Into My Heart

LXXXVII

MALLORY

The hospital was quiet, heavily guarded by FBI agents in case of someone tried to abduct Abby again. Although it appeared as if Rose was only a circumstantial victim, I still was worried and decided to remain by my sister's side as she stressfully watches her girlfriend sleep from outside the hospital room.

When I hand her a fresh drink, she smiles, grateful. 

Sam walks out of the room, before smiling at us. She quickly give each of us a hug, before declaring:

"I gotta go and be useful to the case, but you two take care of my sister, alright?"

"Count on us, Sam: I ain't leaving her side ever again" Christen confidentially and thoughtfully says, dead serious.

The Mewis sister nods, before walking out of the hospital, probably on her way to the police as we speak. 

Wrapping her arm around my shoulders, my sister asks:

"How is Rose doing?" 

"She still hasn't woken up yet - they believe she got injected more tranquilliser than Abby and didn't digest it as well, but ultimately she'll be alright." I say, worried.

"Good" Christen comments, before adding: "I can't wait for the police to arrest this fucking Patriarch before anyone else get hurt."

"Yeah, me too" I say, thoughtful.

Christen pulls me into a tight hug, before going inside Abby's room again, as the blonde had now woken up. I watch as my older sister sits down on her lover's bed, kissing her forehead protectingly, holding her hand as Abby smiles and kisses her.

Deciding to leave them in privacy, I quickly walk past Rose's room, before abruptly stopping.

There were doctors inside, and it appears that Rose had woken up after all. Waiting for them to be done checking up on her and leaving the room, I go in, carefully closing the door behind me, growing nervous. 

I turn around, and realise Rose is staring at me with surprise in her eyes. 

"Hi" I only say, trying to sound detached.

The brunette cracks a smile. 

"Hey, you" she only whispers, before coughing a little.

"A-Are you, uh, are you okay?" I stammer, trying to hold my shit together. 

And failing miserably, dumbass, I think to myself, terrified. Of course Rose knows me enough to know that, although our last encounter was not so pleasant, I truly cared about her and was willing to stay by her side even if I felt betrayed. 

After a moment, she just says:

"Yes, I am okay, Mal, you don't have to worry."

"But I do... worry, I mean" I blurt out, unable to stop myself. Rose frowns, as I go on: "I've acted like a fucking cunt with you, and I am so, so sorry: I shouldn't have freaked out when you tried to kiss me, and I shouldn't have given you the silent treatment ! I mean, before all that we were best friends and I don't wanna lose you..."

"You ain't gonna lose me, Mallory, that's what you don't seem to get" Rose interrupts me, amused. 

I stare at her, quite surprised by her reaction: how could she still want to talk to me even after all that's happened? 

Takin a deep breath, I declare:

"I just want us to start over... Can we be best friends again?" 

She smirks.

"Of course, Mal... But I don't know if I can hide my feelings for you any longer: I want to be honest, and in total honesty, I think I am in love with you. You do what you want with that."

"I am not ready yet, Rose" I says in a low voice, blushing. She doesn't seem angry, probably because she knew it would be my answer, so I add: "But, leave me some time... okay?"

"Okay."

After greeting her, I walk out of the room, only to find Hailie and Jill, still watching over me, guns in their belts. 

Their faces were very serious.

"What's going on?" I ask, confused. 

"You might wanna see this..." Hailie says, showing me out of the hospital.

And indeed, she was right.

*

Right outside the hospital, there was a symbol where a capital P could be uncovered, with an anarchy sign that is pretty obvious: The Patriarch is trying to send a message to the great city of Orange. 

Christen, who appears right by my side, just frowns.

"This isn't good" she comments, her voice and body shaking. As I turn my head toward her, she repeats: "This isn't good: this is a warning"

"I don't think so" a voice says behind us.

We both turn around, only to sigh in relief: it was Julie, in her official sheriff's outfit. 

"What is it, then?" I ask, confused.

The blonde looks around, before giving a few orders to her men, as they start getting people away from the wall where the P was drawn. 

After a while, she just says:

"I've seen signs like this before: to me it looks more like a calling."

"Like, The Patriarch calling her evil minions?" Christen asks, still highly confused. As Julie nods, she quickly does on: "Either way, it isn't good for us, especially if her associates are now informed that she will take action soon..."

"You're right" Julie concedes, before turning around and watching the wall carefully. Thoughtful, she thinks out loud: "And the fact that they draw it on the walls of the hospital where their latest victims - Abby and Rose - are taken care of sends a much stronger message than I initially thought: this is their plan B..."

I start feeling shivers down my spine. 

"They will attack Press Corporation soon" Christen slowly says, her eyes going wide. She then turns toward me, before grabbing my shoulder and solemnly adding: "Mal, you're not gonna like what I'm gonna say to you, but right now I need you to obey me so that I can keep you safe: you can't go back home, it's too dangerous. So, you're gonna go at the Mewies', okay? And Hailie and Jill will come with you in case anything happen.Okay?"

"But-"

"Mallory" she coldly says, before sighing. Her voice softens when she says: "You and Abby are all I have left, I can't bear to know you're in any sort of danger. Please, do it for me."

"Okay."

Christen then pulls me into a tight hug, trying to remain strong, but I can feel the tear rolling down her cheek, so I hug her tighter in order to show her how much I cared and that I wouldn't scare her. 

Five minutes later, I am escorted by the police, with my two bodyguards, at the apartment where Sam, Kristie and Abby live.