Chapter 155 Healing
Three Weeks Later
The hospital room had transformed from the plain room it was when I first got here. Now everywhere was covered with flowers, there were huge bouquets on the window sills, the table. Even the floor.
It was too much to the extent I was considering opening a flower shop the moment I came out of this place.
Cards and letters were pinned to a cork board someone had brought in. Dozens of them. Maybe hundreds.
Most were addressed to Gavin.
“Mr. Cross, thank you for exposing the corruption…”
“You’re a hero…”
“Get well soon, we’re praying for you…”
And then there were the… other ones.
Melissa picked up an envelope that had arrived that morning and opened it. A pair of lace panties fell out along with a note written in loopy handwriting.
“For when you’re feeling better. Call me. - Ashley”
There was a phone number.
Melissa held up the panties with her good hand. Her broken arm was still in a cast, though it was a different one now. It was lighter and less bulky.
“Really?” she called across the room.
Gavin looked up from where he was doing physical therapy exercises. Walking back and forth across the room. Building his strength back up.
He’d healed surprisingly fast. The gunshot wounds that should have taken months to recover from had closed in weeks. The blood he’d lost had been replenished. His color had returned.
He still had bandages and limped slightly. But he looked more alive every day.
Good genes, Melissa had decided. Ridiculously, unfairly good genes.
“What?” Gavin asked.
She held up the panties.
He rolled his eyes. “Throw them away.”
“That’s what you said about the last three pairs.”
“And I meant it.” He walked over to her bed. Sat down on the edge. “I have zero interest in panties from strangers.”
“The nurses have started a fan club for you,” Melissa said. “Did you know that? They actually have a group chat. I’ve seen it.”
Gavin looked pained. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“I wish I was. There are at least thirty members. They rate your smile. Discuss your ‘brooding intensity.’” She made air quotes with her good hand. “One of them wrote a poem.”
“A poem.”
“About your eyes. It was… detailed.”
Gavin dropped his head into his hands. “Make it stop.”
Melissa laughed.
“You could try being less devastatingly attractive,” she suggested. “Maybe grow a terrible mustache. Start wearing Crocs.”
“I’d rather take another bullet.”
She laughed again. Then caught herself. The laughter faded.
They’d been doing this for three weeks now. Finding moments of lightness. Of normalcy. And sometimes they could feel something like the old happiness but underneath it all, there was still… distance.
Gavin had been respectful. Almost too respectful. He held her hand. Kissed her forehead and stayed really close.
But he didn’t push for anything or make demands that might make her uncomfortable . He gave her all the space and time she needed to process everything.
Sometimes Melissa appreciated it. Sometimes she wished he’d just… break through the boundaries and do something to her. What? She didn’t know.
“Gavin,” she said quietly. “Did you… did you find my mom?”
His expression shifted, becoming more serious.
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
“Brooklyn. A temporary holding facility while they sort out the charges.” He reached over. Took her good hand. “When you’re ready…when you get out of here…I’ll take you to see her. If you want.”
“I don’t know if I want to.”
“I know.”
Melissa looked down at their joined hands. “She tried to destroy you. She used me. She worked with people who kidnapped me. How am I supposed to…”
“You don’t have to decide right now,” Gavin interrupted gently. “There’s no right answer. Whatever you feel is valid.”
She nodded and swallowed against the tightness in her throat.
The door burst open. There was no knock or warning.
A figure ran into the room at full speed.
Melissa barely had time to process before she was being tackled.
With her arm around her. Weight on the bed. Someone crying and laughing and shouting all at once.
“MELISSA!”
Aria.
Oh God. Aria.
Melissa’s good arm came up automatically, she wrapped around her best friend and held on tight.
“You’re awake,” Melissa gasped. “You’re okay. You’re…”
Aria pulled back just enough to start kissing every part of Melissa’s face she could reach. Her forehead. Her cheeks. Her nose. Her chin.
“I’m okay? I’M OKAY?” Aria’s voice was rising. “You’re the one who…who went back! Who walked into that compound! Who…”
She stopped. Started over.
“You neglected yourself! You didn’t take care of yourself! You went back for me when you should have…”
“Of course I went back for you,” Melissa interrupted. “You’re my best friend. You’re…”
“I know!” Aria was crying now. Full tears streaming down her face. “I know and I love you and I was so scared. I was so fucking scared, Mel.”
She buried her face in Melissa’s shoulder. Her whole body was shaking with sobs.
“When they took me and they hurt me. When I woke up and didn’t know where you were or if you were alive or…”
“I’m here,” Melissa said. Her own tears started again. “I’m here. We’re both here. We made it.”
They held each other. Both crying. And both laughing a little too.
Gavin had stood up deciding to give them space. After a long moment, Aria pulled back and wiped her eyes.
“You look terrible,” she said.
“So do you.”
