And last but not least, chapter 8!

I know I said I was going to take my time uploading this, but I changed my mind.

I hope you enjoyed this little ditty. It kept me busy for three days writing it. Trust me, the ending is cute. You ladies will enjoy it. =)

Thanks for reading!

*COGCOGCOGCOGCOGCOGCOG*

Marcus and Baird were immediately taken from our sights as soon as we landed in Jacinto, whisked away to the hospital to get sewed up. Marcus had blacked out the second we touched ground, which panicked me a bit, but Baird promised to keep an eye on him. I was dragged off to get medical attention as well, but at a much slower pace with Cole and Dom close behind.

I spent the next two and a half weeks visiting a very disgruntled Baird and waiting around with Dom for Marcus to wake up again. The blood loss and exhaustion took a hard toll on him. I was at the hospital, just finishing up getting my own stitches removed when I got the news.

A nurse gently knocked on the door and let herself in as my doctor cleaned up the still healing wound.

"Mikaela Fenix?" she asked.

"That would be me," I replied, just as sarcastic and snarky as always, something only heightened by my extended exposure to Damon Baird.

"You're brother is awake."

I didn't even bother to wait around for her to tell me which room he was in. I already knew. I flew up the stairs to the recovery wing, right past Baird and into the Intensive Care Unit. Marcus was sitting up in his bed glaring out the window.

"Grumpy as ever, huh?" I asked, suppressing my joy to see him alert again.

"Bored," he grunted back, wincing as a hand shot to his neck.

I took a few quick steps toward his bed and wrapped my arms around him, careful to avoid his injuries and quite obviously taking him off guard. I hardly ever showed this much emotion and physical affection. He hesitantly hugged me back.

"How are you doing?" he asked into my hair.

We were both very reluctant to let go of the other. I wiped at my eyes.

"All right," I admitted. "Surviving as best I can, I guess."

Everett's face flashed in my head.

"I'm sorry, Mickey," he said again, brushing hand against my wet cheek.

"Don't get all sappy on me again, Marcus," I chided, playfully glaring at him. "I'll have to call the doctor back in."

Marcus frowned.

"Just let me say something and I promise I won't do it again," he said. "I meant what I said. I never did want you joining the COGs, but I am really proud of you. You saved my life and probably Baird's too. Thank you."

"What else was I going to do?" I asked shrugging. "Sit around and watch either one of you die?"

Marcus grinned at that.

"Obviously not," he said. "But you did good for a rookie."

My smile dropped.

"Don't call me 'rookie'," I growled, making Marcus burst into laughter. It was gurgled laughter like he had fluid in his lungs, but he was laughing none-the-less.

"Sorry, kid," he said. He immediately sobered and looked at me seriously once more. "You were the reason I kept fighting. Every time things were going to shit around me, I just thought of you—"

"Marcus!" I whined, slumping against his broad chest lightly. "I thought you were done with the sap!"

Marcus chuckled evenly, holding me to him.

"Almost, I promise."

I sighed heavily and settled in to listen and try not to cry.

God I was such a baby.

"I'm sorry you had to lose your whole squad," he said quietly. "I'm sorry you lost your best friend. You shouldn't have to deal with that."

"I would have rather watched him die than wait for news about him," I reasoned. "Waiting is torture. At least I knew for sure."

Marcus gently stroked my hair in consolation.

"I should probably try to find Delilah."

Marcus let a sigh blow through his nose.

"I'm sorry," he repeated.

"Quit being sorry for me," I admonished. "I'll survive. Everett would probably come back to haunt me if I sat wallowing anyway."

Marcus snickered.

"He would."

"Stop being squishy, Marcus," I muttered. "You're going to make me cry and you know I hate doing that. I've done too much of it."

Marcus tightened his arms around me briefly.

"All right," he said. "Just one more thing."

I groaned in protest and sat up to give him a sad face to persuade him to stop.

He laughed at me.

"I love you Mikaela. Really."

"I love you too Marcus," I replied, folding myself back into his arms. "Now really, you're done. I can't deal with you being sentimental. It's just not you."

Marcus gave me a short lived smile before the door cracked open again. The rest of Delta Squad piled in to see him, a limping Baird included. Even Lieutenant Anya Stroud, a close friend of Delta, snuck in.

I secretly thought that Marcus and Anya had a thing for each other, but that was just my opinion.

"How are you feeling, man?" asked Dom as I vacated my brother's side so each could give him a hug or handshake or whatever it was that manly men did.

Marcus gave a nonchalant shrug and winced as he moved his neck too much.

While all the attention was focused on him, Damon Baird slipped a kiss on my cheek. Shocked, I turned to face him, but he had already moved forward to greet Marcus.

-The end-