In all the years, he had known Faith this was the first time Gabriel had
seen her show any signs of weakness. He looked from Faith to the man barely
hanging on in his chair. 'Nottingham must mean a great deal to her.' He
thought. Several different scenarios ran through his mind, most were not
good. Nevertheless, hearing the plea in Faith's voice did him in. He always
held a soft spot for her, who was he kidding; he pretty much has a
schoolboy crush on the woman. How could he let her down by saying no?
Gabe nodded, "Of course I'll help you, Faith. On one condition, you tell me everything. I mean it. I want a full explanation, deal?" Faith let out the breath she had been holding and smiled, "You don't know how grateful I am. Thank you Gabriel. I promise to tell you everything but for now help me with him. He's got some pretty nasty wounds that need stitching and I have to clean him up."
"You can use my bed. Hold on let me clear it up for you." Gabe disappeared behind a door. A minute later, he reappeared and helped Faith guide Ian to the bedroom. They entered and Faith stared at the chaotic state of his room. She snorted at Gabe's meaning of 'clearing things up.' He must have just run an arm across the bed, pushing anything that was on it onto the floor. Pillows, blankets, and sheets, with some of the corners still tucked under the mattress, were tossed to the floor. Articles upon articles of clothes were everywhere. "Very nice, Gabe." He caught Faith's knowing look, "Hey I'm a bachelor I'm allowed to be messy." Faith just rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Grab the discarded sheet and lay it across the bed. I'm going to have to clean him up and I don't want to ruin your bed." Gabe quickly covered the bed as best as he could and returned to Ian's side.
Before settling Ian down onto the bed, Faith made quick work on removing his shoes and clothes. Gabe stared appalled at the condition the assassin was in. Blood, bruises, and cuts all covered Ian's naked body. Gabe was sure there was not one part of flesh that was not untouched. "Gabriel? Gabriel!" Faith yelled snapping Gabe out of his stunned stupor. "What?" he uttered. "I need to clean up some of this blood. Could you please fill up a large basin full of warm soapy water and I need some wash cloths?" Gabe shook his head, mumbling a 'yeah sure' and disappeared into his bathroom.
Gabe soon returned with the water and handful of towels draped over his shoulder. Ian sat on the bed, his hands gripping the edge as he held himself erect. Gabe knelt down on the ground, placing the basin between him and Faith. He handed her half of the washcloths and towels while he kept the rest. Faith watched as Gabe wrings the cloth of extra water and reach for Ian's right arm. Faith reached out with her hand, "Gabriel you don't have to do this I got it." He turned his eyes on Faith, "I offered my help, Faith. It, uh, extends to him too if he'll accept it?" Gabe motioned his head towards Ian. Who was a bit surprised at the young man's offer? "Thank you Mr. Bowman." Ian whispered. "Thanks, Gabe. But you really don't have to do this." Faith was giving him a way out in case he had changed his mind. Gabe grinned and motioned his head towards Ian, "You get that side and I'll get this."
"Alright just be gentle. He's sporting some mean bruises and a few cuts but the worst wounds are on his back. Just clean off as much as you can."
"Just be quick about it. I don't know how long I can hold myself up." Ian added.
After three basins of soiled water and blood soaked washcloths, Faith began to unwrap the redden bandages around Ian's body. Gabe stood frozen in his spot, watching Faith meticulously separate the bandages, slowly exposing flesh. Gabe nearly threw up at the site. He forced his eyes closed, forcing down the bile that had risen to his throat. After several deep breaths, Gabe opened his eyes and stared shockingly at Nottingham's back. It was a terrible site of marred flesh, new and old scars, and deeply opened wounds.
"Holy shit," Gabe whispered as he finally found his voice, "What happened to him?"
Faith bunched up the soiled bandages and threw it into the small trash bin near the bed. Gabe could see her face-harden and her jaw clenched. "Irons!" She finally spat out as she guided Ian onto the bed face down. She took another washcloth and quickly began to clean as much as she could of Ian's bloody back.
"Why? I mean Nottingham it this supposed assassin. I never thought anyone could get a drop on him, let alone Irons." Gabe asked dumbfounded. Up until now, he thought Nottingham was practically bulletproofed, invincible, and plainly indestructible. Gabe's image of the dark assassin was washed away like the bowls of pinkish water he been dumping down the drain. Nottingham was human after all and surprisingly he could not help but feel sorry for the guy.
