Enver teetered on the verge of sanity. His blood rushed to hear Imogen’s words, how she didn’t want to go back to the compound or Hiram. She had changed so much, perhaps they had changed each other. At some point she had become his and he felt it in his bones that there was no going back. Hearing himself say it out loud sent a thrill through his body and he wanted to say it again, to make her scream that she would be his forever.

He squeezed her tighter, trying to tell her with his body he meant it. He meant everything that came with the words he spoke. The tension in her shoulders faded. Her fingers unclenched, sliding down and before he realized it she had fallen asleep.

“What a mess you are at times.” He cooed, laying her down on his bed.

He couldn’t resist sweeping the short locks of hair from her forehead. Her face still blotchy from tears did nothing to disrupt her beauty. The way her jaw curved and lead into her delicate chin. Her lips unfolding like petals of an iris. She curled around his hand. The cold metal never seemed to deter her from his touch. He pulled away slowly and watched for a moment until he was satisfied she would rest easy.

An emergency rolled through the door, shouts echoing up through the stairway from the Ward. Two men limped in, one with an arm thrown over the other. He was barely coherent with blood streaming down his face while the over seemed externally fine on quick inspection. Enver took the more seriously injured man from the other and shuffled to an empty cot. Most of the Ward had cleared out, a few longer term patients lingered in their beds, but it was the rare occasion where the room wasn’t even close to capacity.

“What happened?” Enver glanced at the man.

Where have I seen him before?

“Bar fight.” He grumbled, backing into the corner.

“Right…” Enver’s instincts clawed at his gut. “Any idea what he was hit with?”

Enver reached for tweezers and caught a glimpse of a green shard of glass.

“Beer bottle.” The dark haired man’s eyes scanned the room, he was on edge and fidgety. Never a good sign. “Is it just you here? Where’s the nurse?”

The muscles in Enver’s shoulders tensed, “She’s busy at the moment. Why?”

“Uh,” The man’s face flushed and his hands dove into his pockets. “Who are you?”

“I’m the doctor.” Another chunk of glass clanked into the metal pan and Enver wiped the seeping blood from the wound so he could seal it closed. “Did you hit him with the bottle?”

The stranger stiffened, a scowl across his face, “What kind of fucking question is that?”

Enver stood up, he had a few inches on the stranger. “The kind I ask when something doesn’t line up, asshole.”

The man was already backed into a corner, making the few strides it took Enver to cross the room intimidating to anyone.

“What if I did? What are you going to do about it?” The dark-haired stranger licked his lips.

From what Enver could pick apart, the stranger lacked sleep and there was hints of a deep rooted paranoia in the twitches and movements he made. “There’s not a lot of concern about the law out here, but I need the full story to treat your friend. So calm yourself down. You don’t want to pick a fight with me, you’ll lose.”

Another step forward and the man’s hand flew from his pocket. The flash of the blade didn’t even warrant a flinch from Enver as it connected with his arm. After facing enemies and losing too many brothers in arm who never reconciled with they upgrades, he had embraced his cybernetics. There was value in using it as a shield. The blade sparked against the cybernetic bicep and snapped. It clamored to the ground between them.

The man paled. He had succeeded in pissing off a Cyborg bigger than himself, and an ex-military one at that.

Enver hadn’t reacted to the knife, his experience in battle had made him numb to small slights and pitiful attempts to harm metal that didn’t bleed. He remembered now, where he had seen the man before. This was Hiram, this was the mother fucker who had left her in the alley sobbing and rejected her for who she had managed to become despite this shitty world. He wanted to hear him say it, say why he had braved to be here and to even pull a knife.

“Why are you asking about the nurse?” Growled Enver, a burning building in his chest.

“I’m trying to find Imogen.” He stuttered. “I need her.”

Enver’s eyes widened. “You’re Hiram.”

“How do you know my name?” His face wrenched in disdain. “How dare you speak my name you—”

Enver stepped closer and gripped the front of Hiram’s coat. “She doesn’t want you. You made it clear in the city you didn’t want her anymore either. So, get the fuck out.”

“I need her!” Hiram’s panic turned to a crazed look. “You don’t understand! I am her Adam, she is my Eve.”

Enver gritted his teeth, a newfound rage building hotter with every word Hiram spewed. “There’s no place for her in the compound, face it. If you love her like you say you do, you know she belongs here.”

