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Springing up from her slumber, Mandy gagged at the very air she breathed and hyperventilated. Her mind was in turmoil and totally disoriented about what was going on. Coming from her back, to the side of her hip burned like a white-hot iron pressing against her skin. It was so unbearably painful that Mandy had to silence her sobs behind clenched teeth, tears falling from her eyes and rushing down her ashy colored cheeks. Cloth of some sort was wrapped around her side to try and slow down the bleeding. It didn't seem to work though since the white fabric had already been stained a bright scarlet shade that was painful to look at. There was just so much blood. No wonder she felt so awful right now.

Mandy was undergoing extreme bloodloss but was still able to look around. She was inside a car. No idea who's it was but that was the least of her problems. "John?" she called out and looked in the backseat. No one there. The driver's side door was open though, so she assumed he must've left. She bit down on her lips and grabbed the door handle and pushed it open. "Ow...son of a bitch." she groaned and dragged her body out of the car, almost falling out if she wasn't still holding onto the handle. It only made a shock of pain course within her and caused her to accidentally let go of the handle and fall on the ground. "Ah!" She swallowed her sobs and gritted down on her teeth, pushing herself up once more

It was absolutely infuriating. Mandy had utterly no idea what was going on and even less of a clue to where John went. Where did he go? Why did he leave her alone? Question after question filtered through her mind but with no one around to save her from them.

Mandy felt panic sweep up inside her, bitting down on her tongue and refusing to think that way. She knew John better than anyone and knew that he wouldn't just abandon her. Mandy couldn't help it though, and just the feeling of waking up and seeing no one around made her...honestly scared. It was almost a traumatic feeling. An old fear of hers that had only worsened with age.

She wasn't lying when she said to John that she didn't want to be alone anymore.

Sucking in a deep breath, she hissed through her teeth that came out in this low kind of growl. "Fucking...autophobia." Her growls turned into a chuckle as she moved around. The car was parked outside a shop of some kind with steps leading up to the backdoor. Mandy took one good look at it though and shook her head. "Yeah, that ain't happening," she said lightheartedly and decided to just sit by the ramp.

The ground was cold and wet, making everything ten times worse than it already was. Mandy didn't know how that was possible but she just figured that her luck might've run its course already. John, Winston, Marcus, literally everyone she knew always described her as having a shit ton of luck. If Viggo was still alive then he would probably agree too.

Coldness pierced her body and made her shiver. She took in a deep breath and just held it there, closing her eyes and hearing her own heartbeat as clear as daylight through her ears. Urgency crept up when the sound of sluggish but heavy footsteps caught her attention. Opening her eyes once more, she gasped sharply when her brown eyes easily recognized John Wick kneeling down in front of her.

He didn't say anything, silently running his hand from the top of her head and down her cheek. "What are you doing out here?" he said in a breathy tone, taking her head into his hands since she was too weak to actually look up now. God, he felt warm against her cold skin.

Mandy smiled and ran her trembling and cold fingers through his hair that was soaking wet from the rain shower. "I got lonely." Her grin was almost wicked, dripping with this childish manner that John felt like he hasn't seen for a while. "Where did you go?" Her voice was depressingly sad.

John's chest tightened from the tone of her voice, taking in a deep and shuddering breath. He reached under to pick her off the ground. "Come on."

Mandy fell limp against his chest and her eyes immediately began to drift close, like she was going to fall into a peaceful sleep at any moment. The fabric of his suit rubbed against the side of her face and she could hear his heart. She was thoroughly surprised by how much it was beating. It was funny really. Mandy was the one bleeding out but John was the one panicking more, even if his facial expression didn't show it. His accelerating heart rate couldn't fool her.

He carried her up the stairs that she would've never been able to climb on her own and opened the backdoor. The window on it was smashed to bits from him trying to get in previously to look around. Mandy immediately heard what sounded to be dogs howling and barking like mad. It was an animal shelter with a wall of cages that were all filled with dogs of various breeds. Every one of them either howled or snapped at the intruders as John placed Mandy down on the table.

