Chapter 146

Comfort

Rhi POV

I feel like I'm underwater and struggling to get to the surface while being pulled under by a rip tide. It's exhausting. I can hear sounds but they're muffled and I can't decipher what they are or where they're coming from. Finally, after a struggle, I'm able to open my eyes and the light is so bright that I don't want to keep them open but I'd rather be blind briefly than close them and never be able to open them again. I'm disoriented and confused but my senses are starting to come back to me.

I can finally hear again after a few minutes because I hear, "She's coming around. Slade, get a wet towel or something. Brick, find some water. Hurry." A deep voice comes from my left.

My throat is so dry it burns and feels like I swallowed a shovel of hot coals. What the fuck happened?

I'm freezing and I'm shaking so bad that I feel like I'm in a washing machine. I feel something soft cover me and it smells so good that it's comforting. I would say it's relaxing but I feel like a puddle of goo and can't move anyway so that's irrelevant. I don't think I could relax any more than I already am.

I jump when I feel something cold on my face. "Sorry." A gruff, yet soothing, voice says. The two descriptives don't match at all.

"Here." Another deep voice says.

"I'm going to put a water bottle to your lips and I want you to drink some." The same gruff voice says. Something lifts my head a little and when I feel something at my lips and take a small sip. It's cold and feels good on my scratchy throat but I don't have the energy to drink anymore.

Leaning my head back, I close my eyes again. They're so heavy.

"Come on Princess, you need to drink a little more." Feeling the bottle at my lips again, I drink deeply and start to chug the water.

"Woah, not so much so fast. Slow down a little, Princess. You can have more in a minute." Something cold and wet touches my face again and I shiver.

"I'm not a Princess." I rasp.

Chuckles surround me. "There she is." A different voice says.

"What happened?" I whisper, shivering. Despite whatever is covering me I can't seem to get warm.

"You fainted, Princess." Another different voice says.

Pinching my eyebrows together, I try to remember what happened but come up blank. "I fainted? Why?" I'm so confused and each voice sounds so familiar but I can't place the names.

There's silence for a minute or so, hell, it could have been an hour because I'm still disoriented. "My guess is that you had a panic attack." The gruff voice replies and I feel coldness on my face again.

"What caused it?" I ask, confused. I've never had a panic attack before. Not that I can remember, anyway.

I'm met with a brief silence again. Shaking my head, I try to sit up but stop when I feel hands on my shoulders pushing me back down. "Don't worry about it right now. Just rest for a few minutes." The gruff voice soothes.

I'm too exhausted to resist and I lean back and relax. "I'm so tired."

"We'll get you to your room soon and then you can sleep." Whoever owns that voice is soothing and makes me want to sleep. It's like a growly teddy bear and between that and the amazing scent, it makes me want to snuggle into it.

"How are you feeling, Princess?" Someone asks after a few minutes.

"I'm OK. I think. I'm just so tired." I whisper. "Can I sit up? If I lay here any longer I'll fall asleep. Please?"

"Yeah, go slow though. You don't want to get dizzy." Mr. Bear growls softly. I know it sounds like a kids cartoon but it fits.

Closing my eyes, I struggle to sit up, and after a few seconds, I feel hands on my shoulders and back supporting me. "Thank you."

"Here. Drink a little more." Feeling a bottle of water placed in my hand, I wrap my fingers around it and take a drink.

After another drink, I open my eyes and see five very familiar large men looking down at me, one of which does not have a shirt on. Oh god, this is embarrassing, fainting in front of these guys. What the hell happened?

I can't stop myself from saying, "I was right."

Confused, Blondie asks, "Right about what?"

"That he had a full chest piece and two full sleeves." Looking up at him, I ask, "Can I see your back? Please?"

Mr. Tattoo smiles, "Of course. Tats are living artwork and I'm more than willing to show them off." He replies. Turning around, I see that his entire back is covered too.

"God damn that's hot." I mutter, without even thinking that I'd be heard.

"Hot huh?" He asks with a grin.

Raising my eyebrows, "I didn't say that." I look at him confused.

"Oh yes, you certainly did say that. I heard you." He grins, "We all heard you.

Chuckling echoes all around me and I want to crawl under a rock. "Sorry. You weren't supposed to hear that."

"It's OK. I'll take that as a compliment and pass it on to my artist. He'll be happy to hear that his talent is appreciated." Winking, he adds, "Or maybe it's the canvas that's hot?"

"Where's your shirt?" I ask, ignoring his comment. God how embarrassing.

Pointing to me, he grins. "You're wearing it."

Looking down, I see a shirt wrapped around me. "Well, that explains the smell." I mutter.

The other guys break out laughing and his face falls. "Hey, that's not very nice."

"Oh god, that's not what I meant!" I'm mortified at how that sounded. "I meant that it smells good. I told you guys earlier that it's the best smell ever." I snuggle into it and inhale deeply. Sighing, I lean back and close my eyes.

