Fight, Flight, or Freeze: The Healer's Story
Chapter 168: Surprise

Chapter 168: Surprise

I stood in front of the partially closed door and took in a few deep breaths. I might not know exactly what was out there, but Rip had told me the bare minimum.

I was in a condo in one of the richer parts of City A.

That meant that through those doors was nothing more than a living room decorated with furniture and knickknacks that probably cost more than a few months of my salary before the end of the world.

I tried to picture what it would look like in my mind, and once I felt my heart rate starting to go back to normal, I nodded my head.

I was ready.

"Do you want me in front or behind you?" asked Rip as he leaned forward to speak in my ear.

See, it was little things like that that made me so happy he was the one going through all of this with me. He understood what I needed before I did.

"In front," I said, taking a step to the side so he could get around me. I figured that this was the best because if it got to be too much, I had nothing blocking my escape route, and if someone attacked as soon as we were through the door, then Rip would kill them.

He nodded his head at my request and opened the door, letting the bright light of the outside stream into the room.

Rip walked forward first a few steps before coming to a stop, and I quickly followed him.

There was nothing but silence when we came out, and for a moment, I thought I had imagined the shapes pacing in front of my door.

But it was only a matter of minutes before the outside world erupted into chaos.

"Wang Tian Mu!" came a voice, and a shape rushed toward me, only to be blocked by Rip. "Get the fuck away from me! She is my fiancé. I didn’t agree with you being the only one in there with her, but I gave in because that was what was best for her. But clearly, she is fine now, and we don’t need you."

It was amazing that with all of the conversations I had with Rip and Li Dai Lu since I woke up in a strange location, not once did they involve the fact that Bai Long Qiang was not only alive, but he was waiting for me in the next room.

I thought I could handle it, but as I felt the world spin and the darkness encroaching again, I realized just how stupid I was.

I spun around, not willing to deal with someone coming back from the dead, when a second voice cut through the yelling.

"Bai! Enough," growled the second voice... Cheng Bo Jing? He was here, too? He was alive?

My eyes started to fill with tears that I was way too tired to shed, and I paused for a moment.

"Get your shit together or be prepared to be locked away in your room for a while. This isn’t about you, so stop making it." In a much softer tone, he turned toward me... "Little Rabbit, I missed you."

That’s right. I was Cheng Bo Jing’s Little Rabbit... how did I not notice that difference when we were in the bunker before? I should have known right away that he wasn’t real.

But was he real now?

What if all of this was just in my head?

I tried to open my mouth to say something back, but the words kept getting stuck in my throat, and I ended up just nodding to him.

I missed you too.

Why didn’t you come for me?

Do you still want me?

Did you ever want me?

The questions piled up in my head, but I couldn’t get them out. I felt like such an idiot, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t.

"We have a surprise for you," he continued, and I saw him reaching out his hand toward me. It wasn’t so close that I was worried about him hitting me, but rather the perfect distance to let me make up my own mind as to whether or not I wanted to touch him.

"Now, I know you don’t like surprises, so maybe I should just tell you?"

I looked away from his hand and up into his eyes. His looks might have changed, but his eyes were the same.

He was the one who helped put me back together after my family died, the one who listened to me on the phone for hours as I ranted about the hospital up in City X.

I nodded my head and smiled. I really did hate surprises, and so far, none of the ones lately had been all that great.

"I know we forgot to bring your cage with us when we left the Camp, and I am really sorry about that."

Startled that he would even bring it up, I searched his face, looking for the trap. No one but me cared about the cage. It was one of those things that made me extra weird in my mind. Was he making fun of me for depending on it? What was he trying to do?

"So, the guys and I thought that maybe we could get a place ready for you that might take its place until you are ready for something bigger."

This time, I stopped trying to hold back the tears, and they fell silently down my face as I looked at the man I hadn’t seen in forever. Reaching forward, I took his hand and let him pull me away from Rip.

Not looking at anything other than Cheng Bo Jing, I let him lead me through the house and into a different room.

The room itself was done in darker colors and looked very masculine. The bed was covered in a navy blue duvet, and the curtains, while opened, had blinds behind them that let in streams of light.

This was clearly the doctor’s room.

"He won’t mind," smiled Cheng Bo Jing as if he could hear my thoughts. "In fact, he was the one who offered this place to you. He’ll find somewhere else to sleep for as long as you want. His words, not mine."

I felt my shoulders relax even more as I continued to take in the light grey walls and minimal pictures on the wall.

It was cozy and not at all as off putting as I thought it would be.

"But this isn’t your surprise," smiled Cheng Bo Jing as he guided me to one of two doors.