Recovery

Back at home, the familiarity of the bedroom provided a comfortable contrast to the chaotic events of the night. The soft hum of the air conditioning mingled with the low murmur of Jasper and Dr. Schmidt conversing at the foot of the bed. The crisp, clean sheets felt soothing against my skin as I lay back, trying to steady my breathing and slow the racing of my heart.

Dr. Schmidt, a calm and meticulous presence, was finishing up with the IV he had administered—an electrolyte solution to help clear up whatever I was drugged with.

"All right, Alex, you should start feeling better pretty soon but call me back if there's any issues." Schmidt said, securing the last bandage with a practiced ease. "I've put a rush on your blood analysis to figure out exactly what was in your system. We should have answers soon."

Jasper hovered nearby, his expression a mix of concern and relief. He hadn't left my side since we arrived home.

"Thank you, Doctor," Jasper said, his voice steady but I could hear the underlying tension. "Let us know immediately if anything comes up in the results that we need to be aware of."

"Of course," Dr. Schmidt replied, packing his medical bag. "I'll keep you updated. In the meantime, try to rest and avoid any strenuous activity. And, Alex, no more surprise adventures, alright?"

I managed a weak smile, the adrenaline of the night's events slowly ebbing away, leaving behind a deep fatigue. "I'll try to stay out of trouble," I murmured.

Dr. Schmidt nodded, clearly ready to leave but pausing to make sure his instructions were clear. "You look a bit less swollen, so I'll just give you a Tylenol for now," he said, preparing the medication.

I couldn't help but voice the odd sensation that had overwhelmed me. "Why was I so horny?" I asked.

"I won't know until the toxicology report comes back in the morning," Dr. Schmidt replied, his tone professional and unfazed. "Just get some rest for now and recover. Jasper, make sure to monitor him for the next few hours and contact me should he go back into a state."

"I will," Jasper said, escorting Dr. Schmidt to the door.

Left alone, I felt frustrated and restless. The drugs still coursed through me, leaving a confusing mix of lethargy and heightened arousal. "Fuck," I muttered to myself, lying helplessly in bed. I wanted to do something about Emily, to retaliate right now, but my body wouldn't cooperate.

"Hey, don't even think about anything but getting better!" Jasper called out from the hallway, likely overhearing my grumbling.

"That's stupid!" I spat out angrily, frustrated with my helplessness and Jasper's insistence on playing it safe.

Jasper returned to the room, his expression serious. "Stop plotting! I can see it on your face. She's going to be arrested like a normal person on RICO charges, kidnapping and attempted assault. I wrote and exaggerated your statement and since you are who you are, it's being treated very seriously," he assured me, trying to placate my thirst for action with promises of legal retribution.

"You-"

"Somethings are better left to the police, Sugar," Jasper added, attempting to soothe my restless spirit.

I couldn't help but feel dismissed, even though I knew Jasper's intentions were for the best. The need to be involved, to ensure justice was served my way, was overwhelming. "I need to do it."

As I lay fuming in bed, Jasper's tone shifted from professional to playful but firm. "I don't care. You'll stay in bed and go to sleep and let me take care of things like you've been paying me to do," he whined slightly, hovering over me with a determined look.

"You're just hired muscle, you're doing your job fine," I rolled my eyes, trying to dismiss his overprotectiveness.

"Security detail has to eliminate all potential threats and that's what I'm doing," Jasper argued back, his voice firm and unwavering.

"Fucking Boy Scout!" I retorted, frustration seeping through my words.

"This boy scout dares you to try and get out of bed and plan revenge!" Jasper crossed his arms, issuing a challenge with a smirk. Motivated by his taunt, I attempted to muster all my strength just to sit up, but Jasper effortlessly pushed me back down. "Don't be difficult."

"Asshole," I muttered under my breath, resigned yet annoyed.

