After I spoke with my parents, they seemed to want some more time together so I excused myself to leave. I couldn't actually make my way to my room, so I sat down on the bench in front of the room. An hour or two passed when I saw Mrs. Blades approaching.

"You alright, sweetheart?" She asked with a slight frown on her face.

I nodded.

"Are you still waiting?"

"No. I already spoke with them," I told her and understanding crossed her features. "Could you get me a wheelchair?"

Mrs. Blades gave me a soft smile. "Sure. I'll bring you to your room then talk to them."

She quickly got a wheelchair and took me to my room, then helped me onto my bed.

I quickly got lost in my thoughts, staring out into space.

*

I was soundly sleeping until I heard rustling in the room. Knowing it was Alexander getting ready for work, I ignored the noise and tried to fall back asleep, snuggling deep into the blankets.

I felt the blanket I pulled over my head get tugged down slightly and a kiss on my forehead. "Have a nice day," I grumbled.

"You too." Alexander sounded amused and I soon heard his footsteps become softer until the door opened then closed and I fell back asleep.

When I woke up again, it was almost noon time. I rolled around in bed lazily before slowly getting up and getting ready for my uneventful day.

I spent a week in the hospital already and then came home for the remaining three weeks of my prison sentence. Today was my second day home.

Efren Carter's case situation is currently quite stagnant. He has made no move to infiltrate any of the weapons facilities nor have we found his location. Since out of everyone, Cadence probably had the best idea of where he could be so she has currently joined the efforts to find him. We have agents keeping an eye on her at all times and so far, she has not acted suspiciously through her actions or computer use.

My father recently got moved out of the ICU to a regular hospital room with my mother.

As for Mr. Blades, he was not yet medically cleared to go back to work, so he is currently keeping me company in Alexander's home. In fact, both Mr. and Mrs. Blades were staying in one of Alexander's guest bedrooms. Their excuse was that staying together was much safer and that everyone, including my parents, felt more relaxed and comfortable if I wasn't alone in the house injured. What I think is that after the shenanigans I pulled when I was supposed to be in the hospital, Mr. Blades was probably babysitting me on Mrs. Blades' command.

Though, it does make staying home alone less lonely. Actually, I take it back. Mr. Blades doesn't talk much so he was more like a silent shadow in the house, but he does bring me food since I can't really move from my bed unless I need to use the bathroom.

Alexander told me that he was mostly doing paperwork these days, so he came home decently consistently.

I didn't have much to do except watch TV and pick some new hobbies. I guess now was a great time to get settled back into civilian lifestyle. Much of the time I spent in hospital I spent it thinking. Trying to process through everything that happened so quickly after I got back home.

Everything happened so fast that perhaps I wasn't emotionally and mentally able to keep up to the events around me. Alexander encouraged me to talk to one of the Phoenix psychologists and offered to sit in a session with me if I didn't want to go alone. Knowing it was a good idea after everything that happened, I told him I would make an appointment after I'm actively back on my feet.

The day passed by excruciatingly slow as I watched the clock. I tried watching tv, tried reading, but Efren was out there and it kept bugging me.

I heard a knock at the door and I immediately flinched. "Yes?"

Mr. Blades opened the door just enough to stick his head in and peek at me. "Want lunch?"

"Yes please. I'll come downstairs."

Mr. Blades frowned. "Is that a good idea?"

I nodded innocently at him. "It's been over a week. I'll walk slowly."

"Alright, I'll see you downstairs in half an hour."

*

I was lying down on the sofa downstairs after lunch, not wanting to be stuck in the room alone. The sun shone warmly inside the family room and I must have fallen asleep curled up on the couch. I felt someone lift me up from the couch and I opened my eyes slowly.

"Go back to sleep, Angel," Alexander said softly and I blinked my eyes trying to get them to focus.

"I need to speak to you," I mumbled as Alexander set me down on our bed gently and covered me with the blanket.

He brushed my hair out of face and waited for me say something.

"I need to speak to Wolf. I'm thinking about meeting him somewhere nearby."

Alexander furrowed his brows slightly. "You can meet him here," he offered.