Faith shook her head, "I have an idea why this happened to him but the events that lead him up to this is beyond me. I'll have to wait until he tells me what happened. As for Irons," Faith sighed, "never underestimate Kenneth Irons. He has his ways when dealing with difficult situations." Faith dropped the used cloth into the basin. Gabe picked it up and headed for the bathroom. "Sounds like you know Irons pretty well." He threw over his shoulder. Faith could sense Gabe's curiosity.
"More then I'd like to." She muttered under her breath. "Hand me the medical bag." She pointed towards the dresser as he walked back into the room. Gabe picked up the bag and handed it to her. "He needs to get to a hospital, Faith." "No!" Gabe offensively took a step back his arms raised in mock surrender as she responded keenly. He remained in the room but kept his distance. Faith inhaled and tried to relax. Replaying in a softer tone, "Sorry Gabe but no I can't take Ian to the hospital. If I do, Irons will find him. Believe me Ian is safer here." She had pulled out the necessary items that she needed.
"I understand Faith but his wounds are really bad and he needs a doctor to," Gabe let his sentence trail off as she began to work on Ian's back, stitching the more severe wounds. Gabe winced every time the needle passed through flesh. Throughout the whole ordeal, Ian made no sound or movement. Somehow, Gabe was not all too surprised. Gabe stared in awe the way Faith expertly worked on Ian. He averted his attention from Ian's back to Faith. Her brows were furrowed and lips pursed in concentration. Her busy hands sustained a certain rhythm, never faltering as she worked. It was like watching a surgeon at work.
Gabriel realized that there was so much he did not know about Faith. Heck, he didn't even know her last name. Not that she had ever mentioned it before in the past. 'What was she hiding?' He thought. With his mind set Gabe was determined to find out before she disappeared from the face of the earth again. Faith snipped away the excess thread, carefully putting the needle back into the bag. She began digging through the contents of the bag and pulled out another roll of white gauze and a tube of some sort of medication.
She unscrewed the cap and applied a coat of medicated salve onto the wounds. "There done just let me wash my hands and Gabe I'll need your help wrapping him up." Faith sat up from the bed and headed towards the bathroom.
Gabe nodded, "Of course I'll help you, Faith. On one condition, you tell me everything. I mean it. I want a full explanation, deal?" Faith let out the breath she had been holding and smiled, "You don't know how grateful I am. Thank you Gabriel. I promise to tell you everything but for now help me with him. He's got some pretty nasty wounds that need stitching and I have to clean him up."
"You can use my bed. Hold on let me clear it up for you." Gabe disappeared behind a door. A minute later, he reappeared and helped Faith guide Ian to the bedroom. They entered and Faith stared at the chaotic state of his room. She snorted at Gabe's meaning of 'clearing things up.' He must have just run an arm across the bed, pushing anything that was on it onto the floor. Pillows, blankets, and sheets, with some of the corners still tucked under the mattress, were tossed to the floor. Articles upon articles of clothes were everywhere. "Very nice, Gabe." He caught Faith's knowing look, "Hey I'm a bachelor I'm allowed to be messy." Faith just rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Grab the discarded sheet and lay it across the bed. I'm going to have to clean him up and I don't want to ruin your bed." Gabe quickly covered the bed as best as he could and returned to Ian's side.
Before settling Ian down onto the bed, Faith made quick work on removing his shoes and clothes. Gabe stared appalled at the condition the assassin was in. Blood, bruises, and cuts all covered Ian's naked body. Gabe was sure there was not one part of flesh that was not untouched. "Gabriel? Gabriel!" Faith yelled snapping Gabe out of his stunned stupor. "What?" he uttered. "I need to clean up some of this blood. Could you please fill up a large basin full of warm soapy water and I need some wash cloths?" Gabe shook his head, mumbling a 'yeah sure' and disappeared into his bathroom.
