For two heartbeats I was stunned, wondering if this was it.

On the third heartbeat, fingers interlocked with mine, an arm came around my back, pulling me to down to the floor and I heard an unplaceable sound of some material tearing. Then for a few seconds I could not hear anything in my right ear.

But none of this caught my attention, because something else was dragging every bit of my consciousness to it.

The ripples of pleasant shock barrelling up and down my left hand.

The hand that Rafe was holding. Without gloves.

Rafe had rolled us to the ground, with him beneath me, and he quickly picked both himself and me up.

A gust of wind, had me snapping my head up and I realised it had been Rafe.

He had shot to the elevator while I held my hand, as aftershocks shivered from the tips of my fingertips to my shoulder. The elevator had already closed and travelled up by the time Rafe could reach it.

He banged his hand against the closed wall in frustration, as footsteps hurried our way from the entrance.

I realised it was C'Riel who rushed to Rafe's side. He snapped out commands to them, completely in control of the situation. They all whipped into action, converging to an area to the right of the elevator and opening it and entering it.

Rafe started to follow them, when he stopped and turned back, his eyes perusing me from my head to my...he stopped with his eyes at my right bicep.

Confused, I looked at my arm and my eyes widened.

Oh, shit.

The laser had grazed me. The suit had torn and a moderately deep wound was leaking blood down my arm. I couldn't feel it though.

Rafe was in front of me again before I could blink, catching hold on my elbow to study the wound. He let out a sharp word in his language and pressed a hand to the wound to stem the bleeding. His eyes flicked to me as if to see if I was in pain.

I couldn't feel anything, except the heat that developed and spread to my fingertips at the contact of his fingers to my skin and my breath hitched on that.

His brows furrowed.

"I am so sorry," he whispered, urgently.

I caught his wrist.

"Rafe," I said, as he spoke quickly, presumably into the Com, because he was talking in his language.

I watched as someone headed towards me, a C'Riel most likely, and I said his name again urgently.

"Rafe," I said again and his eyes flicked to me, before flitting back to his hand on my wound. His ungloved hand on my skin.

"Ma'am please follow me," the C'Riel who had arrived said.

I ignored him.

"Go with him, Amour," Rafe said.

"Rafe," I said and he finally looked at me.

"You touched me," I said.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion before his eyes took in his hand on my arm and me holding my left hand, that he had touched, in my right.

His eyes widened and he met mine.

"Ms. Hills," a voice said.

I turned and met the kind dark eyes of a human man, who looked about my father's age as he ushered Rafe to remove his hands and placed his own over them.

"My name is Mark Stevens, and I'm a Doctor. Please follow me," he said.

If I left with Mark, Rafe wouldn't follow. He would go after the C'Riel who tried to shoot me.

I tried to shake the doctor off.

"I'm fine," I told them.

I need to talk to Rafe. He was still, his head turned away. I couldn't see his eyes. I had to see his eyes.

Arms caught my elbow and started to tug me away.

"No." I said to them, but they didn't stop pulling me away.

"Rafe," I said, calling out to him. His jaw clenched and his arms fisted by his sides at my call, but he didn't turn to look at me.

"Rafe, look at me," I said, as they pulled me further away from him. His muscles were locked. He wouldn't come to me. Why wouldn't he come to me?

"Ma'am please cooperate, we need to take you to the-"

"I just need to talk to him," I explained, tossing the kind Doctor an urgent glance.

"Ma'am..." Somehow I couldn't hear the rest. Things seem to tilt around me, blurring and my ears rang.

My eyes rolled back in my head and I lost control of my muscles. I could feel myself falling, but I couldn't stop myself.

My name was called out by a few people, but I recognised only one. The one I wanted to hear.

My arms slipped out of the hold of the humans around me and I felt my body fall, but before my head could hit the floor, now-familiar hands caught me gently and heat and electricity whipped through me.

"Amour." He whispered.

Blackness engulfed me.

__ __

I woke up to blinding lights and a weird taste in my mouth.