It was true. Aria’s face still showed signs of the beating she’d taken. Bruises fading to yellow-green. A cut on her cheek that was healing. Dark circles were under her eyes.
“When did you wake up?” Melissa asked.
“Three days ago. They wouldn’t let me come see you until today. They said I needed to rest.” Aria rolled her eyes. “Like I could rest when I didn’t know if you were okay.”
“I’m okay. I promise.”
“Your arm is broken.”
“It’ll heal.”
“You have bruises everywhere.”
“They’re fading.”
“You walked back into hell for me.” Aria’s voice cracked. “You could have died.”
“But I didn’t.” Melissa squeezed her good hand. “Neither of us did. We survived, Aria. We actually survived.”
Aria nodded. Wiped her eyes again.Then she seemed to notice Gavin standing nearby.
“You,” she said.
Gavin inclined his head. “Miss Martinez.”
“You’re the reason all of this happened.”
“Aria…” Melissa started.
“No. Let me say this.” Aria kept her eyes on Gavin. “You brought this darkness into her life.”
“You’re right,” Gavin said simply.
Aria blinked. Like she’d been expecting him to argue.
“I did bring darkness into her life,” Gavin continued. “And I’ll regret that for the rest of mine. But I also burned that darkness down. And I’ll spend however long she lets me making sure nothing like this ever happens again.”
Aria studied him for a long moment.
“You better,” she said finally. “Because if you hurt her…if you bring more pain into her life…I will find a way to destroy you. I don’t care how powerful you are.”
“Noted.”
“And…” Aria’s voice softened slightly. “…thank you. For sending Kane back for me. For not leaving me there.”
Gavin nodded. “Kane would have gone back regardless. You matter to him. Which means you matter to me.”
“Speaking of Kane…” Melissa started.
“He’s been here every day,” Aria interrupted. Her cheeks flushed slightly. “The nurses said he barely slept.”
“He loves you,” Melissa said.
“I know. I just… I don’t know how to…” Aria shook her head. “We can talk about that later. Right now…”
She turned back to Melissa. Grabbed her good hand.
“When are you getting discharged?”
“Friday,” Melissa said. “Three more days. They want to make sure my arm is healing properly. That there’s no infection.”
“And then what?”
“Then… I don’t know. Figure out where to live. What to do. How to…” Melissa gestured vaguely. “…exist after all this.”
“You’re staying with me,” Aria said immediately.
“Aria…”
“No arguments. You’re staying with me. We’ll get an apartment together. Something safe. Something that’s ours.” Her grip tightened. “I’m not losing you again, Mel. Not to distance or trauma or anything else.”
Melissa felt tears welling up again. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah. Okay. We’ll get a place together.”
Aria smiled. Huge and genuine despite the lingering bruises.
Then she looked at Gavin. “You can visit. Sometimes. When I say so.”
“I’ll take what I can get,” Gavin replied.
A nurse appeared in the doorway. “Miss Martinez, you’re supposed to be resting. The doctor said…”
“I’m resting right here,” Aria interrupted. “With my best friend.”
“That’s not…”
“She can stay,” Gavin said. His tone left no room for argument. “Bring another chair. And some food. Real food, not hospital garbage.”
The nurse looked like she wanted to argue. Then just sighed.
“Fine. But if Dr. Harrison asks, I tried to stop you.”
She left.
Aria settled into the chair beside Melissa’s bed. “So. Tell me everything. From the beginning. What happened after they took me?”
Melissa looked at Gavin. Then back at Aria.
And slowly…carefully…she started talking.
About the compound. About Zeus. About Sophia and Stephan and Jason.
About the trials. The pain. The impossible choices.
About walking back into hell to save the people she loved.
Aria listened. Cried. Swore. Held Melissa’s hand through all of it.
And Gavin sat quietly. Adding details when Melissa asked. Filling in gaps.
But mostly just being there.
By the time Melissa finished, they’d been talking for hours.
The sun was setting outside. Casting orange light through the hospital windows.
Aria was still holding her hand.
“You’re the bravest person I know,” Aria said finally. “You know that, right?”
“I’m not brave. I was terrified the entire time.”
“That’s what makes it brave, idiot. Being terrified and doing it anyway.” Aria leaned forward. “Promise me something.”
“What?”
“Promise me we’re done with this life. With families and empires and people who think they own the world.” Her eyes were fierce. “Promise me we’re going to be normal. Boring. Safe.”
Melissa looked at Gavin.
He was watching her with an expression she couldn’t quite read.
“I promise,” she said to Aria. “No more empires. No more families. Just… life. Normal, boring life.”
“Good.” Aria stood. Stretched. “I should go before they physically remove me. But I’ll be back tomorrow. And every day until you’re out.”
She leaned down. Hugged Melissa tight.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you too.”
Aria pulled back then looked at Gavin.
“Take care of her.”
“Always.”
Then she was gone.
Leaving Melissa and Gavin alone in the flower-filled room.