Everything I need
by Aimless
Chapter 3
“Mr. Midou?" An insistent voice buzzed in my ears and I wanted nothing more than to fall back asleep. "Mr. Midou, can you hear me?”
My eyes shot open when something poked me painfully in the shoulder. What the fuck? I blinked fuzzily up at the ceiling as the bright light hurt my eyes. Where was I? What the hell had happened? With a great deal of pain, I turned my head and blinked at the white clad figure that was causing the fierce ache radiating down my arm.
“Wha…” I began but it was difficult to force the words out past my dry throat.
“Here this might help.” A straw was placed against my lips and I drank the cool water greedily. “Now, can you tell us what happened?”
“Who are you? Why am I here?” I had figured out that I was flat on my back in a hospital but the details were still pretty hazy.
“My name is Dr. Ishikawa. As to why you are here in the emergency ward of the hospital, we were hoping you could tell us that. You were brought in by ambulance yesterday evening. Apparently the police found you injured, bleeding and passed out in an alley. In fact they are waiting to take your statement.” His loud voice didn’t do anything to soothe my pounding head.
I thought for a moment, and the details of what had happened returned with sharp clarity. Fuck! Akabane had gotten the drop on me and was now after Ginji. I had to get out of here! I also had to make up a story to appease the cops.
“I guess I was mugged. I never saw the guys that got me. I was attacked from behind." I closed my eyes again to try and stop the room from spinning. "Taking that alley when I left the bar had been a bad idea I suppose.”
“Well, whoever attacked you knifed you pretty good. You sustained moderate wounds to your shoulders and lower thighs. Also some considerable tearing of the muscle tissue and a fair amount of blood loss. It was a good thing the officers had found you when they did. In addition to all that was a concussion and the likely hood of you becoming ill from exposure is high. We disinfected and stitched your injuries so rest is really the only thing you need right now.” I was poked and prodded some more as the doctor spoke.
Well at least I was still alive, but as the doctor recounted my injuries, it reminded me why I had to get out of here now. I had to get back to Ginji. I had already wasted too much time. I tried to sit up and felt a pulling sensation on the back of my left hand. I was hooked up to a couple of IV’s.
“Now, now, Mr. Midou. You have to stay put I’m afraid. You are hooked up to a fairly potent batch of antibiotics and fluids to re-hydrate your body. If you show a marked improvement we can talk about your release the day after tomorrow.” I was pushed back onto the bed.
“I have to leave. You don’t understand. Let me up.” I tried to sit up again and saw a nurse out of the corner of my eye ready a syringe. Before I could struggle too much, the needle pierced the shunt in the IV tube and a warm lethargy flowed into my body. I attempted to push the restraining hands away but the pain from the knife wounds made me dizzy. My strength ebbed as the pain killer laced sedative worked its magic. I fell back asleep cursing myself as a weak fool.
Once again I woke to someone fussing around me. I swam back to consciousness and blinked at the dim light in the room. This was getting old fast. I looked around and a pretty little nurse was cleaning up a tray of soiled bandages on the bedside table. She had obviously been changing the dressings on my injuries. I squinted at her and she smiled.
“Back with us again, Mr. Midou? I imagine you are pretty thirsty. Here you go.” A straw was placed against my lips and I drank until the cottony feeling in my mouth was gone. “How are you feeling?” she asked perkily. How can anyone be that cheerful?
“I feel like shit.” That’s me, straight to the point. Actually, my headache was down to a tolerable throb instead of a jackhammer to the brain. “What time is it? How long was I out?” I hated losing track like this and I swear if they tried to drug me again I was going to hurt someone.
“It is a little after six in the morning. You were out the rest of the afternoon and all night. Are you hungry? I’m supposed to see that you eat something.”
It really was not her fault I was in a foul mood so I was careful not to go ballistic. I had to get out of here and make sure Ginji was all right. I had to keep that bastard away from him. I was an idiot to have left. Even if Ginji only thought of me as a friend I had to be there to protect the gullible idiot.
I forced out a smile. “I could use a bite to eat. Could you please bring me something?”
She blushed as I turned on the Midou charm. I thanked her for taking such good care of me and smiled again. She giggled and I had to keep from rolling my eyes. Finally she left with a chirped goodbye and promised to return with breakfast.
Now I could get the hell out of here.
I gave the nurse a few seconds to get down the hall and threw back the blanket that covered me. I spent the next few minutes cursing as that action sent aching pains shooting through my upper arms. I really didn’t want to see the mess Akabane’s knives had made of my body. It was not the initial puncture that had caused all the damage but the forceful removal of the blades when I fell. If my arms hurt this bad I was not looking forward to walking.
It hurt every bit as much as I’d thought when I climbed out of bed and my knees buckled. I grabbed onto the edge of the table and grit my teeth. When the pain became tolerable I took a tentative step. Something pulled at my hand and I looked down in annoyance. The damned IV was still attached.