I widened my eyes, somewhat shocked since I knew how private he was.

"He seems trustworthy," Alexander commented as he pulled the blanket higher until it was up to my chin.

I pulled the blanket down since I wasn't going to go back to sleep. "I'm not sleepy anymore and you're home early."

"I finished what I needed to and I'm staying home with you for a week starting tomorrow. My father and mother will continue the search for Efren. They'll let me know if we get important information."

"Mr. Blades got cleared for work?'

Alexander nodded.

"Are you sure you can survive a week being stuck with me? You'll probably be sick of me by the end of the week." I looped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer towards me.

There was amusement in his dark greys as he stared at me. "Never." He leaned down and planted a lingering kiss on my lips.

"If you say so." I grinned at him. "I can't wait to annoy you."

Alexander let out a deep chuckle and helped me up to a sitting position, then his expression became a little more solemn.

I looked at him questioningly and with worry, waiting for the bad news.

"I thought I should talk to you first before I talk to your parents." He reached for my left hand and played with the ring on my finger. "I lost the bet. What do you want to do?"

With everything that had happened, I had forgotten about our little bet.

"I decided when I was younger that you were the woman I wanted to marry. Decades later, that thought has not changed. The final decision is up to you."

What he said shocked me since that meant that he had feelings for me long before he confessed a little over a week ago. "You never planned to win the bet, did you?" I asked softly with a frown.

"No."

I hesitated and looked away. "You know, you can probably find a woman much prettier and kinder than I am. Someone less broken on the inside and less scarred the outside."

Alexander cupped my face to turn it back to facing him. "If you think you're broken, I'll help you piece yourself back together. I admire your bravery, value your will to always put your family first and always finding the strength to protect those you hold close to your heart. I don't want another woman; I think your short temper and impulsiveness suits me just fine. I'll treasure you and hold you close so you'll never doubt again how beautiful you are to me and that you are the only one I want."

My vision blurred as my eyes became glassy with unshed tears and I felt a lump in my throat. I wrapped my arms around Alexander's shoulders to pull him closer to me and buried my face against the crook of his neck.

"Are you really sure? I'm possessive and selfish. You're stuck with me, Red, for as long as I want you." I leaned back to look at him.

"I love you, Angel." He pressed his forehead against mine, staring straight into my eyes. "Will you marry me?"

I could see the sincerity in his eyes and I smiled at him. "Yes."

Alexander must have braced himself for rejection since once he heard my answer, the dark cloud lifted away and his eyes brightened with happiness.

"And how long do you think you'll want me?" He questioned teasingly.

"Do you even need to ask? Forever. Perhaps if you do a job being my husband this lifetime, I'll find you next lifetime and snatch you again too," I replied back in amusement.

Alexander let out a laugh. "That's fine. I'm all yours, Angel."

I leaned in closer to Alexander. "I love you, Alexander."

He closed our distance and pressed our lips firmly together.

*

The day after Alexander asked me to marry him, we went to talk to my parents together after my checkup with a doctor at Phoenix.

They were both excited and I was happy that I could put a genuine smile on their faces. My mother was the most excited to start planning for the wedding and I simply kept my mouth shut on the fact that Alexander and I were already married and it didn't matter if we had a wedding or not. I simply didn't want to ruin her happy mood and it helped us all have something to look forward to. Since it didn't matter to me whether we had a ceremony or not, I let my mother take care of the whole planning. It was less stress for me anyways.

The week Alexander and I spent home together was bliss. During this peaceful moment of time, we settled easily to living together. He was affectionate and understanding.

I also met Wolf and thanked him for what he did when I was in the hospital a few months ago and for helping out Alexander recently. He said not to worry about it and that we'll keep in touch. I didn't tell him that Cadence was alive since I felt that it should be up to her to reach out to him first if she wants the fact to be known.

It wasn't until two weeks after Alexander returned to work that I had to go into my closet and reach for the rectangular case that I haven't picked up in a while. I hesitated and my hand trembled for a second before I touched it.

Gritting my teeth and pushing back my emotions, I quickly picked it up and headed out the door with an impassive mask firmly on my face.

****

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