"I'm glad you like the smell. Keep it." He chuckles, "It looks better on you anyway."

"I can't. It's your shirt. You need it." I start to take it off but he stops me.

"Please keep it." Stepping back, he puts his hands out in refusal. "It seems to calm you and that's what you need, that and you're cold so it's keeping you warm."

Looking down at it, I run my hands over the material. It's so soft, a total contradiction to the rough man who was wearing it. Pulling the fabric up to my face, I inhale deeply again. "I could fall asleep in this." I mutter and let out a sigh. This is just plain weird but he's right. It is calming. Curling up on the couch I'm lying on, I tuck my legs under me and pull the shirt over me like a blanket.

"Slade, it looks like you just lost your favorite shirt." Blondie laughs.

"What? It's your favorite? Here, take it back. I'll be OK." Sitting up, I start to unwrap it from around me again but he stops me.

Glaring at Blondie, he responds, "No, Princess. You keep it. It's just a shirt to me. It calms you. You need it more than I do." He smiles, "Please keep it. I insist."

Looking from him to Blondie and back again I slowly nod. "Are you sure?"

Nodding, he answers, "I'm sure."

I don't waste any time snuggling into it again. There's something about it that makes me feel better. It's just a shirt but it's so soft and the smell reminds me of my Dad and my friends back home. The memories make me happy but a little homesick.

Mr. Behemoth chuckles, "I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."

Mr. Smooth adds, "Yeah, I agree."

Confused, I ask, "What do you mean?"

Mr. Behemoth answers, "He's one of the roughest out of all of us and here he is giving the shirt off his back to someone. Literally." He chuckles. "He must really like you. If it were anyone else fists would be flying."

Everyone laughs at that except for Mr. Tattoo. "That's a lie. It would only be one fist. Mine." He laughs and winks at me.

A thought hits me. "So, your name is Slade?" I ask.

Nodding, he replies, "Yes. Though you can still call me Mr. Tattoo if you want to." Grinning, he displays his tats. "It's an accurate description."

Rolling my eyes, "I think Slade is better.

Shrugging his shoulders, "I leave that up to you."

"That leaves the rest of you. Do you care to share your names or shall I continue to use descriptives?" I ask, looking at the other guys. "I'm more than willing to come up with random descriptives."

Blondie answers, "I'm Brick." Pointing to Mr. Smooth, "Ice." Pointing to Green Eyes, "Ruger." Finally, he points to Mr. Behemoth, "That's Bear."

I giggle. "Bear. I knew it." He glares at me, "Let me explain. Before I could open my eyes earlier, your voice made me think of a growly teddy bear to snuggle up to."

Rolling his eyes, he growls, "I'm definitely not a snuggly teddy bear."

Ice laughs, "Oh, yes you are. You proved that when you…"

Bear glares at him and growls out a threat, "Don't finish that sentence."

Ice continues laughing. Brick cuts in, "You're the one who insisted on carrying her to the couch." He grins, "Just like a papa bear snuggling up with his cub."

I watch as Bear charges Brick but he moves quickly out of the way before he can reach him. He stops when I ask, "Is that true, Bear?" Continuing to glare at Brick, his cheeks and ears pink from embarrassment, he turns his gaze to me and looks mortified.

After a minute of silently watching me, he growls out his answer, "Yeah, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Jumping up, I wrap my arms around him and squeeze. I feel him stiffen and look up to see him frozen in place, wide-eyed and holding his breath. "Thank you." None of the other guys make a sound, they're just watching to see how the whole thing plays out.

Patting me on my back, he nods. "I didn't want you to fall on the floor and get hurt."

"I appreciate that." Glancing around, I ask, "So, do you know what caused me to faint?" I'm met with silence and glancing around at them they struggle to make eye contact. "Guys?"

Clearing his throat, Ice speaks up. "You had a panic attack."

Confused, I ask, "What caused it?"

Glancing at the other guys before answering, he says, "You got upset at being called 'little' and then panicked thinking we were going to do something to hurt you."

The blood rushes from my face and my stomach drops into my shoes as it all comes smashing back to me. Immediately I start shaking again and Slade walks over to the couch, picks up his shirt and puts it on me, buttoning it up so I can't take it off.

"Relax, Princess. It's OK." Looking down at me, he smiles, "We're not going to hurt you. I promise."

Brick steps closer, "Please, listen to him. Nothing that was said offended us." He laughs, "Besides, contrary to popular beliefs, we do have a sense of humor." He glances at Bear and grins, "Even Mr. Growly Teddy Bear."

Bear growls, on cue, "Not a word of this to anyone." Turning to me, his face softens, "It's worth it."

Still feeling uneasy, I slowly sit down again. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. You didn't deserve it. It just came out."

"Look, we were just joking around with you." Slade apologizes. "I didn't mean to upset you."

Ruger looks confused, "Do you really think that we'd torture you and drop you off in the desert?"

