CHAPTER THIRTY SIX

         THE BRUNETTE SAT AT THE NURSES STATION AND STARED AT THE FAMILIAR STERILE WALLS OF THE HOSPITAL. Everything felt foreign to her. The steady hum of the fluorescent lights, the faint beeping of the heart monitors beside her and even the scent of medicine that clung to the air, it all seemed off. 

Lucy tapped her pen nervously against her clipboard, her mind drifting to the way her apartment had been covered in blood a little over a week ago. She had been almost blocked from the outside world and now that she was back to work it all came crashing back down on her.

No matter how hard she tried to focus on the tasks in front of her, the trauma lingered, wrapping itself around her like an uncomfortable weighted blanket. She could still hear the sounds from that night—the sudden crash, the yelling, the blood. The memory clung to her skin, refusing to wash away no matter how many times she scrubbed her hands. Every time she closed her eyes, the apartment seemed to close in around her, the air thick with the echoes of violence.

Lucy loved her job, she loved her co workers and the kids but not it felt as if she was going through the motions of someone else's life. On top of that, she was pretty sure that she was friendless. 

"Lucy?" A soft voice interrupted her spiraling thoughts.

She looked up to see one of her colleagues, Betty, standing at her side with a concerned expression. "You okay?"

She forced a smile and nodded. "Yeah, that flu really got me, huh?"

"It's been going around." grimaced Betty as she sat down beside her. "Tommy has it now, too." Now she had to be careful not to get the flu because she had already used that excuse. "Take it easy today. If you need help with anything or need a break, let me know."

"Thanks," she murmured, grateful for the offer but unsure if taking a break would help. Every moment of quiet was filled with the memories she was trying so hard to suppress.

As she turned back to her work, the clipboard in her hand felt heavier than before. The hospital had once been her sanctuary, the place where she could focus on healing others, but now it felt like she was the one who needed saving.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she glanced around to see that Betty was charting on the computer so she took out her phone. Ruby's name flashed across the screen and her stomach twisted as she was sure the woman felt the same way about her as Beth and Annie did. She hesitated for a moment before unlocking her phone, already bracing herself for the worst.

'Can we talk?' read the text and she sighed.

The message was short, but the weight of the words was enough to send her heart racing. Ruby never beat around the bush and even if she was her dearest friend, she was afraid of the confrontation they were most likely going to have. She was pretty sure Ruby was angry, maybe even furious, after learning the truth. 

Though, now Lucy felt she had nothing to apologise for anymore. It was her life and she could make her own choices. 

Lucy moved her gaze to Betty again and said, "I'm going on that break, can you cover for me?"

"Of course, hun." she smiled. 

Lucy stood up, wincing slightly as the blister on her foot reminded her of the exhausting but fun weekend at Legoland. She made her way down the hall, finding an empty room at the end. After quietly locking the door behind her, she leaned against it, letting out a long nervous breath. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the phone, thumb hovering over Ruby's contact.

No more avoiding it. Lucy pressed the call button.

The dial tone seemed to stretch out forever before it clicked, and Ruby's voice came through on the other end with a little sniff. "Lucy?"

"Ruby?" The woman had not expected her to be crying. "What's wrong?"

"It's Sarah," she sniffed again, but there was a laugh in there too. "she's getting a kidney!"

Lucy's heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat as Ruby's words sank in. "Oh my God, Ruby," she whispered, a mix of shock and relief flooding through her. "That's amazing! I can't believe it."

Ruby laughed again, her voice thick with emotion. "Yeah, I just got the call from the hospital. It's happening. After all this time..."

Lucy felt her own eyes well up with tears. "I'm so happy for you guys, Rubes. You have no idea. Did you tell the others?"

"No," she shook her head on the other end of the line. "you're the first."

The brunette fell silent at that and rested her head against the closed door.  "Did they -"

"They told me everything." confessed Ruby with a soft sigh. "And I should have called earlier but I didn't know what to say. "Look, you're always going to be my best friend, okay? But are you sure this is what you should be doing? He's dangerous, Luc."

Not to me.

Lucy pursed her lips as she felt the weight of the question and dug her nails into her arm. "I didn't plan for things to end up the way they did. It just ... happened."

"Did you sleep with him?"

"Ruby," she scoffed, shaking her head.

"Well?" she pried and she could hear the grin on her face. "How was it?"

          LUCY SAT AT THE KITCHEN ISLAND, HER FINGERS HOVERING OVER THE KEYBOARD AS SHE SCROLLED THROUGH LISTINGS FOR NEW APARTMENTS. The light from her laptop screen reflected off her face and casted dark shadows underneath her eyes as she absentmindedly tapped the edge of the marble countertop. 

