I winced as Josh picked me up and out of the car.

We were on a different property, no houses seen for miles. Josh walked us toward a large mansion. It wasn't as large as the one back home, but it was magnificent. Still, being in a place I couldn't recognize made me uneasy.

Josh gently rocked me to comfort me as he kept walking.

"It's another space we own. Since the property was compromised, we had to be relocated here. You're safe, don't worry." Josh murmured.

I looked behind me to find Jasmine wincing as she walked, her heels long gone and her feet injured from running barefoot. Julian quickly picked her up as well.

A few security guards that I recognized were waiting at the door. Being around more familiar faces made me relax as they let us in. I also saw Marco as well, who was busy ordering people around. I gave him a brief wave, giving him a weak thumbs up when he looked concerned at my appearance.

The twins seemed to know where they were going, taking different turns until we were in a large bedroom. I was placed gently on the king-sized bed and Jasmine soon joined me. The twins stood in front of us with guilty expressions.

"There's a medic wing, but we need it for the people that went on the mission. We also thought you would want some privacy. A doctor is coming in soon, but you need to clean up first." Julian said.

"Don't worry, ma'am, you will be okay." Josh added seriously.

The twins were both covered in blood, though I didn't see any cuts on them. I glossed over the reason Josh and Julian looked like they just walked off a horror movie set.

I warily examined both of them, not used to such expressions on their faces. Then it hit me.

"What happened wasn't your fault. If anything, I should be thanking you for getting me out of there." I grabbed both their hands and squeezed them.

The twins still seemed to be unsure when the door slammed open. Julian and Josh quickly aimed their guns at the door when I heard a scoff.

"Lower your weapons, it's just me. Now get the hell out of my way."

My eyes teared up as Maria rushed toward us, shoving the twins out of the way so she could hug Jasmine and me.

"Oh thank fucking goodness, you're both alive. If you ever put me through that again, I will beat you both with steel poles and then shove them up your asses," Maria sniffled.

I clung to her, needing her familiar warmth and fiery attitude. Maria pulled back and began to fret over our injuries.

"Let's get to the bathroom and clean you up. Jasmine, we're going to have to be careful with your feet."

"Rosaline shows some signs of a concussion, but she isn't struggling to stay awake and only has a small bump on her head." Josh piped up. "We'll help you get to the bathroom and let you guys have privacy. You both are covered in red."

The twins helped us get into the huge bathroom, Julian plopping Jasmine into the tub and Josh placing me on the sink. They left, promising us some new clothes. I was grateful for that, ready to throw the ones I was wearing into the trash.

Jasmine reassured Maria that she could get cleaned up on her own, keeping her feet elevated on the edge of the tub. Jasmine began taking off her dress so I looked away and Maria focused on me.

"Josh mentioned you had some symptoms of a concussion. How are you feeling?" Maria asked gently.

I mentioned the ringing in my ears from when the bomb exploded, being groggy and tired. Maria nodded.

"You may have a minor one, but the symptoms may be due to the trauma you just experienced," Maria probed my head and I winced. "You have a cut above your eyebrow. Head injuries bleed like crazy, but it's not severe. I'll help you wash your hair. Get in the shower and take off your clothes– you can leave your underwear on."

I stood on my own and managed to get into the shower with Maria following me. Luckily, the shower was big enough for the both of us and there was a bench that Maria could sit on. I angled the showerhead so Maria wouldn't get wet. I got undressed, leaving my underwear on as instructed.

Maria helped get all the dirt and blood off my body, the water turning pink and brown as it went down the drain. I felt guilty as Maria washed me like a baby until all the grime was gone. It was my job to take care of her, not the other way around. Eventually, we turned the water off and Maria handed me a towel.

Jasmine was still washing herself in the tub when one of the twins knocked. Maria opened the door to accept the fresh set of clothes. They were a bit large, but I wasn't about to complain. I quickly changed while Maria turned her back to me.

"You need to be resting." I chided Maria gently once I finished.

