Wow! You guys are very supportive :) I hope you're all liking this story so far. I didn't want to write the first chapt and leave you all hanging for days on end, so I wrote the second tonight. Please forgive me for any mistakes there may be! I'll tweak it a little tomorrow if I find the time! Have a wonderful night/day!
Drake held Taylor's hand tightly, squeezing gently every time she stirred. She was yet to wake, but she wasn't in the same state of sleep as the other humans were… it was her baby, protecting her from the energy of the Suvek. What had knocked poor Taylor out was the car crash, both of her arms now bandaged all the way up to her shoulders. She had a graze across her cheek and – to what Drake knew would be her horror – her hair was singed slightly at the tips. Maybe she could start a new trend, Drake chuckled to himself. It didn't matter about anything else at that moment. Taylor – and his baby – were safe.
He smoothed a gentle palm over her hair, saying her name lightly, letting the word caress his lips, wishing to pick her up into his arms and hug her tightly. What had this human done to him he wondered? Since when had anyone – human or Atrian for that matter – had such sway over him? He touched her belly lightly, feeling a sudden surge of protectiveness.
"How's she doing?" Sophia knocked at the door, craning her neck to see over Drake's shoulder. Drake nodded his reply, his gaze never leaving Taylor. Sophia came to stand by them, placing a glass of water by the bed, "For when she wakes up." She paused a moment, chewing at her bottom lip, "We really shouldn't have left Lukas behind," she said bitterly, regret pouring into her tone, "And what about Julia and Eric? We didn't even see them! They could have been hurt, too…"
"The humans were knocked out, Sophia. They're all coming around. Emery is coming around, isn't she? The Suvek just put them to sleep… maybe so that they didn't see that… signal, I guess. The light shooting into the sky?" Drake was speculating, Sophia knew. However, it was a pretty fair suggestion. What better way to start a war with the humans than making it impossible for them to know what actually had started it?
"D-Drake?" A faint voice escaped Taylor's lips. Her eyes still closed, her fingers stretched up to reach for Drake, whose voice she'd obviously overheard. He grabbed them gently in both of his hands, assuring her that he was at her side, "It'll be ok, Taylor," he cooed into her ear. Sophia smiled, acknowledging the, well, cuteness of the couple. If all else went sour this day, at least they had each other…
"I'll leave you two alone," She inclined her head, stepping back out into the hall.
Her brother had his hands full at Emery's side, Drake at Taylor's. She was no use in this house! Tapping her hand against the kitchen bench, Sophia nodded to herself, sifting through a couple of draws near the fridge behind her. She finally located some sticky-notes and a pen, scribbling down what she had planned. She needed to go and find their other friends; the ones that they'd left behind. She couldn't just sit around and wait any longer.
Roman sat by Emery, studying her features intently, unwilling to move from her side. He'd washed Grayson's blood from her smooth skin and caressed her palms gently as he'd done so, fighting back a surge of sorrow at the thought of losing Grayson. He'd turned out loyal, in the end, and Roman hadn't even had the opportunity to properly thank him. He was gone.
He bowed his head into the palm of Emery's hand, fighting back tears. The Suvek had detonated, he'd lost his friend, and he'd almost lost Emery. How much more would he have to go through this day?
Emery started, sitting up straight, breathing in a deep breath of air as though she hadn't done so in minutes. Roman fell to the floor, startled and heartbeats racing. Emery was breathing heavily and quickly, eyes of fear darting around the room as though she didn't know where she was. "Emery?" Roman jumped to his feet, sitting beside her on the bed and gripping her arms, "Emery?" He said again when she didn't respond.
She was looking passed him, as though something on the wall had taken her interest. After a light shake of her shoulders she finally turned her head, blinking as though she'd just woken up, eyes slightly foggy. "Roman?" Her breathy voice managed, shocked.
Roman couldn't speak. Emotion overran him. He pulled her close, lips searching and finding hers, pressing against them with eagerness and passion. Emery was startled at first, but the warmth of Roman beside her, arms wrapped tightly around her body, made her melt swiftly into the motion. His hands caressed her head, weaving through her brunette hair as his lips trailed burning kisses down her jaw, her neck. Emery moaned, gripping the strong muscles under his shirt's sleeves. "I missed you," Roman managed between kisses, his hands traveling down her arms, sweeping across her stomach and hitching up her shirt. He felt her warm skin beneath his hands, listened as her breath hitched and she turned her head, claiming his lips once again as her own. His tongue insisted on traveling further, deepening their kiss. Emery mumbled something against him, but it was incoherent in this situation. He pushed her gently towards the bed, lying her down beneath him.
