I’ve Got You

CHAPTER 13

Grimm lay in an army standard issue swag on the floor of his room. Facing away from his bed. The cold shower had snapped him out of his lustful haze somewhat. But he would have been lying to himself if he’d said that he wasn’t still incredibly horny. He cringed. Of all the women in this facility it just had to be his only friend that he wanted. Grimm tossed and turned for some time in annoyance before he heard the bead creak and a pained grunt before slow and uneven footsteps padded along the floor towards him. “You need more pain killers?” Grimm asked squinting at his watch in the dark. “I can’t give you any more for at least another two hours”.

“I don’t want pain killers” Eris whispered back, a whine of discomfort escaping from her parted lips as she eased herself down on to the floor next to his swag. She shimmied her way into it and lay next to him, he turned to look at her in the dark. “Eris, what are you doing?” Eris frowned. “I don’t know... But I like being able to be next to someone for a change. Someone who’s nice to me... I can go back to bed if you want me to.” She whispered back. Grimm chewed his bottom lip as his hand reached out for her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her the rest of the way down. “No” he grumbled “I just don’t want things to get all mixed up here.”

“Like how?”. Grimm paused, wondering for a moment if it would really be all that bad if he told her he wanted her, and her want for closeness was hard for him when all she wanted was a friend, while he was fighting like hell just to keep from running his tongue over every inch of her body at any given moment. Alas, he feared that saying it aloud would be breaking his earlier promise of not letting things be awkward. Eventually he sighed and rolled on to his back. “Never mind. You need to sleep”

“So do you” she whispered placing a hand on his chest

Grimm laughed lightly, grabbing her hand and tracing small circles on the back of it with his thumb. “When are you going to stop being needy, you’re killing me here”

“I like being around you... I feels good to be around you . So I guess I’ll stop when you tell me to stop”.

Grimm looked at her again, her face only inches from his. Her breath fanned across his face and he savored it.

“You know I can’t do that”.

“Why not?”. Grimm groaned

“What are you trying to get out of me? If you have a question, ask it directly”. Eris looked away

“I’m not good at being direct”

“Practice”. Eris gave a heavy sigh and bit her lip so hard Grimm was worried it might bleed. When she spoke next, her voice came out odd and shaky. The hand that rested in his began to tremble. “Did you really like kissing me? I don’t have an awful lot of experience. You can be honest. I won’t be upset”

“You want honesty? I’m surprised James wasn’t absolutely crazy about you. And I’m surprised that he didn’t kiss you every day. It may not have been the right thing to do but yes. I did enjoy kissing you.”

He fought to keep the annoyance out of his voice, but having her so close and asking these questions was weakening his resolve and that Irked him.

“Is there anything else? Or can I go to sleep?”

“If I asked you to kiss me again... Would you?”. Grimm groaned, he stroked her face, shuffling closer to her he buried his head in to the side of her neck and whispered

“Please don’t do this to me”. His hot breath sent shivers up Eris’s spine as he continued. “We’re friends, Eris. I understand you are lonely, and have been for years, and now you have the freedom to not be lonely any longer. But you can’t just use me to get the validation you need. I’m too old for games”. Eris snatched her hand back

“I’m not playing games!” she hissed.

“Then why are you in my swag asking me to kiss you?” Eris opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it and whispered “I don’t know”. Grimm humphed. “That’s what I thought. Now go to sleep”

