Author's Note: Hey guys, as always, please review!
Chapter 17: No Longer Alone
Micky slowly opened his eyes against the harsh light. He'd been awake for a little bit, but hadn't heard anything. He felt the pain in his chest and remembered what had happened, up to the point he'd been shot. He figured he was back in the room with Mike, Rose and Ginny based on the uncomfortableness of the bed and the hand he felt resting against his chest. He knew it was Ginny's. It hadn't moved and he could feel her warmth next to him. He looked at her when he opened his eyes and saw she looked like she was sleeping. She was lying next to him carefully on the edge of the bed, with her hand resting on his chest. He tried to reposition himself to look for Rose and Mike, but the pain in his chest only allowed him to move his head. And he woke Ginny up.
"Hey, you need to relax," Ginny said. "Try not to move."
"Yeah, I don't see that happening," Micky said. "What happened?"
"You got shot," Ginny started.
"Yeah, I mean after that," Micky said. "Getting shot is about the last thing I remember."
"Well, your dad kinda got really mad and shot the man who shot you," Ginny answered. "Or so Mike told me. I kinda passed out."
"You what?" Micky asked.
"I was ok," Ginny insisted. "I just got drained because I diverted the bullet to save you."
"You did?" Micky asked a little confused. "How? I thought you were too weak."
"I don't really know exactly," Ginny said. "Maybe adrenaline. I thought I was gonna lose you."
"You almost did," Micky said. "You're ok now?"
"Yes," Ginny said. "Mike took care of me."
"Where is he?" Micky asked. "And Rose?"
"He's sorta passed out," Ginny said. "Just rest."
"Passed out?" Micky asked. "Why?"
"Just rest," Ginny said. He knew she was trying to shield him from something.
"Ginny, just tell me," Micky said. "I'm gonna find out sooner or later and I'd rather know now when I can't move to do anything about it."
"Fine," Ginny said. "When they brought you back in, my dad was with them. He started saying some things to me to piss me off because he wanted to know how I saved you. I swore to him that I didn't do anything cause I don't want him knowing. He was saying things like what he did to my mom. And you know I'm ok with that cause he used to do it all the time, but Mike and Rose didn't know that. They were only trying to protect me."
"They attacked him, didn't they?" Micky asked.
"Not at first," Ginny said. "They yelled at him and he turned on them. He started saying things to Mike...that he'd killed Mike's parents. Which could have been a lie. I don't know. But it upset Rose even more, of course and she attacked him. So of course my dad attacked her back. She'd stabbed him with a piece of wood from the bedpost and he attacked her back. Mike jumped in front and took the blow. He didn't get the full blast, but enough to knock him down."
"Where is Rose?" Micky said a little more forcefully than he wanted to.
"Micky, I'm so sorry," Ginny said. "I did everything I could. I really did."
"Where is she?" Micky asked feeling his heart stop.
"My dad took her with him."
"No!" Micky said knowing what that meant. "She shouldn't have done that! She didn't know what she was getting into."
"Oh, like you did? Taking a bullet was a good idea?"
"I didn't think they were gonna shoot me!"
"Yeah, well, the guy you killed was the other guy's brother."
"That explains why he was so angry."
"And he did kinda warn her. He told her that Robert was nothing compared to him. I think she believed him and she did it anyway. She was trying to protect me and Mike. You can't blame her for that. You did what you did to protect her."
"It different."
"Why? Because it's her?"
"No, becauseā¦" Micky knew Ginny was right. He just really didn't want what he knew must be happening to his sister to happen. "I just don't want this to be happening."
"Micky, promise me you'll never do something like that ever again."
"You know I can do that. If it means saving any of you, I'd lay down my life in an instant."
"But it won't. It may save us in that moment, but we're still here. We're still in danger and he'll kill us eventually. Besides that, I-I can't lose you. I'd be lost without you."
"Don't say things like that. You'll be fine."
"No, I won't. You're all I have, Micky. My whole family is dead unless you count my father and I really don't. I have nothing left. I only have you. That's the only thing that's gotten me this far."
"What about before I met you? You did fine then. You'll be ok without me. You'll find someone else."
"You didn't. You thought I was dead and you didn't move on."
"I never said I was perfect. And I had Mike and Peter and Davy. Without them...I wouldn't have made it and I know that means it's hard for me to tell you to do what I couldn't, but you're stronger than I am. You've been through so much more and you can make it through more."
"You won't be alone anyway," Mike said suddenly startling them both. "You'll have me and Rose and I know I can speak for them here when I say you'll have Peter and Davy, too."
"Mike, you need to be resting," Ginny said.
"I'm fine," Mike said walking over to them. "I passed out because of stress. I don't even feel any pain."
"Really?" Ginny asked as she stood up and poked his stomach. Mike winced and backed away a little.