Slowly, I nod. "I've heard stories from back home about that happening for the smallest show of disrespect. Standing up and yelling at you guys was a lot more than a little."

Ice shakes his head in disbelief. "That was nothing. It takes more than that for us to do anything that extreme."

Bear agrees, "It depends on who it is though." He gives me an actual smile which relaxes me more. He's the most intimidating of them all.

"Still, I'm sorry it happened. I'm not usually disrespectful." Glancing at them, I continue, "Even if I'm disrespected first."

"Speaking of which…" Brick starts, "You might want to check your phone. It's gone off a couple of times while you were out." He hands me my phone, "Here."

Unlocking my phone, I see a couple of messages from Lurch.

L: Hey, he's gone. You can come up now.

L: I'm just checking on you. Are you OK?

It's been about fifteen minutes since the last message was sent.

R: Hey. Yeah, I'm OK. I'm on my way up. I had a little incident but I'm OK, I promise.

It doesn't take long for him to respond.

L: Oh thank god. The girls and I were worried. What happened?

R: I'll explain when I get there.

L: OK… See you soon.

Looking up, I see the guys watching and waiting. "I better get going. My friends are a little worried about me." It's a bit awkward, considering everything they've done for me. I feel like I owe them a thank you somehow, but I'm not sure what. "I'll find a way to thank you guys."

Nodding, Slade grins, "It was no problem and there's no reason to thank us." Holding out his hand, he gestures to me, "Come on. Let's get you to your room."

I'm a little nervous about them coming with me, which I'm sure is evident when I don't move.

"We'll walk you to the elevators and no further if you want." Ice says, "We just want to make sure you get where you need to be safely."

After a minute, I nod. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

I'm still a little 'off' and it would make me feel better to have someone walk with me. My nerves are on high alert right now, between what just happened and the whole situation with Luke.

"That guy won't be there, will he?" Bear asks, his voice gruff and threatening.

Shaking my head, I shrug, "I have no idea. I've been told he isn't there but that doesn't mean he won't step out into the hallway like he did the first time." A moment later, I add, "I'm pretty sure my friends are going to make sure he stays away."

I should be OK. I trust Lurch and Retro. I don't think they'd let Luke near me. They've proven themselves numerous times tonight. Come to think of it, I'll have to text Devin when I get back to the room to let him know I'm back. He's proven himself tonight too. As far as I know, anyway.

"If you don't feel comfortable with us coming up with you, maybe you can have someone you trust meet you in the elevator?" Slade asks and offers a solution at the same time.

"It's not that I'm uncomfortable it's just that I don't know how well it will go over with my friends." Looking at him, "It's just been a shitty vacation and they're kind of on edge. Luke didn't help the situation tonight." I see him glance at Bear briefly but I ignore it. "I'll text one of the guys to come meet me down here." Pulling out my phone, I send a quick text to Lurch.

R: Hey. Can you come meet me in the elevator? You know, to make sure Luke doesn't pop out of your suite?

L: Yep. I'll be right there.

R: Thank you

"Someone is coming down. We should get going so they don't worry any more than they already are." I pass on the information and start toward the elevators. It feels strange walking through the casino with a bunch of bikers, though they don't stand out as much as they normally would if they had their leathers on. That would definitely stand out. Luckily, it's late and most people are in bed asleep so I don't have to worry about anyone making a big deal out of it.

Approaching the elevators, I hear the door ping and see Lurch stepping out and looking around. He's so sweet to come down. I have to hold myself back from running to him. When he sees me he looks relieved but a little concerned.

As I approach him, he asks, "Are you OK? What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" I ask back, confused.

Scanning me with his eyes, he replies, "You look a little out of it." Glancing over at the guys, he asks, "What happened?"

"I had a little panic attack and these guys helped me." Looking back at the guys I smile. "Let me introduce you. Lurch, this is Slade, Ice, Brick, Ruger and Bear. Guys, this is Lurch."

The tension between them is palpable, each side assessing each other like they're about to rumble. Rolling my eyes, I cross my arms over my chest. "Knock it off you guys." I glare at all of them. It's actually quite comical how the six of them look like they're being scolded by their mother. Glaring at Lurch, who has a stiff posture I briefly explain the situation. "Lurch, they helped me and took care of me. I'm 's no reason to be all defensive." Turning to the guys, I glare at them too. "You guys stop. Please. He's not the one. He's a good guy." I swear it's like I'm talking to children.

"Princess, we just want to make sure you're safe." Brick explains. "We don't know who's who so can you blame us if we're a little hesitant just letting you go with whoever shows up?"

Shaking my head, I roll my eyes. "No, I don't blame you for being concerned. I understand. What I don't understand is why all of you," Glancing at Lurch, "Lurch included, feel it's necessary to posture like you're going to attack each other. Do you seriously think that I'd willingly go with the person who caused all of this? I've dealt with bullshit for days. I'm not going to deal with any more bullshit." Looking at each of them, I add, "From anyone."

