• Rose

    It was raining and I couldn’t see anything only feel the cold loneliness of the metal bars in my hands. I screamed for help not wanting to be stuck in a cage again, I yelled and yelled my mind searching for names, faces of people who could save me. I was about to give up when my ears caught the slight sound of flapping wings. I slid closer to the bars straining to look outside of them, my vision focused and my eyes spotted a gorgeous man with black wings matching that of an angel's. I peered at his face trying to figure out who this man is and why he is here; my mind slowly opened and I remembered.
    “Lours!” I screamed at him, he smiled and slowly walked towards the bars, he was barefooted and was shirt-less, all he wore were a pair of faded black-leather like jeans. His white hair flowed around him as he stretched his hand out to me, I grasped at his hand, as I was about to grab it, blood sprayed from him, and thousand of holes appeared gushing gallons of rich red blood, I screamed as he clasped to the ground. “Lours!” I yelled as I grabbed for him, he turned his head towards me, blood was running out of his mouth as blood poured out of him seeping into the ground.
    “Rose, help me.” He coughed, and blood flew out of his mouth and splattered on my face mixing with the tears falling from my face, I shook the bars and stretched to reach him.
    “I’m trying Lours, but the bars are in the way!” Blood continued to flow out of him like a river, his breathing became slower and slower.
    “Rose, help it hurts,” he gasped, I sarted crying harder as his eyes started to drift close,
    “Help, anybody! Somebody!” I screamed giving up on trying to get out of the bars, I kept screaming for help as the rain drowned out my screams.
    “Rose…” Lours coughed, I looked at him some how I had gotten closer to him, I was close enough to grab his hand, I quickly twinned our fingers together as his breathing started coming is short painful gasps.
    “Hold on Lours, just hold on! I’ll save you.” He smiled at me and his eyes closed. “Lours please don’t die! I love you!” I screamed squeezing his hand, he squeezed back and his smile slowly started to fade. His mouth moved, but I couldn’t hear anything. “What did you say?” He gasped and his lips moved again forming what looked like the words “I love you too” I pressed my face against the bar. “Did you say I love you?” His face was really pale and he had stopped moving, I started crying again, “Rose..i..i..lo.” He gasped his hand slowly letting go of mine, I grabbed at it franticly, he had finally stopped pouring blood.
    “What?! You what?!” I screamed he gasped one more time then his hand became limp. “Lours?” I asked, he didn’t move so I called again, “Lours!” He didn’t move, once again, I screamed as tears streamed down my checks, rain pelted his making it look as though he was crying. “Lours speak to me!” I yelled, his wings lay behind him broken and torn. “LOURS!!!!” I screamed, I started crying harder as my yells became wailing sobs, I felt something wet and sticky land on my arm, I opened my eyes and my arms were covered in blood. “What the hell?” I said as I looked into the sky, instead of water it was raining blood, Lours blood. My eyes grew wide and I let out a blood curdling scream, my eyes flew open as I sat up my screams echoing threw the room, I felt arms wrap around me.
    “Rose! Shush you're ok! It was a nightmare!” I stopped screaming as I recognized Lours voice,
    “Lours?” I choked as he pulled away from me his hands wiping away my hair sticking to the sweat covering my face.
    “I’m right here, I told you I would stay here till you woke up, and I keep my promises.” I looked at his face my hand slowly reaching up to touch it, all of a sudden he was covered in blood like in the dream, I backed away from him and started screaming.
    “Rose!" He yelled grabbing me as I dug my nails into my head screaming.
    “No No No!!!! I’m sorry! I tried to save you!” He pried my hands out of my hair and grabbed the sides of my face making me look at him, the blood was gone and he was perfectly fine I stopped screaming and he smiled.
    “I’m fine, see I’m not dead.” I smiled at Lours and tears started to poor out of my eyes, I let out waling sobs as pulled me into him, he held me gentle as though I would brake if he held me too tight.

    Lours

    Rose had cried herself to sleep in my arms, she would once in a while whimper my name then say over and over again, “I’m sorry, so sorry.” I sat holding her wanting to know what she dreamed about that had made her let out gut curdling screams, the medic from before; who’s name I learned was Max, sat in my chair.
    “How is she?” He asked as her chest rose and fell peacefully, I pushed the hair out of her face and cradled her closer.
