Page 19 of Somewhere We Belong

“Why won’t she wake up?” Sol cried out and Nova’s eyes immediately opened.

“Sol!?” She got up incredibly fast looking around for her daughter.

“Whoa,” I said, holding out my hands.

“Mommy!” Sol pushed her way past me to hug her mom when Nova turned completely white almost falling over.

“I got you,” I said, pulling her into my arms.

Sol leaned over, kissing her mom’s cheek as Nova tried to push away from me crying out when the movement hurt her.

“Hey, hey,” I said softly. “You just fell off the roof.”

Her eyes were unfocused, an indication she probably had a concussion.

“Shit,” she whispered. “I don't remember getting on the roof.”

“You needed to cover it before it rained,” Sol said.

She closed her eyes tightly pushing her face into my chest.

“I’m really dizzy,” she murmured.

“We need to get you to the doctor,” I said, checking other areas of her body.

“I think I’ll be fine, I just… I just—” Her words trailed off.

“Hey, Nova, I need you to stay awake,” I said, touching her face.

“Atlas,” Colt said, as I glanced back at him.

He nodded to the floor and just behind Sol was blood. I immediately looked around, checking her body when I felt a trickle of blood on my arm.

“Sol,” Colt said, holding his arms out for the little girl. “We are going to need to take your mommy to the doctor. How about we eat some pancakes, and I take you to camp?”

“Mommy?” Sol looked at Nova who had opened her eyes.

“That sounds like a good idea,” she slurred. “Mommy is ok.”

“Come on, let's get her to the doctor and get you fed,” I said, pointing at my med bag.

Theo brought it to me, his eyes never leaving Nova. I don’t know what was going on, but he didn’t look good either. Colt took Sol inside to get her things as I sat Nova up to see the gash she had on her head.

“Ok, I’m going to pick you up?—”

“Let me, please,” Theo pleaded.

“Ok, Theo is going to pick you up,” I said, as Theo knelt in front of us.

“I think I’m fine,” she said, her speech not getting better.

“No, you're not darlin’,” Theo said, pulling her close to him.

“Make sure this stays on her head,” I said, packing my things.

He nodded, heading straight for the utility vehicle. Did he have feelings for her? He had never said anything about her, but maybe they had grown close, maybe this was a chance to plead my case. She belonged to us, and I felt that in my soul.

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