"Princess…" Bear, Slade, Brick, Ruger and Ice all say together.

"Tink…" Lurch says at the same time.

I don't let them even start what they're going to say. "No. All of you are going to listen to me. I appreciate you wanting to make sure I'm OK, really I do. I don't expect you to trust each other. What I DO expect is that you trust me. Now, I'm tired. I still feel a little 'off' from earlier. I want to take a shower and go to bed. I'll deal with this shit tomorrow." Turning to Ice, I point at him. "You have my number and I have yours." I'll text you tomorrow to let you know how I'm feeling." Turning back to the other guys, "I don't have your numbers but Ice will keep you informed."

Ice nods, "Thank you. I'll be waiting to hear from you."

Stepping over to Ice, I hug him and feel him tense up. I get the same reaction from Slade, Brick and Ruger. Hugging Bear, I swear he's the size of one, my arms don't even come close to wrapping around him. "Thank you for making sure I didn't fall when I passed out. I don't need to add any more breaks or bruises to my collection." He nods and I step back.

"Go on, guys, I'll be OK. I promise." Looking over my shoulder at Lurch I add, "He'll make sure of it."

Nodding hesitantly, they watch as Lurch leads me into the elevator where Mark is waiting for us with the door open. "Hi, Mark. I hope you've had a good day?"

He smiles and hesitantly replies, "Hi Rhi. My day was pretty uneventful." Glancing at the guys behind me, concern is evident in his eyes when he looks back at me. "How was yours?"

Chuckling, "Well, you know me. Never a dull moment." Patting him on his arm, "I'm OK. I promise. I'm exhausted so I'm going to bed but I'll see you later. OK?"

"Yes ma'am. I'll be here waiting, as usual." He laughs and lets Lurch and me into the elevator.

With one last glance, I look at the other guys and smile. "I'll be fine, I promise. Please don't worry. I also promise to text you later OK?"

They nod back and Bear growls out, "You better or we'll have to come hunt you down." He looks so intense that I'm positive that he means what he says.

The doors close and the elevator starts its ascent. Wrapping my arms around Lurch, I bury my face in his chest and inhale deeply. He smells so good and I feel safe when he wraps his arms around me.

"Are you really OK, Rhi?" He asks quietly.

Lifting my face to his, I rest my chin on his chest. "I really am OK. Just a little weak and tired." As an afterthought, I add, "Maybe a little exhausted too."

It doesn't seem to take long for the elevator to reach our floor. So when the doors open, I'm surprised at the silence in the hallway. "Come on. Let's get you inside so you can get comfortable and relax." Smiling down at me, he adds, "Besides, you need a shower after everything that's happened today."

"Yeah, I'm feeling pretty grimy." Sighing, "I guess this vacation wasn't meant to be all happy and fun. Maybe it was meant to be full of… revelations."

We stop walking and he puts his hands on my shoulders. "Whatever it was meant to be you handled it your way and survived everything. You're stronger than you think and resilient enough to endure everything thrown at you. That's admirable." He chuckles, "You're going to need a vacation from this vacation."

I can't help but think that in a few hours, things will change and I'm probably going to have a lot of people upset with me. However, it's something I have to do, for ME. I don't know how everything will play out once things are set into motion but I hope that relationships that were formed don't get torn apart.

Nodding, we continue down the hallway and I notice he's placed himself between their door and me. It indicates that he's trying to protect me, like when a man sleeps on the side of the bed closest to the door or walks on the sidewalk closest to the road. It's a sign that they want to be the first to be confronted by whatever threat there is.

As we approach their door, my anxiety skyrockets and I feel like I did when I was downstairs. I don't know how many people have experienced a panic attack but it feels like you're dying. It's terrifying when you can't breathe and things go black. Losing control of your body in that way leaves an immense feeling of helplessness.

"Hey, relax. Take a deep breath. Ryan is making sure Luke stays inside and away from you. He won't go back on his word." He grins, "Besides, I think he's a little intimidated by you."

Shaking my head, I reply, "I'm not that scary and I'd never do anything to someone who's never done anything to hurt me."

"Will you tell me what happened?" He asks, "I'll understand if you don't want to."

"Let's wait until we get inside. I'm sure Ana and Kate will want to know too."

It doesn't take much longer to get to my suite and before I can even pull out my key the door swings open and we're met with the worried and anxious faces of Ana and Kate.

"Rhi!" Kate shrieks as she rushes me in the doorway. Ana is one step behind her and they nearly tackle me to the ground in the process. If it wasn't for Lurch standing behind me we'd all be on the floor in a pile.

"Woah, guys, take it easy." I laugh. "I'm OK."

"Rhi, you've been gone for hours. We were so worried!" Kate exclaims. "Don't ever do that again!"

Shaking my head, "I disappear all the time, Kate, and I'm still alive. You know that."

"This is different. We're in Vegas and the way you left…" She starts but I cut her off.

