Educating Callie

by Emma Jayne Mills

  “Just under twenty hours. You had quite the bump on your head and we had to pump a lot of drugs out of your stomach.” She told me matter of factly and I didn’t have the energy to ask what drugs she was talking about. I didn’t really care, maybe later I would, but right then all that mattered was I was alive and way from him. The nurse looked between Cam and Liv, “Now, I know you have all been worried sick, but not everyone at once alright? I’m breaking the rules letting them all wait outside the room as it is.”

  “I’ll go and tell them. Give you two a few minutes.” Liv kissed my cheek and left with the nurse.

  “I was so scared Callie. I thought I’d lost you. Again!” Cam climbed up on the bed and held me close again, “I’m so sorry we didn’t find you sooner. And Jase, fuck Cal!”

  “Cam, you couldn’t have known. Nobody did. I’m fine, I hurt, but I’m ok. You found me and I’m here.” I let the tears fall freely. Tears of relief and tears of grief for Jase.

  “He’s dead.” Cam said quietly.

  “Mal...Malcolm?” I stammered, confused slightly. Cam gave me a brief idea of what had happened.

  “Malcolm’s neighbours reported some kind of disturbance, said there had been shouting and screaming and loud noises the night before. I checked it out and he passed it off as some crazy shit with a fox and a broken window. I almost believed him but there were signs of a struggle in his living room. And then the fucking TARDIS landed in his hallway and I knew instantly it was your phone. He told me it was his and you had put the sound on it for him. But I knew he was lying, you would never have known how to do that.” We laughed quietly at my inept technology knowledge. Who knew that would be the thing that saved me?

  “I got straight on the phone to Adam and he called in the detectives, they brought in armed response. I wanted to go straight in there and get you out myself, Adam did too, but we knew he was armed so we had to wait for back up. They surrounded the house. He must have seen them. It all happened so fast. He shot a police officer, one of the detectives from Lochden Marsh.”

  “He had a gun?” I gasped.

  “Hunting rifle. As soon as he fired they fired back.” Cam concluded. “The second they took him out Adam, Greg and I were in there tearing the place apart looking for you.”

  He was dead. I didn’t know what to do with that information right then, so I shoved it aside to deal with later.

  “The detective? Is he alright?” I asked, wondering if it had been one of the ones I had met.

  “Took a shot to the leg, but he’s ok.” Cam told me, smiling at my concern for the stranger.

  The door opened and in walked Mick and Nick.

  “Callie love,” Mick breathed as he took my hand and pressed my palm to his lips before leaning up and placing another kiss on my forehead. His unshed tears spilled over and rolled down his cheeks, his grip on my hand tightening.

  “My rock.” I said as I leaned into his kiss, his tears dripping into my hair when he rested his chin on my head.

  “You’d better hurry up and get better Moonbeam, I can’t justify pulling your hair when you look like this.” Nick joked as he bent to kiss my cheek. He was on the other side of the bed and Cam, reluctantly, moved back to let him come closer.

  “Do it. Make me feel normal Nick.” I pleaded through my own tears and smiled up at him. He hesitated, eyeing the bird’s nest on top of my head before finally reaching out and very, very gently tugging on a strand and then tucking it behind my ear. He leant over me and buried his face in my neck, his shoulders shaking with his silent tears.

  “My sunshine.” I whispered and reached up to dig my fingers into his hair.

  “Don’t ever do that to me again. Not ever, do you hear me Cal? I can’t take it. It will kill me to lose you!” He croaked.

  The others all filtered in and out after that. Dana and I just sat and held each other for ages when her turn came and I promised her the shopping trip of a lifetime to come. Cam begrudgingly went home to shower and change after I told him he stank. We had talked a little about what had happened, but I told him we needed to really talk. Confirming to my twin that our parents had been murdered wasn’t something I could just do casually from a hospital bed, but I needed him to know before the detectives swooped in for their interviews.

