But I'll Take What I Want

[Bullet Ringer]

*I laugh* Thanks for the heads up. *We walk inside and most of the people that were here have dissapeard and gone to bed. I spin a chair round so it's facing the window.* I'll see you in the morning. *He gives me a wave and walks off. I sit down in the chair and get comfy, it shouldn't be long before it's light about 4 or 5 hours I think? I don't know, I don't keep track of time anymore only dates.*

[Cynical Paranoia]

~Getting bored of laying on the ground, and unable to shut my mind off to sleep, I walk back to where my bike is. I rummage around as silently as possible for a few minutes, eventually pulling out an old rag, and two bottles - one of gun oil, the other of a cleaning solution. Sitting with my back to the house, I take off my coat and lay all of my weaponry that needs maintenance on top of it. I pick up the first pistol and begin cleaning it, trying to keep alert to anything going on around me.~

[jumpstart]

*I go upstairs to appease Glass and lay down next to PB. As I start to fall asleep I realize I'm still in my clothes, but suddenly I'm so tired I don't care*

[Glass~Vendetta]

*I make my way back to the living room. I am surprised to see Bullet sitting there.* Oh! Hey, Bullet. Can't sleep?

[Bullet Ringer]

*I jump when I hear someone behind me, I turn around and see Glass.* Nah, so I thought I'd put my lack of ability to sleep to good use and keep watch. What about you?

[Glass~Vendetta]

*I ease myself onto the chair opposite him.* About the same. Sleep is overrated. I can sleep when I'm dead, right? *I lean back and prop my leg up on the table with a wince.* So...what brought you and Blackie to the sewers again?

[Bullet Ringer]

The same reason you guys were there, we wanted to save Retro. After the Viper fight Retro had to stay in the city, she was to injured to come with us at the time. *I look down at the floor and sigh.* I left her there and now she's staying... But she'll come back, when the time is right. So, how'd you end up with som many people here?

[petroleumblaster]

*Jump's alarm goes off and I fish under the covers until I find the damn watch on his wrist so I can turn it off. The watch reads 2 AM and I groan. As usual, Jump doesn't react at all. I shake him a bit* Jump. Jump. Go check on your patients... *shaking doesn't work, so I kick him out of the bed, quite literally* Go check on your, ugh, patients!
*With a final shove Jump falls to the floor, popping up a minute later in the semi-dark and making it all the way across the room before he runs into a wall. I can't help but laugh and he shoots me a look of death before finding the door and exiting. I roll over and go back to sleep, a smile on my face*

[Glass~Vendetta]

*I hear a series of thumps and a laugh from upstairs but dismiss it and think about Bullet's question.* Gosh. It started with just Arson, Gear, Jump, PB, and I. But then we found Renegade on a supply run. And Twisted just turned up on our doorstep. Then we met you, Blackie, and Cyn in Battery.....

[jumpstart]

*I rub my forehead, still stinging a little from the wall. I grab my med backpack, stopping in the bathroom to splash water on my face. I look at my wrinkled clothes...t-shirt, jacket, jeans... I miss my scrubs. I wonder where PB hid them so I wouldn't wear them for the mission...*

*Shaking my head, I make my way to Renegade's room first, apologizing as I wake him up and replace the bloody bandages, putting them in a trash bag in the hall. I also give him some more painkillers even as he insists he doesn't need them. I've had side stitches myself, everybody needs some form of painkiller. From there I move to Arson and Red's room. Arson's asleep in the chair next to Red's bed, so I go to Red first. I didn't know it was possible, but Red looks even cuter when she's asleep*

[Arson Anthem]

*I start awake when I sense motion in the room, but relax when I see it's just Jump. He's on the other side of the bed, and I don't say anything, still half-asleep. I'm struck by how small Red looks. I think the last time I've seen her so off guard was when the Exterminator slashed her and we got Jump's help for the first time. I hope we don't make this a habit...*

[redhavoc]

*I start awake when someone moves into the room. Is this a test? Where is the AI? Where is Hank? I can't hear the BLI energy generators anymore... maybe they moved me... I watch as the figure moves into the room, eyes slitted. I keep as still as possible. When he moves his hand in to touch my face I wait till the last second and then grab it. The figure yelps and I catch a flash of purple hair*

*In an instant I know where I am and for the first time I really realize... I am not alone. I want to smile and laugh and cry all at once, but I'm not sure how to do any of those, so I simply release Jump's hand. Despite the pain radiating throughout my body, I am strangely content... I am not alone anymore...*

[jumpstart]

*I start when she grabs my wrist, those are some amazing reflexes, but then her eyes get soft and she lets go. I smile and talk to her softly as I change her bandages. The one on the back of her neck bled the most, which is not surprising. I make a mental note of all her old scars as well as the new ones. It's a habit I picked up back in New York, to always make mental records of a patient's medical history because any physical record can get lost or destroyed*

*I move over to Arson, another person in my mental medical records, and check her stitches as well, smiling when I don't see signs of infection*

[Arson Anthem]

*I'm startled when Red suddenly moves - I'd thought she was alseep - and for a moment I'm sure she's going to break Jump's fingers or something similarly damaging. I'm reminded of the first time I touched her, outside the bowling alley, and ended up on my back on the sidewalk. She releases him a moment later, though, and I'm reassured when she seems almost content.*

*I'm quiet as Jump checks my arm, but speak up as he starts replacing the bandages* So what's the plan, Jump? We can't stay this close to the city after a raid like that. Is Red able to be moved any time soon?

[jumpstart]

*I focus on the bandages, but start thinking, calculating the time versus injuries...* Ah, three days at the soonest, Arson. That's all I can give you. *I glance over at Red, who already looks like she's asleep again*
Hey, is it just me or does she look... I don't know, happier than last time?