"Ok, so it hurts, but I don't need to be sitting down," Mike admitted. "I'm fine. And I'm serious. If anything were to happen to Micky, I will still be there for you and so will Rose, Peter and Davy. Family isn't just blood, it's what you make of the people around you. Diana took me in and treated me like I was her own son and your father is a complete ass. So I think that right there proves blood doesn't always mean family. You're part of this weird little family we've made. You'll always have one of us."
"Really?" Ginny asked.
"I doubt you could make Peter and Davy leave you alone if you wanted," Micky laughed. "They know how much I care about you and that will make them want to get to know you and once they do, I know they'll come to love you, too. And Mike already sees you as a little sister or he wouldn't have said what he just said. It's hard for him to bring anyone in."
"Thank you," Ginny smiled. Before they could say anymore, they heard the lock on the door move. Micky tensed, not knowing what else to expect. What happened was the last thing he expected. Two goons came in with Rose in between them.
"Rose!" Mike exclaimed as the goons threw Rose on the ground just inside the door and left. Mike raced over to her and helped her to her feet.
"I'm ok," Rose said as he wrapped his arms around her. "He didn't do anything to me."
"Why?" Ginny asked. "Not that I'm not grateful or anything, but why?"
"It's ok," Rose smiled at her. "I know what you meant. I got lucky. Apparently one of their dens was attacked and Francesco and Robert had to go clean up the mess."
"The Assassins or -" Mike asked.
"Assassins," Rose answered. "It was a generic raid. Meant to upset one of the Templars plans or something. I don't know."
"They're looking for us still," Micky said. "Peter and Davy and Willow and Piper. They're looking for us. They'll find us."
"I know," Rose said. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I got shot," Micky answered.
"Funny," Rose said. "Don't ever do anything like that ever again, ok? That was really stupid."
"Oh, and what you did was so brilliant?" Micky asked.
"Ok, smartass," Rose quipped.
"I don't think anyone can ask anyone else not to lay down their lives for each other," Mike said. "Each of us cares for the others in a very big way. But that doesn't mean we should be scrambling to do it."
"You never told me how Mike survived touching that box," Micky said turning back to Ginny. He didn't really want to talk about the possibility of any of them sacrificing themselves for each other, so he changed the subject.
"We don't really know for sure," Ginny said. "But I have an idea."
"Long story short, she thinks I'm a descendant of those first civilization people," Mike said.
"She thinks we all are," Rose added.
"I'm sorry, what?" Micky asked.
"Well, it's just a theory, but the first civilization built those artifacts," Ginny said. "They wielded them. Hundreds of people have tried to use the artifacts throughout human history and only some have been successful. Others that failed went mad. My family suggested that is because only the ones with first civilization DNA could properly use them. They were designed that way."
"So when Mike touched it, it recognized its owner and didn't hurt him?" Micky asked. "But he didn't touch the artifact, he touched the box."
"My ancestor used the same material to build the box," Ginny said. "Magically, of course since no one knows where or what that metal is."
"Ok, but what makes you think the rest of us are, too?" Micky asked.
"Most of the people who have been able to successfully use an artifact have already had enhanced abilities," Ginny answered. "Fast healing, intuition, speed, agility, enhanced senses, that kind of stuff."
"We can all see through thick fog or smoke," Rose added. "And you and I are both fast healers. Always have been."
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense," Micky said. "Mom could do those things, too, but Dad couldn't."
"Wait, so does that mean Robert wouldn't be able to do anything, even if he got his hands on the artifact?" Rose asked.
"No, it could still work, but only in a small capacity," Ginny said. "And in the end, it'll drive him mad."
"He's already mad," Micky mumbled.
"You know what I mean," Ginny said.
"You should go get some rest," Rose said to Mike after a moment. Then she turned to Micky. "You too."
"It's just a surface wound; I'm fine," Mike argued. Rose moved to touch his stomach and he backed away before she could. "Ok, ok! Ginny already poked me. You don't need to touch me. It hurts a little and it's a little more than a surface wound, but I really am fine."
"Rest anyway," Ginny said. "I want to try to do that ancestor thing tomorrow."
"Ancestor thing?" Micky asked confused.
"Yeah, when I touched the box, Ginny thinks it awoke a connection or something in my brain," Mike said. "I'm reliving something from an ancestor or something like that. Seeing something he wanted to show me."
"Huh?" Micky asked.
"Genetic memory," Ginny said. "All animals have it. Tells them how to hunt, how to fly, how to roar, everything. Except most of the time, you don't know details, just that a cheetah running at you is bad if you're a squirrel, so you run. That kind of thing. The artifact allowed him to enhance that connection and now he's seeing something important. I can help guide him through it cause I did it with my ancestors. It's how I know all the information about the artifacts that I do."
"Oh," Micky said still a little confused. He assumed it was the headache forming in the back of his head though, rather than anything else.
"Just lie down and rest," Ginny smiled.
"I am lying down," Micky pointed out.
"You know what I mean," Ginny laughed and leaned over to kiss his forehead. He closed his eyes and soon felt himself drifting back to sleep.
