Nearly Over

"Oh," he smiled at me. "We're good. Everyone on base has been vaccinated including the Noirs. It never got out."

"You did an outstanding job, Bram. You made sure it stayed here." His eyes were glittering with an expression of relief and pride. Relief because the world was safe. Pride because he had a hand in making sure of it.

"Yeah, well, it was great having a reason to care," he said. I gazed into his eyes. "I'm just glad you got to sleep through most of it."

"Sleep through it? Just how long was I out?"

"A few weeks. We had to put you into a medically induced coma. But you were in a very bad way."

I couldn't help but feel disappointed. Our own vaccine was able to heal everyone, and I didn't get to witness the results in real time. That would have been wonderful to see.

"I wish I'd been awake."

"Well, don't worry. I'm pretty sure the entire world got it on camera."

I tittered.

"I didn't know you were funny, Bram."

"Neither did I. But I'd love to find out more about how I am … with you helping me see."

"Me too," I said. Unexpectedly, a wave of exhaustion came over me and I yawned. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed. "You're not boring me, I promise."

"You sure?" he asked with a wink.

"Definitely not. I don't know how but I guess I'm still tired." I began to lower myself back in the hospital bed.

"Oh, no you don't. You're coming home to sleep."

"Home?" I asked as he picked me up and carried me outside. We teleported all the way until we were in front of our house, rebuilt to its original beauty. The outside damage that had occurred to our house was fixed. The door was replaced, and the dug-up yard was reseeded and already growing.

When he walked up to the first cement step, he asked me to open the new door. Weakly, I turned the knob. Once it was fully open, I had a great view of the inside.

Most of the set up was the same but the interior wall was repainted, the damaged couch replaced with a new sienna-colored one, and a mahogany coffee table instead of glass. An extra bonus for when Jonah and Bram wanted to drunk wrestle again.

Bram carried me through the threshold into the house. I giggled and punched him.

"Hey!" he complained.

"Are you being cringe-y on purpose?" I wrinkled my nose at him.

"No, Alex," he said. "I love you. And I'm finding out that I'm a traditional guy. I should have done this a long time ago."

"It's sweet."

"Wanna try out the new furniture?"

"Yeah!"

He laid me down on the couch. As he was coming to join me, something drew his attention to the floor. I could see him reaching toward the couch, holding his hand underneath it, grasping at something. Then he was yanking at his arm to get it out.

"Bram! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just that I'm stuck. Ugh! Okay, I'm good now." Slowly, he rose to one knee, his midnight-black hair disheveled, and held out a box. "I found something, and I don't know what to do with it." When he snapped it open, I saw an emerald and diamond ring inside.

"Oh Bram! It's beautiful!"

"What do you say, Alex? Would you like to get married like normal people do?"

"I do! But we'll need to establish some ground rules, first."

"Sure," he replied with a playful smile.

"For one, we have sex, whenever we want, however we want."

"I'm liking this so far."

"And we spend quality time together. Maybe watch TV. Even talk once in a while."

"Me? Talk? Pshhh." He waved his hands at me. "But I've always heard that practice makes perfect," he says.

"Then we best get to it." I smiled at him, and he did too but when I attempted to move, I was too achy. "Maybe in a day or two."

There was a knock at the door. Bram stood up and opened it. Diva ran inside with her nails clicking against the floor. I giggled as she showered me with kisses. Then she ran back to Bram.

Jeffy ran in and hugged me tightly.

"Careful, Jeffy. She's still mending."

"Oh, sorry. But I'm glad to see you again!"

"Me too, Jeffy."

"Sorry Alex, but I have to go. My dad wants to play with me. I'm gonna take Diva with me."

"Well, that's very nice Jeffy. You better go to him," I said. "Bye Orange Angel!"

With that, Jeffy was gone with Diva in the blink of an eye.

"Is everything okay with Charlie and Wendy?" I asked.

"Yeah, but I had to talk some sense into Charlie, the old-fashioned way."

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm. I'm sure you can guess who took care of setting Wendy straight, right?"