Everything had gone to shit and the mental strain on her mind had stretched out far enough, leaving behind a large gash that poured out so many memories. Ones she adored, others she hated, and some she had forgotten about.

It wasn't like the thing people have when they're dying. When one's life flashes before their eyes. Oh no, it was something far worse. It was the feeling of regret that made the memories bloom once more, scraping across the surface of her mind and coming out as tears.

There was this one prominent memory though that she will always retain. Adore it, despise it, crave to relive it. It was the day she met John. A day that happened over 17 years ago. Marcus had been the one to introduce them, and the moment her eyes were set upon John, Mandy was hit with this sense of deep loneliness. It flooded his eyes and poured out his very being. Something wasn't quite right with him, she figured, but if she had to use one word then it would be 'unsatisfied'.

He was just like her. Completely alone and asking for nothing much. A friend if he was lucky.

They found satisfaction with each other's company.

Marcus wasn't the only one Mandy condemned to listen to her mindless babbling and rants. She forced John to listen to her as well. And what really took her back...was when she figured out that he was actually listening to her. His eyes held focus and he never broke eye contact with her the whole time, taking everything she said into consideration and even smiling a bit. Mandy never said anything important enough to remember. Hell, she would forget a lot of what she said the very next day. John never forgot though and remembered everything.

There friendship...was simple yet refreshing. Something new that neither of them really had before.

She wanted to talk to him more. Say what's been on her mind and spill her heart out...but she never did. Invisible chains wrapped tightly around her tongue and she was unable to utter a single word towards him. Fear of the unknown consumed her and she sucked those feelings deep within herself and left them there for over 10 years...but the past always comes back to haunt others who wish to forget.

John fumbled around for some bandages, hydrogen peroxide, and a staple gun they would use on dogs. He looked back over his shoulder and saw Mandy struggling to sit up, wheezing in short breaths filled with hurt. John put everything back down on the table and held her by her shoulders to stop her from pushing herself anymore. "Mandy, stop." He thought she didn't have any strength left in her but was greatly surprised when she suddenly grabbed the front of his suit and held him still. John felt his breath get cut short in his throat when she held his gaze down with her own, staring in his eyes with this severely pained expression.

Mandy's face was an odd but broken up combo of determination, regret, and anxiety. Her voice was coarse when she spoke. Raspy and cracking. "John, I gotta talk to you about something," she said through her teeth, almost sounding desperate. Desperate for him to listen to her.

John felt his chest clench. "You can tell me when I'm done. Just wait for a minute." He fought the urge to just shove her down so he could stop her from bleeding out but his body just naturally responded to her pleas, wanting to listen to what she said.

Mandy shook her head and only held onto him tighter, smiling very weakly at him. "Sorry honey, but my courage only comes once every 17 years and lasts for less than a minute." That statement had never been so true and it pained for her to admit it, seeing how much John's eyes grew, knowing what was about to fall from her mouth. She could feel his hands on her shoulder began to shake with anticipation. He was patient though in the silent minutes that rolled on by for Mandy to gather her words. "I'm a coward...and nothing but a nervous wreck. I can't even talk about my feelings without completely backing out and shutting down. And because of that...I have hated myself for a very long time. I'm done though. So completely...and utterly done." She crashed her teeth together and sucked up the tears that wanted to fall.

She won't cry. She refused to cry.

John continued to be patient with her...just like he always did. He held his breath and braced himself.

"I don't want to be this way anymore and I'm ready to change that no matter what happens between us." She felt her courage retreating from her body like wind through an open window. Her words spilled out faster though. Her heart made a leap...and she opened her mouth for the first time since the moment they met. "John...You're my best friend above everything...but I love you far too much to see you like that anymore. If the world didn't have such a fucked up way with screwing with me... then I would've sucked it up and asked you out a long time ago." She took a gasp at long last and felt the last bit of her courage fall away from her body, leaving her feeling cold with uneasiness.

That was it...she can't undo what's been said and done...and she wasn't prepared for the end.

Silence rolled and nothing was said, making Mandy feel her hope dwindle. "Please say something." The moment back at the bridge had to have counted for something unless it was a fluke. She prayed it wasn't.

