#shadysoulearthquake

There's been many nights when she wakes to find a blanket draped over her, him asleep in the chair next to her as he is now. He’s also been sure to make sure she eats and has even tried to get her to leave the room to get some real sleep. Of course she doesn’t listen to him on that front, nor does he take his own advice.

To others his softness may come as a surprise, but not to her. The tenderness he saves for his family, and now for her, is one of the many things she loves about the man.

Love. That’s why she here. Some time ago, it feels like decades but is really only weeks, she decided to turn her back on the resistance for the three men she loved.

There was no regretting her decision to join the Project, yet she did regret how dumb she had been about it. She only cared about being with them, she did not stop to consider how the Resistance would handle her betrayal.

They hit the compound hard guns a blazing. It was surreal to see her former friends shoot at her. The odd turn of events had her moving slowly so she didn't notice the red dot of a sniper on her chest at first.

Joseph did though, and he jumped out in front of her, saving her life but getting hit in the head in process.

Jacob and his men were able to stop the fight fairly quickly, still the damage had been done. She remembered Jacob and John’s face as they ran up to find Joseph in her lap as she hopelessly tried to stop the blood from gushing.

That was three days ago. The doctors were able to get him stable but he had been in a coma since.

Sleep deprivation has her mind in a fog, so she nearly misses the small movement of the fingers in her hands. Her head snaps up to scan his face.

The Father moves his head slightly and his eyes begin to blink slowly taking in the light of the room. One of Rooks hands let go of his to distractedly shake John’s leg to wake him.

The younger brother shoots up abruptly taking in the sight of her standing and hovering over the bed.

John stands as well “Rook… what is it? Is he?”

“Brother” Joseph answers his younger brothers worried questions for her. His voice is soft and hoarse but he has a smile on his lips.

The other two just look at him in shock and relief. They had both feared that they may not hear his voice again.

The Herald next to her reaches out to squeeze her hand then Josephs, she moves out of his way as the two brothers bring their heads together. They stay like that a moment before John stands and leaves the room, presumably to get a doctor and Jacob.

Once alone with Joseph, Rook finds she can no longer keep in her tears. She had been trying to put on a brave face for the others during the waiting.

“Oh my dear one. Come here.” Joseph eyes are filled with love and concerns as though she was the one who was shot and not him.

She follows his order and steps forward to take his hand again. He reaches forward to pull her forehead to his.

“I will be okay my love. This is not my time, God has assured me I will see Eden.”

“”I was so worried Joseph.” she manages to get out.

Her tears fall heavy now as she moves her head down to lightly touch their lips together. She wants to jump into the bed with him, show just how much she’s missed him, but she knows she can’t, not just yet anyways.

They break their kiss when the others come into the room.

Jacob embraces Joseph in the Seed manner of touching foreheads before the doctor examines him.  

While the doctor looks over their leader, Jacob uses the opportunity to leave. He hasn’t been by much at all.

Joseph's eyes watch his older brother walk out the room then meet the Deputy’s. They have a wordless conversation as he silently pushes her to go after him.

As she pushes out the door she’s happy to see the older man hasn’t gone far. He’s sitting in a chair, blankly staring at nothing.

She slowly approaches and stands in front of him. He lets out a heavy sigh as her small soft hands begin to comb through his hair.

“You’ve been avoiding us.” She says as a soft statement.

His head slumps forward in shame “What good am I if I can’t protect you? All of you?”

Her movements through his hair stop as she forces herself in to his lap, her hands moving down to cup both sides of his face, forcing him to look her in the eye.

“You have done nothing but protect us, we would all be dead if you didn’t put an end to that resistance insurgence.” She pauses a moment to let that sink in. “but you are so much more than that too, you are a brother, strong, and one of the men that I love more than anyone or anything in this world.”

Jacob tries to shake his head from her grasp but she wont let him. Instead she pulls him forward to capture him in a kiss.

They stay like that a moment before she stands again. Taking his hand, she leads back into Joseph’s room.

The two other brothers are discussing the Project but quiet down when they enter.

“Is everything okay?” John asks concerned.

“It is now.” Rook says with a smile as she looks over each man, happy they they are all together and well.

She walks Jacob over to the small couch next to the bed. The two standing men sit down then pull her down on top of them. Her head leaning on John’s lap as his hands being to card through her hair and her legs rest on Jacob’s lap, his hands placed protectively on top of them.

Lastly she reaches her hand out to take hold of Joseph taking great joy in the liveliness of his hold.