    “She stopped screaming when I made her look at me, then she cried herself to sleep, begging me to not let her go and stay with her.” He nodded and checked her heart monitor and iv drip,
    “Do you know why she just started freaking out?” I looked down at Rose’s face, her face was paler then usual and red from crying; I sighed and looked back up at him.
    “I have no clue! She just woke up screaming, stopped when she saw me, then as she reached for my face she blinked and her eyes grew wide and she let out blood curdling screams like she was dying.
    She then screamed, 'No no no, I’m sorry, I tried to save you.' I grabbed her and made her look me and she burst into tears sobbing, 'Thank god your alive,' over and over, after a while she cried herself to sleep, what ever that dream was I’m guessing it was really bloody. Rose never cries for anything or anyone, she says it’s a sign of weakness.”
    Max sighed and got out of the seat, as he was about to leave he looked back at me and said, “Maybe she dreamed you died, and she couldn’t help you.” I looked down at Rose and back up at him, but he was gone, I sat holding her his words bouncing around in my head. Rose rolled over in my arms and sighed happily as she cuddled my arm.
    “Lours,” She mumbled, I smiled softly at her and kissed her hair.
    “I love you Rose and I will never leave you.” She mumbled something else then started to snore softly, I chuckled and slowly moved so she was laying in my arms, “Sweet dreams, for by any other name as sweet as yours my Rose.” I kissed her head one more time then drifted off to sleep, wishing that we could stay like this forever.

    Rose
    I slowly opened my eyes and looked around the room, it smelled like a hospital. It was dark and cold; I sat up wondering where I was, wincing from the pain in my shoulder in doing so. I looked down and my left wing and shoulder were bandaged. I looked at it puzzled, a black fog covered my mind, then slowly it cleared and the memories came rushing back. I closed my eyes and clutched my head and stopped them going through each slowly, the mission, and then the fight with the guard, him impaling me. Ok, I thought. I was hurt, but what happened after that? I pressed deeper into my memories; I saw Lours being held at gunpoint, me saving him, splashing gasoline around the room, my wing giving out as I spiraled towards the ground. I smiled and kept going, Lours catching me and then him asking stuff and yelling at me, intense pain, Lours said something as I became very sleepy, but I don’t remember. Then everything is fuzzy from there. I let go of my head and strain my eyes to look around the room. I reached out and my hand landed on something soft, I looked next to me, and a man was lying there sleeping peacefully. I smiled as I realized who he was.
    “Lours.” I sighed happily, then I remember my dream. My eyes grew wide and I curled up into a ball sobbing quietly, trying not to wake him.
    “Rose?” He said sheepishly as he rested his hand on my shoulder, I looked at him, his long white hair was tangled and there were tearstains on his shirt.
    “Lours,” I croaked, “What happened after I passed out?” He sat up and tried to comb some of the tangles out.
    “The medics put you to sleep after you woke up screaming, when they put your shoulder back into it’s socket. Then you woke up a while ago screaming. Do you remember that?” I nodded and more tears ran down my check, he reached out and wiped them away.
    “Rose what happened?” I looked at him, remembering him laying there dying, and I couldn’t do anything, I shook my head and he grabbed my good shoulder.
    “Please tell me, I was so scared, and what happened to your shoulder?” I bit my lip and told him about the fight with the guard, then the dream. When I was done I burst into body jerking sobs, Lours sighed and pulled me into a hug.
    “Rose I was so worried you were pouring blood and barely breathing, then you woke up a day later screaming like someone was killing you, I just sat there! I didn't know what to do.” I buried my head into his shoulder,
    “I remember waking up, and you were covered in blood and I lost it, I thought that I had really lost you, after going crazy and my arm being put back into it’s socket, everything else after that is just a gray haze.” He smiled and pulled away to look at me,
    “it’s ok Rose, I’m alive, and you really didn’t miss anything.” I nodded and wiped the last bit of my tear from my eyes cursing at myself for crying in front of Lours.
    “Stupid tears, how long was I asleep for again.” He smiled and climbed off of the bed, his smell still lingered on the bed and me.
    "Almost two days."
    “Really?” I asked.
    “Yep, thought you were dead.” He said smiling as he went into the other room and changed. I laughed and looked around the room.
    “Hey Lours?” I asked.
    “Yes Rose?”
    “Where are we?” He chuckled as he came out of the bathroom switching on all of the lights; I flinched as my eyes strained to the bright light.
