Chapter Eight: Strike three

Serenity pulled the single duffle bag from the back seat of the car and walked around the house, but instead of entering it from the back like Enzo’s instructions suggested, she kept walking, into the woods.

Serenity was a few miles south of the safe house when a loud explosion sounded behind her. From the little space between the trees, she saw the large cloud of smoke that appeared in the direction the house was located.

For a moment she was frozen and when she finally came to her senses she took off in a sprint. When the tree line came into view Serenity dropped to her knees and dug through the bag, looking for a change of clothes and anything she could find to disguise herself.

There was a burner phone in the pocket of a pink hoodie that she tossed, at this point she didn’t trust anyone or anything. After three attempts on her life, Serenity wasn’t willing to take any chances, but she needed a place to stay and the last thing she wanted was to put any of her friends in danger.

“Back to LA it is.” Serenity sighed, tucking the gun she found in the bag into her waistband and carried on walking.

With a pair of sunglasses on her face and her hair swept up in a messy bun, Serenity walked casually through the streets of the unknown town till a taxi came into her sights. She was about an hour out of the city so it wouldn’t be long before she reached her intended destination.

“Where to Miss?” the cab driver peaked over his shoulder at the duffle bag she carried.

“LAX, please.” Serenity grinned widely, and dropped her head against the window.

“Going on vacation?” The cabbie conversed as he pulled into traffic.

“Surprising my mother, actually, it’s been a while since I’ve seen her.” She chuckled and he tossed her a smile in the mirror.

“That’s great, that’s great.” He nodded and turned the music up, leaving Serenity to her own devices for the rest of the trip.

***

The elevator dinged and the apartment came into view. Serenity held her breath as she entered the code into the lock and sighed in relief when the light turned green and the lock clicked signalling it was open.

Her heart thudded as she stepped into the foyer, it looked exactly as she remembered it apart from a few new additions, but it still felt like home.

Serenity made a beeline for the ensuite where she stripped off her sweaty attire and hopped into the shower. She knew there was a chance the owner of the apartment may return, but by the undisturbed look of the place, she wasn’t sure anyone had been there in months.

Serenity exited the bathroom clad in a robe with a towel in her wet hair when a chill ran down her spine. The barrel of the gun against her temple made her freeze and let out a shaky breath as the towel dropped from her hands when they raised.

Turning slowly, Serenity came face to face with Alexander and just as quick as the panic came, it subsided. Serenity released a heavy breath and Xander’s gun fell.

“Serenity!” He stared at her with wide eyes and a hand clutching his side, which is when she noticed the blood staining his shirt.

“Xander, you’re hurt!” She grabbed the towel from the floor and brought it to the wound gushing blood on his side before leading him to the bed.

“What are you doing here? How did you-” Xander was cut off by a painful groan when Serenity pushed him down on the bed.

“Doesn’t matter, what the hell happened, Xander!” She pulled back the fabric to see a crimson bullet hole staring back at her. “You’ve been shot!”

“No shit sherlock.” Xander rolled his eyes, still wincing in pain.

“Well I would have known that if you answered my question. Wait here.” Serenity hopped off the bed and flew into the bathroom to retrieve the first aid kit she knew he kept there in case of emergency.

“Still here.” Xander joked when she returned with a bag full of supplies and emptied it on the bed.

“How the hell did this happen?” Serenity hissed and ripped open a new package of gauze which she used to pack his wound to stop the bleeding.

“The… Safehouse, it blew up.” He panted when the pressure of her hands knocked the air out of him. “I went after you-” Xander was once again cut off by a groan when Serenity hushed him.

“Shh, it’s okay, you can tell me later.” She swiped away the sweaty hair from his forehead and uncapped the morphine injection she found in the bag, “This should help for the pain.” Serenity soothed.

“It just clipped me, but it hurts like a bitch.” Xander gritted, finally able to breathe a little with the help of the medication.

“Bullets tend to do that.” Serenity flashed him a grin as she worked to clean up the wound, she was sure it had missed all the vital organs and the bleeding had reduced significantly which was a sign that clotting had begun.

“Very funny.” Xander deadpanned.

“I’m gonna stitch it up, but we should really get you to a doctor to check it out properly and make sure there’s no internal damage.” Serenity readied the suture kit and worked on closing up the wound.

“It’s too dangerous.” Xander shook his head and looked at her, the Morphine was taking its effect and Xander felt his mind floating happily.

Serenity regarded him for a moment and sighed, “Okay, but if there’s even a sign of infection I’m taking you to a hospital myself.” She insisted.

“Deal.” Xander whispered, his voice had dropped huskily.

“There, all sealed up.” Serenity sealed the wound with a large plaster and snapped off the latex gloves she had on.

“Thank you.” Xander stared at her intensely as he studied her face. She was more grown up now and if possible she was even more beautiful now than he remembered.

“What?” Serenity fought back the blush that threatened to erupt on her face from his scrutiny.

“You’re radiant- no, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid my eyes on.” Xander murmured.

“Xander…” Serenity sighed, “We should get you cleaned up.” In a hurry she stood from the bed and moved to the bathroom where she found a small bowl which she filled with warm, soapy water as she willed her heart to slow from its flutter.

“What happened to your sling?” Serenity frowned when she entered the room.

“I- uh…” Xander grimaced, “I might have thrown it away when I sped off after you.”

Serenity’s jaw dropped, “What! Your arm isn’t fully healed, are you crazy!” Serenity looked at the same hand that he held over his wound earlier and carefully wiped down the dry blood.

“I wasn’t really thinking clearly,” he admitted.

“What did you even come after me? I left alone for a reason you know?” Serenity frowned, she didn’t want to think about the woman he left behind in pursuit of her.

“I couldn’t let you go out there alone. Speaking of which, how did you make it out of there unscathed?” He looked over her perfect skin, the slight discoloration of older bruises were the only thing in sight.

“I never planned on staying there, I parked the car at the safehouse, but instead of going inside, I walked into the woods and I’m glad I did.” Serenity shook her head, she had never been more thankful for her instincts than now. “If I hadn’t left you behind we both would have been inside that house when it went up in smoke.” She eyed him knowingly.

“Thank God for your impulsiveness, I really thought you were inside when it blew up.” He revealed, lifting a hand to her face as if he were trying to confirm she was real.

“Well I wasn’t, they lost again.” She smiled, caressing his cheek softly with the warm cloth.

Serenity’s eyes caressed his tanned skin with reminiscent eyes, it was easy to recall the days she watched him falling asleep much like he was now.

“What are you doing to me?” Serenity sighed softly.