A
New Age, A New Team
Chapter 51: Pull The Clutch On Rage
The wind in the garden washed through in a chilly breeze of silence in the night. The mansion was dark and quiet, unlike it's usual hustle and bustle during the day. The night was calmly, comforting and most of all silent. However, for one person it was the best time of day but the worst at the same time. It meant time to think, to reflect and realize.
Sam sat on a long branch in a large tree that faced the back of the mansion. Night was the only time that Sam was willing to set foot on the mansion grounds; no one knew she was there, so no one could bother her. She had disappeared for months, but instead of going to her gang's house, she wandered. She more ran from her thoughts than anything.
She sat in the tree with one leg prompted up to her chest, while the other dangled off the branch. Her arm rested on top of her knee as her hazel-green eyes stared into the bedroom in front her. She sat on that same branch, in that same tree every night in hopes of seeing something different. However, every night she saw the same thing: Hiro walking into the room and turning off the light to go bed.
She hated the night. It meant time for her to remember, to blame and to hurt. Every night she remembered the warehouse and every detail that haunted her. She ran from the mansion and X² because she was impatient and couldn't stand to lose. She blinked her eyes slowly as she watched Hiro turn the light off once again, just like every night before.
Sam quietly jumped down from the high branch in the tree onto the moist garden grounds. She took a deep breath in as the wind blew through, and she embraced the familiar smells once again. She slowly stood up and turned to walk away from the mansion once again, but she stopped when she got to the large gate. She wrapped her hands around the cold metal bars for a minute as she closed her eyes. Visions of the past spent in the mansion flashed through her head as she became lost in her memories.
"You can't keep running," A soft voice said on the other side of the bars.
Her eyes shot open and stared into the dark brown eyes with gold flecks of Lucas. His arms were lazily through the bars as he leaned forward. She let out a small laugh and let go of the bars, "I should have known."
"You can't keep running Sammy."
She cringed at the nickname, "What are you talking about?"
"You'll be surprised if stay," he smirked in his thick Scottish accent, "everything is alright now."
Sam stared at him for a little bit, "Quit talking riddles."
"Let's just say I did you a favor."
Sam rolled her eyes in annoyance, "I told you never to do favors for me again."
"I know, I know," Lucas chuckled, "after that day in the alley you said no more favors."
"Exactly," She sighed, "you saved my life and that's a big enough favor."
"Which is why you fraternize with the enemy," he winked.
Sam sighed in slightly embarrassment, even though she wouldn't let Lucas see it, "So why did you do me another favor?"
"I'm sick of seeing you run," he said bluntly.
"I'm not running."
"Then what do you call this?" He questioned, and Sam looked away from him. "Exactly… This is your home. This is what makes you happy," he paused, "and I just want you to be happy."
Sam laughed aloud, "You're going soft on me."
Lucas chuckled, "No. You were chosen to protect the first key, and now you've been given another chance."
"I was never chosen. I choose myself to."
"Exactly, so do it again." He paused, "Prepare her." Sam looked away from a minute and then looked back at Lucas. "You're one of the strongest here, which is why you're a leader. You will protect your family at all cost, even if that means your death, which is where I come in," he smirked, "I protect you."
"But why? Why are you helping me when you know what I'm supposed to do."
"Because I want to see this era change, which means you have to stay alive and stay here. You never used to run, but since Ghost died, anytime you're not happy, you run… Which is why I did you that favor." He smirked. "Now are you still going to run?"
Sam stared ahead of her at the empty road and then looked back at the mansion, "What if I do?"
"Then I'll follow you, because no matter how far you run, you always return here."
"You really have a thing for me, huh?" Sam chuckled.
"No," Lucas chuckled, "I'm just waiting for a change, and I know you and your team can do that."
"Then why don't you fight with us?"
"Because someone has to prepare your team," He smirked.
Sam softly smiled and placed her cold hand on top of his warm hand in silence. Her eyes looked into his before she slipped her hand from his and started to walk back towards the mansion. Her heart raced as she stared ahead at the tall, dark building.