I sat up and my head spun.

The first person I searched for wasn't in the room. Disappointment that stung like a mother, engulfed me and for a minute I couldn't think past the anger that had dug its claws in me.

Doctor Stevens walked up to me and checked my vitals, letting me know I had gotten seven stitches but was in no danger and was healing well. Freesia and Wolf sat by my side the whole time and murmured words of support and comfort but I couldn't hear much over the angry ringing in my ears.

The whole day was a blur. I don't know what people asked me. I don't know what I responded to their curious, even worried questions. I don't even know if I responded.

My bicep was bound in bandages and I could finally feel the pain, though it was just a dull throbbing, having been muted by the medications I was taking.

I don't know how long I sat there, staring at a spot on the cream walls, my thoughts racing, but still, at the same time. When the sun dipped into the sky and it turned so dark that I couldn't see anything, because the room wasn't lit-to facilitate sleep-a rush of anger and energy had me ripping out the wires in my hand and walking out the room quickly, ignoring the loud beeps that indicated that a patient was walking out of the room.

I ignored the cries of the nurse who rushed after me, urgently speaking, telling me I needed to come back.

I just walked into the elevator, shutting it quickly before any of the doctors or nurses who had exited the room could get into it with me.

I headed my elevator straight to Rafe's floor. Stalking to the place where his door would be.

I ran my bracelet over the Identity Screen that popped out. The door didn't open and I didn't expect it to. But the computerised voice informed me that I wasn't allowed entrance and that the occupant wasn't inside the room presently.

I stalked away and headed to my room this time. I entered it and tossed my suit aside, grabbing my own clothes I'd brought from Earth. Jeans and a long sleeved shirt.

And a bra and panties. Finally.

I slipped my communication device into my jean pocket and stepped out my room, heading to the Common Cabin.

When I entered the Common Cabin, silence slowly spread across the room when, one by one people started to notice me.

I stepped forward and people parted for me, whispered voices followed me, but I ignored them. Freesia and Wolf immediately stepped in front of me and dragged me into a hug, careful of my injured arm.

"Have you seen Rafe?" I asked them, ignoring their questions asking about my health.

They exchanged looks.

"Have. You. Seen. Rafe?" I asked again.

"Red. You should really rest, what are you even doing here-?"

"Have you see Rafe?" I asked again and I don't know what he saw in my face, because he stopped talking and became silent.

"No," he said finally. "I haven't seen him."

Freesia shook her head as well and I nodded at them.

I'll just check every room till I find him.

I strode towards the walls and Wolf followed with Freesia at his heels.

"Are we mad at him?" Freesia asked me.

I nodded.

She nodded, bringing a serious look in her face. Normally it would've brought a smile to my face, but not today. Today my mood was darker than Rafe's eyes when he was pissed off.

I opened every single door, uncaring of who was inside or what they were doing.

Not that I noticed either. All I could see was red and everything else dulled in that perspective.

Halfway through the doors, I heard a voice say, "You will not find him here."

I whipped around to meet maroon eyes. This C'Riel was blonde and looked...well, attractive. His eyes were large, fringed with blonde lashes and his nose looked like it had been broken a few times. His lips were thinner than Rafe's and seemed to always be twisted in a sardonic grin. I had seen him around Rafe before, even this morning.

"Can you take me to him?" I asked him.

His lips thinned while he contemplated what I had demanded.

Then, he nodded.

Wolf and Freesia stared at us.

"I really don't think this is a good idea." Freesia said.

"I agree. This is a ridiculous idea." Wolf agreed.

"Take me there." I said.

Wolf and Freesia protested and I looked at them.

"If I don't message you within half an hour, you can start worrying." I told them.

They quietened, seeming to realise that there was nothing they could say that was going to stop me. They just nodded quietly at me, but not before exchanging a look.

I didn't care if they thought I was crazy. I followed the blonde C'Riel out.

We headed into the elevator and he took us to the main entrance of the resting station.

