Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 6

Chapter 19: Bedside Misery

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Supernatural because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

Kazuo was busy overseeing the influx of patients that were injured in the second volley two days ago as the damage to the station stop above was minor without any casualties among the civilians. With the locals coming from other towns to repair the station stop up above, everything was getting fixed in the harsh weather as it wasn't a problem for them due to the lingering spring weather approaching. Life was returning to normal as Kazuo was going towards the underground sanctuary bunker where most of the civilians were still remaining in hiding. Still, he was busy as he was also going towards the hospital room I was staying in. After getting rid of the second volley of Clegenny's forces, I was under the weather myself as I was pinned down with a cold. Even though I was taken care for, I noticed the usual steely scowl on Kazuo's face as he wasn't too happy with me for overexerting my raw power as usual in times of crisis, for he was ready to give me another stern lecture that I didn't want right now.

"Don't you have other patients to tend to other than me?" I said as I coughed.

"I didn't come here to give you another stern lecture, Sam," said Kazuo. "Therefore, you saved the lives of those who were in harm's way this time, but you can't just protect all of us forever. There are others who are taking up the cause and you can't shoulder the burden alone."

"I just hope that we all pull through and put the Executive Division in its place. They've destroyed our main headquarters on Alecrast, they used me to destroy the towns of Sgriccia and New Hanover, and caused misery to Minara by killing his wife and father-in-law."

"Our loved ones would end up being disappointed in us if we ever took the path of revenge without any restraints at all. Therefore-"

"Out of the way!"

Kazuo turned around as he saw a familiar nuisance walking into my hospital room. It was Jethro Braddock himself as he was dressed up in his military uniform once again. The very presence of him being here unnerved me as I wanted to throw something at him directly, for he was not about to let me go free just yet. Even the baseball bat that he had on his person gave me chills as I remembered all those constant beatings I took in order to protect my family, for I wasn't too fond of the squatter who got the proberbial "get out of jail free" card so far.

"You should be back in the Citadel of Silence on Cirith Ungol," said Kazuo. "Why the hell are you let out after a guilty verdict?"

"I got out for good behavior, Kazuo," said Jethro. "For the record, I busted up some of those scum who were under Clegenny's command until the wind blew in and chilled them to the bone."

"I was the one who used my raw power to do that or else those forces would've came forth and slaughtered the civilians who are hiding below in this bunker," I said. "If I hadn't did that, we would've never made it by now..."

"You nearly put the rest of us at risk, Sam. Luckily, you helped us, but according to a straggler from the volley who lived, more will be coming towards the Order's main headquarters here on Drakonus just like the one on Alecrast."

"You should've stayed in your prison, Captain. You are no longer a part in the Alecrian Army after having two assault charges on your record."

"Are you contradicting me again, Sam?" I see Jethro get out his baseball bat as he was aiming it directly towards me while I was in my hospital bed. "Are you being defiant towards me again like you were at your home? All I got was that you pinned my own mother down with that raw power of yours after she tried hard to convince you to focus on everyone other than yourself. She even told me how you talked down to her and said that she 'shouldn't use her bullying tactics on those who were telling her that you have a better chance to succeed God.'"

"I don't like using harm towards women, but your mother crossed the line by trying to lure a patient in convalescence onto the battlefield."

"I could beat you up so badly right now, Sam." I see Jethro getting ready to attack me as he used his baseball bat to touch me with. "You were made to protect all of us, so I suggest that you do your job or else-"

"That's enough, Jethro," said Kazuo as he stood in front of him. "I won't allow you to harass my patients while I'm here, so I suggest that you leave, you got that?"

"Get the hell out of my way, Kazuo. I'm about ready to splatter your brains with this bat of mine, with or without barbed wire laced all over it, so I suggest that you move quietly before you get hurt."

"If you further harm me, they you'll be spending the rest of your days with a seeing-eye dog and some angels aren't very lenient when it comes to those who threaten one of the Terran God's chosen."

