Rebirth Into My Second Chance

Max was in pain, yet there he was, leading me to stitch him up. By the third stitch, he let out a sharp hiss. It snapped me back to reality to see his face turn paler, drained of all color.

I had always known Max to be the cold, unapproachable type, yet undeniably skilled and not without warmth. His actions of taking a hit for Ronald spoke volumes of his loyalty. Seeing him weakened, I couldn't help but voice my concern, "Max, can you hang in there?"

He nodded slightly, eyes closing as he let go, entrusting the task entirely to me. I pushed aside all other emotions, concentrating solely on securing six more stitches with precision.

He leaned against Ronald. His breathing was erratic, sometimes heavy, sometimes barely there.

I said, "I must get you some antibiotics and a tetanus shot. I'll go sort it out."

Hospital protocols were strict, but Max seemed keen on keeping his injury under wraps. Why he insisted on secrecy puzzled me deeply.

After discarding my latex gloves and noticing how my blisters had burst open, I grimly set about cleaning the wound further, dousing it with almost half a bottle of disinfectant. Clutching my wrist in pain, I remained silent. Ronald seemed about to speak, but a shake of my head silenced him, not wanting to disturb Max.

With Max in such a fragile state, I managed to get the medication, running into a nurse who recognized me as an intern. "Dr. Floyd, what happened to you?"

"Just a minor burn and touched some rust. Better safe with tetanus." I explained.

The nurse hesitated, but I insisted I handle it alone, knowing the ER was busy.

After administering Max's injections in the treatment room, Ronald and I sneaked him back to his office, which had a small rest area.

After settling Max, Ronald turned to me, gesturing at my bandaged hand. "Your injury wasn't that bad at first Ms. Floyd, that's impressive. Aren't you curious why Max doesn't

ant

others to know about his injury?"

While tending to my hand, the pain was bearable, nothing compared to past experiences. And I also wanted to see how Gabrielle would react to my injury the next day.

"Mr. Collins, I was wondering about the man who attacked you, Scar Man. Do you know his name?" I inquired, changing the subject.

Dropping the previous topic, Ronald

admitted they didn't have a lead yet. "But I'm interested in this Serenity Bluff you mentioned. It sounds like a place worth checking out."

His immediate alertness was palpable.

"Ms. Floyd, I'll look into it right away. Take care of Max for me," he said, rushing off, the dedicated officer as ever.

I hadn't revealed Scar Man's real name, Daniel, to avoid arousing suspicion.

Outside, the moon hung like a crescent blade in the sky, signaling a turning point. Those who had wronged me wouldn't get off easy. Checking on Max, I found him sound asleep.

Earlier, while stitching, I had forgotten to check his shirt for the initials "MH." Now, with Max sleeping like a log, I boldly approached.

Ronald had undone some of Max's

buttons, but the shirt remained under the covers. I gently lifted the blanket, careful not to wake him. As 1 was about to reach for his shirt, Max's eyes snapped open, grabbing my bandaged hand. Losing my balance, I fell forward, pressing against his bare chest, feeling the warmth of his skin against mine.