Chapter Six
Sage
I slowly wake up feeling much better. My ribs still ache but the combination of the painkillers and for once peaceful sleep somewhere that I, surprisingly feel safe, have done wonders.
I slowly open my eyes and glance around the room.
I was in too much pain earlier to notice anything about the room they placed me in but now that the pain has been considerably dulled by the pain meds, I'm pleasantly surprised.
The walls are a cream colour with a hunter green accent wall that has a giant flat screen TV secured to it.
Underneath are various game consoles and a cabinet filled with DVDs and games.
The floor is dark hardwood and has been polished until it's left gleaming.
There's a rug the same colour as the feature wall in the middle of the room with a coffee table the same colour as the floors perched on top.
I'm pleasantly surprised at the cleanliness of the room considering only men live here. Well, I’m assuming they’re the only ones that live here, a parent would have intervened by now and I’m not being funny but there’s absolutely no way that these men are under twenty years old.
I know there is something going on with them, but they don’t give me any bad feelings so for now, I’m not going to ask and trust my instincts.
I'm brought out of my musings as I hear a crash come from somewhere behind the couch I'm still lying on. I get a strange tugging feeling in my heart and instead of feeling scared like I normally would be when something crashes around me, I just know one of my guys needs me. My instincts have always proven to be right. The last time I didn’t listen to them I ended up with my ex.
I've vowed never to ignore my instincts again.
I quickly get up from the couch, ignoring the slight twinge in my ribs and I’m extremely grateful that the painkillers are still working. I follow the tugging in my heart out of the arched doorway and down a wide hallway before coming to a door that I'm assuming leads to the basement.
Taking a deep breath, I open the door and make my way down to a surprisingly bright and airy gym.
I ignore everything else for the moment and focus on the destruction at the end.
There are weights, mats and all manner of gym equipment thrown around.
There are a couple of large holes in the walls where a few of the thrown pieces have struck them with enough force to break the plaster.
My guys are all sweaty and out of breath. Each sporting various small injuries, like a cut lip, split eyebrow or bruised cheek. As much as I want to run over to them a make sure they're ok, I don't.
Kai needs me more.
My heart constricts tightly as I watch him beat the ever-loving shit out of what appears to be the fourth punching bag, judging from the three split ones on the floor.
The tugging in my chest urges me forward.
The guys haven't noticed me yet too focused on their conversation, their heads bent together, each one of them keeping a watchful eye on Kai. I’m grateful that they’re distracted. I have a feeling that they would try to stop me, but Kai needs me.
I can see just by watching him that he's stuck inside his own memories. I know that look, I've had it happen to me before. I also know that something about what happened with me or what I told them is what's triggered it.
I make my way swiftly towards him. As soon as I get close enough, I call his name and he freezes, his fist mid-air, his back tense. I can hear the guys move from behind me and I move quickly so they won't try to stop me.
I rush around Kai until I'm facing him and place my hands gently on his face. He just stares straight ahead but a glimpse of his eyes breaks my heart. Gone is the caring, mischievous spark and in its place is pain and shadows.
His eyes are haunted.
"Sweetheart! What the fuck do you think you're doing? Get away from him now, he's not himself!" Hunter yells at me.
I feel Kai tense under my palms and I gently stroke my thumbs over his cheeks, causing him to slowly relax. I lean slightly around Kai and shoot a glare at Hunter. He looks as though he's about to rush forward but Levi stops him with a firm hand on his shoulder.
"Look," he says simply.
"I am fucking looking, she needs to move away now."
"No Hunter, fucking look at him, he's not fighting. He's still trapped in his memories but he's not fighting. That has never happened before. It's because of Sage, take her away from him now and you will cause more damage." Levi explains, firmly.
"Fucking Hell." Maverick mutters.
"Well shit.” Hunter swears harshly. "Fine," he agrees reluctantly, obviously not happy with the situation.
Satisfied that no one is going to try to stop me, I turn back to Kai. My hands are still on his cheeks and he's stood statue still. I gently pull his face down to mine so I can look him in his eyes, they quickly flick towards the floor.
"Look at me, Kai." I say gently but firmly, there's no response from him, his eyes remain planted on the floor.