"Kate, it's fine. You said it yourself, it's Vegas. We come here every year and we've never had a problem until this time." I roll my eyes, "Even now it's not that big of a deal." Spinning in a circle, "See? I'm right here. All of me in one piece."

"You could have been found in a bathtub full of ice missing your kidneys or something." She looks scared.

This makes me laugh. I mean full-on laugh and wink at Lurch. "You've been watching too many movies. That only happens to tourists in other countries." I laugh again at her expression. OK, it was funny to me but I'm too tired to deal with this much emotion.

Ana slaps me on the arm. "Rhi! That's not funny! We were seriously worried about you!"

Looking between the two of them, "I know. I'm sorry. I would have been back sooner but…" They're listening intently but we're still in the doorway. I don't want anyone else to hear us. "Let's go inside and sit. My feet are killing me."

As we make our way into the suite, we sit at the breakfast bar. After a minute, I feel thirsty. "I need to get a drink. Hang on." Starting to get up, I'm stopped.

"I'll get it. Sit." Lurch says. I watch as he picks up a glass but stop him as he reaches for the Patron.

"No. Just some water." He looks shocked but nods, filling the glass and bringing it to me.

"So… what happened?" Her eyes glance down at Slade's shirt. "Who's shirt is that?"

Oh boy. This is going to be interesting.

I proceeded to tell them everything that happened from the time Luke came down to the bar up to the time I left. To say they were a little angry at Luke is an understatement.

"We didn't know what happened so we stayed for a while to let things settle down and waited for you to return." Kate glares at me.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. I just needed to get away from him." Looking from Kate to Ana, "He scared me a little, to be honest, and I felt like a trapped animal. I had to get away for a minute or two, that was my intention, anyway. I must have gotten caught up in my head and by the time I realized where I was, I just decided to continue walking. I got the urge to play pool so I did."

"Why?" Ana asks. "You just bailed on us and didn't tell us what happened."

"I told Devin what was happening and he told Lurch." Shaking my head, I rationalize, "It's not like I completely disappeared. They knew where I was. They knew I wasn't very far from the hotel or the club." Ana starts to say something but I stop her. "Look, I was more worried about myself than how everyone else would feel. I'm sorry, OK?"

"Rhi, do you realize how worried we were when you didn't return?" Kate asks.

"Yeah. I know. I'm not a complete idiot. I'm also not a child and I can make my own decisions. I told someone where I was going. It's not like I completely disappeared without a trace. Back home, maybe I would have but here? I wasn't going to do that to you." Looking between the two of them, I'm hoping to see if something, anything, is sinking in so they understand. I can't tell so I continue, "I wasn't gone that long. I was able to clear my head and calm down. Heading back to the hotel, I saw Luke and panicked. I wasn't ready to see him so I ran."

"Why were you so late coming up?" Lurch asks. He already knew about everything. He just didn't know what happened since the last text.

Chuckling, I answer, "Well… I had a little panic attack and it took a little while to clear my head." I'm still a little fuzzy around the edges but I think some sleep will clear that up.

Obviously, the chuckle was a trigger and set Ana off. "You had a panic attack and you're laughing about it? What the hell, Rhi?"

Grinning, "Yes, I'm laughing. You had to be there." I look at her, "I'm glad you weren't but it was like a comedy of errors."

Lurch doesn't look happy but he remains silent. Actually, he's been quiet this whole time, which confuses me. However, I just want to get through this interrogation, shower and go to bed.

"So, care to share what happened to cause the panic attack?" Ana asks.

Chuckling at how silly it sounds now, I tell them. "I snapped at a few bikers and thought they were going to kill me and leave me in the desert to be eaten. I passed out and when I came to, they were watching over me and taking care of me."

"Let me get this straight, you really thought they were going to kill you? For saying something to them?" Ana asks, surprised.

I guess they really don't know anything about Biker code, which is another reason why I don't tell them about that part of my life. They'd never understand.

"Ana, it was disrespectful and rude and not exactly something that is taken lightly. I panicked. I didn't relax until I woke up and they told me they were joking so they didn't get upset." Well, that's what they told me, anyway. "By the time I found that out, I had already fainted so we just made a plan to get me back here safely."

Looking at Lurch, "This was right after the last text I sent. They made sure I was OK before I came up. They wanted to make sure I got to the suite safely and it was their idea for someone to come meet me at the elevator." I'm not sure what he's thinking so I continue. "Now you understand why I didn't want you to 'rumble' with them? They were helping me. They're nice guys."

Nodding, he asks, "Then why did they look at me like they wanted to kill me?"

Rolling my eyes, "They didn't know if you were the guy who caused me to leave the club and wanted to make sure I was safe." I pause, "You know the rest."

He chuckles, "Yeah, that was actually kind of funny to see the five of them being put in their place by you. I have a question though, why did they call you Princess?"

"Because of the nickname the world has given me." I laugh, "Not to mention that I was 'sparkling' like a Princess in this dress. Oh yeah, and apparently I'm a pool shark too so they've called me Princess JAWS."