Maria shook her head, but I wasn't having it. "You need to do it for yourself and the baby. You are wiped out. Why don't you get on the bed and wait for the doctor to arrive? We'll call you if we need anything. If one of us starts to act weird, we'll holler."

After a bit more coaxing, Maria reluctantly left.

I slowly sat on the floor next to the tub. I grabbed a towel and the clothes for Jasmine. Like me, she still wore her bra and underwear. Unlike me, she seemed wide-awake, like this was a normal occurrence. It probably was.

I would rather never do this again, personally.

"I want to thank you again," I murmured to Jasmine, getting her attention. "I wouldn't have survived without you– both physically and emotionally. Thank you."

Jasmine gave me a warm smile.

"Regardless if I was there or not, we would have done everything in our power to get you back. I'm just glad I had the ability to be with you the entire time. If anything, this experience makes us best friends." Jasmine joked and I let out a small genuine smile.

"I can't argue with that logic. Now, how can I help?"

I helped Jasmine drain the water and dry off. Because of the injuries on her feet, she decided to just wear the shirt that was offered. Not trusting my strength, I called out to one of the twins for assistance. A freshly clean Julian quickly came in, delicately grabbed Jasmine, and left the room.

I followed them and saw there were a few new faces in the room. Two I assumed were the doctors and another was John.

I gasped, relieved he was okay even though he was sitting in a wheelchair with bandages around his waist and leg.

I quickly moved to sit next to Maria on the bed and Julian placed Jasmine on the loveseat that was on the other side of the room. As soon as my bottom touched the mattress, the doctor began an examination before patching up my head. I hissed when she began wiping the wound on my head.

Maria grabbed my hand in support while John wheeled himself over.

"You're okay." I murmured, wanting to give John a crushing hug.

"I told you that this was nothing. And I'm glad you're okay, kid. You gave us quite a scare." John admitted.

"I'm sorry that I was being reckless. You told me to go, but I couldn't leave you there–"

"It's over and done with. But I am definitely adding self-defense to your schedule." John said sternly. I smiled at him but winced when the doctor placed a bandage on my head.

"You're lucky. You don't need any stitches. But I want to check for a concussion. You have a very small bump," The doctor began doing various tests, putting a bright light in my eye and checking my reaction time.

"I don't believe you have a concussion. You're mostly in shock. I recommend a lot of bed rest and someone keeps an eye on you. If the bump on your head gets bigger or your symptoms worsen, please call me. Also, make sure to put ice on your arm, you are going to have a nasty bruise there."

I thanked the doctor as Maria tugged me to lie down on the bed.

"Is Damon going to be here soon?" I whispered as exhaustion weighed down on me. I didn't want to go to sleep until he came back.

"He'll be here soon, but you need to rest." Maria said as she ran a hand through my hair. I cursed her weakly in my mind, since she knew it soothed me.

I was terrified to go to sleep and realize that it was all a dream. I wanted to see Damon with my own eyes.

"But I want to wait for him." I said stubbornly and pushed myself up so I was in a sitting position, leaning back on the pillows.

John sighed while Maria glared at me.

"Don't push her anymore, Maria. Let's get you some water while we wait?" John offered.

While I drank, I watched Jasmine get patched up. Her feet were covered in bandages as the doctor cleaned her other wounds. Julian was also watching the man like a hawk, scrutinizing every move he made.

"I don't think Jasmine is going to get alone time anytime soon. Julian would literally glue himself to her if she let him." Maria said with humor as Jasmine smacked Julian for trying to intimidate the doctor.

"I think it's sweet." I said as I watched the two interact, missing Damon even more.

"You don't have to worry about anything. Damon and Xavier took care of Lorenzo and his men. He's never going to touch you again," John reassured as he misinterpreted the look on my face.

I shook my head to look at him. "I've never felt safer. I just...it all feels so final but I can't comprehend it. If anything, I just want to be with Damon and forget about the world for a while."

A person's phone rang and John pulled out his device.

"It's Xavier."

My heart fluttered. If Xavier was calling, Damon had to be with him.

Seeing the hope in my eyes, John pressed a couple buttons before holding the phone out. "Xavier, you're on speaker. I got the girls with me."