***

Eris couldn’t sleep though. As Grimm lay snoring softly beside her, she fumed at herself for not being able to work up the courage to tell him that she wanted him. She couldn’t tell him because even she wasn’t sure whether or not she wanted him because she actually felt that way about him, or because she was -as he suggested- feeling lonely and in need of validation from the first man that had paid her any attention in years. Either way, she was sure that if he had wanted to kiss her, it was only because he’d been without affection since god knows how long after his wife left him, and not because he was actually attracted to her. All in all the whole situation had left her feeling childish and sour. She stared at his back as he slept. He was handsome. She had always thought he was. And his accent made her feel giddy with the way certain words rolled off his tongue. She wondered if all southern Americans sounded that way. If they did, she envied Southern women. Grimm rolled over in his sleep and pulled her into him. His head rested on her chest and her hands tangled in his mess of black hair. His face was set in a deep grimace and she wondered what he could be dreaming about. His hands slid down her body and she held her breath, pressing herself closer, enjoying the feeling of being held. Eris’s desire and advances had been so often rejected that she had lost almost all interest in physical intimacy, but being held by Grimm, even in his sleeping state had ignited an ache between her legs. Now it was Eris’s turn to groan in frustration. The low groan seemed to disturb Grimm’s sleep somewhat. Because almost as if in response to it he mumbled something unintelligible and kneaded her hips with his hands in a slow rhythmic motion. Eris shuddered and squeezed her legs together as the ache intensified. She all too quickly remembered what Grimm had said about them just being friends and turned away from him as hastily as her broken body would allow. Not wanting to ruin things further between them. She cried her self to sleep in the early hours of the morning. Wanting so badly to have him touch her, to have him want her. But unwilling to be the one to destroy the only friendship she’d managed to build in years.

***

When Eris finally woke only three hours after falling into an uneasy rest, her leg was swung over Grimm’s mid-section, his hand gripping her thigh and her head resting on his firm, broad chest. She felt stiff and sore, finding herself unable to move her leg she shook Grimm until he woke. His tired, blood-shot eyes squinted at her before noting their position, his face flushed with colour. “Sorry, I move a lot in my sleep” he mumbled, taking his hand off her thigh and trying to shimmy out of the swag. “Pain” Eris choked out, wincing as his movements jarred her head and neck. Grimm searched around them for the blister pack that was in his discarded shirt. Upon finding it he offered her two pills and ran to get water to swallow it down with. While she waited, she glanced up at Dorian who sat awake on the bed, playing the pocket sized pinball game that Grimm had given him. “How long you been awake?” she rasped. Dorian smiled cheekily

“Long enough.”

“You doing okay, Baby?” Dorian shrugged.

“I guess. I wanna see Dad” Eris nodded.

“I’ll see what I can do”

“You coming Mum?” Eris cringed

“Probably not the best idea.” Dorian nodded.

“I want him to see what he did. I want him to say sorry”. Eris tried a laugh “That’s sweet baby but I don’t... I think your Daddy and I are too far passed sorry. I know it’s hard to understand, but while I will always love and respect your Daddy on some level... I don’t really want to see him right now.” Dorian put the game down and sat next to Eris on the floor, resting his head in her lap. “I miss before all this. I was looking in our photo albums in the stuff you packed when I woke up... I miss when things were normal.”

“Me too, mate. I wouldn’t mind taking a trip down memory lane if you wanna grab them for me”. Dorian replied, Handing her two thick albums from their shared bag just as Grimm returned with the water for Eris’s pills. “Morning young man, what you got there?”

“Photo albums.” Dorian replied grinning as Eris took the water and downed her pills greedily.

“Missing life before the outbreak” she croaked. Grimm sat down on the floor next to Dorian and nudged him “any embarrassing photos of your Mum in there?”.

“I was behind the camera most the time. I don’t actually think there’s many photos of me at all, in here”. Dorian opened the first page “There’s a couple in there somewhere”. The three of them scanned the pages of the albums. Seeing pictures of Eris as a teenager with her family who had long since given up on her, Pictures of her and James before things went south between them. Ultrasound pictures. A few pages in to the second album an image caught Grimm’s eye as Eris hurried to turn the page and he took the book from her. “Oh no you don’t!, what’s this?”. Grimm took the photo out of the clear slip and held it up to his face. Eris, looking more beautiful than he’d ever seen anyone look, standing on a set of limestone steps, beaming, her emerald eyes shining, her porcelain skin shimmering. Her red waves were pinned in an elegant up do, exposing her slender neck. Her eye makeup was dark and smoky, her lips were painted black. She was wearing a skin tight black gown, made of a material he couldn’t identify, It hugged her waist and hips and flowed out from her knees, ending in an impressive train that cascaded out behind her, flowing down the steps like pooling ink. Under an archway of a variety of animal skulls and what looked to be dying roses. She looked dark, and frightening, and breathtaking all at once. And she hadn’t aged a day. Grimm licked his suddenly dry lips as he stared at Eris, sitting cross legged in front of him. She would have been a few months pregnant in the picture, though it would have been too early for anyone in attendance to tell. “I looked horrible as a bride” Eris grumbled, scowling as she snatched the picture back and returned it to it’s clear slip. “I had so much acne in my first trimester, they had to photo shop it out and it made me look freaky. Grimm held her gaze as Dorian said “She’s always hated that picture but i think she looks nice! Grimm! Tell her she looked nice!”.