  After the doctor had detailed my injuries to me (the shallow stab wounds on my arms, a sprained ankle and endless cuts and bruises from being thrown down the stairs, a couple of bruised ribs, blood loss) the nurses helped me to shower and change into my own pyjamas and I finally began to feel a bit more human. I stood by the bed, trying to drag a comb through my wet hair when a knock at the door sounded. I turned as it opened and a tall, dark figure filled the frame. At last.

  “Adam.” I breathed.

  He just stood there for a minute. His eyes moving slowly from my head all the way down my body and back up again. And then he was in front of me. I don’t think I even saw him move. His hands came up to cup my cheeks and his eyes locked with mine.

  “I’m so sorry Angel.” he whispered, his voice cracking on my nickname.

  “Not your fault.” I rested my hands on his chest and looked up at his handsome face, taking in every single detail.

  “I should have been there, or sent someone else when I knew I was going to be late.” he shook his head.

  “No.” I put a finger to his lips, “He would have got me anyway, he wanted me all along. It was always about me.”

  “He told you that?” Adam asked.

  I nodded, “Angel...” he whispered

  “Shhhh. You promised me a kiss.” I told him.

  “I did.” he finally smiled.

  “I think I’ve waited long enough.” I smiled back.

  He looked over my face, concern filling his eyes, they finally rested on my lips, “Okay?” he asked.

  “Okay.” I assured him.

  He lowered his head slowly and tenderly brought his lips to mine. The lightest brush of his mouth against mine sent tingles through my body. Softly, he pressed his lips to the corner of my mouth and I smiled against them. He gently swept his tongue over my bottom lip and the tingles intensified, then finally, finally Adam claimed my mouth with his own. I ignored the pain from the cuts on my cheeks and bruised jaw as I kissed him back. He groaned in appreciation and slid his tongue between my lips, his hands moving into my wet hair. It was the sweetest, most beautiful kiss I had ever experienced and so very worth the wait. I clasped his shirt and pulled him closer, desperate to feel his hard body against mine. He feathered a trail of kisses along my cheek, jaw, behind my ear and down my neck before moving back to my mouth and I sighed with pleasure. He eventually moved back when he realised it was beginning to hurt for me to keep standing on the sprained ankle.

  “Can I fall in love with you yet?” he asked, huskily, as he slipped an arm under my knees and lifted me carefully to place me on the bed, propped up on the pillows. I smiled when he picked up the bear he had won at the seaside that day and set it down on the nightstand. It had been there when I woke up, I don’t know who had brought it, but I’m glad they did.

  “I’m going to fall in love with you too, you know that don’t you?” Wanting him close I shuffled over and patted the space next to me. He didn’t hesitate.

  “It’s been my plan all along Angel.” he smiled, moving next to me on the bed.

  “Soon.” I said.

  “Let me help you.” He said, taking the comb I’d resumed dragging through my hair. I moved forward and he sat with one leg either side of me and pulled me back to lean against his chest, while he slowly teased the knots from my hair. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you woke up, I had to be at work while everything was tied up. I got away as soon as I could.”

  “I know, Cam told me everything. It’s ok.” I said, briefly wondering why I hadn’t had detectives hounding me for information. I had a feeling Adam had something to do with keeping them away. “Was it you? Was it you who found me? I thought it was you, I think I remember hea
ring you say my name, but...”

  “It was me. I shouldn’t have moved you. But when I saw you lying in that pool of blood, I thought... I was sure I’d lost you, that we hadn’t found you in time. Thought it was your blood. All I could think of was that we’d been angry with each other. I couldn’t bear it to end that way. Then I realised you were moving and I’ve never felt relief like that in my life. I just wanted you out of there Angel. It didn’t even register that there was anyone else there.” He leant down and placed a kiss on my shoulder.

  “It was Malcolm. He told me he beat Jase. I already knew it wasn’t you but I was being stubborn, I wanted to make you say it. I was stupid and I should have just told you straight away that I knew it wasn’t you.” I rambled.

  “I was stubborn too. I knew you needed to hear it but I wanted you to not need that. I wanted you to just know.” he said.

  “I did know. I’m sorry Adam.” I told him.