"Sugar, are you there?" Xavier spoke through the phone.

"I'm here. The doctors just finished cleaning up Jasmine and Rosaline." Maria called out, gesturing to me even though Xavier couldn't see.

"Are the girls awake?" Xavier asked.

"Yes, Rosie is right next to me. She won't rest until Damon comes back. How far out are you?" Maria queried.

"ETA twenty minutes, but Damon has a shoulder injury that needs to be attended to in the medical wing. He probably won't be able to see her for another hour or so."

"Is he okay?" I said urgently, resisting the urge to tangle my fingers into my hair.

"Yes, Ro-Ro, he is fine. He's just got a...large cut on his shoulder. I promise to make sure he's all wrapped up and ready to present to you soon." Xavier promised.

"Then I can wait for him or I can meet you guys in the medical wing," I offered and wiggled to get off the bed.

Maria held me down, actually using her body to pin me. I don't struggle because I didn't want to hurt the unborn baby. I looked at her incredulously. Maria apparently didn't like my reaction.

"Don't look at me like I'm fucking crazy."

Says the pregnant woman holding me down on the bed.

"Maria, please get off of me."

"No, you need to rest!" Maria insisted. "You're struggling to keep your eyes open right now. Damon will be here when you wake up."

"But I–"

"Flower."

I froze at the deep familiar voice. John brought the phone closer for me to grab. I clutched the phone close to take it off speaker.

"Damon? Are you all right?" I spoke quietly, pressing the phone against my ear.

"Yes, Flower. I'm all right, just a bit bruised. It's so fucking good to hear your voice. I'm sorry that this happened. You were supposed to be safe. And I'm sorry I didn't meet with you in the car, but I had to stop Lorenzo. I couldn't let him–"

"You don't need to explain yourself to me. It's okay. We both made it out. I-I just want to see you. I can have one of the twins or John take me to you guys when you get here." I rambled.

"Rosaline, I heard what Maria said and she's right. You need to rest...I can't let you get more hurt, even if it's from sleep deprivation. I will see you as soon as I can."

"No!" I insisted. "I-I...I'm scared to fall asleep and I won't relax until I see you."

I didn't care how whiny I sounded. Damon was the only person who could calm me down. Everything that had happened since the escape hadn't settled in yet– the hiding, the rescue, what happened to that man who saved me...

No one would be able to pull me back from the brink but Damon.

"Please." I whispered.

The phone was silent for a few moments before he sighed.

"Okay. I'll be a little selfish too. I was planning on finding you anyway, injury or no injury. I'll see you in a few moments. But Flower, I'm not...I just want to warn you that I don't look like my normal self. I don't want you to be scared." His voice was soothing to my ears, even though he sounded concerned.

"You could never scare me. I love you." I spoke softly.

"And I love you too. Hand the phone to John and I'lll see you soon." I practically threw the phone at John and he continued talking to Damon. I gave Maria a look and she slowly got off of me.

"I was trying to do it for your own good. The baby was backing me up on this one," Maria said in defense, but struggled to contain her laughter at my unamused face. "Don't look so grumpy."

~*~

I stood anxiously at the black entrance, clinging to John and Maria's hands. The twins stayed back with Jasmine as she recovered in the private bedroom.

Damon was supposed to be there any second, and if I wasn't so sore, I would have been jumping up and down.

"Damon updated me on his injuries, and I'm telling you to prepare you," John said to me. "He can walk but will be sitting on a gurney to not jostle the blood transfusion procedure. He lost blood from a shoulder wound and may have bruised ribs. His face has a few bruises and a split lip. But, he'll live. He's not in any critical condition."

"Not in critical condition." I repeated to myself, but hearing the descriptions of Damon's injuries caused me to squeeze their hands tighter. "He's going to live."

A black car began to pull into the entrance and my heart started thundering.

He's here.

I rushed toward the vehicle, ignoring their shouts as the back door opened to reveal Xavier. Xavier smiled at me, relief in his eyes.

