Author's note: You guys are so kind with your reviews! I'm amazed by your kind words, thank you so much! Hopefully, this chapter lives up to the expectations. I'd love to hear your thoughts. This time around, it's Will's point of view.
Summary: force ma·jeure noun \ˌfȯrs-mä-ˈzhər, -mə-\ 1: superior or irresistible force. 2: an event or effect that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled. Alicia & Will, seven months after she left L/G:My heart stops and so do my footsteps. My whole body freezes at the sight of her, collapsed against the column. Eyes closed.
Force Majeure
Chapter 5 – Anyone But Me
"Please, don't stand so close to me. I'm having trouble breathing.
I'm afraid of what you'll see." - Christina Perri, Distance
Thursday, 5:26 PM
I immediately know it's her, standing at the elevators. I would recognize her from any distance. In any given situation. I'll always see her first.
What is she doing here? I decisively ignore her as I pass through the hallway and walk straight towards my office. I am about to head out early today, but I don't want to end up together in the elevator or the parking garage with her. So I sit back down behind my desk and check my e-mails.
I'm avoiding her.
I know, it's not the adult thing to do. But I'm finally coming to terms with the fact that I'm in love with a woman who truly doesn't love me back. Avoidance does seem to be the best remedy.
I had to shut her off emotionally, but physically, I've had a hard time staying apart. I learned that the hard way.
In the heat of the moment, I thought I could separate the two. I couldn't. Stupid. It had all been so incredibly stupid.
Damage was done. Irreparable damage. Now, we have a silent agreement not to ever talk about it again. And I don't want to. We're over and done.
Thursday, 6:03 PM
I let out a relieved sigh as the elevator doors slide open to the parking garage. Time to get home, order pizza and watch the game.
"Sir! Wait up!" I hear behind me.
I turn around to see where the voice's coming from.
A woman hurries towards me, panicking, "I need some help over here."
"What's wrong?" I ask, concerned and make my way over to her.
"Thank God. Walk with me. I just found her. She says she got beat up. She's conscious now, but I think she needs a doctor, and I just don't know what to do, should I call an ambulance?"
"Who are you talking about?"
"A woman. She's right over there."
"Let's just calm down," I try and walk with her. I'm really not the kind of person to help out in this sort of situation. My medical knowledge is zero, I'm not good with sick people, and I really want to get home in time to–
Alicia.
My heart stops and so do my footsteps. My whole body freezes at the sight of her, collapsed against the column. Eyes closed.
I can't process this.
Alicia. It hits me again.
Immediately, I kneel down in front of her. I want to touch her face but she's so bruised that I'm afraid I'll hurt her. What happened? What happened to you?
"Alicia, can you hear me? It's Will."
She barely responds. The way her head is tilted to one side doesn't look good. Who did this.
"You know her?" The woman asks.
"Yeah… Yes, I do."
"Should I call an ambulance?" The woman asks me.
"No," Alicia mutters. Thank God, she's conscious.
"What happened?" I ask. It takes a while, but she opens her eyes.
She winces as she tries to sit up. "He hit me," she mumbles. She doesn't look up to me.
"Who did this to you?" I'm filled with anger as I observe the swelling on her jaw. Then my eye falls on her wrists, both red and bruised. What did he do to her.
"Dilaney. David's client."
I don't understand. "How long have you been lying here?" I try to get her to look at me.
"I don't know." She swallows heavily. Her eyes are barely open, staring at the ground. "I just need to get home."
She tries to sit up a bit more and tries cover her chest. That's when I notice how her shirt is ripped open. What the hell did this guy to her.
"Wait. Here," I say as I take off my jacket. Reluctantly, she leans forward so I can drape it around her shoulders. Then I spot blood on the column. It turns my stomach.
"You hit your head?" I ask.
She nods with a groan.
"Ok. That's it. I'm calling 911."
"I'll do it," the woman volunteers from behind me. I already forgot about her.
I turn around. "Thank you."
"You want me to call Peter?" I turn back to Alicia and ask.
She shakes her head.
I frown at that. "You probably should."
She shakes her head again.
"We separated," she says. Barely audible, but I think I heard that right.
I don't know what to make of this. There's too much going on.
I rub my hands over my face, thinking of what to do. "Then I'll go with you."
"Will. Don't."
"Stop it," I answer. "I'm going with you."
I look back at the woman after she finished the call. "I'll take it from here. You can go now. Thank you."
"Thank you for everything," Alicia mutters with an exhale as she tries to smile.
"Ok," she answers hesitantly. "Take care."
I turn back to Alicia. Her jaw looks bruised, her shirt is ripped open, and there is blood on the column behind her. It's making me feel sick and dizzy just looking at her.
Her eyes are still focused on the floor, avoiding mine. I know why. Of course I know why. But everything I was thinking earlier today doesn't count. Not now anyway.
We sit there for a while, I don't know how long. Then, her eyes break from the ground and look up to me. Defeated. "It hurts so bad." She says it as if she's finally allowing herself to feel the pain.
"I know," is all I manage to say in return. It breaks my heart to see her like this. It feels strange to just sit here and not do anything. I want to hold her. I want to carry her out of here. But I know I shouldn't move her.
She leans back against the column. I've never seen her hurt or in pain like this.
One tear escapes her eyes and slowly streams down her face.
Instinctively, I lean in and carefully wipe the tear from her cheek with my thumb.
She shivers, lets out a sigh and for a split second, we look in each other eyes. She looks scared and distressed. In too much pain to protest, she lets me rest my hand on her cheek.
"We'll get out of here in a few minutes," I say in attempt to comfort her.
There are so many emotions rushing through me. I want to take her hand, I want to make her feel better but I don't know if she wants me to. So I pull back.
I know she probably wishes I hadn't come down to help her. Anyone but me. Honestly, I was hoping to avoid her as well. But it doesn't matter now. Nothing matters now but getting her to a hospital.
So, I just sit next to her, on my knees. Waiting for the ambulance to arrive. She closed her eyes again. I fear she'll slip back into unconsciousness. I lean in and gently squeeze her shoulder. "You have to stay awake," I tell her. "Can you do that for me?"
Her eyes flutter open at that. She doesn't say a word. She just looks at me, straight at me, as if I'm a focus point to not sink away again. I realize I have to keep talking to her until the ambulance arrives.
"You're going to be fine, I promise," I whisper. "Just a few more minutes."
I carefully squeeze her shoulder again as I see her eyes closing again. "Come on, stay with me."
Thank you for reading!
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Preview for next chapter: Will in the waiting area of the hospital, trying to wrap his mind around what's going on.