"Pool shark?" He asks, confused.

Grinning, I nod, "Yeah, I beat them at every game of pool we played. They underestimated me and assumed I didn't know how to play. Surprised the fuck out of them."

"This is definitely something I have to see." He chuckles. "I'm not one for stereotyping but I'll admit that I'd probably have the same assumption if I were in their place. No offense."

"None taken. I'm full of surprises." Looking at Kate and Ana. "Just ask them. Half of the things I do they're completely oblivious to."

"Maybe we need to go out with you more so we can join in and see for ourselves." Ana says.

Kate quietly comments, "Maybe we've been in our bubble of safety too much and were afraid to step out of our comfort zone to experience some of the things you do." Looking up at me, "After all, it's quite obvious you know and do a lot more than we're aware of. Sometimes it feels like we don't even really know who you are when you talk about doing these things. I'd be terrified around a gang of bikers."

I laugh, "They're really nice guys until you piss them off. There's a code they all follow. Just like in any other group of people, there are rules that are to be followed. They don't approve of men laying hands on women in any form of aggression." Looking back at Lurch. "Which, again, is why they postured downstairs. They didn't know if you were Luke or not."

"What would they have done if I was?" He asks, kind of as a challenge.

"I wouldn't have let them do anything. I would have stopped them. They asked why I ran and hid from you guys and I told them I didn't want anyone hurt. Even Luke. What happened earlier didn't warrant that." I explain. I don't know if he understands but it makes sense to me.

"I can see where they're coming from and I'm glad you said something." He chuckles. "I'd prefer not to get my ass kicked by some bikers because of you. Don't take that the wrong way. What I mean is that you seem to find a way to make everyone want to protect you."

"It's OK. Like I've said before, I get along with everyone, for the most part." Looking at Kate and Ana. "I know they can be intimidating and scary but if you treat them like a person and not a monster they respect you. Dad knew my biker friends and he approved of them. He just wasn't super thrilled about me riding Harley's or racing bikes. As a matter of fact, my friend Wade is a professional racer now." I remember riding with him through town and smiling to myself. "There's just something about flying down the road at 130mph through deserted streets, feeling the wind around you, that makes you feel free."

"130mph? On a motorcycle? What the hell? Do you have a death wish?" Lurch sounds surprised.

Laughing, "No, I have an addiction. It's why I race cars. I'm addicted to speed, power, sound, smells and freedom. Drag racing helps a lot but riding a motorcycle is liberating and lets the wind take away my stress and worries." I better warn him now so he's not blindsided later. "I ride back home, though I'm usually a backpack or riding bitch. So if you see me on the back of a motorcycle, they're just one of my friends. Oh, and some are law enforcement officers, and not all of them are guys." I wink. I don't know how he'd react seeing me climb on or off the back of someone's motorcycle but if he's anything like Luke, or Alex for that matter, he'd lose his mind. "Just warning you ahead of time." Looking at Kate and Ana, "You guys rode with me when my mother was served the legal papers, remember? You thought it was fun, right?"

Ana replies, "Actually, yeah, I did enjoy it. I can see where your addiction comes from. You're a really good driver." She glances at Kate, who stays silent for a moment. "Kate? What did you think?"

Kate laughs, "I was terrified when you raced home from the hospital, and, while I don't feel quite so calm about it as Ana does, I admit it was a little exciting."

"That's good to hear because I think you guys need to start hanging out with me and my other friends more." I grin, "You need to have some of the experiences I've had. You need to stop living in a bubble of safety and experience life. So, when we get home I'm going to introduce you to my life."

To say she looks scared is an understatement. She actually looks terrified. "Rhi, no. There's no way I could do half of the things that you've done."

"Oh come on, Kate." I goad, "Live a little. I'm not asking you to do everything I do, I'm just asking you to keep an open mind." I use my secret weapon to convince her to at least try. "Elliot would totally get a kick out of it."

Narrowing her eyes at me, "That's playing dirty, Rhi. You know he loves you and supports most of the ideas that pop into that head of yours. You're his entertainment and he thrives off your experiences. I swear, the two of you could be twins." She laughs at the thought. "He loves hearing about the things that you do."

"I don't even want to imagine you and Elliot in the same room together. I envision complete chaos taking place." Lurch laughs. "Ryan and I have been saying this from day one that you're the same person. To be honest, though, I can't wait to see you two together."

Grinning, I let him in on a little secret. "You will. I guarantee it."

Everyone is silent for a minute before I break it. "I'm going to go shower and change clothes. I'm tired of wearing this dress and need to be comfy." Looking at Lurch, "You're welcome to wait or you can go back to your suite and we can talk tomorrow. I leave it up to you."

"Kate?" Ana says, getting her attention, "Let's get ready for bed too. Rhi's right. We need to relax and rest up so we can be ready to leave for the airport in a few hours."