Sam quietly walked through the dark mansion as she stared at every change that had happened since she left. Rooms were painted differently, furniture was moved around, and new addition were added, but no matter what had changed, the familiar scent hadn't changed.
She quietly walked down the long stairwell to the underground basement where the medical area was in silence. Memories of the night at the warehouse flashed through her head over and over with every step she took. When she reached the door to the medical area she stopped for a minute as she could literally feel the weight on her again. It stung skin and all she wanted to do was run; it was easier.
Her ears picked up the soft stepping of someone feet, Now or never. She thought as she pushed through the door and into the waiting room area. She walked over to the office door and tried it, but it was locked. She sighed as she reached into her auburn colored hair and pulled out a booby pin. Always keep one handy… She bent it open and then stuck it in the lock. With a couple wiggles, she heard the lock pop and she quickly went inside the office.
She quietly slipped into the dark medical area where Jamal was nowhere to be found. She heard the soft humming of oxygen flowing in a lightly lit area in the corner. She slowly walked towards it, and stopped when she saw what she was running from: Noah.
It was the first time she had seen him since the warehouse. He was slightly prompted up in his bed with a oxygen mask placed over his mouth and nose. His sandy blonde hair was longer, but was still shaggy like she had remembered him. He looked peaceful and calm. She cringed as she walked closer towards him at the sight of the different needles poking and prodding in and out of him.
She carefully sat down in the chair next to his bedside and pulled one of her knees up to her chest, while she let the other one dangle to the floor. She rested her arm on top of knee, like she always did and watched him as he slowly took the oxygen in. Her hazel-green eyes traveled down the I.V. tube until her gaze fell upon his hand where the needle was taped to.
"I heard you left," a voice whispered.
Sam's head shot up and looked into the once familiar grayish-blue eyes, "I… I thought you were dead."
Noah chuckled softly, "Not quite." He said as he carefully removed his oxygen masked.
"Don't you need to keep that on?"
"Jamal does it as a precaution in case we quit breathing in our sleep."
Sam slowly nodded, "I see." She couldn't believe it. He was alive, and talking to her. He hadn't died. "How?" She finally asked after a couple seconds of silence.
"Jamal had a sample of Miracle's blood from before she was infected,"
Lucas… Sam thought in amazement, before looking at Noah. He was really alright. "So when will you be out of here?"
"I don't know," Noah smirked, "I kinda like it here. Jamal waits on me hand and foot and it's got it perks." He chuckled.
Sam laughed as she shook her head, "Then I guess I'm holding down the fort until you get back on your feet."
"So you're staying?" He raised a hopeful brow at her.
"I guess so." She smirked.
Noah sighed in relief, "Good."
The was a long silence between the two of them as they just looked at each other for awhile. They argued and they fought; fists were thrown and blood was drawn, but no matter what there was some strange connection between the two of them that neither one of them could deny.
Sam let out a small sigh of relief that it wasn't another one of her dreams about him. "I should let you get some sleep." She said as she stood up from the chair.
Noah watched her stand up and he carefully wrapped his hand around her wrist, "Stay." Sam looked down at his hand around her wrist and then looked at him. "Just for the night," he said softly, "Jamal won't let anyone in here and it's nice to have some company."
Sam's heart raced, "Alright," She said as she turned back to face him and sat back in the chair. Noah continued to hold her wrist while she was sitting in the chair. "You probably should put that thing back on," She smirked.
He slid his hand from her wrist and pulled the mask back onto his face, "Just like Jamal…"
Sam quietly moved the chair closer to his bedside, while he adjusted the mask. She folded her arms on his bedside and laid her head down to look up at Noah, who was smirking. He quietly closed his grayish-blue eyes and slid his hand on top of Sam's. Sam looked at his hand on top of hers and sighed in relief. She turned her hand to hold his as she closed her eyes to sleep. I'm happy you asked me to stay…
Jamal walked into the medical area carrying a cup of coffee into the lab, and stopped when he saw someone by Noah's bedside. He quietly walked closer and then stopped when he recognized it was Sam. It was the first he had seen Sam since Noah was in his care. People had told him she left that day and no one knew where she went.
Then without warning, it hit him and he realized everything. It was her… Lucas saved him for her happiness…