At that moment, I saw Jethro leave the hospital room as Kazuo closed the door on his way out. Even though there was disdain towards the one who intimidated me for four months, I wanted him to leave entirely as his presence proved to be yet another thorn of misery for me. Still, I had to tread carefully as I had no other choice but to deal with the squatter who came here just to torment me for no apparent reason whatsoever. Even though I was bogged down with nothing more than a cold, I was also bogged down with the exhaustion that came with using the raw power that I had at my disposal. Even though I wasn't too thrilled to see Jethro free again, all I wanted was to get out of bed and take a quick train to Zetian before it was too late, for I literally loathed him because of how intimidating he was.

"I hate that prick," I said as I shifted into fetal position in my hospital bed. "I just wish that someone would kill him off already."

"You shouldn't say something like that, Sam," said Kazuo cautiously. "Wishing death on someone isn't a fitting way for a new god to behave."

"Well, he shouldn't be threatening the ill at this time of uncertainty. Do you know how many times I endured his threats with that bat of his? I've endured my fair share of beatings from that prick because I didn't want him to hurt my family."

"Sam," said Kanna as she opened up the door and entered into the room. "Thank goodness you're okay after you saved us two days ago."

"It's a relief that you're here instead of Jethro. Still, he's nothing but a bully with that baseball bat of his and he shouldn't be here."

"You're not the only one who's angry at him for coming here. Dean wanted to slug him, but he refrained from doing so after getting a stern lecture from Ryosuke earlier. As for Carly, she wanted to hurl a frying pan at him, but she had to sit in the corner for doing so."

"Kanna…, we all bear a grudge against Jethro, but he won't last long if he continues to bully those whoare deemed weaker than he is. Still…," I continue to cough as I grabbed a tissue and covered my mouth with it. "We can't just..." I wipe my mouth as I noticed blood on the tissue. "get angry or else we won't be able to function right."

"Are you feeling alright, Sam?"

I continued to cough up blood as I grabbed another tissue to wipe my mouth with it. Kanna had never seen me so ill too much before as she felt concerned for my health after all that has happened in this ongoing war. With the troubling illness and presence of Jethro being here with his baseball bat, the overall mess caused me to fall off the bed as I landed on the floor. By the time I got up, I crept back into my bed as I was a mess. Even Kazuo noticed me not doing too well as he got out his advanced medial kit. Getting out a needle with a syringe, complete with a moist alcohol towelette. With my sleeve rolled up I saw Kazuo tear open the alcohol towelette and rubbed it on my arm, I saw him prick the needle where it needed to go to as he was taking blood for analysis. With a bandage put on my arm and the full needle placed into a sterile container, I noticed Kazuo feel concerned about my well-being as I was mostly in the hotspot that kept me there in the first place, for I wasn't about to leave my bed anytime soon.

"You jumped the gun, but that doesn't mean that you're out of the woods yet, Sam" he said.

"I had a feeling that you would say that…," I said.

"Are you feeling okay, Sam?" asked Kanna.

"I'm fine, Kanna…"

"No, you're not. Carly even told me that you overexert yourself just to focus on all of us instead of yourself. I also heard that you once went without sleep for days just to keep Dirk alive one time."

"It's true, but I was worried about him at the time in which he ended up getting a cold during one of our hunting trips on Shiganshina where we stayed at in the Dabb Mountains. It's true that I didn't get sleep that day, but Dirk was ill at the time while we were in that cave."

It wasn't long until I had an i.v. drip inserted into me as I noticed Kazuo getting out a small vial with an eye dropper as he opened it up and put a few drops of a liquid that blended in with the saline solution that I was attached to. Just as I was about to say another word, I began to feel drowsy as I was beginning to fight off the upcoming sleep that came out of nowhere. I was trying to stay awake until whatever Kazuo put into my saline solution drip finally took hold as I fell asleep in my hospital bed.

"What did you do?" asked Kanna.

"I placed a drop of trevanar root liquid into his intravenous drip to help him sleep," answered Kazuo.

"Trevanar root?"

"It's a weed that's native to the region of the Wintry Plain on Shiganshina in which it's been known for its sedative properties, but only three drops can put someone down after a long binger of staying awake."