Nodding, Kate turns to me, "Don't stay up too late. We have to be ready to leave in a few hours." Turning to Lurch, she says, "Goodnight, Reynolds."

"Goodnight, Kate. Goodnight, Ana." He says with a smile.

"Goodnight, Mom #1 and Mom #2." I laugh and they roll their eyes.

Kate and Ana disappear into their room and close the door. Standing up, I take my now empty glass to the sink and fill it with water again. I still feel a little tired but I think it's from everything that happened today.

Feeling heat behind me, I lean back and feel Lurch's body. "Can I ask you something?" I ask, without looking at him.

"Sure." He replies, placing his hands on my hips.

After a minute, I ask, "What's your real name?"

He chuckles, "Scott. Scott Reynolds."

"What's Retro's?" I ask. I'm not sure why but I feel that it's important to know their names, especially his and Retro's.

He chuckles again, "Marshall. Marshall Ryan."

"Scott and Marshall." I test their names and it feels weird not using the nicknames I've given them.

"That's us." He squeezes my sides making me squeal. Turning me around in his arms, he leans back so he can look down at me. "I was worried about you tonight, especially after you left the club. I know you can take care of yourself but I didn't know what the state of your mind was. I didn't know what happened between you and Luke and I worried."

Wrapping my arms around him, I make eye contact but remain silent. "I didn't mean to worry you. I just needed air. He's so suffocating and I can't deal with that. Alex was the same way." I'm silent for a moment, "I hate not being myself and the two of them made me do that. You heard it yourself, even Kate and Ana don't really know what and who I do things with. No one understands me, for the most part, and the ones that do are back home."

Yeah, they're not going to be super thrilled about everything that's happened and what's about to happen. I'm prepared for nuclear explosions when I get back because that's exactly what will happen. Instead of hot coffee before leaving I'm going to need a few shots to get me through things.

"Well, it sounds like you find fun in everything you do, for the most part, and I hope I get the opportunity to experience some of that with you." His eyes search my face, for what I don't know, but he doesn't say anything else.

"You will. I guarantee it." Smiling, I squeeze him in a hug. "I don't know what's going to happen with your boss though, or the guys for that matter. I hope I didn't get you in trouble with anyone."

He chuckles, "Nah, Ryan and I are pretty safe. We're not the ones who fucked things up. We just mediated as much as we could." His face falls, "You still got hurt though so I'm sure there will be some fallout. If anything, Elliot will be the one to seek retribution." Chuckling, he grins, "He seems to love you, and I can see why. You're a special person, Rhi, and everyone seems to feel the same way, even a group of bikers can't resist you. You just have that kind of personality."

"I don't completely understand that though. I'm just me and do things because I want to. I don't look for attention or a reward or anything." Shaking my head, "People need to care about others more. Not just themselves, and not for recognition either."

"You do realize that by you not wanting attention you drew it in anyway, right?" It's more of a statement than a question.

"Unfortunately, you're right. No matter how hard I tried to prevent that, people seemed to insist on spreading what was happening here." Shaking my head, "Social media is a pain in the ass. Not everything needs to be online. Nana and Papa always talked about how things were before computers and I wish things were still that way. They seem a lot happier waiting for information and not being attached to their phones all the time."

"You have a point there. Sometimes I wish I wasn't expected to answer my phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week because of my job." Shaking his head, "Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but it prevents me from having a social life. Recently, I've started thinking that it would be nice to enjoy life a little more than I have been. Even taking time off and having days off when I can."

"So why don't you? You're the one in control of your life and your happiness. No one else is." I hate to see people that don't enjoy life. "People that work non-stop are missing out on a lot of things. Just like people in bubbles who are afraid to live."

Sighing, he shrugs, "I've never had a reason to do it, not until recently. Grey, well, I don't know how he'll react to that information. He focuses on his business 99.9% of the time and his personal life is pretty much limited to his family."

"That man needs to get out of his control room and live a little. He's missing out on a lot of things." It's sad, really, because even Kate and Ana are missing out on life in general. "Making money is all fine and dandy to make life more comfortable but you can't take it with you when you die." It takes me a moment before continuing, "Yes, I'm in a position where I don't have to work but I never wanted any of it. I would rather earn my money to support my lifestyle. Unfortunately, when my Dad died…" I swallow back the tears that are building. "He left me almost everything, money, properties, vehicles among other things. Sure, my brother was left some things but there's a huge difference. My grandparents, on both sides, basically wrote my mother and her brother out of their wills." Nope, not going there.

"So, what's going to happen when you return home? Do you have any plans for what you're doing next?" He asks, curiously.

"I'm hoping to continue some things that have happened here." Looking up at him, I add, "I want to continue hanging out with a couple of new friends that have grown on me like a fungus." I laugh, "You know, at some point, we will end up hanging out. Maybe you'll get to see the Elliot and Rhi show." I laugh at the thought and ideas start to form in my head.

"Ryan and I have gotten a little attached to you, I will admit." He pauses, "I'm sure I can speak for him too that we hope you don't drop off the face of the earth after we leave here."

