Prevail

Chapter 11

Henrietta had pushed herself as far away from the door as possible when the commotion started. She could hear yelling and gunshots - all things she wanted no part of. She just wanted to go home. She wanted to go to her classes and work. She wanted everything to be normal again.

She wanted to close her eyes, but she didn't want to be vulnerable. Not when she didn't know what was going on.

Her heart thudded in her chest. She could practically hear it echoing against the stupid cinder block walls.

She heard keys, and she gripped the metal shard sitting next to her. Her hands were shaking so bad she couldn't grip it. Her fingernails scraped against the dirty floor, and she could feel hot tears run down her cheeks.

"Henrietta?" Haze called, just as the door swung open.

"Haze," she whispered, unable to move for no reason other than she finally felt safe.

He rushed over, dropping onto the floor next to her. "Henny," he whispered, his own hands shaking as he pushed the hair away from her face. "You're okay, baby. I've got you."

His lips grazed her cheek and she sobbed, reaching for him.

"It's okay. You're okay," he soothed. He knocked his forehead with hers. "Where are you hurt?"

"Everywhere," she cried, gripping his shirt when he tried to pull back.

He hushed her. "I'm not going anywhere. I've got you."

"Where's Nico?" she mumbled. "Is he okay?"

"He's okay," Haze answered. "He's coming. We had to split up."

"I can't believe you came," Henrietta said, letting out a softer sob of relief.

"What are you talking about? Of course we came. I'm so fucking sorry. I'm sorry that we got you into this mess. I'm sorry that it took us so long to get to you."

The emotions that crossed Haze's exhausted features was heartbreaking. Henrietta wrapped her arms around him, stuffing her face in his neck.

"I've got you," he said again, and this time she realized that he was reassuring himself more than her.

"Henny," Nico called, racing over and collapsing just like Haze. "Oh god, look at these bruises."

He pulled her hand off of Haze assessing any visible injuries.

He moved her left arm, but she protested, giving a quiet cry of pain.

"Shit," Nico mumbled, covering his mouth with his hand to muffle his own sob. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

He dropped his head to rest on hers, and she felt his tears.

"I didn't know it hurt until now," she admitted.

Haze rubbed Nico's back.

"Where else?" Haze asked, knowing there had to be more for her to be screaming like she was on the call with Crow.

Henrietta lifted her shirt, revealing the large jagged cut on her side. It had caked her stomach in dried blood. It was swollen and oozed.

Haze reached his hand up to her forehead, feeling the heat, and he cursed. Nico wept with sorrow. Their poor girl. It was all his fault.

"Let's get you some help, okay?" Haze gave her a gentle look, giving her the softest kiss on her lips. As silly as it sounded, it made Henrietta feel better. Their raw emotions showed her how much they cared, and she decided she didn't care who they were or what they had done. How they treated her was all that mattered.

Nico lifted her up as carefully as possible. She didn't have the strength to wrap around him as much as she really wanted to.

Instead, she placed her head in his neck and went to sleep.

---

Henrietta woke up to steady beeping. Her one arm was folded into her chest and she couldn't move. Her limbs felt like lead. Was she tied down? She struggled, and the beeping increased.

"Easy, Henny," Nico murmured, running his hand along her arm. She calmed. She was safe. "You're okay. Open your pretty eyes."

The light was harsh, and she had to blink for them to adjust.

"Nico?" she whispered, looking over at him. She could see the redness in his eyes from crying, and she frowned.

"I'm right here," he said, giving her a little glimpse at that famous Nico smile. Her heart fluttered at the normality.

"Haze?" she called quietly, craning her neck to scan the hospital room for him. He wasn't there.

"He went to get the nurse. She's going to bring you some water, okay?"

He reached, skimming his hand along her cheek, against her hair, like he was committing every feature to memory.

"Am I okay?" she asked.

"You're okay, baby," he confirmed. "Your left shoulder is sprained, and your left wrist is fractured. The wound on your side was infected."

"That doesn't sound okay to me," she said, giving a gentle smile.

Nico gave a soft chuckle in return, and Haze entered the room.

"There's our beautiful girl," he said, dragging a chair to the side opposite Nico. "And there's that smile that we love."

She could feel a blush rise on her cheeks. Haze picked up her hand, clasping it between both of his much larger ones.

"I know that we need to talk, Henrietta," Haze said. "We were hoping we could wait until we can get you cleared from this place, as long as you still want us around."

She nodded. They saved her. She was safe with them. "Of course I do. Whatever you have to say doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does," Nico answered. "We shouldn't have lied to you, and we will be spending every single day from here on out making up for it."