"But isn't the Wintry Plain on Shiganshina filled with snow?"

"The trevanar root can only be grown in the Dabb Mountains on Shiganshina, but not much of it can be grown in other parts of the galaxy so far. Luckily, I obtained seed samples just to grow it for medicinal purposes. It's also a tonic that can detoxify the body in cases of drug and alcohol addiction, but the matter of demon blood addiction is another story."

Kanna stared at me in my hospital bed as I was sound asleep after all that I went through. Still, she wanted to know more about how I was more diligent to keep my family safe as she was eager to know more about how I endured so much. It was the most she wanted to know about as she was concerned about my well-being just as much as the rest of us so far…

One year ago on Shiganshina…

I was up as I was dressed in my usual mountaineer attire while I was up and ready. I had my usual hunting gear and tools in my sled as I was on my way to the spot where many fish swam up and down the stream. Just as I was about to go out of the temporary slug roe home that we stayed in, I noticed Dirk dressed in his usual hunting clothes as he was ready to set out with me. Both of us were ready to hunt just to put food on the table as we were ready to set off to where we needed to get to.

"I can't wait to catch a fish here and I thought that there are none swimming in the mountains," he said. "For the record, I hope to catch a huge one to feed Reiko and the others here."

"You'll get the chance when we get up to the mountain stream where plenty of fish have stayed here since the dawn of time," I said.

"As long as they don't sprout wings, they're easy pickings."

"If you're going to go hunting with me, then you better keep up, is that clear?"

"I'm on it, but I won't stop until I catch a huge one."

It wasn't long until we both set out with plenty of supplies that we had in our sled. With the usual trail we walked on, we set out towards the pond where it met the stream in which the fish were already out in the water and ready to be caught. With our fishing poles and lures put together, we stopped at a fishing spot as we cast our rods into the water. Both of us were ready to bring in the autumn catch as I noticed my bobber on my fishing line begin to sink a little bit until I got a bite at the start of it. By the time I reeled it in, I saw it to be something else as it was none other than a gigas salmon that I fought tooth and nail to catch. Even Dirk was getting a bite of his own as he reeled it in without hesitation. By the time he caught it, his catch was none other than a large rainbow trout, but he wasn't discouraged about what he reeled in, for it was dinner for all of us to feed so far.

"I got a trout that's big enough to feed all of us," he said as he placed it into a large cooler that was attached to the sled. "I can't wait to see the look on Reiko's face when she sees what I caught for dinner."

"It's a good thing that you caught that fish," I said. "Also, whatever we catch, has to be prepped for further dinners in the next few days."

"Ever since we got here, we've been hunting and fishing, but there's always a catch here and there."

"We're not in the castle in Kanto Village anymore in which we were forced to flee by Darbus Toller, who will get it coming whether it's in this life or the next."

"I'm up for more fishing anyway!"

And so, we continued to fish until it became dusk. By the time we caught a few more fish, we were ready to go as we were on our way home. With the trail to home closer, we made it as we were here the moment we took our catch towards the meat locker in which we got on our protective gear and began to clean, gut, and de-scale it for further future dinners. With the whole catch fully prepared and ready to be frozen, we only left out the gigas salmon that I caught as it was good enough to make our main course meal for tonight's dinner. When we left the meat locker and removed our protective gear, we carted the gigas salmon into the kitchen in which we noticed Reiko and Carly entering in which they came back with some vegetables that were grown in one of the hydroponics labs near the basement level. We were all in for a feast as we were most likely to be having a meal for everyone in this family.

"That is one big fishie!" yelled Carly as she saw me lay the gigas salmon on the counter.

"We're having salmon, fusspot," I said.

"Sam's the one who caught it," said Dirk.

"And we'll be the ones who will cook it," said Reiko. "Besides, the vegetables that we find will be paired with the fish that's there anyway."

"That's one hell of a fish and we're gonna eat it."

"This gigas salmon may be fit to feed us, but whatever we don't eat tonight will be prepared for tomorrow's lunch."