"Roman!" She gasped as he hands travelled higher, sending sparks surging through her body. Emery would have begged him to continue, couldn't stand to think of ending this moment, but the sudden surge in activity had caused her to shake, and she suddenly felt dizzy. Roman stopped almost immediately, pulling back and looking her up and down, "Are you alright?"
Emery frowned, "I-I don't know. What… Roman, what happened?"
Roman helped her to sit back up as the two of them gained control once again of their breathing. Emery blinked several times, trying to gain control of her thoughts, put back together the pieces of her memories. She'd been on the rooftop… She gasped.
"Oh my god!" Emery cried, hand clasped to her mouth, still warm from where Roman had been, "Grayson!? Where is he? What happened, Roman?"
"Shh, Emery, take it easy. Grayson…" Roman wanted to tell her that her friend hadn't made it; he couldn't bare to think what she was feeling at that moment. He couldn't just yet, though. He gripped her hands tightly in his own, "Emery we couldn't stop it. The Suvek… Zoe she- she detonated it. It sent out this pulse and you – all of the humans – you all went to sleep! You were knocked out. And then this light shot up into the sky. I think it was a signal. The Trags were signalling something – or someone – up there in space. I don't know what to do!" Roman could feel the panic building inside of him. His breathing quickened, and he leant closer to Emery, rested his head against her shoulder, utterly exhausted.
"Roman-" Emery tried, speechless.
"Grayson didn't-" Roman tried, but the words just wouldn't form. He felt sick and tears stung at his eyes, threatening to overwhelm him. Emery didn't need him to finish. He could see the tears in her own eyes, and she let them fall with such grace. She pulled him closer, hugging him tightly to her. She was so warm against him, and Roman sniffed, trying to gain control of his emotions.
"Where is everyone?" She said against his shirt.
Roman paused, "You just woke up… I- I guess the other humans did, too. It was like a trigger that sent you all unconscious. Its effects must be wearing off."
"So everyone just… fell asleep? Right there at the parade? All through the streets?"
Roman nodded his confirmation.
Emery's lips thinned as she considered what Roman was telling her, "What do we do now, then?"
Roman paused, "Taylor is here, in your parents room. Drake's with her. She crashed at the moment the Suvek went off – you should see her."
Emery's eyes filled with even more worry, and she nodded her head, letting Roman help her slowly to her feet.
They moved down the hall, towards Emery's parent's room. Roman knocked lightly before they entered. Drake was still bent over Taylor, whose eyes were open, and she smiled weakly towards the newcomers. "Taylor!" Emery exclaimed, moving swiftly over to her friend.
"I'm okay," Taylor managed through a hoarse voice.
Emery blinked, shaking her head, "What happened?"
Taylor swallowed, "My car rolled when the Suvek detonated… it caught fire, I guess… I kinda' blacked out. I was so lucky Drake heard me… I think the Suvek didn't affect me the same way it did all you guys, though."
Emery looked confused, looking up at Drake as though what Taylor was saying made no sense. She looked back at Roman, studying her closely. She shook her head, "What are you talking about, Taylor? What's a Suvek?"
Taylor looked confused, "Umm… the bomb-thing?"
Again Emery looked around the room for answers, "Was it in your car?"
After a heavy (slightly awkward) pause in the room, Roman jumped in, fear bubbling up inside him, "Emery, what do you remember?"
Emery breathed deeply, trying to recall some deep memory, "We were at the parade… you wanted to watch it from the roof, Roman… then we came back here and Drake brought Taylor inside? I guess that's what you did, Drake? How did you know where I lived by the way?"
To confirm, Roman knelt beside Emery, touching the top of her hand lightly with his fingertips, "Is that all that happened today, Emery?"
She shrugged her shoulders, looking slightly confused and a little annoyed at Roman's questions. She turned her focus back to Taylor, examining her arms and the bandages that encased them. Roman breathed out in disbelief, looking at Drake, "She doesn't remember anything!"
Drake sighed, nodding. "Great." He answered sarcastically.