"Hey Ro, glad to have you back. Your man is right over there. I'll give you a moment before we take him in." Xavier gave me a quick and gentle hug before leaving.

I hopped into the truck, my eyes stuck on the man sitting on a stretcher while a woman checked his vitals. I held back my gasp as I looked at his wounds. I was thankful that John prepared me or else I would have been sobbing at the sight.

It's not critical, it's not critical.

My bottom lip wobbled as I walked to him, forcing myself not to lunge into his arms.

Any attempt of self-control was in vain. As soon as Damon looked at me, analyzing all my injuries in worry, I started to sob. And I mean sob. If we'd been in any other situation, I would've been mortified.

With one arm, Damon pulled me close.

"It's okay, Flower. It's over. He's gone– I made sure of it." Damon whispered into my ear.

The news that Lorenzo Diablo was dead only made me cry harder.

"I-I–" I could hardly speak as a sense of liberation filled me, also grief and worry. I couldn't seem to figure out how to react.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't let him live. He hurt you, Rosaline, and I don't regret doing it." Damon said, and I knew he was worried that I would judge him harshly.

I shook my head and pulled back, holding his face in my hands.

Any other person would have run away hearing their boyfriend admit that they killed someone. Any sane person would have been afraid, but I definitely wasn't.

"T-thank you. But you're hurt and all of this was because of me. I caused all of this again and there was a man that saved me–" I couldn't finish the sentence as Damon wiped my tears away. "I just need you."

"You have me, my flower. You always will." Damon pressed a kiss against my lips before pulling back with a wince. I eyed his split lip with worry.

"I really want to give you a hug, but I'm too scared I'll hurt you." I admitted and Damon scoffed.

"I don't give a shit," Damon pulled me into a tight hug and I wrapped my arms around his waist. "When I realized that you were gone...I never felt more scared in my life. The idea that you were out there and I couldn't get to you killed me, Flower. I'm going to be unbearable and follow you everywhere for a long time. I don't care if you complain, scream, or argue with me. We're never going to go through this shit again."

A lump formed in my throat at his raw confession, displaying all his emotions to me.

"I can deal with that. I really don't want you out of my sight anytime soon," I confessed as I pressed gentle kisses across his face. "Now let's get you cleaned up."

We were together again and we were safe. That's all I could ask for.



I ran my hand through Rosaline's hair, holding her close.

The doctors were able to easily stitch and wrap up my shoulder. I would need to wear a sling to keep it still while it healed for the next two weeks, but I wasn't going to complain.

Rosaline had watched anxiously, wincing every time they put the needle through my skin. Eventually, I coaxed her to look at my face so I could distract her.

Now I was in a bed in a private medical room with Rosaline. She hesitated to lie down next to me until I practically dragged her to rest on top of me. After much convincing, I was able to get her to doze off.

My Flower was finally safe with me, where she belonged.

I examined her peaceful expression. I knew that one of the reasons she was afraid to go to sleep was because of the nightmares. Luckily, it seemed she was resting comfortably. I would be there for her to be whatever she needed.

I buried my face in her hair, closing my eyes to breathe in her scent.

A knock interrupted the silence before Xavier walked in with Jasmine, Erik, and the twins. I gave them all a look, daring them to wake her up. I was met with exasperated eye rolls. I raised a brow at the sight of Julian carrying Jasmine.

"About damn time." I muttered, staying quiet so I didn't disturb Rosaline.

"Shut up." Jasmine grumbled, but I saw the delight and amusement in her eyes. She was enjoying the attention, but she would never admit it.

"Thank you for keeping Rosaline safe when I couldn't. I owe you." I told her genuinely.

Jasmine waved me off as Julian placed her in a chair then grabbed her hand. "It's what we do. And you would've done the same for me."

I pulled my face away from Rosaline as everyone else settled on the other side of the bed.

"How many casualties?" I asked.

"Lots of wounded. We lost eight people. We're already doing arrangements and reaching out to any friends or family." Erik sighed.

I closed my eyes briefly. It was always hard when we lost one of our people. While they knew the risks of this life and mission, it didn't mean that we didn't see them as humans.