"Let's Iron Chef this bad boy!"

It wasn't long until I was ready to cook as I washed my hands thoroughly. With the fish cut into pieces and ready to be seasoned, I was ready to prepare it until Reiko intervened into putting some of the fish into a roasting pan as she added in a touch of Shigan lemon juice that she squeezed and put into a jar for future use. With the rest of the fish seasoned, it was ready to go as I was busy frying some of it in a pan with some bread crumbs and Pretz bits that were mashed up into crumbs along with some egg mixture. I was hard at work as I was busy with cooking the pieces that I had on hand in which I was hard at work into making sure that the fish didn't burn. The smell of fish being cooked both ways filled the air in the kitchen as we were hard at work cooking dinner for everyone, for it was a time that brought us together in our exile here on Shiganshina…

"Sammy! Wake up!"

I heard Reiko's voice the following morning as I woke up in the nursery where the twins were still asleep. When I saw her enter, she was worried as she was concerned about something, but what, exactly? I wanted to know eventually as I got up from the rocking chair I slept in and was ready to answer what Reiko was worried about. Still, I had to answer as I was also beginnig to worry about what was going on so far, for there would be no end to it if I didn't assess the situation directly.

"Dirk's gone," said Reiko as she was shaking with fear. "He was up earlier, but he's been gone for two hours now."

"What?" I said as I was concerned with worry.

"He said that he wanted to go fishing again after you both help to catch what you brought home yesterday, but he hasn't came back yet."

"Don't worry, I'll find and bring him back."

"Oh, dear..." Reiko sees one of the twins waking up as he was staring at her. "Don't worry, my little darling, Daddy will find big brother for you, I swear of it."

It wasn't long until I left the nursery as I stripped off my nightclothes and put on my old Order of Letters outfit in which it was a piece of nostalgia that I kept with me. It wasn't long until I heard a gunshot and shriek as I was urgent into saving Dirk from danger. With my sword and gun equipped on my person, I set out as I followed the footprints that led towards the fishing spot from yesterday. It was a mess as I saw Dirk's fishing gear untouched in which I saw a knapsack that had a bit of food in it while taking it with me. To my shock, I noticed that Dirk wasn't there as I was starting to worry myself sick for some odd reason. I was his guardian. He was my ward. I couldn't let him fall victim to what goes beyond the forest that nestled in these mountains. All I did was to rely on instinct as I noticed a muddy scuffle in which I followed it into a grassy clearing in which I noticed Dirk unconscious and face down. Flipping him over, I noticed him to be deathly pale as he was starting to become ill for no reason, but my gut feeling sensed much worse. When I felt at his neck for a pulse, I knew that he was still alive as I saw him breathing and coughing up water in which I later noticed that he had a spare gun that was near him.

"Dirk!" I yelled worriedly. "Can you hear me?!"

"Sam…," he said to me as he was trying hard to sit up. "I got that bitch..."

"You took the spare gun, didn't you? What did you shoot at?"

"It was a ghostly fiend that looked like an old hag. She fed on me a little, but I shot her point blank… in the head while I was holding her back..." I see the patch of black mass near Dirk as I had a feeling that the terrors from the woods became more intense than normal. "It was a shtriga that popped out of nowhere, but I shot her before she took my entire lifeforce..."

"Don't try to talk further." I gathered up the spare gun and placed it into my hip holster as I scooped up Dirk with his clothes soaked. "As soon as we get home, Reiko will end up making you some soup to warm you up after what you went through."

Without warning, I noticed a drop of rain falling as I carted Dirk to safety in which we stopped into a dry cave near the stream. With the autumn air getting colder, I was feeling the chill as I gently laid Dirk down onto the stone ground. It wasn't long until I noticed some withered wood nearby as I gathered it up and made it into a pile for a campfire. Digging into my hip holster, I got out a small vial of lighter fluid as I poured a bit of it onto the withered wood I found. With a lighter in my hand, I lit the campfire as it began to burn slowly but brightly. When I noticed Dirk shivering with cold, I removed my trenchcoat as I covered him up so he wouldn't get pneumonia. When I checked up on him, he was starting to get a fever as I was concerned about his health and safety, for I didn't want him to die right now.

