He felt tired. More than that, he felt more exhausted ever before in his life. It was hard to open his eyes so he kept them closed. Even breathing was difficult.
There was still pain, burning through his veins like a liquid fire. His wrists and hands felt sore but it didn't feel worse than the rest of his body.
Where was he?
He heard voices but they seemed so far away. His senses were all very cloudy and he felt like he was floating in midair.
Lips pressed on his heated forehead, cooling him down a little with the moist sensation. Somebody touched his face and stroked his hair and the touch was very gentle. He liked it.
Breathe, in…
Breathe, out…
He had to focus much too hard on it.
Something was terribly wrong. He knew it….
He opened his eyes. Shalimar was here. She bent over him and he could see her face with those beautiful brown eyes.
She was still there, wouldn't leave him alone even after the way he'd treated her.
'I love you, you know that?'
Her hand caressed his cheek.
'Love you with all of my heart!'
She still held his face in her hands.
'Smile, Baby. I love it when it spreads over your face like the sunrise in the morning sky.'
But she didn't smile.
Instead, tears streamed down her cheeks and her eyes grew big in disbelieve. She screamed something he could not hear.
'Why couldn't he hear anything?'
Her hands took his shoulders in a strong grip and she shook him like crazy until Adam came and pushed her aside. She didn't hurt him, though.
'Why were they so worried?'
Adam's warm hands touched his neck, pushing into the skin. He searched for his pulse but there was none. His fist came down on his chest, hitting him hard, twice.
He yelled instructions to Shal and Emma, who appeared from the spot where he couldn't have seen her. Her face looked as shocked as Shalimar's but she held herself together, under control, although she looked like she wanted to cry.
'Don't cry, Emma, I am here, I am fine.'
Adam took the paddles and placed them on his chest. The beeping from the loading machine filled the room. He turned quickly to the girls at his side, saying something and both stepped back a bit.
'Who is dead? What are you doing, Adam?'
In slow motion, he saw Adam look at him. He saw his eyes. He was so scared and worried! But there was also the determination to rescue him.
Adam's hands came forward and he put the paddles on the Jesse's chest, the cool metal slick from the lube. For a second, one tiny moment before Adam pushed the red button, it actually felt good on his burning skin…
~~~~~~~
Shalimar just sat on the bed for a long time. The time came when she had stopped crying. She listened to the sounds Adam was making. Heard Brennan whisper sweet nothings into Emma's ears to calm her down.
She still cried but slowly, her sobs and the shivers running through her whole body subsided. Shal could feel it because they sat so close together, they touched each other.
When the Feral couldn't stand the feeling of helplessness anymore, she stood up and walked slowly over to Jesse. For a moment she did not dare to look at him. She was afraid that he might vanish or something like that. But he was there when she finally looked at him.
His face was as white and his clothes were as bloody as before. He was breathing, yes, but his breaths sounded harsh and were very shallow. She could see his body was working hard to stay alive.
Her hand found his face. His skin was wet and very cold. His hair was sweaty and clung to his forehead and she pushed it away.
Shalimar was overwhelmed by wide variety of emotions. She needed a release and found it when she leaned down, to press a sweet kiss on Jesse's forehead. She was surprised to see Jesse open his eyes, as she moved back.
He seemed to look at her for the split of a second before his eyes got cloudy all of a sudden. The sound of his heartbeat from the monitor changed at the same time. It turned in a long, steady beep.
Her heart simply stopped beating. This could not be, he couldn't leave her like this!
She wanted to tell him so much more. They never really talked after that night. She never told him, how much she loved him…
Her eyes were watering so badly, she could hardly see.
"Jesse! Jesse, no!"
Shalimar shook his shoulders in an effort to bring him back, his limp body heavy in her hands until Adam pushed her to the side. She almost stumbled as she moved out of the way.
"I can't find his pulse. He is not breathing!"
Adam's voice was like that of a stranger to her ears. Jesse's head rolled to the side when Adam hit his fist on his chest. His eyes were still open but she couldn't see any life in them.
She heard Adam telling her things he needed but she was not in a state to help him.
Jesse was dying…
Emma left Brennan's arms the moment she heard Shalimar scream Jesse's name. One look at her friend's white face, her trembling lips and her tear filled eyes was enough to see that she would be of no help so she rushed to help Adam. She didn't want to because it was her friend who was dying but she could not consider not do it…
Brennan pushed himself up on his arms and somehow managed to sit upright. Pain rushed through his body from the poison Ezra had injected into his veins but he didn't care. He was dizzy and all he wanted to do was lay down but he had to watch. He watched and for the first time in his life he prayed to God…
Adam acted like a machine. He didn't think, he just worked.
He prayed, too. Not for help from above but for his own strength and knowledge.
That it would be enough to keep this man, one of his 'children' alive…
~~~~~~~
The fourth bolt of energy rushed through Jesse's body. An irregular beeping filled the room, growing steadier as the seconds ticked away after his body lay still again.
Shalimar's legs gave way and she slipped to the ground, shielding her face in her hands.
Brennan dropped relieved back onto the bed, wiping tears away with shaking hands.
Emma simply turned back to the table, putting whatever she held in her hands on its' surface, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath for the first time in what seemed like ages.
And Adam? His fingers found the weak but steady pulse and all he could do was cry…
Tbc
Reviews are welcome as always, please!