The brunette lifted her eyes to peer around the apartment and sighed as she rested her chin on the palm of her hand. If only she was able to afford a place as nice as this. 

Lucy rubbed at her temples at the upcoming headache. The events of the last few months had her constantly on edge, and even though Rio had offered his place without hesitation, Lucy didn't want to rely on him more than she already had. Their connection—whatever it was—was already complicated enough. Comforting, but complicated. 

No matter how safe she felt in his apartment, it wasn't hers. She needed her own space, a place where she could try to piece her life back together. She scrolled past a few more listings, then stopped at one that looked promising, a small one bedroom with hardwood floors and a balcony. Modest, affordable, and most importantly, available.

She hesitated, her finger hovering over the contact button.

"What're you doin'?" he had come up behind her, she didn't even hear him come in.

The brunette nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice and she snapped her laptop shut as if she'd been caught doing something wrong. "Jesus, you scared me."

Rio raised a single brow, smirking down at her as he leaned against the counter on her right with his arms crossed as he peered at her laptop. "Hmm, what's got you all jumpy? Lookin' for something?"

The woman shrugged her shoulders and opened her laptop again since this wasn't a secret or anything. "Just looking for a new place. I don't feel comfortable at my old place and I cannot stay here forever."

The words hung between them, heavier than she intended.

Rio's smirk faded a bit as he watched her, his expression shifting from amusement to something more serious. His jaw tightened a tad. "I didn't say you had to go."

"I know." she said, meeting his gaze and tilting her head slightly. "But I cannot just keep depending on you, it's not fair."

Rio's eyes darkened, his face set in a hard line as he leaned in slightly, his presence dominating the space between them. "You think I care if you stay or go?"

"I know you don't care." she retorted, a hint of frustration in her words. "This isn't about you. This is about me feeling guilty -"

"A'ight," he nodded slowly as he cut her off, tongue running over his teeth as he tried not to argue. "there's an empty loft two floors down. I can have you on the lease by tomorrow."

Lucy raised a brow in disbelief as she closed her laptop with a decisive click and turned to fully face the man. "This place? There is no way I can afford to stay in a building like this. You know that?"

The man with the eagle tattoo shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't say anything about you affording it."

Lucy stared at him, her frustration palpable. "I'm not letting you pay for me, Rio. I can't—"

He interrupted her smoothly, his tone firm. "You're not lettin' me do anything. I'm offerin'. Two floors down. Your own space, your own key. But I'll know you're safe. That's the deal."

She opened her mouth to argue further but then fell silent. Her frustration turned inward as she struggled to articulate her feelings. "You don't get it. I can't just let you fix everything for me. That's not how this works."

Rio's expression grew more intense, his jaw clenching. "Why? 'Cause you've got somethin' to prove? To yourself? To your little friends?"

Lucy felt a surge of frustration at his words, but she forced herself to take a calming breath. "It's not about that, okay? I appreciate everything you've done for me, really. Every single thing. But I just can't keep taking without giving anything back. It feels wrong."

Rio leaned back against the counter, his eyes sharp as he watched her, his expression unreadable. Then he bit his lower lip before speaking again, his voice softer but no less commanding. "Come work for me again, then."

Lucy blinked at that. It was something she had already admitted to herself, she had liked the thrill of it and she wouldn't mind doing it again. "Like last time? Just medical stuff?"

"Yeah," Rio shrugged casually, but there was a gleam in his eyes, daring her. "You want to give me somethin' back? That's how you do it. Earn it."

Her mind was racing. It wasn't what she had expected, and the idea of stepping back into that world made her stomach twist. But at the same time, it was tempting—too tempting. The thought of being useful, of contributing, rather than just being taken care of. 

"I don't know if I can go back to that, Rio," she admitted, her voice quiet but firm.

Rio's eyes stayed on her, his voice low and steady. "You're already in it, whether you like it or not. The only question is how deep."

Lucy swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his words. She had been trying to pull herself out of the chaos, to rebuild her life on her terms, but Rio was offering a way in. 

"I have to think about it." she said, uncertainty clouding her voice.

Rio pushed off the counter, stepping closer to her, his gaze unwavering. "Figure it out. But know this, Lucy, I'm not goin' anywhere."

okay so i have some more things planned for this story but i am also a little stuck now. please let me know what you'd like to read in this story like events or something and i'll see if that fits with what i want to write <3