    “In one of the medical trucks, we can’t leave till they are done cleaning up the burned laboratory, and head quarts demanded that they don’t leave till you wake up and are stable enough to leave.” I nodded looked down at what I was wearing, I had on my same jeans, but instead of my black sweater I had on a white tank top with holes cut in the back for my wings. Lours noticed me looking and said, “your sweater was covered in blood, and there was a giant hole in it.” I nodded and my stomach growled, Lours laughed and walked over to the door and yelled something out of it, a minute later a guy in his mid thirdys with graying hair came in. He wore a blue shirt with the paramedic patch on it, “Rose, this is Max, he saved your life and has been keeping me company while you played Sleeping Beauty,” I blushed and stuck out my hand.
    “Hello nice to meet you, thank you for helping me.” He smiled and shock my hand.
    “Good morning Rose, it’s finally nice to see your awake, how’s the shoulder and wing.” I moved my shoulder and gasped sharply, he grabbed my shoulder and unwrapped the bandage. “It’s healing, but by the looks of it your going to have to use a sling for awhile and you wont be able to use your wing for couple of weeks.” I kicked myself mentally, I let my guard down and that guy kicked my a**, I looked at the gash and flinched, it was scabbed over and bruised from him shoving it so hard into my shoulder. I could tell it was deep, “so what did he do to me Max?” I asked as he changed the bandage on my shoulder and wing,
    “I was there when you told Lours the story so I only know little bits, as I go could you help piece together the story?” I nodded and swung my feet over the bed, I stared at the floor and sighed, “well when he threw you to the ground he dislocated your shoulder correct, that would explain the bruises on your lower and upper arm?” he asked and I nodded, I sighed and continued where he left of.
    “He threw me to the ground and was about to go for my gun when he noticed the glasscutter hidden in my bun, he grabbed it and drove in threw my wings and shoulder, pining me to the ground.” He nodded and waited for me to continue, I took a deep breath, “I reached for the glass cutter and he kicked me in the ribs leaving me breathless and he went for the gun, I caught my breath and yanked the glasscutter out of my shoulder and went after the a*****e, oh umm sorry for my language.” He smiled and placed his hand on mine,
    “Don’t be, he is an a*****e for what he did to you, now I understand where you got the bruise on your side, and how a piece of the cutter broke off and was imbedded into your wound, well after that you both went for the gun, and telling that you are still alive and the other guy is dead. You achieved the gun first and fired before he could do anymore damage to you?” I nodded and started shaking, the security guard got the better of me and made me brake my promise to Lours and one of the rules of being a Freer; term given to people who save Creations of the World. “Max, Rose hasn’t eaten anything for two, day’s could you get us something to eat?” Max turned away from me and smiled at Lours,
    “sure thing, the cook would love to hear that Rose has finally woken up, hell a lot of people are worried about her.” He said as he threw away the items he used one me, he smiled at Lours and me one more time then disappeared out of the door.

    Lours

    I slowly closed the door behind Max and looked over at Rose, she was staring at the floor again clutching her jeans, every time she was mad at herself she did that, she would clutch her bottoms till her knuckles turned paper white, I sighed and I opened my mouth to say something when Rose angrily said, “I’m so sorry Lours, I almost made us fail the mission, and I broke your promise.” Then on cue she looked away from the floor with her eyes closed, despised with herself, and she is probably making a mental noting that she needed more training. I sighed again and sat down beside her, she turned her face away from me, as she struggled not to cry, I looked at her wing and shoulder, pissed at myself that I let her get hurt. I was the one who failed not her, not her me, “Rose, it’s ok, it’s not your fault you got hurt, you were caught off guard.” I told her, she turned her face towards me, anger, pain, and sadness danced across her face,
    “YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND! I let my guard down and almost put the C.O.T.W. lives in danger, in my eyes I failed the mission.” I grabbed her chin and made her look at me, my heart aced to hold her as I told her now amazing she is, I smiled and I saw her relax a little.
    “Rose you did perfectly fine, you saved all of those people, and all of those scientist arrested, you’re the one who finished the mission, all I did was get in the way.” I told her as she shock her head and grabbed my hand and I felt my heart sped up,
    “you didn’t get in the way Lours you were so cool, I look up to you!” Her eyes went wide as mine did and we both blushed quickly looking away, I broke the silence laughing my face really red, I ruffed her hair.
