72. Ego
Things had been fuzzy for Drake after he passed out. He'd been vaguely aware of getting picked up and then he'd felt magic surging through him. He hadn't had much thought after that, just recognizing it as the twins doing what they did best. Yeah, calling Bianca had been a good last action.
Naturally there had been pain. The healers said that it would 'feel a little funny' a phrase that was quite commonly used. What it felt like in Drake's particular situation was like someone had stuck a water gun full of soda inside his stab wound and pulled the trigger. In other words; burning, bubbly, and uncomfortable as hell. Even his leg felt like it was twisted inside and out before being put on the correct way.
Then there had been waking up. As soon as he'd done it he'd wanted to go right back to sleep. His head hurt, his chest hurt, his leg hurt, it all hurt. Drake was actually wondering if there was any morphine or something around that he could use. After everything he'd been through he was pretty sure that he deserved some drugs.
The door had opened and he'd watched it through slitted eyes. At first he'd hoped that it was the drugs he'd been thinking about. Then, as they came in completely, he'd realized it was Ashley. He'd closed his eyes all the way. Being injured and screamed at was not something he was ready for just yet.
Of course, she had looked rather upset when she got there. Perhaps she wasn't mad at all, just a little shaken up. Surprise shot through him when he felt her take his hand. It was the kind of thing that people did on TVs and in Dramas. In real life it only happened in scenes of high emotion. It had never happened to him before and he felt oddly touched.
"You asshole," she said, "Feel heroic, getting yourself hurt?"
Well, there went that theory. He was definitely not getting any sympathy out of this one.
"Did this make you feel any more Merlinian?" she continued, "You asshole, if you do this shit again I'll kill you."
He started to shrink back into his bed. Drake tentatively lifted one of his eyelids just a little to check on the developing situation. Despite the things that Ashley was saying she didn't look mad. Instead she looked like she was ready to cry. Huh. So it looked like she was worried about him.
Not that he'd expected her not to be. She was bound to be a little. Ashley wasn't some sort of sadistic heartless witch…but still. Drake hadn't considered this particular turn of events. Ashley did have a tough front, but he had known her to care deeply about things. Perhaps he was one of those things.
He gave a small smirk. Needless to say having a girl next to tears when he got injured was doing wonders for his ego.
"Hardly fair," he mumbled.
One of his eyes opened and he gave a half-hearted grin. The look on Ashley's face changed almost instantly. It went from next to tears to enraged. Oh boy, he hadn't planned on that. She looked like wanted to say something else to him when there was a loud noise from outside. Drake cocked his head towards it. Whatever it was it was certain to be better than just lying there and getting yelled at.
"You wait here asshole," she said, kissing him on the forehead.
So maybe she wasn't going to yell at him. Awesome.
"Yes ma'am," he said mockingly.
Letting go of his hand she walked to the door. Once she had opened it she winced and made a face. The voices were a little clearer to Drake now, Bianca, Balthazar, and the Boy Wonder. What a wonderful alliteration. Other people might have been down there too, of course, but he couldn't hear them. Absentmindedly Ashley headed there, leaving the door open behind her. So of course Drake could hear everything.
"You kept this from us!" Balthazar snapped.
"I made a split second decision," Bianca said, "It was either that or let an opportunity go to waste!"
"He worked with Horvath!"
He shrank back into the bed. Oh boy. This was when the shit hit the fan. He'd always lived in a state of semi-fear that the Morganians would find out he was a Merlinian spy. That hadn't turned out to be too bad though. He could see now that he should've been afraid that the other Merlinians would find out who he was.
Drake considered running. It would be hard to run on legs that weren't fully healed, but if he had to go then he had to go. He knew the building pretty well so he could be back at Ashley's apartment in no time. If he got a cab that was. So yeah, escape was feasible. It was just going to be painful no matter what he did.
"You don't like how I do things?" Bianca hissed, "You wanna be Prime?"
From the tone of her voice he could tell that she crossed her arms. It was an action reserved for when she was really pissed. He'd seen it quite often.
"I offered it to you, don't you forget that-" she continued.
"I haven't forgotten anything but it's a bad idea," snapped Balthazar.
Oh yes, the ever pious Balthazar Blake. Go on, judge. He was the Great Merlinian Judge, the ultimate guy, the head honcho. At least the New York Merlinians were stubborn enough not to take his word as gospel. That meant that Drake might have a fighting chance even without running away.
Running away still looked pretty attractive though. At the same time he knew he couldn't, and not just because he was injured. If Drake ran away now then everything he'd worked for would collapse. Alright, so no one really trusted him. However, there was some sort of mutual respect that had grown over two years. In another two years maybe they'd even trust him. He'd have to wait and find out.
Not to mention Ashley. It hurt that she was being silent in the argument, but she might not be allowed to speak. Either that or she might have harbored these doubts about him herself. Still, those years had been spent for a reason. He had her, he had some sort of life, and he wasn't willing to give it up just because some holier-than-thou Merlinains wanted his head. No way, not happening.
"He's provided us with useful information in the past," said Jack, "Despite what you think about him. He can but trusted."
Whoa, now Jack was defending him? He'd have to thank the guy sometime.
"He tried to kill me in the bathroom," Dave said.
Oh yeah. Drake tried not to chuckle at the memory. It wasn't really that funny because he had tried to kill him so it wasn't right to laugh about it. The whole set-up had been despicable, it really had. At the same time though laughter escaped from his lips in small bursts. He needed to learn to keep it together better than that.
"Did not need to know that," said Bianca.
Despite everything Drake gave a full-blown snort of laughter. Bianca knew how to dissolve the tension in just about any situation.
"I'm just trying to say that it was low," explained Dave, "You really think a guy like that is going to tell the truth about anything?"
The laughter died in his throat. No…he didn't suppose that they had any reason to trust him when he put it like that.
"Yes!" Ashley shouted.
Something inside him froze. He gripped the rails of his bed tightly.
"He has just been nearly killed trying to get this information and you're squabbling about something that happened two years ago?" she snapped, "You don't know him anymore! He's changed!"
Biting his lip Drake closed his eyes. She was saying that…she was saying that about him, the man she'd called an asshole only minutes before.
"He's not even a Morganian anymore!" insisted Ashley, "Drake's not like he was. Sure he's an asshole, but he's a good person now."
That was more like her. Yet, a good person? That was what she thought? He rubbed his eyes. Something filmy was building up there for some reason.
"You really think we can trust him?" asked Dave tentatively.
"Yes you can trust him," snapped Ashley, "I've trusted him with my life before and he's come through."
"I love you sweetheart," he muttered, "I swear to God I do and I'll be tellin' you that, just wait and see…"
"She's right," Bianca said, "He's rooming with her because of security. You think I'd let some I thought dangerous Morganian stay with my student? Hmm Balthazar?"
Even Bianca? The world had gone batshit insane, but in a good way. It went without saying that everyone talking about him like that really stoked his ego.
"Fine," Balthazar said, "Now let's get to business."
Drake let go of the rails and straightened in his hospital bed. He jutted his chin out and looked defiantly towards the open door.
"Yes," he said, "Lets."