"Sam…," said Dirk.

"Don't try to talk," I said as I fished out a vial with a green liquid in it. "You were reckless when you went off alone, but shooting a shtriga takes the cake."

"At least I lived, didn't I?"

"Here, you better take this to bring the fever down." I hand the vial to Dirk as he drank it down. "It's not tasty, but it's a medicinal herb that can help you with what ails you."

"Aw, sick! This stuff tastes like NyQuil!" Dirk makes a sour face after he downed the small vial. "Dude, isn't there anything better than this crap?!"

"It's better than seeing you die here. You're not the only one who had to take this stuff in which Carly had to take it when she ended up getting a cold like you did. Still, we all have to take awful medicine whether we like it or not, alright?"

Dirk didn't say another word as he began to rest up while I continued to tend to the campfire with a kindling stick. I was fully concerned about his health as I watched the rain pour from outside of the cave we stayed in. Still, I couldn't let him die as I had my responsibility to protect and look after him for the rest of his days. When I saw him fall asleep, I continued to watch over him as he was in dire need of help in this pouring rain so far…

The rain continued to pour for three more days as I was hard at work into making sure that Dirk was alive and safe. With the usual hunting for fish to sustain us, we were both dirty and most likely to get a bath as we were waiting for help to come for us. Still, I didn't fall asleep for those past few days as I was fighting off the urge to do so in which I didn't want Dirk to die from the illness he suffered from. I was concerned about his safety as it was far more important than mine. By the time I saw him wake up, he stared at the dark circles under my eyes as he knew that I wasn't getting enough sleep, but I didn't have the time to care for my own well-being right now.

"You're awake," I said.

"Seriously, you didn't get enough sleep?" said Dirk as he was suspicious about the lack of napping I put away. "If Reuben were to track you down, he'd give you a stern lecture about not getting enough shut-eye."

"I was busy taking care of you. I couldn't let you suffer after what you went through. You did manage to kill a shtriga, didn't you?"

"What about your lack of sleep, Sam?" I notice Dirk sitting up as I heard the unwavering concern in his voice. "What about your own health of did that go down the toilet already? You did so much for me, but you can't just put your own health and safety on the back burner. Too much of staying up can literally kill you if you're not careful, so I suggest that you get some sleep before you drop, alright?"

"I won't let you suffer, Dirk. As the patriarch of this family, I put the needs of others before my own. And another thing, I won't let you die here and when we get back home, the rain will stop pouring and we'll be safe at home." I felt my eyelids slowly drooping as I continued to fight off the sleep that was getting to me. "I can't put my family at risk and I'll make damn sure that you and the others are safe from harm."

"We found them!"

I noticed Badur entering into the cave as he saw me to be a wreck. The lack of sleep that I endured was a warning sign of danger as Badur had a gut feeling that I had done too much, for it was weighing heavily on me. When I stared at Dirk, I wasn't about to leave his side as I couldn't let him succumb to the fever he suffered from, for he was far more important than I was at this moment. Just as I was about to fight off more sleep, I noticed C'Torrha emerging as she was concerned about the dire state I was in, for she was no stranger to dealing with those who lacked sleep.

"You've been up for days, Sam," she told me. "It's about time that you went home and got some rest before you suffer worse."

"And what about Dirk? He's the one in need."

"Your well-being is just as important than your ward's, Sam," said Badur. "Still, you stayed the course into making sure that he was cared for during his fever, but your lack of sleep mustn't be a damper on your health."

"Dirk needs to be taken home and put on bedrest and that is all. He was suffering from a fever after I found him near the fishing pond, but I won't leave him, even if it means by not going with the sleep I deserve."

"I'm sorry to do this, Sam…," C'Torrha uses her sleeping spores on me as I was knocked out instantly. "But sleep matters to those who lack it, including you."