I didn’t even wince as I pulled the medical tape that held it in place. A thin bead of blood rolled down my hand as I dropped the needle onto the sheets. Limping to the small wardrobe was no picnic and I cursed more when I opened the door. My clothes were not there. Of course they had probably been cut off me and stained with blood ruining the garments. I was grateful though to see my wallet and shoes lying on the shelf. A quick glance inside showed that all my money was still there. At least Akabane was not a petty thief on top of a sadistic murderer.
I needed clothes because I could already feel a draft from the poorly tied hospital gown. At least they’d left me my underwear. I cautiously opened the door and peeked out. The staff really couldn’t stop me from leaving but I didn’t want to waste time with all the questions and paper work that would follow if I were to ask to be released. I had to get to Ginji. If Akabane got to him before I did I swore there would not be enough left of the fedora wearing freak to be identified.
I made my way down the hallway like several other patients that were walking the corridor. I managed to find a supply closet and ducked inside. I was breathing heavily from the short walk and my injuries hurt like hell so I grabbed a set of scrubs and awkwardly pulled them on. I’d tucked my shoes under my arm after finding them in the wardrobe and managed to slip my feet in. I left them untied because at this point I was too dizzy to bend down and fool with the laces. I had to get to the elevator and then outside. It was a task that was looking harder to accomplish.
I would not abandon Ginji to Shido’s bumbling attempts to protect him. That was the thought that gave me the second wind I needed to limp out of the closet and to the elevators. I swore if anyone tried to stop me they’d get a taste of my Jagon.
For once luck was with me because I didn’t encounter anyone who tried to hinder me. I took a deep breath once I got outside and sagged against one of the decorative planters that flanked the doorway. I rested for a few minutes then walked to the curb. I was lucky again when it proved relatively easy to hail a cab.
With a hiss of pain I got into the back seat and gave the driver the address to my apartment. Then I lay my head back against the seat and willed the ache in my skull and limbs to subside. I must have dozed off because it took several tries for the cabbie to get my attention. He had pulled up to my apartment building and I hadn’t even noticed. Some help I’d be to Ginji when I got to him. But I had to try. I tipped the guy really well which was unusual for me but, he deserved it. The ride had been smooth and he hadn’t filled the silence with idle chatter.
I used the railing to drag myself up the steps and almost yelled in frustration when I realized I did not have my keys. Fuck it! I grabbed the knob and gave it a vicious twist. The metal groaned and the whole plate ripped off the door.
The pain sent me to my knees and I felt like an idiot. That was a switch. Usually I was the cool one and Ginji the over reacting fool. My laughter had a hysterical edge as I staggered into my apartment. The bed looked so damned inviting as I threw my meager belongings into a duffle bag. I did not give in to the temptation as I grabbed my stuff and limped back down to my car. The spare key I kept in a small magnetic box underneath was a bitch to get to but I managed. I got in the front seat and started the motor.
I was shaking and in a lot of pain but I had to Get Back the person I never should have left in the first place.
I gripped the wheel tightly as I drove east toward the person I hoped was still safe. The glare from the rising sun was like a spike to my aching head. I reached into the glove box and grabbed a pair of sunglasses, sighing in relief as the world around me dimmed. Driving gave me something I could focus on and I stubbornly ignored my injuries as they ached and burned. Several times I had to pull over as the road blurred and my head throbbed. Still, I would wait until the dizzy spell passed and then I was back on the highway. I’d popped a handful of aspirin and that helped just enough to take the edge off.
By the time I got into the city, I was on the verge of collapsing. To stay alert, my grim imagination conjured up images of what I’d do to Akabane when I caught him. It was these thoughts that kept me going. I drove all the way through the city to the hills beyond and the estate where Madoka lived with her beast master. Also the place I hoped Ginji still lived. If he’d gone back to the limitless fortress I’d curse myself for being an even bigger fool for having left him. He’d be safer from Akabane in his old stomping grounds but he would not be safe from himself and the cruel being that lurked inside.
The thought that he might go back there had not even occurred to me before now. Realizing that it was a very real possibility had me even more scared then before… the great Ban Midou scared.
If Ginji was gone, what in the hell would I live for? More retrieval jobs? More bodyguard duties? Without my partner, life proved to be a dim and dull prospect. I needed Ginji’s smiling face and boyish exuberance like a flower needed the sun. I must have been delirious to have become so poetic, but it was true.
I nearly hit a tree as I skidded to a stop in the driveway. I did not give a shit as long as I found what I was looking for.
I nearly fell out of the car as the trip had made my legs stiff and unresponsive, so I grabbed onto the doorjamb and levered myself to my feet. I barely made it to the front door of the mansion. I leaned heavily on the frame as I turned the knob and to my surprise, the door was jerked out of my hand. I nearly fell against the solid wall of warm flesh that blocked my path. My collar was grabbed and I was hauled off my feet. An angry face stared into mine and feral eyes blazed with hate.
“Well… well… look what the cat dragged in.”
Fuck! Why did Shido have to be the one to answer the door? He looked like he wanted to kill me. His damned birds must have warned him I was coming.
My vision dissolved into sparkly stars as I was dragged inside and slammed against the wall. I felt something in my shoulder tear and bigger spots danced in front of my eyes.
Just before I passed out, I heard a small timid voice whisper, “B…Ban-chan?”