“Most beautiful woman in the world” he replied earnestly, earning a snort from Eris. “Okay, no need to make fun-”. Eris was cut off by the sound of an alarm. She jumped and grasped Dorian’s hand. Then Lieutenant General Yarran’s booming voice rang out over the facilities PA system. “Attention all personnel, Attention all personnel. The main gate has been breached by infected hosts. I repeat, the main gate has been breached. Prepare what you can, and congregate in the mess hall. Bring only what you can run with. There are too many to fight. I repeat, there are too many to fight!” All officers and civilians will be divided into groups. The ratio will be two civilians to every officer. No one attempt to leave the building until you are assigned to a group and a Jeep. You have 15 minutes to reach the mess hall! I say again, 15 minuted to reach the mess hall!”. The announcement cut out and Grimm’s mouth dropped open. Dorian’s eyes teared up and Eris panicked. “Grimm” she whispered. “Grimm I can barely walk without getting dizzy and falling over!”. He crawled on his knees towards her and gripped her shoulders “I’ll take care of you. I’ll carry you-”

“No!” Eris sobbed “No! You’ll carry Dorian, He’s not fast enough on his own, I’m only gonna slow you boys down”. Grimm pressed his lips on hers, muffling her cry. This kiss was slightly longer than the kiss they’d shared the night before despite it’s urgency. Grimm’s tongue stroked her bottom lip as Eris clung to him. “Stop” he murmured against her lips. Then, lowering his voice and trailing hasty kisses along the side of her neck, he added “I’m not going anywhere without you. And I’m not going anywhere without Dorian.”

“What about Dad?!” Dorian shrieked “We can’t leave him down there!”

“We’ll get him while your Mum packs.” Grimm turned back to Eris. “I gotta say this now, because I don’t know what’s going to happen. But just in case we are separated, or James somehow wins you back. About last night... I don’t know what this is” he gestured between them. “Okay? I don’t. But I know that kissing you drives me f*****g wild. What ever validation you’re after, I hope that knowing you drive me damn near out of my mind is enough. I’m coming back for you. I don’t care how slow we go I will keep you both safe, But I’m not leaving you here! Do you hear me?!” Eris nodded. Grimm grabbed a fistful of Eris’s hair and pulled her face up to meet his. He nipped at her bottom lip before kissing her again. “Please don’t go back to him when he gets out” He whispered “I won’t lose the only friend I have left in this hell hole. Do you hear me?”. Eris nodded as Grimm let her go. Gripping Dorian by the arm, they ran, leaving Eris on her own to pack what they could carry.

***

”Dorian! Mate!” James screamed, almost sobbing, hobbling over to grip the cell bars as quickly as his shattered leg would carry him. “I’ve missed you! I heard the announcement, Are you alright?!” Grimm stood back, regarding James as Dorian reached for him between the bars for a limited embrace. His face looked bruised and tender, but not nearly as bruised as Eris’s was. Damn shame. Grimm soured. “We’re getting you out. You’re coming with us. The boy needs his father. But you will not touch Eris. You will not look at her, you will not speak to her. Do you understand me?”. James glowered

“I’ll speak to my wife whenever the hell I feel like it”. Grimm shrugged. “You leave her alone or I leave you here for the hosts to eat. Your choice”.

“Dad” Dorian piped up “Please stay away from Mum... Please... For me”. Dorian stared up at his father with wide, sad eyes. Knowing exactly which buttons to push. James stood back from the bars and nodded at Grimm. “Get me out of here”.