"The scene is cleaned up. But the Organization left a note just in case." Xavier stated, smirking a little.

"It was a great stress reliever." Julian said matter-of-factly, his usual shine starting to come back. Josh nodded his agreement with a smile.

"All that red coming out of our enemies...it was beautiful." Josh closed his eyes and sighed blissfully at the memory.

The crazy assholes. But I was glad they were coming back to their normal selves.

"Wiseman is going to hear about this soon." Erik warned. "He may try to run."

Xavier shook his head. "It would be extremely hard for him. He's easily recognizable and everyone will be focusing on a presidential candidate. But he will try to twist everything to his benefit. It's time to release everything we have. Lorenzo isn't a threat anymore, so we don't have to worry about repercussions on that end. I just wish it would be more satisfying."

"But we can," Jasmine said with glee. She took off her watch and tossed it to Erik. "Before I was captured, I was able to snag the watch that I was going to wear to the event. That's how you were able to track me."

Erik beamed at her. "Jasmine you are fucking brilliant! Let me download the information."

"Catch me up." I ordered, not liking to be kept in the dark.

Xavier looked at all of us with a gleam in his eye.

"The watch also has a recording feature. Lorenzo and Anthony Wiseman himself came to visit us in the warehouse. He may have said a few things that can incriminate him." Jasmine said with a wicked smile.

My smile grew to match hers. "Would that make it more satisfying for you, Xavier?"

Xavier rubbed his hands together, creating a new plan that will satisfy our need to hurt the senator.

"As a matter of fact, I have a splendid idea. Damon, do you feel like going on a little adventure? I gotta talk to our favorite federal agent first."

~*~

I stood at the exit as the crowd began to clap when Wiseman walked on stage, waving and smiling at the voters. We were attending one of his campaign events.

Cameras were everywhere to broadcast Wiseman's speech live on television.

I saw the Campbells in a private area, also clapping with the audience. Erik was staring daggers at Rebecca Campbell, probably ready to rain hell on her and get vengeance for her stunt in the FBI raid. Not only that but she forced him to fry all his devices. To say Erik wasn't happy with her was an understatement.

Erik had had his suspicions, and after going through the fake security website trail, he was able to confirm that it was Rebecca that was in charge.

Yes– the haughty socialite was in charge of the website that brought in mercenaries and assassins.

Makes sense why she is married to a weapon's CEO.

Xavier lazily leaned against the wall, a pair of shades resting on his face. I internally rolled my eyes at the "badass" vibe he was trying to achieve. Asshole.

People stayed far away from me. I scowled at the people surrounding me. My wounded appearance made people uneasy in my presence, but fuck them.

My sour attitude at being away from Rosaline didn't help. We agreed to text each other every hour to make sure the other was okay. It was the first time in three days that we'd been out of each other's sights.

I may have been a bit more of a hard-ass and clingier than usual, only allowing a few people to visit at a time and getting restless when Flower left the room for a few minutes.

I considered staying with Rosaline or even inviting her to come with me, but she insisted I went.

Anthony Wiseman isn't the center of my nightmares, Damon. Lorenzo was. Now it's your turn for some justice.

My Flower's words echoed in my head as Wiseman started talking on the podium, energizing the crowd as he started his speech for president. A screen was behind him showing his logo and face.

"As your president, I will see that the people are finally seen and heard! No amount of false news and conspiracies will change that promise!" Wiseman spoke into the microphone, arrogance exuding from him.

I watched the man with hatred. I had listened to the recording Jasmine taped beforehand. What Wiseman said to Rosaline and Jasmine made me want to go on a rampage. He was willing to let Lorenzo torture them for information and hit Rosaline. That was something that I would never forgive or forget.

"Now the guy is just talking out of his ass," Xavier complained. "It's time to see this monster fall from grace. Erik, if you will?"

"I thought you'd never ask. This is for you, Angelo." Erik said and pressed a few buttons on his device.

Wiseman's microphone cut off. The senator looked at the mic in confusion when his recorded voice filled the room. Erik had edited some of the audio so Jasmine and Rosaline couldn't be identified.

