isn’t now. I wish I weren’t like this. I wish I could just turn it off. I mean, what kind of bitch am I? Here you are, like this, and I’ve already moved on. What the hell is wrong with me?”
“June. We had this discussion. We knew we weren’t a good fit. It just…worked, at the time. It felt good. We both needed to feel good.”
“And you still do. It must be so horrible and lonely in here.”
“Not like they would let me have company, anyway. Apart from the doctors, you’re the first visitor I’ve had. I’m doomed to spend my final days as a science experiment, locked away.”
“Don’t say your final days.” She clutched his hand. “You’re going to get better and get out of here. True, you’ll probably be an unwilling celebrity for a while, but you won’t be dead. You’ll get to go back to your work and life.”
His eyelids drooped again. “I don’t regret us,” he said softly. “I never regretted us. It was beautiful.”
“I don’t regret us, either.” She blinked back tears. “And Sam isn’t—he’s not better than you. He’s not more suited for me. Don’t think that way.”
Micha was silent.
“Maybe your powers will flare up.” She took a deep, shaky breath. “And you can blast your way out of here.”
“And go back into hiding? On the run from the scientists? No, thank you.”
“They can’t treat you like a guinea pig forever. You’re a human being.”
“A human being who’s an important component in a huge legal case against the Institute. I’m the straw that breaks their back. Kinda makes me feel special. In the end, I’m helping the paranormal community in the biggest way possible. A true martyr.”
She didn’t bother telling him to stop talking like that again. Clearly, he believed this was the end. She didn’t, though. She wouldn’t believe that. Couldn’t.
“Have you seen Rose?” he asked.
“No. Maybe I’ll never see her again, now that everything’s over. If she’s innocent, they’ll uncover it. That’s what she wants.”
She still had so much to say, so much to tell him. But the door opened then, and the nurse stepped in.
“Time’s up. Say your good-byes.”
June gazed desperately at Micha, clutching his hand.
“I’ll come visit you again,” she said. “For fuck’s sake, they should understand you need some companionship in here.” She looked at the nurse. “Aren’t you guys at all concerned about his mental health? Or is he just a rat to you?”
“Not my decision,” the nurse said. “I just do what I’m told, and I’m supposed to get you out of here now.”
June looked back at Micha. “I will come see you again.”
He smiled. “Be careful out there. Watch your back. And good luck. Make that vampire dick pay.”
“You be careful in here. Don’t let them abuse you. Don’t let them do anything undignified to you.”
“Come on,” the nurse said. “Time’s up.”
Not caring if she got yelled at, June leaned over and pressed her forehead to Micha’s. He seemed too fragile to hug. She didn’t want to jostle him, afraid he would break.
“I’m sorry about all this,” she whispered. “We’re both going to survive, the way we always have.”
She kissed him through the mask. His lips were cold and unyielding, like he was already dead.
In the outer room, she yanked off the mask, gloves, and gown, her hands shaking. Trina still stood in the corner, silent, arms folded.
June thrust the items at the nurse.
The nurse took them. “I don’t treat him like a rat, by the way. I do actually care about his mental health.”
June could barely see for the tears in her eyes or think because her head was spinning. Her stomach hurt. “Really? Can’t tell from where I’m standing.”
“I should have yanked you out of there the second you violated the rules. Why do you think I didn’t?” She tossed the used protective gear in a waste bin. “I’m also not going to report anything you said in there.”
June
“June. We had this discussion. We knew we weren’t a good fit. It just…worked, at the time. It felt good. We both needed to feel good.”
“And you still do. It must be so horrible and lonely in here.”
“Not like they would let me have company, anyway. Apart from the doctors, you’re the first visitor I’ve had. I’m doomed to spend my final days as a science experiment, locked away.”
“Don’t say your final days.” She clutched his hand. “You’re going to get better and get out of here. True, you’ll probably be an unwilling celebrity for a while, but you won’t be dead. You’ll get to go back to your work and life.”
His eyelids drooped again. “I don’t regret us,” he said softly. “I never regretted us. It was beautiful.”
“I don’t regret us, either.” She blinked back tears. “And Sam isn’t—he’s not better than you. He’s not more suited for me. Don’t think that way.”
Micha was silent.
“Maybe your powers will flare up.” She took a deep, shaky breath. “And you can blast your way out of here.”
“And go back into hiding? On the run from the scientists? No, thank you.”
“They can’t treat you like a guinea pig forever. You’re a human being.”
“A human being who’s an important component in a huge legal case against the Institute. I’m the straw that breaks their back. Kinda makes me feel special. In the end, I’m helping the paranormal community in the biggest way possible. A true martyr.”
She didn’t bother telling him to stop talking like that again. Clearly, he believed this was the end. She didn’t, though. She wouldn’t believe that. Couldn’t.
“Have you seen Rose?” he asked.
“No. Maybe I’ll never see her again, now that everything’s over. If she’s innocent, they’ll uncover it. That’s what she wants.”
She still had so much to say, so much to tell him. But the door opened then, and the nurse stepped in.
“Time’s up. Say your good-byes.”
June gazed desperately at Micha, clutching his hand.
“I’ll come visit you again,” she said. “For fuck’s sake, they should understand you need some companionship in here.” She looked at the nurse. “Aren’t you guys at all concerned about his mental health? Or is he just a rat to you?”
“Not my decision,” the nurse said. “I just do what I’m told, and I’m supposed to get you out of here now.”
June looked back at Micha. “I will come see you again.”
He smiled. “Be careful out there. Watch your back. And good luck. Make that vampire dick pay.”
“You be careful in here. Don’t let them abuse you. Don’t let them do anything undignified to you.”
“Come on,” the nurse said. “Time’s up.”
Not caring if she got yelled at, June leaned over and pressed her forehead to Micha’s. He seemed too fragile to hug. She didn’t want to jostle him, afraid he would break.
“I’m sorry about all this,” she whispered. “We’re both going to survive, the way we always have.”
She kissed him through the mask. His lips were cold and unyielding, like he was already dead.
In the outer room, she yanked off the mask, gloves, and gown, her hands shaking. Trina still stood in the corner, silent, arms folded.
June thrust the items at the nurse.
The nurse took them. “I don’t treat him like a rat, by the way. I do actually care about his mental health.”
June could barely see for the tears in her eyes or think because her head was spinning. Her stomach hurt. “Really? Can’t tell from where I’m standing.”
“I should have yanked you out of there the second you violated the rules. Why do you think I didn’t?” She tossed the used protective gear in a waste bin. “I’m also not going to report anything you said in there.”
June
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