    “Thanks Rose, I look up to you too.” She huffed like a little kid and tried to fix her hair as I got up and got her a change of clothes, “here, some of the girls when out and bought you new clothes.” I said as I tossed them to her, she smiled and tried to get up, I caught her as he knees gave out. I laughed and guided her to the bathroom; “you have been a sleep for so long, you have lost a bit of muscle so we are going to start working out when we get back.” She nodded and closed the door behind her a slight smile tugging on her face; I sat and waited for her to return. The door clicked as it open and she stepped out, the dress they bought her was a bit loss, Rose had lost a bit of weight while asleep, but she looked beautiful, he long hair hung loosely and the dress made her eyes pop. She looked like a porcelain doll, I wanted to run over and scoop her into my arms swinging her around kissing her and telling her over and over that I loved her, bit my lip and smiled, “you look adorable Rose.” She blushed a bit and was about to say something when the door opened and Max held two bowls of streaming stew, Rose sniffed the air and I saw her drooling, I chucked and she ran over to him, “that smells heavenly!” She said as he gave her a bowl, she sat down on the bed and tasted it, she sighed happily like a little kid and started eating faster, I laughed as I took my bowl from him.
    “Slow down you will get sick if you eat to fast Rose.” She stopped all of a sudden and looked like she was going to throw up, I went to get up and she swallowed and smiled at me letting me know she was fine.
    “By the way she is devouring that, it means it’s good?” Rose was swinging her legs as she ate her dark mood gone; I smiled and ate my soup knowing she was fine now.
    “Yep, Rose loves to eat, you can tell she really likes something when it takes her only a few minutes to eat.” Max laughed and took her bowl when she was done,
    “Would you like more?” Her eyes lit up, and she tried to act cool.
    “Yes please.” She said wiping at her mouth with the napkins he gave us, he chuckled and I passed him my bowl as he left. Rose got up and sat by me, her legs swinging back and forth.
    “So what did head quarts say?” she asked as she twisted her hair around her finger, she always did that when she knew Boss was mad at her, I sighed put my arm around her shoulder.
    “He wants to see us when we return to Texas, immediately. He said he had another mission, but he didn’t say for who.” I felt Rose stiffen, our boss is a good guy, but when we brake rules or come close to failing the mission he lays out on us hard. I have gotten use to it, but Rose is still a bit scared of him, she is always shaking when he calls us in, when he is done yelling at us Rose goes into her room and cries softly so I wont hear. Max came back a minute later and Rose ate happily, forgetting about the wrath she faces when she returns.

    ***

    The car slowed in front of a tall black building, C.O.T.W hung from it in big white letters, I looked at the building some of my favorite and worst memories. I smiled as I remembered the day I was brought here, Lours had flown me hear, barley alive, my ribs broken and I was bloody and unconscious. I woke up a day later confused and stared, the only thing I knew were bars and rain, when I opened my eyes, an eighteen year old boy stood over me, this odd scared look in his eyes, I flinched in fear from him.
    “Where am I?” I wailed, as I sat in the hospital bed, my body in pain, no recollection of what happened.
    The boy smiled at me and I felt my heart stop, “Morning Sleeping Beauty, I’m Lours I saved you from the laboratory you were born in.” I blinked at him confused, then my memories kicked in, fire, screaming, pain, hate, black wings, warmness, and freedom.
    I smiled at Lours, “Hi Lours, my name is Rosalina, thank you for finally freeing me.” I giggled and he smiled bigger, I blushed, “Hey Lours are you like me?” I asked, my wings bent, he smiled again and beautiful black wings exploded from his back, I gasped with awe, he reached over and petted my wings.
    “Hey Rosalina, can I call you Rose?” He asked grabbing my wings and flexing them, seeing how mine work, I looked at him, he had short white hair, black eyes and a square jaw, he was handsome, I stared at him a smile creeping across my face.
    “That sounds pretty. Hey Lours?” I asked my fingers playing with his wings; he gently tucked my wing back and looked at me.
    “Yes, Rose?” He said moving so I could get a better view of his wings.
    “Can we be best friends?” He looked at me, and a smiled exploded from his face, I blushed and my heart stopped.
    “I would love that.” He said his eyes sparking, I felt odd emotions not knowing what they were. I stared at him puzzled, as I was about to ask what they were a beautiful lady with fire colored hair stepped in, she had big lips and a warm motherly aura about her, she smiled at me and sat down.
    “Good morning.” She said, I stared at her and Lours chuckled and put his hand on mine,
    “Rose, this is Ms. Tilley, she is the doctor that resides over C.O.T.W.” I stared confused, I looked at Lours then her, then back at him.