Hiram shook his head, laughter building, “You’re delusional. Who would ever want to live here?”

Enver jerked Hiram forward then bashed his back against the wall.

The laughter stopped.

“She’s tricked you.” He switched tactics, though nothing would work. Enver held nothing more than than broken husk of what used to be a sane person in his hands. “I’ll take her back home. I can go back home as long as I have her with me. I’ll take the bitch off your hands and get rid of her! Promise!”

“You’ve lost your mind.” He released Hiram with a sigh. The medic in Enver knew arguing with someone this broken was a waste of time. “If they made that deal, they want her more than you. These aren’t the forgiving kind of people.”

Enver turned his back on Hiram. The man was desperate, but no threat to a trained vet like him. Instead of wasting his time he refocused on the victim lying on the cot.

Hiram had figured out Imogen worked in the Ward so he had hurt someone to get in here without being questioned. His mind had clearly shattered, the logic of just fucking coming in and asking like a normal person beyond him. If anything, Enver felt sorry for him.

A primal scream burst from the corner. Enver turned in time for Hiram to crash into him, throwing him across his injured patient. Hiram’s skull knocked into his injured ribs, the heat of pain roared through Enver.

“I’m taking what’s mine!” The medical tray spilled across the floor, instruments skittering as they fell across the tile. “Give me Imogen!”

Between the searing pain and Hiram’s flailing punches, Enver could no longer contain his rage. He grabbed Hiram by the throat and tossed him to the side. He smacked against the wall hard before hitting the floor.

Enver stood, the man beneath him on the cot waking up from the jostling. Enver turned to Hiram who scooted backwards away from the irate cyborg. He reached down and took hold of Hiram’s neck. He lifted him high, pressing him against the wall.

Hiram’s feet dangled inches off the ground. He gurgled, eyes bulging as the flow of oxygen could no longer find its way to his lungs.

“Enver!” Imogen’s voice cut through the blinding rage and he dropped Hiram. “What in the hell is going o— Hiram?”

She stood in the doorway, eyes unreadable as she took in the scene before her.

“Imogen…” Hiram croaked, a sinister smile on his face and tears in his eyes. “I’m here.”

Enver grabbed his side, pressing against the growing pain. He fought the weak sensation in his legs.

“Enver!” Imogen ignored the broken man on the floor. “Are you going to be ok?”

“Sorry…” he snorted, “You said I should fight.” He tried to laugh, but the sharp pain ended his attempt. “He came for you.”

Imogen’s face crumbled. She turned to face Hiram and Enver’s heart clenched. He wanted her all to himself, not even to share a room with that son of a bitch.

Hiram pulled himself to his feet, leaning on the wall and rubbing his neck.

“Hiram, why are you here for me now?’’ She kept her distance, his excited smile put Enver on edge. “You pulled a knife on me. The things you said…”

Her eyes fell to the blade on the floor. Enver watched as her eyes widened before she turned to him, scanning him over until she found the cut fabric and the metal arm shining beneath it. Blood rushed to her face.

“You pulled a knife on me and now on Enver? I don’t even know who you are anymore. Did I ever?”

“We can leave this shithole, Imogen.” He pleaded, reaching his hands out to her. “You don’t have to live like this anymore. We can be together again.”

She frowned, stepping closer to Enver. “Is that what the elder’s told you? That we’d be allowed to be together? Or did they want you to bring me back so you got to go home?”

The smile dropped off Hiram’s face and his tone turned dark, “Listen here, you bitch. I’m going home and if that means I have to drag your ass back to the compound by your stupid short hair, I will. You’re not going to ruin my life twice.”

Enver stood and Hiram winced. “Get the fuck out.”

“Hiram,” Imogen said. His panicked eyes finally met hers. “I’m sorry I never realized how weak you were. I’m not going back there. I belong here now. You should try to start over.”

“Fuck you!” He waved his arm pushing the suggestion away as if it were a hornet. “Why the fuck would anyone want to live here? It’s everything we were raised to resist. The temptation, the excess, the technology. This is hell on Earth.”

Enver crossed the room with speed even he didn’t know he was capable of. He grabbed Hiram’s shirt in a fist, and shoved him out of the Ward.

Imogen followed close on his heels as he dragged the broken man into the street. Flinging him to the dirt, Enver’s chest rose and fell with the pulse of pure anger.

“You have your answer, now leave. Don’t ever fucking step foot in the deadlands again.”