"Here, take the medicine," Jasper offered again, holding out the Tylenol and a cup of water. I stubbornly turned my head away, not wanting to give in so easily. "I know you're upset you can't plan your miraculous revenge, I'm sure it would've been a grand spectacle! But for now, you need to take your medicine and go to sleep."

Begrudgingly, I let him prop me up and accepted the medicine. Swallowing the pill, I couldn't help but wonder why I was so vehemently resisting rest when it was clearly what I needed.

"At least let me add some false charges to the report," I muttered.

Jasper's face was suddenly a canvas of desperate anger, his eyebrows knitted tightly and his jaw set firm as he admonished me. The usual calm demeanor was replaced by a forceful intensity that made his words cut deeper. "God, you just think you're so smart and the shit, don't you? Acting so open-minded when you actually hold really petty grudges. Guys like you always get into trouble they can't get out of eventually. Don't you think that confidence is going to eventually bite you in the ass? Don't you know there are such things as unexpected endings?" His voice was a mix of frustration and concern, projecting a desperation that seemed to plead for my understanding more than my compliance. "The help is a good thing and look at how ungrateful you are! Brat!"

"Ok! Ok! I'll drop it," I groaned, cutting him off before his lecture could spiral further. Jasper's ability to lecture was unmatched, and if I didn't stop him now, he'd just keep going.

"At least remember before you do things that you aren't unstoppable and people are trying to do bad things to you!" Jasper grunted, still visibly frustrated but slightly calmer now that he saw I was conceding.

"Fine," I sighed, recognizing the truth in his words. He had a point; I'd made a very stupid decision tonight by not running back inside the restaurant. Things could've been really bad for me if Jasper hadn't arrived in time.

"Now say thank you for saving you!" Jasper demanded, half-serious and half-mocking, a slight smile breaking through his stern facade.

"Thank you," I huffed, turning away from him to hide the small smile tugging at my lips despite the situation.

Jasper probed with a hint of curiosity, "Are you still mad?"

"Yes." It was more of an automatic response, but deep down, I knew it was necessary for me to be checked when my ego spiraled out of control, and Jasper seemed capable of handling that along with my less-than-pleasant attitudes.

"Good, that means you know I'm right," Jasper sounded remarkably satisfied with himself now.

"The ego on this guy," I muttered under my breath, half-amused, half-annoyed.

"You're so petty, Alex. You'll be just fine letting me handle this," Jasper said confidently. "Get over yourself. You know I'm only saying this because you seem to have it in your mind that you're bulletproof. But you're 22 and don't know any better, so it's kind of cute and understandable but it's getting old."

His words were a rare kind that few dared to throw at me and expect to walk away unscathed. That's precisely what I admired about Jasper; his refusal to simply bow down and his brutal honesty regardless of who he was talking to. He had a unique way of putting things into perspective for me.

"You sound like an adult," I pointed out, almost accusingly.

"I'm thirty, and you remind me of how I was in the military. You're always unstoppable until you're not," Jasper responded thoughtfully. "Unchecked egos fly out of control, and that's how you lose everything. Believe it or not, nobody is bulletproof. I just don't want you to have to learn that by getting traumatized like I had to."

His point struck a chord. "Fine, you're perfect," I conceded, though my tone was tinged with sarcasm.

"I'm not trying to be perfect," Jasper replied softly, misunderstanding my intent.

"I didn't mean that. I meant, you're the perfect person to check my ego. You're right. What I did tonight was really stupid, and I could've really gotten hurt," I admitted earnestly.

"So you can admit that you're wrong?" Jasper's voice was light, teasing.

"Shut up!" It was playful, yet a clear sign I was done with the topic.

"Just be more careful," he advised simply.

"Yeah, yeah," I waved him off nonchalantly. "I'm cold."

Catching the hint, Jasper climbed into bed beside me. "Your body is hot—"

"I said I was cold, Jasper," I snapped, a mix of irritation and neediness in my voice.

He got the message and hugged me tight, his warmth enveloping me as I drifted off to sleep.

This felt really nice.