"Stay here," he told me once we exited. I stood there, my hands crossed.

He went around the building and then I couldn't see him anymore.

I waited, then stared as the C'Riel came back riding what looked like a C'Riel version of a motorbike. It was, like the Hover, floating a few feet off the ground.

He came to stand in front of me, gesturing that I get on.

"This looks highly reliable." I stated and the C'Riel smirked.

"Before I get on, what is your name?" I asked.

He was about to open his mouth when I held up my hand, stopping him.

"If you say I can't pronounce it, I'm going to warn you, I've had a severely crappy day and anger that I've bottled up for awhile."

"I was going to say Ace," he said, still smirking.

"Ace. Nice. That your whole name?" I asked.

"No, I did you the favour of shortening it." He said.

I smirked at him and got into the Hover Motorbike thing, moving back enough so that I didn't knock into him.

He raced through the greenery, leaning the vehicle left and right, causing me to have to grab onto the back of the bike and tighten my thighs around it so that I didn't fall off.

When he stopped, I got off immediately and stared at the small rectangular cream coloured round edged building I was standing in front of.

He got off the bike thing and it hovered in mid-air. I shook my head and looked away. Ace walked to the building and ran his bracelet over it and gestured that I enter, with his hands. I was about to step in, when I turned around.

"Thanks," I said to him as he went to lean on the bike with his legs stretched out a little.

He jerked his chin in acknowledgement.

I quickly sent a message to my friends who were probably sitting on hot coals by now.

Then, I entered and the door closed behind me.

A circular light lit up only the centre of the large rectangular room, where I saw Rafe performing something that I could only describe as mixed martial arts. He was weaving, punching, kicking, ducking and doing some other moves that I couldn't even comprehend for me to describe.

He suddenly stopped, his chest heaving, sweat dripping down his face into his suit. I could see only his profile, so I started to walk towards him. As I stepped closer, I realised he has been here for awhile, because I could still see the stain on his palm from where he'd pressed his hand to my wound.

I came to stand in front of me.

His eyes were trained down and he was still breathing heavy.

I crossed my hands, staying silent, waiting for him to look up.

His eyes slowly trailed up, clashing with mine, his fury rivalling mine in its intensity. His eyes as black as my mood.

Break the silence, I dared him with my eyes, glaring.

I don't know what he said with his eyes, but he was glaring back at me too.

"You should not be here," he said finally, looking away and turning as if to leave.

I caught his shoulder, stopping him. He turned to look at my hand and then at me, his glare would've scared anyone else. But I wasn't anyone else.

"Never took you for a coward," I said, dropping my hand.

"A coward?" He asked me, facing me completely, his large form looming over me threateningly.

My heart raced, but not in fear. And I hated that he could do this to me.

"Hiding here. Like. A. Coward." I stressed.

"Hiding?" He asked, his eyebrows raising.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Were you doing something else?" I asked, looking around at the dark room.

"What are you doing here?" He asked me.

"The question was, what were you doing here?" I asked.

"Why?" He asked me.

"What were you doing here when-" I stopped, dragging a breath in.

If he asked me why I cared that he wasn't there what would I say?

Common sense seemed to be seeping in.

"When you were shot at and in Health Care?" He asked.

I clenched my jaw.

"Friends," I spat, "What does that even mean to you?"

"Is that what you think we are?" He asked me.

My heart skipped.

"What?" I asked.

"It would seem as if, in your head, we are more than friends. You got angry when I asked you to leave last night. You are getting angry that I was not at your side, catering to your every whim and fancy. Is this...friendship?" He asked me, tilting his head, mocking me.

"Oh. Like you didn't say things like 'I'm possessive of your debts,', 'Take your hair down,', 'Do you think I'm hot?' 'I can't get enough of you'? No. No of course you didn't say all that. That was just in my head." I snapped.

He let out a laugh, but I hated this one. It was mocking. As if he found me ludicrous.

"You humans are so desperate." He said.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"I could breathe and you would think that I find you attractive." He said.