Grimm tore through the corridors, dragging Dorian alongside him with one hand and yanking James along behind him with the other. The corridors on each level they passed to reach the mess hall were alive with the panic of the facilities inhabitants. Civilians both alone and partnered were screaming and crying. Some even prayed to various Gods, hoping one of them would hear them in time. Officers passed weapons among themselves from the now empty armory and Grimm cursed himself for forgetting to check out his service pistol and club. Just as the thought occurred to him Grimm heard his name being called over the commotion. He turned in time to see Riley -the driver from his scout duty- waving at him over the throngs of people surging towards the mess hall. In his waving hands, he held a rifle. Grimm barreled towards him, taking it and slinging the strap over his shoulders. He hadn’t handled one of these since training. As if sensing his confusion Riley shouted to be heard over the racket “Your weapons are gone mate! Someone must have sacked the armory before we got here! Lots missing! Take it or have nothing! It’s all we can spare right now!” Grimm nodded, gripping Riley’s shoulder in wordless thanks before departing, dragging Dorian and James the rest of the way to the mess hall.

When they finally arrived, it didnt take him long to spot a slow and injured Eris, clinging to the wall for support in among all the able bodied individuals running this way and that. Dorian wrenched himself from Grimm’s grasp to throw himself at his mother. The bag that slung over her right shoulder appeared to only be half as full as it was when it was brought to his room. She gave Dorian the baseball bat that Grimm had used to shatter James’s leg and whispered something in his ear. Grimm spotted the handle of a large hunting knife sticking out from the band of her jeans. And was grateful she had something to defend herself with should she need it. Dorian returned handing the bat to James “Mum said she hopes you’re okay”. James looked passed Dorian at Eris, and went to move towards her when Dorian grabbed his wrist. “Dad I love you... But look at what you did. She wants you to be okay, but she doesn’t want to talk to you just yet. I’m not sure I want you talking to her just yet”. James glowered at Dorian. Dorian didn’t look away, didn’t back down. “Dad I want you with us... So please leave Mum alone for now”. James sighed and ruffled Dorian’s hair.

“Any thing for you, kiddo.” Grimm took Dorian by the arm and led him over to Eris. When they were a few paces away from James Grimm lent down and whispered. “You are an amazing young man, you know that?”

“I Know” Dorian said, cracking a half smile.

“And uh... Probably don’t say anything to your dad about me kissing your Mum earlier, okay?”

“Why did you kiss Mum?”. Grimm became flustered

“I don’t know” he lied “Your Mum and I are friends... And I think I was just scared and Panicked a bit. That’s all. But still, your Dad might be pretty mad if he found out”.

“Wow. I’m a kid but I’m not stupid. I know that’s not it”. Grimm sighed.

“What do you want from me, kid? You wanna hear me say I like your Mum? Because I do. I like her a lot. I like you too. You’re a pretty cool kid. And maybe if we were in a different situation-” Grimm caught himself, shaking his head and resting his hands on Dorian’s shoulders. “None of that matters right now. It’s not for you to worry about. What we’re worrying about now is getting ourselves out of here safe, together and in one piece. The only thing I need from you is to do as I say.”

“And to not tell dad you kissed Mum” Grimm sighed

“That would be appreciated, yeah”. Dorian nodded. Then chewed his lip. “I’m scared” Grimm pulled Dorian in to a tight hug, patting his back. “Me too. You stay with your mum. I can’t carry all three of you. I need to arrange with the general to have an extra officer in our group and early access to a Jeep. Everyone else in this facility can run... But your mum and James are... Limited at the moment”. Dorian nodded, turning away from Grimm as Grimm stalked back towards James, grabbing him by the scruff of the shirt and dragging him towards the far end of the mess hall in search of Yarran. “You stay with me. I don’t trust you.”

“You don’t trust me?” James cried, insulted “Excuse me, but out of the two of us, who interfered with who’s marriage?” Grimm halted, turning to glare at James, His fingers digging painfully in to James’s upper arm. “I interfered in a severe case of domestic violence. And that sham you call a marriage was long dead. Even before I had to bring your wife back from the brink of death. I’m warning you just this once, Mr Winter. Don’t piss me off”

“Or?”

“Or even the devil won’t have a use for you after I’ve chewed you up and spat you out... Now move”. James paled, allowing himself to be dragged along like a disobedient child.