Page 13 of Finding Us Again

“It won’t take but a minute or so for it to start working,” Dr. Cole said as he disposed of the syringe.

I nodded, and a heavy, melty feeling weaved through my body almost immediately. The shaking slowed to a stop. I didn’t feel groggy at all. Just a calm, settled feeling.

“Wow. That’s perfect,” I said.

“While I said the medicine wouldn’t make you sleepy, and it won’t, you’ve been through a traumatic event, and now that your body is settling, you will most likely fall to sleep. You need the rest, Katie.”

He studied me intently, and I couldn’t disagree, so I nodded. Dr. Cole patted my hand while pointing at the desk I’d found him sitting at when I first woke.

“While the two of you sleep and while we wait on your security team, the officers will remain outside, and I will be sitting there catching up on my charting.”

I nodded again and settled back into Jackson’s arms. I watched the doctor sit back at the desk and open his laptop. He settled into work. I watched him until my eyes grew heavy.

I sighed. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome, Katie,” was the last thing I heard as sleep claimed me.

Five

Jackson

My eyes popped open at the sound of someone whispering my name.

“Fuck!” I groaned as I became aware I’d fallen asleep.

I’m fucking useless as a protector.

I jumped to my feet as the thought ran through my head. I turned to the door, ready to confront whoever had walked in. Seeing Dr. Cole standing there with his hands raised as if I was holding him at gunpoint forced me to relax a bit.

“Sorry, Jackson, I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said. His voice was low, steady, and calm.

Sitting back down next to Katie, I picked her hand up. “It’s fine, Doc. As you know, some evil people are most likely looking for us. Not to mention the paparazzi. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

He sat in the chair from earlier, staying far enough away to keep my nerves just shy of the knife’s edge.

My mouth and throat were dry. He must have noticed because he got up to refill the water cup on the overbed table. He walked back toward me, stopping when the cup was within reach. I took it, draining it quickly. I sat the cup down, thankful my throat no longer felt like I’d eaten sand.

“So, what’s next?” I asked.

“Next, we move Katie upstairs and get you into surgery.”

I shook my head.

“Jackson, you want to protect her. I get it. However, if you do not get this surgery, you may not be able to protect her in the future because you may not be here to do so. Those fragments aren’t going to disappear. Do you understand? One wrong move, a bump against something in just the right spot, and it’s lights out.”

“I understand, Doc. I do, but I refuse to leave her until someone here’s to watch over her. No offense, you’re a great guy, but these people are crazy. You’ve seen and heard what they did to us.”

He nodded. Then he groaned. “Your uncle said you were hardheaded and wouldn’t budge until they got here.”

I laughed and asked, “Which uncle?”

Dr. Cole chuckled, “Foster and Liam. I’ve spoken with both of them.”

“Any clue when Foster will be here?” I asked, hoping it was soon.

He pulled out his phone, looked at something, and replied, “According to your uncle, the 10 of them from Seattle boardeda charter about two hours ago. They should be here in about three hours. The seven coming from here in Tennessee should be walking through the doors any minute.”

The door opened to reveal my uncle and cousins as if it had been timed and rehearsed.

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