  “I’m sorry too. How about next time we do what we do best and talk about it instead of sulking?” he said and I nodded in agreement. “I’m so sorry about Jase. I can only imagine how you’re feeling about it. Just know that, when you’re ready, I’ll fight that darkness with you. All of it. Together.”

  “I know you will. Thank you.” I rested my head on his chest and we fell into silence.

  The nurses must have decided to let us break the rules because when I woke the next morning I was lying on Adam’s chest, his arms securely around me. Instead of an oh shit moment I had an “I want to wake up like this every day for the rest of my life” moment.

  “That can be arranged.” he murmured sleepily.

  “Did I say that out loud?” I whispered and he moaned happily as his hands found their way underneath my top, caressing my bruised skin so softly. “We’re actually in a bed.”

  “Yeah, not exactly what I had in mind Angel.” he smiled as I lifted my head to look up at him.

  “Me neither.” I agreed.

  “Oh really?” he asked looking down at me smirking.

  “What? You didn’t think you were the only one thinking about it did you?” I teased.

  “Tell me everything.” He demanded, grinning.

  “Are you sure you can handle my chaos Adam?” I said, turning serious.

  “Angel, you flew into my life on that blizzard and ripped off the bandages that were covering my cracks. You gave me your strength and stood beside me so I could fight again. I’d given up before you Angel. You made me breathe again. You brought me back to life. You gave me back the light. I fucking live for your chaos.” He brought his lips to mine and I never wanted him to stop.

  “Ahem!” Cam cleared his throat in the doorway.

  “Hey.” I turned stiffly to smile at him. Clean shaven and with fresh clothes he looked much better and happier than the night before when I’d sent him home.

  “Morning.” Adam said, removing his hands from inside my shirt but making no effort to move from the bed.

  “How are you feeling twin?” Cam asked, nodding at Adam and coming to the other side of the bed, so I wouldn’t have to twist to look at him.

  “Sore. Aching. But I don’t care.” I told him happily, resting my cheek on Adam’s chest.

  “Only you could come out of something like this and be happy to be in pain.” he laughed, shaking his head at me.

  “I’m just happy to be feeling anything at all.” I said and Adam’s arms tightened around me. I had honestly thought I would never feel again after Jase died in my arms. The numbing darkness had taken me and I hadn’t wanted to fight it, I wanted it to swallow me, so I never had to come back from it.

  “So I take it you two are finally official?” Cam smiled, looking from me to Adam, after he’d explained that between him, Greg and Adam they had managed to keep the detectives at bay for a couple more days. I was glad of that as it would give Cam and I time to talk at home.

  “We always were, I was just too stubborn to see it.” I admitted.

  “Well it’s about time.” Cam said, “Do you know what a nightmare he was to work with when you were giving him the run around?”

  We all laughed and Adam mumbled something about not being that bad.

  “Doc says you can go home as long as you promise to stay in bed.” Cam told me. “Like that’ll happen.”

  “I can help with that.” Adam winked at me.

  “I don’t want to know.” Cam moaned, but he was smiling.

  *****

  Chapter Twenty

  I woke feeling as though the world had reset itself somehow. There was no underlying paranoia or feeling of dread at the day ahead of me. I felt as though I had actually slept for the first time in ages. I was in my own bed, a firm, muscled and very naked chest underneath me. After a night of being waited on hand and foot by my friends, Adam had carried me (I’d protested, but not very much) to my bed and made it perfectly clear he wasn’t going anywhere any time soon.

  “Morning Snow Angel.” he said sleepily, lazily sweeping his hands up and down my back.

  “Morning.” I murmured happily and couldn’t help the smile that graced my face.

  “Made it to a bed again.” he said.

  “Twice in as many days, we’re getting good at this.” I agreed, my hands exploring his firm chest. How had I waited this long to get my hands on him?

  “How are you feeling?” he asked.

  “Fantastic!” I lifted my head and grinned up at him.

  “The truth.” he grinned back at me knowingly.

  “That is the truth. I’m waking up in an actual bed, not a sofa in sight, with you.” I told him.