And so, Dirk was up as he noticed Badur carting me out of the cave with C'Torrha behind him. Still wearing my coat, he exited the cave as he noticed that it was morning with a clear sky instead of the pouring rain, for it was a sign of hope after all…

I was dreaming as I found myself in the cave in which Dirk was still sound asleep. Even though I stood by my side to protect him, I noticed that his entire body started to decay. The sight of him disintegrating like that made me feel guilty for my failure until I woke up in a tub in the bathhouse area of the slug roe home. Naked and cleaned, I was in the hot water as I even had a washcloth on my head in which I took off quickly. Even though I was fully awake, I was concerned about Dirk's safety and well-being until I noticed him naked in one of the wash basins cleaning himself up. I was thankful that he was safe, but I was steeped in failure for not doing enough, but I was in for a real snag so far.

"It's about time that you had your well-being checked," said Dirk as he rinsed off the soap from his body. "Reiko was worried about the both of us, but at least we're still alive."

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"You were out for two hours, but at least we're home. Anyway, you do so much into caring for us, but it's about time that you let it slide and have us do the work for you."

"I let you down, Dirk. I should've stayed awake a little longer..."

"No, you didn't 'cause this isn't the first time that the lack of sleep is discussed before. When I talked to Badur, he told me how he saw the same plight in those Supernatural books that grace every train station in which he read bit parts from The Born-Again Identity to prove a point to what you nearly suffered from. You went without sleep for three days straight while we were waiting it out in that cave during the rainstorm, but you can't just put it off or else you won't function right."

"By the way, are you feeling better?"

"I felt better even more when you got a little bit more sleep on the trail home. Besides, you did a lot more for me 'cause I matter, but what about your own self-worth? You can't just let other naysayers pick you apart because of putting your self-needs first, but putting yourself last is the most dangerous thing that one can ever do. I know that you don't want to think about yourself, but you can't just put it off. Even though you care about me, Reiko, Carly, and the twins; you can't just put yourself on the bottom forever."

"I'm already at the bottom because of what Darbus did to my reputation after the Gale Canyon incident. Still, I can rise again, but for now, I can't do that due to the fact that I could end up putting everyone here at risk. I'll rise to the occasion, but for now, exile is what we're forced to endure."

"Then I'll endure it with you. We're all in this family, aren't we?"

It wasn't long until I saw Dirk get into another tub as he sat in it while relaxing from all the stress he went through. As for me, however, I continued to soak as I was also reflecting on how I was more important like the others, for I had a bigger purpose after all…

Meanwhile, back in the present…

I was up as I was still laying in my bed in the usual hospital room I was in. It had been very late as I was dreading the presence of Jethro coming here while threatening those who were under his feet. For a while, I thought I was safe from his wrath, but I wasn't. Some bizarre organization decided to let him off the hook as I had suspicions about his return to service. By the time I was about to fall back asleep again, I heard the door open as I was shaking in my blankets. I had a gut feeling that Jethro would enter as I had a feeling of terror. Yanking out the intravenous drip from my arm, I got up while covered in a blanket as I was ready to bolt out the window until I saw my worst nightmare entering inside. Jethro was adamant into "teaching me a lesson" as he had his baseball bat in his hand.

"So, you're being defiant to me again, Sam," he said as he was ready to strike.

"You have no right to be here in this room," I said.

"I have every right to be here because I'm also your superior! As for my release from the Citadel of Silence, I was called in by members of the Old Guard who had ties with my ancestor. As for the summit in Zetian, it's on heavy guard because I'm the only one who can protect the Council of Elders from what's coming in retaliation of Clegenny's defeat."

"You may have the gall to beg for your help from the Old Guard, but something else busted you out because the Old Guard blended well with the Order of Letters that we all know today."

"You should know that I was the one who got Jethro out of the Citadel of Silence," said Miriam as she appeared out of nowhere. "Yet, you refuse to acknowledge him as your protector because of the fact that Julilla is still at large and in a breeding mood."

I wasn't too thrilled at see Miriam here as she was the most stern of all the angels that I've seen. Still, she defended my offender who helped keep me prisoner for the four months of house arrest I had endured as she wasn't about to let me off the hook yet. It was further hell for me as I was ready to press the call button until I was stopped briefly.