Enver took Imogen’s arm, pulling her inside.

I won’t let him have you.

“Enver.” She broke through her shock, realizing he was wheezing. “Your ribs.”

“I’m fine…” Sweat poured off him as he rode out the pain. His head spun and his balance faltered, but he held on to Imogen. He did it all for her. “I’m fine…”

“You’re not!” She broke free, glaring at him. “You’re repeating yourself, lift your shirt.”

He gave her a reluctant look. “No.” He started for the stairs. “I just need to lay down.”

“I’m not going to leave you alone until I see…”

He halted, interrupting her words.

“I know. I want you to come with me.” He didn’t check to see if she’d followed, he still seethed and the sharp sting of every breath and step was torture. “The ace bandage should still be on my dresser.”

She fell silent, following him to his room and slamming the door behind them. Enver wasted no time pulling off his shirt, a grunt breaking through as he raised his arms. The cracked ribs were already changing color, Hiram had managed to undo the healing done so far.

When he sat on the edge of the bed, hissing as he did so, he caught a glimpse of Imogen’s face.

“Why are you crying?” He gave her his best half-hearted smile. “You didn’t crack your ribs for a second time, I did.”

“This is my fault.” She whispered, climbing behind him and wrapping the bandage around his injury once more. “I chased after Hiram back then. If I hadn’t, he would have never known to come here for me.”

“Stop it.” He grabbed her hand after it pinned the bandage in place and kissed her fingers. “He’s gone now. I don’t think he has the balls to brave coming back to face me again.”

“I hope not.” She jolted to her feet, “Oh no, we left a mess downstairs.”

He grabbed her, yanking her back on the bed beside him. “Leave it. The patient is fine and it’s nothing that can’t wait.”

He rolled an arm around her, forcing her to lay down next to him. “Lay here with me.”

“I don’t think you should be getting frisky—”

He laughed, nuzzling her neck. “We don’t have to fuck every time we lay in my bed, Imogen.” He could feel the heat of her blushing. “Just lay here, so I know your safe.”

“But I have work—” He squeezed her tighter. “And you won’t rest if I stay here.”

“I will, I promise,” he said, placing a kiss against her jaw.

She ran her hand across his cybernetic arm until her finger found the nick Hiram’s blade had left behind. “Part of me wishes I had seen his face when he landed this hit.”

Enver smiled, kissing her cheek. “He was definitely close to pissing his pants when the knife just snapped off.”

She rolled to face Enver nose to nose. “For the record, I refuse to mend the same injury for the rest of our days.”

He laughed, then winced. “I’m never cracking my ribs again, I promise.”

“Good.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “You were so angry.”

His smile faded. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I won’t—”

She kissed him, her tongue reaching out to him before pulling back. “You didn’t scare me. I felt… safe.”

Rubbing his forehead with hers, he sighed.

Sleep weighed him down, his ribs throbbing.

Imogen kissed his lips, softly this time, before cuddling close against his collarbone. He tried to take in a deep breath, but his body refused. The heat of her body echoed into his own, sleep pulling him further into the abyss of darkness. Every time he was injured like this, his body wanted to lose itself to slumber. Perhaps the nanites in his bloodstream working to heal him had something to do with this, but he had her in his arms. His world was safe, there beside him.

Knock. Knock. Knock

“Are you ok, Enver?” A voice shouted through the door. Sounded like Chance. Good. He would take care of things while he slept. “Downstairs is a fucking shit show and the patients say there was a fight.”

“He’s resting.” Imogen shouted into his chest. “A man attacked him, but he’s ok.”

He wanted to call back, but he couldn’t pry his eyes open.

Flashes of the war raced through his mind. He had been trained on par with the other soldiers, plus received essentially full medical training as a medic. The insanity in Hiram’s eyes was no different than those from his past, people who saw nothing more than a cyborg trained to kill. Worse, the short encounter and rise in anger had fueled his other secret worry. He feared nothing more than becoming one of them, one of the shattered remains of what used to be a man.

Imogen was his lifeline, the one thing in his miserable existence keeping his head above water. If he lost her, he may never be able to find his way out of the nightmares he saw every time he slept.

She shifted under his arm and his heart fluttered. She pulled the cover over him and shoved her back against his body. He spooned her, holding her as tight as he dared and rubbing his face in the back of her head.

He never wanted to leave this moment.