"Yes, I am a Diablo," Wiseman's voice echoed and caused the audience to listen in confusion. "But it's unfortunate that my work is somehow tainted by a simple name. I'm helping the economy...I just happen to do it by controlling the politicians and silencing those who are too vocal against my plans and policies. I'm taking on the burden of making tough decisions by leading. The people want to vote for me and my policies. What's the difference?"

People gasped and began mumbling to themselves, grabbing their phones and recording. Wiseman's face was red as he tried to get the tech crew to cut off the audio. He tried to calm the crowd with his hands and a smile, attempting to get them to listen.

I saw Campbell yelling at his wife, who was frantically tapping on her phone.

"Oh no you don't, bitch," Erik mumbled and started typing. A few moments later, Rebecca gaped in shock before throwing her phone on the ground in anger. "I sent a virus to wipe out her phone that will connect to her precious website. Everything is crashed...but not without sending a little note to her. It says 'Karma's a bitch. Fuck you.'"

Rebecca's eyes made contact with Erik's, who mockingly waved at her. But the audio continued.

"....You know as well as I do that every decision leads to a negative consequence. People don't want to hear it. Ignorance is bliss in this world. The people seem quite content putting their heads in the sand, no? If you throw them a bone occasionally, they block out everything negative. But the plans to expose everyone - that would be worse than anything I could do. What about the rights and voices you're taking away when you get rid of the leader the American people voted for?"

Outrage spread through the crowd, people shouting and booing. Wiseman looked around the room and he spotted us.

I just stared while Xavier gave him a mock salute. Wiseman's eyes widened and his face paled.

It made me realize that Wiseman really thought he was going to get away with everything. He had been so used to getting everything he wanted that it never occurred to him that a worthy foe could take him down.

I was all too happy to see him proven wrong. Now everything was slipping through his fingers.

The security team was holding the crowd back when the final part of the recording ended.

"A business is a business. There's always an ugly side to it. And you forget, Lorenzo does the bloodshed. I just let him have his fun and help him choose targets. I don't personally hurt people."

"You criminal!" someone shouted. Wiseman quickly moved to exit the stage when the FBI arrived, led by Special Agent Adlai.

Fortunately, Erik turned the microphones back on so everyone could hear what Adlai was saying.

"Senator Anthony Wiseman, you are under arrest for federal conspiracy and connection to the crime organization, the Diablos. Put your hands behind your back."

The crowd began to shout in a mixture of cheers and outrage as the fuming Senator was cuffed.

"Cue the screen." Xavier ordered, looking positively gleeful at the events unfolding. I had to admit, it was pretty damn satisfying witnessing this.

The screen suddenly changed, showing a large "breaking news" sign before a reporter appeared.

"This just in. We have received the list of over five hundred names that were involved in a massive organized crime scene. Thousands of documents were included as evidence connected to this case, which we believe was sent by the leakers that exposed the shooters in Los Angeles. One of the names on the list is none other than potential presidential candidate and Senator Anthony Wiseman. This story is still developing live."

The crowd roared at that, phones and cameras flashing to take in the screen and the scene in front of them.

Composure completely broken, Wiseman started shouting in outrage then turned to look at us once more. Erik quickly turned off the microphone as Wiseman started cursing, saying that he would ruin us and there was nowhere that we would be able to hide from him.

I shook my head. Wiseman had lost just about all his resources, and no one would speak out for him in fear of association. His life and career was done.

I saw the Campbells trying to make an escape, but the agents surrounded them as well. Erik looked smug seeing them arrested, particularly Rebecca. Xavier rolled his eyes but praised Erik's skills.

As the chaos ensued, I finally felt at peace. A wide smile spread across my face as Xavier patted me on the back.

The Organization had struck again.

My phone beeped to show a message from Rosaline, telling me that she saw the event and was proud of me. She was also wondering when I was heading home, wanting to watch a movie in bed.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the sense of normalcy. It felt like a lifetime since we could just be.

Xavier wrapped his arms around me and Erik.

"Let's get out of this hellhole, boys. Our work here is done."