    “What is a doctor? Who is C.O.T.W?” Lours looked at me surprised, then he looked angrily at the pretty lady.
    “What did he keep her locked in a cage her whole childhood and taught her nothing?” Ms. Tilley sighed and pulled Lours to the side, I tilted my head and got up my legs giving out under me and my feet touched the ground.
    “Rose!” Lours yelled as he ran and caught me, I giggled and wobbled.
    “Sorry ,Lours, my legs aren’t working.” I said giggling; I had not been taught much when I was trapped in the cage, only enough to interact with others and to be able to speak.
    “Rose, just say in bed for now ok?” He asked helping me back onto the bed, my side hurting a little.
    “Hey Lours, my side hurts.” He smiled at me sadly.
    “I’ll tell you what happened later, Rose just sit and be quiet.” I nodded and laid down listening to him and the lady whisper.
    “Rose? ROSE!?” Lours yelled in my ear, I snapped out of the memories.
    “Yes, Lours?” I asked acting like I wasn’t in memories lane, he smiled at me like I was a kid.
    “Were you day dreaming?” I smiled and laughed,
    “No Lours, I was thinking.” He sighed and petted my head, we got out of the car and walked up to the building, fliers and freer greeted us as they left and entered, we nodded and said our "Hi’s" and "Hello’s". Cindy waved at me when we entered, I nodded to her wave and Lours and I got into the elevator, I was annoyed with the sling I wore and the over sized coat hiding my wings. I looked up as we reached the top floor, my heart sped up and I was shaking.
    “Rose, calm down, you will be fine.” Lours told me as he patted my head, I stared at the ground my stomach in knots.
    “Hello, Rose and Lours, the Boss will see you soon.” Said Melody his secretary as we sat down. Lours put his hand on mine and squeezed, I smiled my fear easing a little, he smiled and my stomach flipped.
    “The boss will see you now,” Melody said as she opened the door, Lours squeezed my hand once more and then he was business Lours again, no emotion in his face. I followed behind him, Boss sat with an angry look on his face, for the years I’ve worked under Boss, he has not aged well, his hair is graying and falling out, his skin lose and wrinkling. I felt bad for him, he was handsome and young when I met him, and now all the stress has put a danger on his life.
    “Rosalina, Lourstan, I’m quite disappointed with the results of your last mission.” I played with the hem of my dress, trying not to look away from him, “Lours I would like to know how you were as careless enough that the guard you stunned had the upper hand of you and held you at point until Rosalina arrived, to save your sorry a**?” Lours remained cold and distant,
    “My apologies sir, I was careless, and I will not let it happen again.” Boss sighed and pinched his nose.
    “I’ll let it slip this one time! One! But if you screw up again, Lourstan Mist, your a** will be suspended for three months.” Lours nodded, Boss looked at me and I stiffed, “Lourstan you may leave. I need to talk to Rosalina.” Lours stiffed and his face became worried, he glanced at me his eyes scared, I bit my lip and he looked away regaining his mask,
    “Yes sir.” He gently brushed his hand with mine as he left, I felt weak as he shuffled some papers.
    “Rosalina I’m disappointed with you the most, your carelessness got yourself hurt, and you killed a man, you could of gotten the C.O.T.W killed too.” I flinched.
    “I’m sorry sir, I let my guard down and he got the better of me, I will train more, and become better for the next mission.” Boss sighed and shook his head.
    “I’m sorry Rosalina, but until that shoulder and wing is healed I can’t have you doing anything else, you may leave now.”
    My jaw dropped and I shook with anger, “But sir.” He looked up at me angrily, his face turning red.
    “No buts, Rosalina! I don’t need you getting in Lourstan’s way, you are suspended for a month, now as you leave tell Lours I need to finish talking to him.”
    I nodded stiffly and mumbled, “Yes sir,” as I left. Lours sat with a worried look on his face, when he heard the door open his head shot up and he looked at me puzzled and scared.
    “Boss wants to speak to you.” I mumbled as I walked past him to the elevator, Lours shouted after me, but I ignored him as I entered the elevator. Lours looked away from me sadly as he entered into Bosses office again, as the doors closed I clasped into tears, my whole body numb, “You will only get in Lours way,” rung threw my head, he is right, I’m a nuisance to Lours, I thought to myself as I curled into a ball.