"If you're wanting to press the call button to dispatch Kazuo, then you're in further hot water, Sam," said Miriam. "For the record, you will respect Jethro's reason to protect you because he is chosen to do so."

"I never asked for that prick's protection and I never will!" I yelled as I began to cough. "He's caused misery for me ever since he and the other three squatters gave me, my family, and my servants a living hell for four months! Why can't you see that or are you just another one of those 'basket of dicks' who do nothing but smiting first?!"

"Technically, I see that and I don't really care. As for your safety, it is vital that Jethro protects you in this time of crisis."

"'Time of crisis?' He couldn't protect an innocent bystander without lashing out with his baseball bat."

"I'm the only one who knows of how Julilla works, Sam," said Jethro defensively. "Do you think that you and Minara were the only ones who got away? I was also yet another one of that ice queen's constant targets until my mother intervened. Did you know what Mother did if she ever saw Julilla trying to seduce me? She would throw acid at her pretty little face of hers if she tried to seduce me like she did to my father, God rest his soul."

"You have two assault charges for attacking me with that horrendous baseball bat of yours and yet you still have an intention to 'teach me a lesson' with it. But for the record, I'm putting my foot down and ready to rub your nose in your own piss! I've endured your constant beatings the moment I stepped in just to make sure that you didn't sully Reiko's honor or attack the children and servants in my home!" I got up from my bed as I used my raw power to subdue Jethro with the same technique that was used on his mother. "And another thing, I won't be your whipping boy for the rest of my trip to Zetian or any other place that 'requires your assistance.'" I used my telekinesis to take away the baseball ball out of Jethro's hand and turned it against him. "You think that you can browbeat and torture me with that poor excuse of a bat of yours?! No, I've gotten fed up with the constant reminders of your lectures on how you would snitch to that battle-axe of a mother of yours! And therefore…, I'm not the bullied one who is meant to crawl in a corner anymore, you hear me?!"

I was ready to let Jethro have it until Miriam intervened and sabotaged my rant against my aggressor in one fell swoop. She was ready to blind me as I saw the angelic aura surrounding her in which she was ready to smite me in my hospital room. She was fierce into keeping me docile as she wasn't about to let me get out of control. She was ready to let me have it until she was stopped by an unknown force that incapacitated her briefly. I noticed the force that intervened as I saw it to be none other than a familiar face entering as she was dressed up as a naughty candy striper. It was Visenya as she wasn't about to let Miriam do further harm towards me, for she wasn't about to let either her or Jethro cause me more misery than I could take.

"Didn't your superiors tell you to lay off the new god, Miriam?" she said. "Once again, you think that you're high and mighty into allowing Sam to be under more torture, but not now!"

"Visenya…," she said as she was struggling to get up. "We know you as a traitor of Lilith in which Milverton and his cronies signed a death warrant to kill you. You were also involved into bringing Sam home to Alecrast when Darbus Toller made his mark on the galaxy almost two years ago."

"Say what you want about me, but if you attempt to make Sam have a seeing-eye dog for the rest of his days, then you'll be the one walking Fido around, you got that? Yeah, I've been away, but when I got word that the a renegade demon took the Sol-1 and piloted it away from Alecrast before blowing up, I also got word from the spirits above in which the Executive Division has made its mark and still recruiting those who are against both the Order and what's left of the Old Guard."

"Have it your way, but there will soon be consequences on both sides. Sam may be on the cusp of being a god, but his behavior towards his sworn protector… is unforgivable! Jethro Braddock knows more about how Julilla operates just to get what she wants more than anyone. He even witnessed how that bitch seduced his father in which he ended up dead for being lured. Still, in the end, no matter how many times you try to leave him out, he will never be swayed by honeyed talk or misery. Just take those words to heart, Sam! You know that you can't go without protection and Jethro did his duty into making sure that you were safe!"