"Impossible. That will never happen. I'll be around. I need my sidekicks around me as much as possible. Kate and Ana always say I'm the one that disappears when it's actually them that do." Making a face and shrugging my shoulders I continue, "I think they're afraid of new things with new people so they fall back into their usual routine with their usual people. They're afraid of taking risks and living."

"It sounds like your life is full of a lot of people who care for you though. Whether you're with Kate and Ana, Ryan and me, or your other friends." His voice drops a few octaves, "You're someone I could get used to having around. You make life exciting and there's a surprise at every turn." The intensity in his eyes, combined with the tone of his voice, makes me shiver a little.

"Never a dull moment with me around." Smiling, I add, "I've enjoyed being around you too. You're different and a lot of fun. I'm comfortable being me without worrying that you're going to try to change or control me. That's the type of person I need around me."

After a few minutes of silence, he leans down and kisses the top of my head. "Go on, you need to shower and get some rest. Traveling can be exhausting and it's been a long night for you." Pulling me closer, he squeezes and adds, "We've got all the time in the world back home for the dust to settle and figure things out."

Pulling away, he heads toward the door and I'm left standing in the kitchen. Following behind him, he stops at the door and turns around. Standing silently for a moment, watching me, he suddenly steps forward and puts his hands on my face. Leaning down, he kisses my forehead, lingering for a moment. I don't know where it comes from but I tilt my face up and place my lips on his before he can pull away. It's a soft and gentle kiss and leaves my head reeling.

Pulling away, he says, "Goodnight, Rhi. Go shower and get some sleep. I'll see you in a few hours." After a lingering look, he turns and opens the door, closing it quietly behind him.

Touching my lips, I'm floored. Wow. I'm lost in thought as I walk to my room, grab something to sleep in and take a shower. I don't even put a bag on my hand, I just use my one good hand to do all the washing. It's a little hard doing my hair but I manage. When I'm done, I struggle a little getting dressed but manage that too.

Feeling pretty good about those two tasks, I glance at my archnemesis, the brush and blow dryer, and stick my tongue out at them. "Not tonight guys. I'm done fighting with you for today." I swear I hear a snicker and almost jump out of my skin when I see Kate and Ana standing in the doorway.

"What the fuck?" I shriek, holding my hand on my chest in an attempt to keep my heart from leaping out of it. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Laughing, "Sorry, Rhi. No, we didn't mean to startle you." Kate grins. "It was totally worth it though."

Shaking my head, I throw the towel in my hand at them. "That was mean."

"We just wanted to see if you needed help with your hair." Ana explains, laughing.

"Yes, please." Glancing at the brush and hair dryer again, I add, "I'm not ready to deal with those two troublemakers again today." As they step closer, I ask, "I thought you were asleep?"

"No. We were waiting for you to shower to see if you needed help. You can't go to bed with a wet head. You'll get sick." Ana explains.

"Yes, Mom." I laugh, rolling my eyes.

It seems to take forever for the whole process to finish. My hair is still a little damp when we give up and decide it's time to sleep. I'm surprised they didn't ask about what happened with Scott. That's still weird calling him by his name.

"There! You're as dry as can be, for now anyway." Kate grins, "That's a lot of hair to dry whenever you wash it. How do you do it?"

"I usually use the hair dryer to start the process then let it air dry so I make sure to shower early enough so it has time to dry." Shrugging, "It's just going to take some getting used to with one hand. I might have to wash my hair before surgery and wait until it heals to wash it again." I double over laughing at Kate's expression.

"Ewww. That's gross! You'll glide when you walk!" Kate shrieks.

"Rhi, promise us you'll ask us, or anyone for that matter, for help doing your hair." She looks at me pleading. "Please."

"I promise I will. I'm sure when I get home, I'm going to have someone around me at all times. In shifts because I'll be under house arrest by Joe." I laugh at the thought of having guards surrounding the house. "I'm sure Joe's pretty pissed about this whole thing. Not to mention everyone else."

"The Captain wasn't able to contain you. He was always sending a search party out to find you." Ana comments. "You would think he'd remember that." Ana comments, laughing.

"I have no idea but my guess is they will all insist that I can't function on my own and will have someone to help all the time." I grin, "I will really be a Princess!"

Shaking their heads, they laugh along with me. "Come on, Princess, let's get some sleep. We don't have much time to pack and get ready to leave."

Nodding, I head to my bed as they leave, closing the door behind them. Oddly enough, I think I'll actually be able to sleep in the bed tonight. Maybe it's the exhaustion catching up to me or maybe it's the fact that I'm feeling a little more at ease but I'm eager to find out. I spy Slade's shirt and pick it up, holding it to my face, and inhale deeply. He's right. It's comforting. Slipping it on, I climb into bed and snuggle in to get comfortable. I'm not sure how much time passes but I fall into a deep sleep, without nightmares and the feeling that I'm being suffocated.