Chapter 24

"Are you sure that you really want to be involved in this?" Felicia asked Noelani as she got things ready to draw blood from herself and Brian.

"It wouldn't be the first time that I've found myself in some kind of danger," Noelani replied. "You would think that being a medical examiner wouldn't be all that dangerous, but there's been times when I've stumbled on things that I wasn't supposed to. Funnily enough, it was Sebastian that saved me more often than not."

"I'm sure that he rubbed it in your face, he can't seem to stop doing that to me."

"He did at first, then I purposefully got myself into trouble, just to piss him off."

Felicia laughed at that. "It's official, we're best friends now."

"Just because I like to piss Sebastian off? I wish it was always that easy to make friends."

"You and me both, I've kind of got the short end of the stick, friend-wise."

"That's not a bad thing, though." Noelani pointed out to her. "It's better to have a few friends that are true and loyal, than to have a lot that will stab you in the back as soon as it benefits them."

"I suppose that's true." Felicia hummed. "And I've got you and Brian to add to my list, so things aren't all that bad, although something tells me that Brian isn't going to be feeling the same way when I stick him."

"I'm sure that he'll live."

~

Brian definitely didn't seem to be feeling the same way about it that the girls did. "Are you sure that we really need to do this?"

"Well, that depends," Felicia responded as she wrapped a tourniquet around his arm.

"On what?"

"On if you want a cure, or if you want to be a walking Halloween decoration for the rest of your life. Noelani, get ready to hold him down."

"Do you think that's going to be necessary?" The Samoan woman asked.

"I don't know, but I want to be prepared for anything. Brian, I'm going to count to three, okay? One, two-" She stuck the needle in his arm, causing Brian to release a loud shout, and Noelani moved to grab his arms in order to hold him still.

"What the hell happened to three?!" Brian demanded.

"It doesn't hurt as bad when you aren't expecting it!"

"Like hell it doesn't! My arm feels like it's on fire!"

"Almost done…there." Felicia quickly withdrew the needle, placing a bandage on the area. "See, that wasn't so bad."

"I hate you," Brian muttered, although it was clear that he was joking.

"The worst part is over."

"For me."

"What are you talking about?"

"If you don't at least grimace when your blood is taken, then I'm going to be severely disappointed."

Felicia rolled her eyes. "Brian, not everyone is a wuss when it comes to getting their blood drawn."

"Hey, I'm not a wuss! Usually."

"You screamed like a little girl when I stuck you."

Noelani was trying to bite back a snicker, and she was failing at it.

"I'm glad that you think this is so funny," Brian told her.

"On the contrary, I actually think that it's rather adorable," Noelani replied.

Noelani's response caused Brian's normally pale face to turn a deep shade of red, and Felicia hid the smile that was creeping onto her face.

"Noelani, do you mind going and grabbing the stuff to get my blood drawn?"

"Sure thing." Noelani walked away, and Felicia looked at Brian. "So when are you going to ask Noelani out on a date?"

"What?" Brian looked at Felicia with wide eyes, and his face turned even redder than it had been previously, if that were possible.

"Oh, come on, Brian. I saw the way that you were looking at her, and I can't blame you, she's hot."

"I'm not asking her on a date."

"Why the hell not?"

"Just look at me!" His voice rose, and he glanced in the direction that Noelani had gone to make sure that she hadn't heard him before he lowered his voice. "You don't have it nearly as bad as I do, you can at least cover it up, there's nothing that I can do to cover my face, this is literally the face that horror movies are made of, Hollywood would have a heyday with it."

"Brian, this is only temporary."

"But what if it's not, Felicia? I know that you're trying to find a cure, but what if there isn't one to be found?"

"There has to be one, Brian."

"And if there's not?"

"There has to be!"

This time, it was Felicia who had shouted. "There has to be one, because if there isn't, then everything I've done will have been for nothing. My friends and I were almost killed, my cat and his vet were murdered in cold blood, and I'll be damned for all of this to have happened, only to find out that there's no cure!"

Felicia was so upset that she was shaking, and she made herself sit down. "We've both got things to lose, Brian, lives to lose. I have a great job, amazing friends. I have a mother who already lost her husband, and I'm not going to have her lose the only other family that she has left. I understand that you're in a rut, okay? But this isn't something that I can afford to be pessimistic about. I haven't stopped to think about the things that could go wrong because if I do, then I'll probably curl up in a corner somewhere and cry."

Noelani walked back in then. "Everything okay in here?"

"Yeah." Felicia blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall.

"You sure? Because you really don't look like you're okay."

"I'm just hungry, that's all."

Noelani glanced at the watch on her wrist. "Well, Sebastian should be back in about an hour, I made sure to tell him before he left that he came back with lunch for you."

"You're a lifesaver."

"Girl, I got you. Since you're already sitting down, I'll go ahead and draw your blood. At least act like you're in pain, for Brian's sake."

Felicia laughed softly. "Speaking of Brian, I've got a question for you."

Brian whipped his head around to look at Felicia, and the look on his face was one of panic.

"What would you say if he were to ask you on a date?"

Noelani smiled softly, looking right at Brian. "I would say that a date would be great."

"Y-you would?" Brian's voice had turned high and squeaky.

"Handsome man like you asks me out? I would be a damn idiot if I said no."

"Even if I look like…this?"

"Brian, I couldn't give a shit if you looked like Frankenstein. Outside looks aren't what matter to me. I learned in my last marriage that you could have the title of sexiest man alive, but that doesn't keep you from being a prick."

Noelani stuck Felicia with the needle, and the woman let out a yelp. "Was that much force really necessary?!"

"Sorry, thinking about my asshole ex-husband."

"Clearly." Felicia looked at Brian, who was grinning. "Happy now?"

"Very much so."

"About the date, or her hurting me?"

"Both."

Felicia rolled her eyes. "Glad I could be the reason that you're laughing. Noelani, you owe me a damn drink after this."

"Now who's the wuss?" Brian mocked her, and Felicia flipped him off.

"When I get the cure, I'll make sure you're the last one that receives it."

"Look at me, I'm shaking."

"You two could pass for siblings." Noelani laughed as she finished up with Felicia. "You think that you'll find anything with these samples?"

"Only one way to find out," Felicia responded. "Get your microscope ready."