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"Good, baby," Seven encouraged her. "That's a good thing, Mocha. That means he won't need me to open him up any further."

"W-what do I do next?!" Britain clamored out.

"Find something to wrap around both the entry and exit wound," Seven instructed. "It could be anything. Just make sure it's wrapped around him as tight as possible. When you do this, it will bring him a lot of pain. Don't let his screaming stop you, baby. Remember, you're trying to keep him alive."

Seven awaited Britain's response only to hear Priest’s piercing screams wave through her phone. Britain didn't hesitate to follow her mother's instructions. Her main priority was to minimize the blood loss and to keep Priest breathing. Seven took in a sharp breath, stomaching the cries of pain from Priest. He was feeling every harsh feeling possible. From the scorching aflame sensation that overtook his body to the intolerable outpouring of his crimson red blood, he felt everything.

"You're doing good, Mocha," Seven reassured Britain through Priest's wailing screams. "Put pressure on the wounds. I'm gonna stay on the phone until you get here. In the meantime, talk to him. Keep him awake."

Britain nodded her head as she used the sleeve of her blazer to clear her eyes from the tears that blurred her vision.She pressed down on the gushing wound as she looked down at Priest. His nose was flared as he breathed through the excruciating pain.

"You're gonna be okay." She ceased her crying to the best of her ability as she smiled down at him."I know it may not feel like it, but you have so much luck," Seven heard Britain chuckle through her tears. "Your shorty's mom happens to be the best surgeon there is," she continued to make small talk like her mother advised her to.

"She better be," Priest throated out through short breaths, causing Britain to laugh.

Britain once more wiped her face from the tears cascading down her cheeks. A smile emerged on her face. It was forced, but it was still able to bring a bit of comfort to him. "You're gonna be okay," she reiterated once more. She craned down, applying a light kiss on his forehead.

Seven scrambled around Remy's home, gathering as many items as she could find that would aid her in keeping Priest alive. Jeremy helped her with sitting a multitude of blankets on the floor to make it as comfortable as possible for Priest. "He's gonna be alright, right?" Jeremy asked as he handed Seven the cheap suturing kit he had in his downstairs bathroom.

The look on Seven's face lacked confidence. She truly wasn't sure. She was in an unsterile environment and lacked many of the resources that could’ve stopped the bleeding completely. What Priest needed was a hospital, but she couldn't argue that with him in the state he was in. Jeremy understood the look on Seven's face. He took in a deep breath before nodding his head. Seven returned to the phone call to encourage her daughter to remain strong for Priest's sake. No one had the right to be more afraid than Priest at the moment. He was the one hovering between life and death.

Everyone had to be strong,especiallyBritain.

Chapter Nine

A roaring shout of agony sounded from Priest as J'Ru and Kaymen sat him on the floor. His dark eyes were dilated as he kept his sight fixed on the crown molding of Remy's ceiling. He needed to be distracted. It was mind over matter. He had control of his pain, not the other way around.

His view of the ceiling was compromised by Seven. She stared down at him, assessing the damage the bullet wound had caused to his flesh. She noticed the hazy look in his eye as his lids began to struggle to stay open.

"Hey!" She tapped his face to catch his attention."You stayed up for that entire car ride. You don't get to shut your eyes now," she sternly gritted. "Do you hear me?"

Priest slowly nodded his head. "Priest, do you hear me?!" she ordered him again. His blood was low, but in order for her to know that he wasn't on the brink of death, she needed him alert and attentive.

"Yes," Priest croaked out.

Priest could feel his blood begin to soak into the pallet of blankets he laid on top of. He was trying his best to follow Seven's orders, all while training himself with the mind over matter strategy. He had never been shot before. There wasdefinitely a first time for everything, but at this moment, he felt like this shit could have waited.

"He's gonna be okay, right?" he could hear Britain's voice ask in the distance.

"Britain, just give me a minute," Seven breathed out heavily in an overwhelmed manner. "Alright, Priest. I'm about to unwrap your wounds. The shifting is going to hurt… a lot. I need you to take in a deep breath," Seven instructed before she untied the necktie Britain had tightened around the entry and exit wound while in the car.

"Okay," Priest responded to her through clenched teeth.

Seven kindly braced him before she quickly untied the necktie. His screams rattled the ears of everyone in the room. Britain immediately turned away, unable to face him as he went through so much pain. "Priest, maybe we should go to the hospital," Seven suggested as she leaned over him.

Coming down from his belting shouts, Priest clenched his jaws as he shook his head. "Keep going," he gritted.

J'Ru ran his hand down his face in distress. Priest was adamant about not going to the hospital for treatment. Seven was enough for him, but everyone else felt as though that wasn't the best idea. He was in pain and was losing blood by the second. Seven couldn't possibly be strong enough to put him through all that gut-wrenching pain without any assistance of anesthesia. "Yo, PJ, stop this shit. We're going to the hospital." J'Ru shook his head, disregarding Priest's wishes.

Seven retracted her hands from Priest, figuring that J'Ru's call was best. Priest mustered up the strength to grab Seven's hand, clenching it in his grip. "I'll die on the fucking way there!" Priest coldly seethed between heaving breaths.

Seven gazed down at Priest. His demands were a bit unreasonable, but she understood. She worked in life-or-death situations all the time; this one should’ve been no different."Don't fucking die on me. You hear me?" Seven ordered Priest as she slid a pair of gloves onto her hands.

J'Ru couldn't believe everyone was actually considering Priest's wants right now. He believed Priest was signing his own death certificate by refusing to go to the hospital. Fuming in frustration, J'Ru stormed out of the entryway of Jeremy's house, heading toward the kitchen. If Priest wanted to facilitate his own death, he wasn't about to stand around and witness it.

"We have to sit him up," Seven stated, causing a look of worry to flash in Kaymen, Remy and Britain’s eyes.

Kaymen inhaled a deep breath before nodding his head. He slid out of his suit jacket so he wouldn't be restrained while aiding Jeremy with sitting Priest up. Jeremy and Kaymen anchored their arms around Priest's body, which was beginning to feel like deadweight. They sat him up, ignoring Priest's ear rattling wails of torture.