A name whispers through my mind and I don't question it.
"Kai Elliot Storm, look at me." I say firmly.
The shock of hearing his full name makes him snap his head up, his eyes clashing with mine.
"I'm ok, Kai look at me. I'm ok.” He's listening but he's still stuck.
I do the only thing I can think of and I lean forward to kiss his cheek, I hear his sharp inhale of breath before I kiss him on his other cheek close to his mouth.
The electricity from before sparks through me and I know he can feel it too. I feel when it snaps through his memories and brings him back to the surface.
"I couldn't save her, I tried, I really did but he had already killed her.” He crumples into my arms.
I slowly lower us to the floor, leaning against the wall for support and cradle him to me. His arms wrap around me as he buries his head into my neck. His sobs rack his body and wet my t-shirt as my own tears join his, my heart breaking at his words.
I don't know what his words meant but I know that it was the cause for his flashback. I won't ask, when he’s ready he will tell me. If that never happens then that's fine with me.
We stay like that for a while before his sobs quiet down and he slips into a healing sleep. I can't help the smile that takes over my face as he lets out an almighty snore sounding exactly like a chainsaw.
The others obviously seeing my smile slowly make their way towards us.
Settling on the floor around us. I melt as each of them places a comforting hand on Kai and he snuggles deeper into me.
I run my hand through his soft hair, humming a lullaby that I have known for years but can't remember where I learnt it.
I glance up and abruptly stop humming. Maverick and Levi both have matching haunted looks on their handsome faces. I panic slightly thinking I've done something wrong.
"Our mother used to sing that to us when we were younger." Levi explains his voice breaking slightly.
I reach out my free arm to him and he comes willing as I hold onto his hand tightly and tug him next to me and Kai.
He places his head on top of mine and wraps his arm around Kai.
I turn to face Maverick and he immediately does the same as Kai and buries his head into my neck, wrapping his arm around me and Kai and holding tightly to Levi’s hand.
Hunter and Jax both move as close as possible and lay comforting hands on both of them.
"Please don't stop." Maverick says quietly.
I thought I had long ago forgotten the words to the lullaby but as I begin to hum, I remember the words with ease and I slowly start to sing feeling my beautiful, damaged guys relax. After it’s finished, they both sit up and look at me.
"How did you know that song?” Hunter asks.
"I've always known it. I've always sung it when I was afraid or hurting. It’s my automatic response to do it when someone else is hurting."
They all share a look.
"How did you know Kai's middle name and our last name?" Levi asks curiously.
"I have no idea. It just sort of whispered through my mind if that makes sense?" I cringe at the vagueness in my answer. “That makes me sound crazy, but I don’t know how else to explain it.”
"Ok." Jax says simply easily accepting my answer, squeezing my knee. "Aren't you going to ask us why Kai was behaving like that?"
"No, it's not your story to tell and if he wants me to know he will tell me." I say firmly.
They all smile at me in approval and my heart warms.
We've been sat here for just under an hour when Kai starts stirring in my arms, before he looks up at me, his grass green eyes apprehensive. I smile gently at him in encouragement trying to let him know that my opinion of him hasn't changed.
"Thank you Sage.” He smiles softly up at me before sitting up and placing a gentle kiss on my cheek.
The electric sparks seem stronger than before and my new Imprint Tattoo seems to tingle as once again the sparks accumulate there.
I watch as Kai's eyes go wide like my own.
"What the fuck was that?" He questions.
"What was what man?" Levi asks.
"Sparks, like electricity."
"I don't know." Levi answers, a quizzical look on his handsome face.
"I've never seen someone be able to pull you out like that before." Maverick states, changing the subject.
"It was different. When you guys have tried to talk me down before I've barely recognised you, forget about listening but with Sage I instantly knew her.
She was just my Sage. Even then though, I couldn't bring myself back completely, but she managed to do it for me.” He looks over to me.
"How did you do it? How did you know we were down here? "
I look around at them all watching me curiously. I can't lie to them; my body literally recoils at the mere thought, but will they believe me if I tell them the truth? I barely believe it myself and it happened to me.