"Sledge?"

"Yup."

"How did that go over?"

"It was necessary. They were going to kill all the Noir."

"What happened with D'Arby?" I asked. Bram glanced down at the ground.

"Richie took care of him."

"He's dead?"

"Not at all. Just knocked him out long enough for us to get him into restraints."

"Did he get the shot?"

"Yes, and now he's working in the new lab."

"Well, that's where he wanted to be, anyway. I think he likes experiments."

"Exactly." Bram sat down beside me and held my hand. He glanced at the ring and then gave me a kiss on the cheek. "You know, I wish I had met your mom. I bet she was an incredible woman. She raised you to be one."

"Aw, thanks Bram."

"Her maiden name was Reed, wasn't it?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

"Maybe I'm just psychic, 'Bro'." My eyes widened as he glanced at me. He flashed me a wink and I covered my eyes. He chuckled, then rubbed my back.

"How long have you known?" I whispered in mortification.

"Not until you were in the hospital."

"You figured it out on your own, right? I'm so obvious."

"No, it wasn't that. I was using the laptop while I hung out in your hospital room. I wanted to check out MChat, and well, you were already logged in."

"Damn it, Bram. I'm so sorry. With everything your father has done to deceive you …"

"No, it isn't like that. Please don't be sorry. It was clever. I should have known you'd make a good bro." He smiled. I giggled and covered my face again.

"Thank you," I said then suddenly got a whiff of myself. "Ew. Do you think it would be okay for me to take a shower?"

"Of course," he paused. "You don't need to ask me."

"But I do. I won't be able to do it without some help."

"Oh, I see." Bram gave me a playful smile with his eyes half-shut. "Alright, let's go."

Bram helped me to the bathroom upstairs since the shower was much roomier. It could easily fit more than two people.

I held my hand against the sink for balance as Bram helped me with my sweatpants. I took one leg out first and then the other, carefully balancing. Everything was still aching, but I was already improving.

I did the same thing with my underwear. After I pulled my shirt up over my head, I got a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I gasped.

All over my shoulders, ribs, and stomach were bruises in various stages of healing. Underneath my eyes were black and blue bruises, like I'd been hit. One iris was no longer light green. I leaned in for a closer look. It was a mixture of emerald with glittering flecks of gold.

Bram turned on the water. I watched him in the mirror as he undressed. He looked just as beautiful as before all the chaos. I could see he was testing the water temperature in the shower as he beckoned to me. I limped over to him.

He held my shoulders as I got under the water.

"Oh!" I gasped.

"What is it? Is it too hot?"

"No, it just feels so good! Better than I expected," I said excitedly. Through the sheet of water, I could see him smiling in relief.

I watched as he wetted his black hair, the water making it look slicked in oil. I realized it was longer than I remembered, and the sides had grown in. His facial hair was scruffy too which was not like Bram. I wasn't sure why I hadn't noticed before.

I watched as he grabbed a washcloth and soaped it up.

Bram motioned for me to turn around. I did what he asked of me while holding the back marble wall of the shower. Gently he pressed the washcloth onto my back massaging me as he washed. He rubbed it on my neck, my shoulders, along my upper back, middle, and lower.

When he got to my ass, I could feel him hesitate but then he continued along my back side all the way down my thighs and calves. All of this was so unusual, but I wasn't going to turn him away. When he rose to his feet, he squeezed my shoulder.

When I was facing him, he was scrubbing himself. I was disappointed that my massage was over but then I had the treat of watching him wash his magnificent body. He scrubbed his hair with shampoo. The suds slipped over his lovely deltoids, well-developed pectoral muscles, down to his ridged eight-pack, and farther until the soap slipped to the kinky hair that barely covered his--

"Alex," he said, drawing my attention. Embarrassed that I was caught, I made sure my eyes were only on his face.

"Yes?"

"Would you like me to wash the front of you?"

Five minutes before this, I would have said it was out of the question but now that he had offered, I wanted nothing more.

"Yes, I really do."