John's intense breathing slowed down the longer he stared at her pleating eyes, made from shimmering golden flakes of pure sunlight. Her voice was a joy to his ears, smooth yet curious and mysterious enough to make him crave to hear her talk more. He took a breath and moved his hand from her shoulder, up to her neck, and against the side of her face that was badly bruised. There was something different in his eyes now. Apologetic and loving. "Mandy. Does it really matter that it was a decade ago? I would've said yes...as many times as you needed to hear."

Mandy was quiet, frozen in that one fraction of a second within time itself. It was strange because she was supposed to know his face...but why did it feel like she was looking at him for the first time, seeing a deep devotion and love that filled his eyes. He looked relieved to be able to say that, but beyond even that, he looked happy and content. His touch was gentle like he was being careful to not break her, and his words were heartfelt and true. Mandy's heart had been ignited with this kind of passion that only he could inflict upon her. Only John.

John dropped his head and tapped his forehead against hers, neither of them uttering a single word. Slowly and almost automatic, Mandy reached up to John's shoulders while he wrapped an arm to the back of her head and drew her near. Their lips brushed against each other for a moment, hesitating before finally making contact. It was soft and tender at first like they were just testing the waters before it grew deep and passionate. There was a metallic tang of blood that mixed in with their natural scent, utterly intoxicating. Sparks became flames, coldness washed away completely from their bodies, and Anxiety became void from their minds and only filled with thoughts of each other.

It was a moment that was far from perfect though. Mandy fell away from him, laying limp against his chest and out of breath. It only occurred to John at the very moment that Mandy's skin color had changed once more and was growing paler. He didn't wait for another second and forced her to lay down, untying the cloth around her wound to expose the gushing redness that came from the gunshot.

She still lived up to her name as being the luckiest woman he knows. Mandy's luck wasn't dead yet since it appeared the bullet went through her side and avoided her organs.

He began to pour peroxide over her wound as Mandy yelled out, thrashing her hand around and slamming it down on the table with a loud THUMP. John held her down and tried to put everything together by stapling up the gash with the gun and wrapping it up with the bandages he got too. She started to relax after that and dropped her hand over her eyes, breathing softly now. It wasn't as strained as it was before, so that was a good sign. John was holding his breath the whole time and was finally able to release it. He patted her head and ran his fingers through her hair to calm her and himself down.

John took a glance to the side and his eyes landed on something that made him double-take. There was only one dog that wasn't barking or being even remotely annoyed by their presence. A Pit-Bull with short ashy-brown hair that had an overly calm demeanor about him. It had warm and childish eyes that kinda reminded him of Mandy with the way it was looking at him, curious and somewhat smiling. It's what made John look back at it the first time.

He took a quick glance at the clipboard in front of its cage and saw that it was scheduled to be euthanized the next day.

His heart sank a little.

Mandy cursed under her breath and slid off the table as easily as she could. She watched as John walked over to the cage and kneeled down in front of the dog. Her eyes scanned the room before spotting a leash on the wall, grabbing it and handing it over to him. "John," she said while jingling it in front of him.

He unlocked the door and hooked it around the dog's collar, patting her head a couple of times before glancing up at Mandy. "Come on, Mandy. We're going home," he said, speaking his words to her like it was the most important promise he had made. "Both of us."

Mandy shuddered out a breath and looked down, calming her heart with a smile that could make the world stop still to listen. She closed her eyes and said nothing, silence consuming her but not in a bad way. There were no words needed anymore to plead her case. No words that John didn't already understand.

Out of the lonely darkness and into the world, the kaleidoscope rays of the city cascaded over the dark atmosphere surrounding them, bringing everything to light once again. John and Mandy crossed the boardwalk on their way back home while holding each other up, being pulled by a curious dog leading the way. No words were spoken between them but that was alright. They were merely taking their time limping toward the freedom that had eluded them for over 10 years...now finally within reach.

Author's Note:

Mandy Rose will return on February 13 in...Chapter 2: Cleithrophobia!