Page 1

Chapter One

With his head hung low in shame, Priest walked out of the hospital, leaving Britain behind. His heart ached the further he went, but he knew it would be better this way. She wouldn't be able to function with so much pain and hostility brewing inside of her. Right now, she needed to be stronger than ever, and Priest understood. Leaving her alone pained him more than it pained her, but that was what she wanted.

Britain sat across from Kaymen for hours. The two didn't utter a word to each other. Neither knew how to approach each other. Britain was sure she was still harboring some anger for Priest inside of her, so she was afraid to say something, fearing anything she said would come out wrong. She remained silent and prayed to herself. Her salty tears streamed down her face as she felt the knots in her stomach tighten with the passing of every hour.

The heaviness lifted from her body once she saw her mother making her way out the double doors. Seven's hair was down, and she was no longer dressed in her surgical gloves and covering. Britain stood up, rushing over to her mother.

"Ma, please—" Britain cried lightly, imploring her mother to give her good news.

Seven wrapped her arms around her daughter, her hand gently caressing Britain's hair. "He's fine, Mocha," Seven let out in relief as she held back a few tears of her own. "Everything went well. He's in recovery now."

A cry escaped Britain's lips as she felt the knots in her stomach untie themselves. Her heart was alleviated from the heaviness. "Can I see him?" she asked.

The two parted from the embrace, and Seven wiped away her daughter's tears as much as she could. "Not right now, Mocha. I'll come get you when you can.”

Britain nodded, and Seven walked her back over to her seat. She applied a kiss to Britain's forehead before getting up to go check on Jeremy.Once Seven left, Britain's brown orbs were met with Kaymen's.

"He's fine," she croaked as she too wiped her beautiful face of the tears that traveled down her cheeks.

Kaymen nodded. "I'm glad he is," he sighed. "Y'know, Priest did all that was in his control," Kaymen told Britain, hoping that he could get through to her since she was now at ease.

Britain bit down on her lip as she peered down at her hands. She wasn't sure where she and Priest stood at the moment; however, she couldn't find it within herself to even think of him right now. She rendered Kaymen no response. She simply kept her attention on her hands. She had nothing else to say.

Eventually, Britain was granted permission to see Jeremy. She was relieved to see how at peace he seemed to be as he laid in recovery. His projected time to wake up from the medicine was far after visitation time ended, and Seven didn't think it would help Britain much if she stayed up all night at Remy's side.

After Kaymen visited J'Ru in recovery as well, he took up the duty of taking Britain home. She insisted on heading back to her apartment, even though Kaymen thought it would be best for her to head to the penthouse to work shit out with Priest. Arrivingat her apartment, Britain thanked Kaymen for the ride before getting out of the vehicle.In the parking lot sat Cyro, who was given orders by Priest to keep watch on Britain. Even though she and Priest weren't on the best of terms, he still wanted to keep her protected and safe.

Back at the hospital, Remy mustered up the strength to slowly lift his heavy eyelids. The dim lighting in the room served him justice by not immediately blinding him. Shifting his light brown eyes around, his mind finally registered the fact that he was in the hospital. Slowly, his orbs trailed down to his body. He was in a hospital gown, a mild pain lingering his midriff.

Shifting around slowly and cautiously, Remy realized that something was in his hand. His eyes averted over to his right hand where another hand was cupped in his. At his bedside, a thick mane of curls laid face down at the side of the bed while the owner sat in the chair. When he sent a light squeeze to the hand, they jolted up, darting their eyes around in an alert manner.

Now sitting up, Remy was able to catch a full view of their blue scrubs. The hand snatched away from his, causing Remy’s eyes to trail upward to their face. With her perfect shade of brown eyes, tender lips and flawless sepia skin, Seven had a shaken look on her face.

What was supposed to be a quick check in on Jeremy turned into her letting the time slip away from her and her lack of sleep catch up to her. She ended up crashing at Remy's bedside, catching an uncomfortable slumber as she leaned over so her head would be on the bed while her hand was nestled into his. She was supposed to be out before he had even woken up after coming down from the meds. She didn't want him to see her, nor did she want to see him in his wakened state.

Rising from her seat, Seven grabbed her white coat from the top of the reclining chair, slipping it over her.

"Don't leave," he croaked to her in his raspy voice. "Sit down."

Although he was weak from the taxing surgery that she had just performed on him, he still maintained his authoritative voice. Seven found herself clearing her throat before reclaiming the seat she had just risen from.

She didn't know what had come over her. Usually, she would’ve defied his orders, waltzed straight out the room, and never looked back, but this time, it felt different. Being in his presence felt different.

"This wasn't what I expected when I asked God to let us see each other again." Remy's hoarse voice crept into her ears.

Seven cleared her throat as she tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ear. "You need water," she told him, completely disregarding what he had just said to her. Seven stood up to exit the room so she could go get him some water. She planned on having someone else send it in for him instead of having to face him longer than she already had.

"Sit down," Remy ordered her, this time with more depth and sternness in his voice.

Seven found herself sinking back into her seat.

"Seven, why do you keep running from me?" he questioned, angling his head so he could face her.

He couldn't help but admire her natural beauty. She had her curly hair pulled up into a high puff, but due to how long her hair was, a few coils dangled onto her face. Seven was a natural girl. Her lashes were soft and curled upward, accentuating her doe like eyes, while her skin glowed as it remained bare. She was as beautiful as he could remember. Seven hadn't aged a bit, and that made Remy's heart throb just like it would when they were younger.

"I don't run. I may casually distance myself and never be heard from again, but I don't run," she corrected him, hopingto spark some laughter between the two, but it didn't. Remy remained stern in the face. He was taking this chance to lay it all out on the table, not caring that he had just woken up from anesthesia and had just undergone critical surgery.

Remy sighed with a shake of his head. "I'm not laughing, Seven. It's been 27 years, Seven. Do you understand how long that is?"