Gabe soon returned with the water and handful of towels draped over his shoulder. Ian sat on the bed, his hands gripping the edge as he held himself erect. Gabe knelt down on the ground, placing the basin between him and Faith. He handed her half of the washcloths and towels while he kept the rest. Faith watched as Gabe wrings the cloth of extra water and reach for Ian's right arm. Faith reached out with her hand, "Gabriel you don't have to do this I got it." He turned his eyes on Faith, "I offered my help, Faith. It, uh, extends to him too if he'll accept it?" Gabe motioned his head towards Ian. Who was a bit surprised at the young man's offer? "Thank you Mr. Bowman." Ian whispered. "Thanks, Gabe. But you really don't have to do this." Faith was giving him a way out in case he had changed his mind. Gabe grinned and motioned his head towards Ian, "You get that side and I'll get this."
"Alright just be gentle. He's sporting some mean bruises and a few cuts but the worst wounds are on his back. Just clean off as much as you can."
"Just be quick about it. I don't know how long I can hold myself up." Ian added.
After three basins of soiled water and blood soaked washcloths, Faith began to unwrap the redden bandages around Ian's body. Gabe stood frozen in his spot, watching Faith meticulously separate the bandages, slowly exposing flesh. Gabe nearly threw up at the site. He forced his eyes closed, forcing down the bile that had risen to his throat. After several deep breaths, Gabe opened his eyes and stared shockingly at Nottingham's back. It was a terrible site of marred flesh, new and old scars, and deeply opened wounds.
"Holy shit," Gabe whispered as he finally found his voice, "What happened to him?"
Faith bunched up the soiled bandages and threw it into the small trash bin near the bed. Gabe could see her face-harden and her jaw clenched. "Irons!" She finally spat out as she guided Ian onto the bed face down. She took another washcloth and quickly began to clean as much as she could of Ian's bloody back.
"Why? I mean Nottingham it this supposed assassin. I never thought anyone could get a drop on him, let alone Irons." Gabe asked dumbfounded. Up until now, he thought Nottingham was practically bulletproofed, invincible, and plainly indestructible. Gabe's image of the dark assassin was washed away like the bowls of pinkish water he been dumping down the drain. Nottingham was human after all and surprisingly he could not help but feel sorry for the guy.
Faith shook her head, "I have an idea why this happened to him but the events that lead him up to this is beyond me. I'll have to wait until he tells me what happened. As for Irons," Faith sighed, "never underestimate Kenneth Irons. He has his ways when dealing with difficult situations." Faith dropped the used cloth into the basin. Gabe picked it up and headed for the bathroom. "Sounds like you know Irons pretty well." He threw over his shoulder. Faith could sense Gabe's curiosity.
"More then I'd like to." She muttered under her breath. "Hand me the medical bag." She pointed towards the dresser as he walked back into the room. Gabe picked up the bag and handed it to her. "He needs to get to a hospital, Faith." "No!" Gabe offensively took a step back his arms raised in mock surrender as she responded keenly. He remained in the room but kept his distance. Faith inhaled and tried to relax. Replaying in a softer tone, "Sorry Gabe but no I can't take Ian to the hospital. If I do, Irons will find him. Believe me Ian is safer here." She had pulled out the necessary items that she needed.
"I understand Faith but his wounds are really bad and he needs a doctor to," Gabe let his sentence trail off as she began to work on Ian's back, stitching the more severe wounds. Gabe winced every time the needle passed through flesh. Throughout the whole ordeal, Ian made no sound or movement. Somehow, Gabe was not all too surprised. Gabe stared in awe the way Faith expertly worked on Ian. He averted his attention from Ian's back to Faith. Her brows were furrowed and lips pursed in concentration. Her busy hands sustained a certain rhythm, never faltering as she worked. It was like watching a surgeon at work.
Gabriel realized that there was so much he did not know about Faith. Heck, he didn't even know her last name. Not that she had ever mentioned it before in the past. 'What was she hiding?' He thought. With his mind set Gabe was determined to find out before she disappeared from the face of the earth again. Faith snipped away the excess thread, carefully putting the needle back into the bag. She began digging through the contents of the bag and pulled out another roll of white gauze and a tube of some sort of medication.
She unscrewed the cap and applied a coat of medicated salve onto the wounds. "There done just let me wash my hands and Gabe I'll need your help wrapping him up." Faith sat up from the bed and headed towards the bathroom.