It wasn't long until Visenya fished out a piece of paper with an angel-banishing sigil drawn on it. Touching it, she used it to make Miriam disappear as she was getting tired of hearing her fawn over my aggressor. With Jethro cowering in the corner, he fled as he forgot to take his baseball bat with him. Even though I was relieved that my aggressor was gone, I couldn't shake the words that Miriam told me as I also had to watch my back, for Julilla was watching my every move I made.

"Good riddance for now," said Visenya.

"You did good, but I have no other choice but to allow that bat-wielding prick to protect me," I said.

"Jethro Braddock is known for his aggressiveness towards annoying bystanders and some of his own subordinates before he got busted, tried, and sentenced to the Citadel of Silence until Miriam intervened at the last minute."

"Then you can go and snap his neck if you don't mind."

"Hey, I may have the gall to do so, but most planetary armies would hunt me down with a massive bounty on my head. Besides, you don't have the balls to kill him 'cause he's more afraid of you than you are of him. You have a kind heart that still remains strong, no matter how many times that rage filters in, so don't let that anger get the better of you."

"I'll try not to be because I can't let the likes of Jethro bring me down. I nearly sunk to a new low in which I was about to let him have it by beating him with his own baseball bat. For the months of house arrest I was under, I was constantly struck by that prick in which he threatened to harm my family and servants. I couldn't let him sully their honor and dignity as people, but I took the heat for Jethro's wrath."

"You endured so much, Sam… Anyway, you can't just bear the pain alone. I also hopped onto the Kurokage just to stop Darbus Toller from destroying the galaxy and repopulating it with his obedient dolls. Still, I don't blame you for unloading on that mama's boy, but your actions will end up costing your titles and status in the Order. And another thing, don't let yourself get a little angry too much or else those around you will suffer from the mistakes you make." Visenya walks towards the door as she was on her way out. "Therefore, you need to stay strong or else you will fall victim forever to your oppressors. In the long run, you can't just cart this oversized bandbox alone 'cause we're all on board to protect you, are we good?"

I saw Visenya leave as she closed the door behind her. With the extra quiet returned to me once again, I was happy to take in that sigh of relief as I returned to my bed. Just as I was about to lay down, I saw the window open as I noticed a paper plane flying until I caught it. Unraveling it, I found the paper plane to be a note as I read it carefully. It was in Enochian as it was a word of warning not to abandon the help that was put in front of me, for I noticed a black circle at the end of it. And does anyone know about a black circle? It was a symbol of warning to those who behaved obnoxiously as I was reminded not to get out of control at Jethro and his priggish nature. For the record, I loathed him as he was nothing more than a bully who relied on his baseball bat to attack those who rubbed him the wrong way. It was the worse reminder that was given to me as I had no other choice but to adhere to the prick who continues to badger me with the usual isolating and scare tactics. It was my defeat to stand against him until I noticed Kazuo arriving. The look on his face said it all as he wasn't too thrilled with having Jethro here, for he also had a bone to pick with whoever got Jethro out of his prison in the first place.

"You're too little, too late, Kazuo," I said.

"I know who got Jethro out and it was Miriam due to what Visenya told me earlier," he said.

"I know all about it, but I have no choice but to allow that prick to be my protector or else I'll face consequences on both sides."

"No, you won't; Jethro may have the gall to protect you, but he'll always be a loose cannon that will end up being back in jail soon. I also have my reasons to stand up to that prick because if he attacked me, he would have his eyes melted out of his skull by now. Miriam also knows about crossing the line, but her actions to have you under the watch of Jethro Braddock would make anyone nauseous. As for your grievance against him, you can't let it get the better of you or else you will flat, are we good? We can't afford to squabble too much because of the fact that Visenya has brought in some more intel." I see Kazuo fish out a pouch as he got out a familiar SIM-Tron chip from it. "It's a godsend that there are more SIM-Tron chips for us to review, but they can be seen once we get to Zetian."

"That's good enough to hear..."

I was ready to toughen it out as I had to endure what was put in front of me. Still, I was once reminded of how suffering made one closer to God, but I had a long way to go as I also had to go up against the Executive Division till the bitter end…

To be continued...