  “Angel,” he groaned and pulled me closer, whispering the only name I ever wanted to hear from his lips, as I began to trail kisses across his chest, pausing to swipe my tongue across his nipple. Suddenly I was on my back, under him and he was looking down at me hungrily, “Woman, you don’t know what you do to me.”

  I smiled wickedly, I knew exactly what I was doing. “You have me Adam, under you, in a bed. Show me what I do to you.”

  He moaned and pushed his knee between my legs, separating them. He met no resistance from me. He kissed along my neck and my mind wandered back to the night before when he had kissed me to within an inch of my life and we’d fallen asleep in each other’s arms. Things had gotten steamy and we had stripped each other down to our underwear and that was all that separated us now. Too thick a barrier for my liking.

  “You’re still healing Angel.” he protested between kisses. “Barely out of hospital.”

  “”I’m fine. I want you Adam.” I told him. My body hurt, but not as much as it ached for him.

  “Say that again.” he demanded with the growl he reserved only for my ears.

  “I want you Adam.” I repeated with a smile and then because I knew what it would do to him I added, “Make me yours.”

  And he did.

  Afterwards as we lay kissing and caressing each other’s bodies, he looked up at me from where he was busy trailing kisses across my stomach and asked, “So, is this a way of making sure you don’t wake up grumpy?”

  “It’s one possible option.” I smirked.

  “Oh don’t you worry, I have many more ideas for you.” he smiled and went back to kissing my stomach, moving lower. I squirmed and laughed as his hair tickled my hip. “I am never letting you out of my sight again. I’m going to be pretty unbearable for a while Angel.”

  I knew he would have his own darkness to fight after not being able to get to me in time the night I was taken. It would have been a horrific case of déjà-vu for him. But like my own, we would fight his darkness together and win. It’s what we did.

  “If this is what never letting me out of your sight entails then I think I can live with it.” I smiled as he moved back up my body, resting his arms either side of my head and looking down at me.

  “Can I fall in love with you yet woman?” he grinned.

  “Hmmm...it’s almost time.” I said, knowing perfectly well that I w
as already in love with him.

  *****

  “Surprise!” They all yelled as Cameron opened the door to our parent’s old bedroom.

  Feeling nervous, I walked in slowly and looked around, turning full circle as I did. I was lost for words. The dread I had felt at entering the room evaporated as I looked around me. Shelves lined the walls, crammed with books from floor to ceiling. My books. I hadn’t been losing my mind when I thought they were disappearing, they had been brought in here.

  Underneath the window a seat had been built, with cushions and blankets in varying shades of purple. A beautiful old pine desk was the centre piece of the room, laden with stationary, and a reading lamp.

  I spun in a circle again, taking it all in. I ran my hands along the spines of the books. Everything from John Milton to Stephanie Hudson adorned the shelves. It was beautiful. The most amazing thing anyone had ever done for me. And although I knew it was Cam’s idea, I could see touches of all of them in there. The bright pink fluffy cushion from Dana, the framed pencil drawing of Nick and I on his bike (I’d know his art anywhere), the silver drinks tray with a crystal decanter full of what had to be honey Jack knowing Mick, the gargoyle bookends had been Liv’s doing without a doubt, the little toy mustang on the desk was Nate, the tiny cauldron resting in front of my Mayfair Witches books had Vinnie written all over it and the shelf full of Marvel comic books was Luke to a tee. I ran my hand over a picture of all of us that was taken on our last day of school. I was standing next to Jase, his arm slung casually around my shoulders, we were looking at each other and laughing hysterically at something, I wished I could remember what. Amy was sitting cross legged on the ground in front of us all in her fairy wings and purple daisy boots.

  “I can’t believe you did this.” I looked at them all in turn as they crowded into the room. I ran at Cam and threw myself into his arms, crying like a baby. “You’re all so sneaky and amazing and I love you so much. Every single one of you.”

  “Early birthday present twin.” he smiled down at me. Our birthday was on Halloween, so a very early present since we were only just entering July.