up placing her hand on his shoulder. Mike opened his eyes wiping the sweat off his forehead he turned to her; "I'm fine it was just a nightmare." Paige placed her hand on Mike's face, "You want to talk about it?" Mike shook his head, "It's just a dream doesn't mean anything." Paige kissed him softly and she straddled his hips, "Well there has to be something I can do to make you feel better Mr. Warren." Mike held her close as she pulled off her shirt,"Well I don't know Mrs. Warren I am pretty scared."
"Are you now?" she said as she pulled in closer. "Yep" the two laughed as they shared a passionate kiss. Just the door to room opened and a little boy's head popped in. Mike was the first to see him who quickly tapped on Paige's shoulder. Paige looked back and looked at the boy. She then jumped off Mike throwing the comforter over her. Mike smiled waving the boy in. The little boy raced towards the bed jumping into Mike's open arms.
"Good morning Timothy"
"Good morning daddy"
"What are you doing up so early?"
"Toons" the boy said with a wide grin. "Do you want me and mommy to watch cartoons with you?" Again Timothy smiled wide. He reached over to pull the covers off Paige but Mike stopped him, "Mommy is resting so why don't we go downstairs and start. Then she can come down in bit that ok?" Timothy nodded and led his dad out the door. Mike stood between the kitchen and living room mixing up batter for pancakes as little Timothy watched his Saturday morning cartoons and colored when Paige came in.
"Mommy!" Timothy yelled. Paige sat down scoping her son up planting kisses all over him. Timothy laughed as her tried to wiggle away. He sat him on his lap, "How's my little man?"
"Good I made this for you" he said presenting her with a picture.
"Oh my gosh it's perfect don't you agree daddy?"
"Best picture I have ever seen" Mike said. Paige kissed her son again, "I'm going to put this up on the fridge then we can draw some more ok?"
"Ok Mommy" Paige kissed him again, "Save mommy's seat" she walked up to Mike, "How's my big man doing?" she said as she kissed Mike. "Better but I'm still a little scared. Paige wrapped her arms around him, "Well I can take care of that after we put Tim down for his nap." She kissed him softly. Paige grabbed some coffee and headed back to their son. Mike watched as mother and son traded artist tips as they drew another master piece. Mike went in the kitchen and got the pan nice and hot.
"Tim you want one big boy pancake or two"
"Two!" his son yelled
"I'll take three babe" Paige called out
Mike poured the three pancakes onto the griddle then grabbed the grabbed the fruit and chocolate. "Ok now do you guys want blueberry or chocolate chip" When no one answered Mike looked out and saw no one there.
"Paige? Tim? Where did you go?" again silence filled the room. Mike walked all the way around and there was no sign of his wife and son. Mike walked to the dining room running his head through his hair he had a little concern. "Okay this isn't funny where are you?"
"They're not here Mike." He quickly turned around to see Amy standing right there as she shoved the knife through Mike's stomach. Mike stumbled back falling to the floor. Mike tried to call out to Paige but he was coughing up too much blood. Amy looked over Mike as he lay there, "No one is coming for you Mike. "You're going to die alone." She said as she raised the knife and stabbed him again
"BP is dropping" the nurse yelled as blood squirted out of Mikes thigh. "Damn it I need a clamp" the doctor yelled. The surgical team kicked it into overdrive as they worked on Mike. The blood was gushing out as the doctors worked. "Come on buddy hang in there man" the doctor said. With the machines going off and the blood loss still not under control the surgical team remained focused. The only one freaking out was Mike who stood next to his body as the doctors worked.
"What the fuck is going on?" Mike said to himself. He reached out to touch his body but his hand went right through it. "NO!" he screamed "This cannot be happening!" He tried to jump back in his body but he just feel through.
"Dude that's not going to work." Mike looked up and saw a guy slightly younger standing there. Mike stood up and looked at the guy he recognized him but couldn't figure out where he knew him. Mike walked up to him grabbing his shirt realizing he could actually do that made Mike even more freaked out. "How the hell can I touch you? Who are you? What the fuck is happening to me?" Mike asked. The guy pushed Mike away from him, "Dude I'll explain everything but right now we have to move."
"No I want fucking answers now!"
"Look if we don't hurry they're going to take you away again and I won't be able to get you back and then you'll be lost."
"Who the fuck are they?"
"If you come with me I will tell you everything now let's go" Mike wanted to argue but realized he had no choice and followed the guy. Mike followed the stranger down the hall to a small maintenance closet. Once inside the stranger wrote a strange symbol on the door. "Okay this will buy us some time so we have to talk so let me first say sorry for the rough awakening with the girl stabbing you but that was the easiest way to get you away from them."
"Again who's them?" Mike asked
"They're the reapers. They help people either ascend or descend depending on what's in the cards for those folks."
"Ascend or descend into what?"
"I think you know the answer to that"
"Oh. Wait does that mean I'm.."