"What are you trying to say?" I asked.

He stepped closer, his eyes unflinchingly cruel.

"I have seen a million others who can offer me more than you can. Why would I-"

I didn't let him finish, my hand lifting to slap him across the face in anger.

His head whipped to the side at the force of my slap. My hand stung, but it was quickly overpowered by the heat that spread through it from the contact with his skin.

He turned his head back to me, almost smiling.

I turned away from him, deciding this wasn't worth it. But he caught me, jerking me around almost roughly, his fingers clasping my jaw. The direct skin contact was very distracting, especially because of all the feelings incited by it were conflicting to how I was feeling right now.

"What makes you think I have been here hiding?" He asked me, his voice low bordering on a hiss, "What makes you think I do not know every about step you have taken since you stepped out of the Health Care Unit? What makes you think I do not know that you did not speak a single word today? What makes you think that I did not know that all you did today was stare at the wall? What makes you think that I did not know that you went looking for me to my room? What makes you think that Ace brought you here without asking me first? What makes you think that I have not been here for hours, imagining that that laser could have met its target and I would not be here having this conversation with you right now?"

His expression softened then, but not by much. His voice however, dropped into intimate zone.

"What makes you think I have not been worrying about you since the moment you fainted this morning?"

I realised finally, finally, that everything he just spewed at me had stemmed from his worry. He didn't know how to handle it.

I huffed out a breath.

"I'm okay," I told him.

"I know." He said, his shoulders relaxing even though his muscles were coiled, tensed.

"I'm sorry I slapped you," I said.

His lips lifted a little, "Your hand probably hurt more than my cheek." He said.

I rolled my eyes as he released my chin from his grip.

"You're really arrogant did you know that?" I asked him.

"I have been told a time or two." He said.

Then, he looked down at me.

"Human clothes are not normal." He said finally after what seemed like a very serious evaluation of me.

I snorted. "Like yours are the epitome of normal." I said.

He looked at me, tilting his head as if agreeing with me.

He started to turn, but I stopped him, catching his jaw in my fingers, turning his head to the left to look at his cheek in the light.

Other than a mild redness, there was no indication that he got slapped.

"Does it hurt?" I asked him, running my thumb over it.

He snorted and I glared at him. He just shook his head, no. I dropped my hand.

Both of us looked at each other.

"So. Touching." I said.

Rafe sighed, "Nothing about us has ever been normal."

"Does that mean, yes, the touching is now allowed?" I asked.

Rafe grunted in response, turning to head to the exit.

"That is awesome," I said.

Rafe turned to throw me an annoyed look.

"What?" I asked him frowning, as I exited the room with Rafe following behind me, "You touched me. I didn't do anything."

"Except almost get shot at," he muttered.

"Yeah, that was fun." I said.

He threw me a dark look and I grinned.

I turned to look at Ace when I realised he wasn't here.

"Um. Your friend's missing." I said.

Rafe walked to the Hover Motorbike and got on, throwing his foot over it and settling his large body over it.

"He left," Rafe said, gesturing with his chin that I get on.

"Um. How?" I asked, walking to him and settling onto the seat behind him.

He tossed me a smirk over his shoulder. "How, indeed?" He said.

I rolled my eyes and smacked his shoulder.

"So how often do you stalk me?" I asked Rafe as he turned the vehicle around, causing me to want to hold on to something for the fear I'd fall off.

He didn't reply as we shot into the night so fast I almost squealed, tightening my hold on whichever part of the vehicle I could reach.

"If I die, don't mummify me," I said to him.

How he heard me over the wind, I didn't know, but he replied.

"You are not going to die," he said.

"Sure, sure." I muttered as if I was annoyed.

But I them smiled at his back.

"You sent Ace away, didn't you?" I asked him.

He didn't answer for awhile and I thought he wouldn't at all, before he said, "Possibly."

I smiled the whole way to the resting stations.

______________________________________

Hope you liked!

Vote and comment! It's possibly plagued with typos. Sorry about that.

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