The Librarian

"She'll be here in five!" Nico called from the kitchen as he hung up the phone.

"I still say that I'm fine!" I called back.

He walked back into the room and leaned into the doorway. "Kimmi, you can't even walk out the door." He said pointedly.

I groaned and rolled my eyes. "Well that's not my fault!"

He laughed and pulled his cellphone out of his pocket, clicking it to display the time.

I gasped and shot into a sitting position. "You said you dropped that!"

He shrugged and shoved it back into his pocket, unsuccessfully trying to hide a grin. "I did, I found it when I was getting you food."

My eyebrows shot up. "Did you just?"

He nodded and crossed the room to sit on the other sofa. "I did indeed." He laughed richly.

I stuck my tongue out at him and took another gulp of my coffee. "Mmmmm I forgive you for your epic coffee skills." I told him.

He laughed again. "Well I'm glad that my 'epic coffee skills' make up for me finding my phone again."

"As you should be!" I teased.

Before he could reply a knock came from the front door. I looked to Nico with a frown. "She's early."

He nodded, looking just as confused as I felt and went to answer the door. I leaned back into the plush chair and listened to the soft mumbling of voices, waiting for Nico to come back with Cally. The voices suddenly stopped and after a full minute of waiting, he didn't come back through the door.

"Nico?" I called.

There was no answer.

"Nico?" I tried again.

There was still no answer.

"Nico!" I screamed, worried now.

There was no reply.

I pushed myself out of the chair in panic and immediately collapsed to the floor, falling hard to my knees and feeling weaker than ever. I ignored the pain and fatigue and pulled myself on my stomach down a long hallway to the door, my head swimming, muscles aching and vision completely blurred. I felt for a blurred shape in front of me lying on the floor, the door left wide and gaping in front of me. I sat there until my vision settled and I looked down at the shape in front of me. It was Nico, his face as pale as bone, hair limp and lifeless. His stomach was... his stomach was... it was a gaping hole of blood the size of my fist.

"Nico?" I sobbed, checking his pulse frantically. It was weak and uneven but there, barely. "Nico?" I sobbed again, throwing my arms around his neck as tears flowed freely down my cheeks. "Please hold in there, please!" I pulled him closer and willed for Cally to come faster, maybe she could save him in time.

Maybe.

Notes