"No you're half dead but half alive"
"That doesn't make any sense"
"Unlike most of us you still have a choice whether you want to cross over or you want to return to the land of the living but just because you have a choice doesn't mean they're going to let you pick it."
"Again buddy you're confusing me"
"To the reapers you're a lost soul and their job is to help you cross over to the other side. Even if you want to go back they're going to do everything they can to make you chose the other. In fact they already started with that dream scenario with your wife and kid."
"It seemed so real though but deep down I knew something was off. I don't have a kid"
"Exactly what they gave you was a taste of what the other side is. You live in perfect happiness."
"Then why would they have Amy pop in there and stab me. Unless it was the other place"
"Actually that was me and again sorry about that. I had to wake you up and a jolt like that did the trick."
"I guess I should say thanks?" Mike said "Don't mention it man but look it's going to get tougher they're going to up their game and you need to be ready."
"These Reapers what do they look like"
"They're different for everyone but they always take form of people from your past, present and future." Mike was trying to wrap his mind about what he was hearing and still seemed like a really bad dream. "Mike you need to focus and remember when you go into those scenarios you have to remember that they're not real. You have to fight and you need to go back to her"
"Wait you're not going to help?"
"This is a far as I can go. I should've not helped you in the first place but I couldn't let her be alone again." Suddenly Mike realized who the stranger was. "Aaron?"
On pulled out a picture of Paige and handed it to Mike, "I loved that woman and I always will but I know that you Mike you're her one true love Mike. I'm going to make sure you get back to her."
"Aaron if you haven't realized I can't get back in my body. How am I supposed to return to the land of the living?"
"Mike you're an in-between so the more you resist from crossing over the stronger you get and that is how you return to the living."
"But?" Mike asked
"How did you know there was a but?"
"These scenarios there is always a but"
"You're right man so under no circumstances can you try to communicate with the living if you do hello other side." Aaron reached into his pocket and gave Mike a drawing, "It's the same symbol that I wrote on the door this will give you time to rest from what I hear the reapers pull all the stops." Aaron explained.
"Thank you Aaron" Mike said extending his hand. "Good luck Mike" The two men departed the room and went their separate ways.
"Okay Bobby your command center is all set. How long till we have a trace on Amy?" Briggs asked.
"Right now I can give you a general area with a 20 mile radius in each way. It will take me some time to get an exact location"
"That will work for now Bobby so where we headed? Charlie asked
"North east looks like it's near Burbank but again I'm not 100% sure"
"Will take our chances just keep us posted" Charlie said as she and Briggs headed out.
Paige just stared at the wall in front of her as she and Heather sat in the surgical waiting room. "It's been two hours" she said. Heather took hold of her hand, "We don't know anything yet Paige just try to stay positive. It's easy to think of the worst things possible." Paige squeezed Heather back if anyone knew what Paige was going through it was her.
"Paige?" the ladies looked up to see Paige's entire family standing there Paige got up but couldn't move all she could do was cry. "Mom" was all she said. Kate Arkin ran to her daughter holding her close. Paige wrapped her arms around her mother the motherly embrace is what she needed. Soon Allie and Kelly were hugging their sister. The ladies pulled away as Steve Arkin hugged his daughter, "Mike is strong he will get through this" Paige nodded as her head was deep in his chest. Bill and Lindsay so made their way to see her. Lindsay wrapped herself around Paige. Bill tried to take her but Paige stopped him. "It's ok Bill I could use some hugs from this little one." Paige looked up to see Kelly's girlfriend standing in the corner. "I don't get a hug" she asked.
"I figured that since I share the same name as the girl who hurt Mike I figured you wouldn't want to be around me" Paige walked up to her and hugged Amy tight. "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. But it's also very sweet." The two hugged again and soon the entire Arkin clan was in one big hug. Kate looked at Heather standing there all alone, "I don't know who you are but get in here sweetie."
"Everybody this is Heather. Heather this is my family." After introductions were met they all sat down.
"Did you get a hold of Sarah and Phillip?" Kate asked rubbing her daughters back.
"Yeah luckily they were in Phoenix visiting friends they should be here soon"
"Any news on Mike?" Kelly asked
Paige shook her head fighting back the tears that were ready to come out again. "I have never been so scared in my life" A single tear came falling down her cheek. Lindsay reached up and kissed her aunt's cheek. Paige kissed Lindsay' forehead in appreciation. The little girl looked up at her aunt, "You got to S-M-I-L-E to be H-A-double P-Y" She sang with a smile. Everyone was either smiling or crying as Lindsay sand Shirley Temple. Paige hugged Lindsay tight, "Thank you sweetie."
No one noticed when the doctor entered the waiting room. "Mrs. Warren?"
Paige handed Lindsay over to her mom then walked over to the doctor. "I'm Mrs. Warren can you tell me what's going on with my husband."
"Mrs. Warren maybe we can go somewhere more private to talk"
"No I don't want to go somewhere private! I want answers! I have been waiting for over two fucking hours and now after all this time you want to talk in private! No I want to know what's going on with my husband and I want to know now!"
