Chapter 6

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THIA

I wake with a worse headache than before, but it's the pain in my tummy that brings tears to my eyes. I peel my eyelids back and moan pitifully.

Suddenly, the most amazing looking man is standing over me with a worried expression plastered on his tanned face. I muster up a smile for him, "Good morning, River!"

He smiles softly and stands up from his position on the floor by the bed.

Starting to sit up, I groan and River pushes me back down, "Oh, don't move. You've been shot."

My eyes widen in shock and I stare at him, making sure he isn't joking. Finally, I squeal in delight, trying to ignore how my tummy hurts so bad. I got shot! I giggle happily and River just stares at me in confusion.

His eyes widen in realization, "Oh, f**k! You must be hysteric! F**k! Caleb--"

I cut him off, happy dancing as much as I can without crying in pain. "I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M SO LUCKY! I get to cross that off my bucket list," I exclaim gleefully, pulling him into a hug.

Once he pulls away, he stares at me in complete shock, "Getting shot was on your bucket list?!"

"Yep," I chirp happily, popping the 'P'.

He rubs his face tiredly, worry still in his eyes, "Any other dangerous items on your bucket list that I should know about?"

"Um, well there's jumping off a cliff into the ocean, but that's not that dangerous. I suppose bull fighting might be considered dangerous if I was inexperienced, which I am. Uh...oh yeah, and sticking my head in a lion's mouth," was there anything else?

He runs his hand through his hair worriedly, "You're not actually planning to do those things, right?"

I shake my head enthusiastically, "of course I will! I'm gonna do my whole bucket list before I die!"

"If the list doesn't kill you first," he growls moodily, looking down at the blanket.

Giggling, I say, "You're being silly!" Suddenly, pain starts to burn in my tummy where the bandages are. I groan and the smile dies.

River frowns at me, "Close your eyes."

My heart melts at the concern in his deep voice and I comply, trusting him to make it better.

Feeling him pull back the bandages, I bite my lip nervously, but dutifully keep my eyes shut tight. He hisses in disapproval and growls angrily, "Caleb! Get your fat as -butt in here!"

"Can I open my eyes," I ask softly, not wanting to make him more mad.

I real his rough calloused thumb caress my cheek softly, "No, little lady. Keep em shut real tight and I'll make it better."

I take a deep breath and nod, "M'kay."

Eventually the door opens and I hear someone enter then say a bad word. I feel someone else's hands on my belly that are cold and I don't like them. I want River's hands, not this person with cold hands.

Frowning, I am about to tell them so when River says, "Numb her."

The other guy with cold hands replies, "No. It's better if I don't, its only two stitches."

"I said numb her," River snarls angrily, I feel his warm hands on my cheeks and his minty breath on my face. "Thia, Caleb is going to make your stomach feel funny, okay? We are gonna make it stop hurting."

I smile and nod, glad he's touching me, I love it when he touches me. I get tingles all over and my heart beats really fast.

Hearing the other man huff disapprovingly, I feel a sharp prick in my already hurting tummy. I bite my lip until I feel a numbness spreading throughout my middle. I don't feel the pain anymore, but the fact that I can't feel anything scares me a little bit.

Nonetheless, I'm grateful for the absence of pain. Curious, I whisper, "What are you guys doing?"

"Fixing you up," the other man, who I guess is Caleb, says calmly.

I hear soft metallic clanging and bite the inside of my cheek. They're probably just stitching up the bullet hole.

Sighing audibly, I wiggle my nose, bored out of my mind. Why won't they tell me what they're doing? Horror wells within me in realization. I must have a huge black alien spider growing inside of my wound and they're trying to remove it but can't because it's connected to my life source. So if they kill it, they kill me as well!

Panic scratches to the surface and I gasp, "Oh my gosh! Get it off, River! It's going to eat me anyways! Just kill it! Save the world from alien abduction! I understand the sacrifice I'm making! Better I die than everyone else! Save yourselves!"

"What?!" He sputters, shock filling his tone. He presses a warm hand to my forehead. The gesture is soothing, but time is of the essence! He is obviously shocked that I figured it out.

Beginning to hyperventilate, I grasp his hand in my own and choke out, "No need to hide it from me anymore, River. I know. And don't worry, I don't mind sacrificing my own life to save others. Just do it! But do it fast!"

"What the f**k?! What the hell is she going on about," hisses Caleb in a strange, panicked tone.

River places his warm calloused hands on both of my cheeks and says in a strangled voice, "Breath, Thia. In. Out. Come on, just relax."

"Relax?!" I gasp in a tight voice, feeling a lack oxygen, "How...can I relax in an emergency... like this?! Stop... comforting me! Kill me already!"

He hisses out a breath and whispers gently, "I am not going to kill you, Thia. Now, what are you talking about?"

Tears fall down my cheeks, but I dutifully keep my eyes shut. I probably don't want to see it anyways. "The alien spider that's growing inside my bullet wound! River, listen..." I try to regain my air for a minute before I continue, "It's going to reproduce and have...millions of tiny babies... You have to kill it now...even though its life is tied with mine. But be careful...it will try to eat you...don't let it bite you...it could kill -"

"Thia! There is no alien growing inside of you! For heaven sakes, girl! Open your d*mn eyes!"

My eyes snap open at Caleb's demand and I find both men staring at me with weird expressions on their faces. Caleb is trying not to laugh as he finishes wrapping my alien -free stomach.

River has his lips upturned in a small smile and a strange glint in his pretty eyes. He chuckles deeply and shakes his head, "Oh, baby. You are insane."

Heat creeps up my neck and I giggle quietly because his low musical laugh is contagious. I squirm uncomfortably and ask softly, "If there wasn't an alien, why couldn't I look?"

He touches my cheek and sighs as an odd expression crosses his face, "Because I didn't want you scarred for your life when you saw a bloody hole in your stomach. But it seems your imagination ran wild."

"Oh," I sigh as I lean into his gentle touch. His touch gives me such a warm feeling, I love it.

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