We were still in the bell tower, Sophie downstairs showering after cleaning up her ad-hoc surgical area. We'd transferred Patrick onto a cot, still lying on his stomach to keep pressure off the wound. She'd given him a shot of a broad spectrum antibiotic to ward off infection, and then went off to shower. He didn't need a ventilator, as the bullet had just nicked a lung, not collapsing it. He'd almost bled to death however, and was taking another bag of blood that Sophie and Mark kept on hand for such an emergency. I was getting a first hand inventory of just what all the two of them had prepared for, and was shocked while at the same time thankful. If not, Patrick could’ve died.
Sophie was almost staggering herself, the stress and exhaustion finally overcoming her. Mark told her to get some sleep, he'd watch Patrick while she did. She kissed him on the cheek and headed downstairs, leaving the two of us up there.
I was too wired to sleep, as all I could do was look at the still unconscious Patrick. He looked like he was sleeping, and Sophie said she’d given him a mild sedative to let him rest through the night. I looked over at Mark, who was sitting on top of a footlocker that contained some of the bell tower's arsenal. He said something, and I shook my head.
"Sorry, what?"
"I asked if you knew," Mark repeated, concern in his eyes. "Did you even suspect?"
I shook my head. "Mark, how can you suspect someone of something like this? I mean, the odds of this are.... astronomical, aren't they?"
"Yeah," Mark replied, sighing. "I guess so. But still, you didn't suspect him of anything?"
"No," I said. "He's been a good couple of dates, and well, yes, we had sex. But while he's not been too forthcoming with his past, considering what he told me, I can see why. Did you brag to Sophie when you were first dating about your past in the Confederation? How long did it take for her to know most of the gory details?"
"Months," Mark admitted. "Some details that, well, I don't even tell myself happened sometimes. Over eighty deaths, even more injured…. you don't tell people about it unless you have to."
We sat in silence, watching Patrick, both of us lost in our heads. As I watched, I thought. Why did I panic and freeze up? Was it because of the sight of the blood? Was it because of the surprise that Patrick was the other vigilante? Or was it because of how I felt about him? I could deny it publicly, and I wouldn't be willing to say anything to Patrick yet about it either, but in my heart I knew I cared for him. The days we weren't able to see each other, I was filled with a pleasant ache thinking about him, his smile and his wit. I missed him, and even talking to him over the phone helped. Even still, if this revelation would’ve been before I met Mark, I would have told Patrick to get lost. But my life has been opened to a world I never knew existed, and all this craziness has almost become normal to me.
It wasn't just the sex with Patrick, either. While amazing, the best in my life actually, we'd only had that one night. My memories of him were filled with other things, little details like how his green eyes sparkled in the evening lights, or how he had been like a little kid enjoying the Spartans game we'd gone to.
Was I in love with him? At that time, I honestly would say no. Was I falling in love with him? There was a niggling voice in my head that insisted yes, despite all the problems that could arise from that fact.
"So what now?" I asked Mark. "I assume you've been thinking about that."
"On which front?" he asked. "Patrick's public life side or this new side of him that we’ve discovered?”
"Both, I guess," I said. "And us, too. When he wakes up, what are we going to tell him? I doubt you can transport him back to his apartment right now, and I don't know his address."
"He lives in The Playground, I know that," Mark said, "but you're right, I don't know his exact address right now either. Not off the top of my head. On the vigilante side, not much is going to need to change. He's stirred up a hornet's nest in Filmore Heights, but with the sight of me there and the evenness of his attacks, we won't see a cook off in gang warfare, at least I don't think so. The Latin Kings might try to take some advantage, they weren't hit like the others were, but they've always been slow moving compared to the others. The 88s and GDs are both hurt, but not to such an extreme that it would invite invasion from the others. I'll probably do a surveillance run Monday night, just to see what's going on. The cops will be heavy around there too after this, but since I don't think anyone died, I suspect they'll be there to keep the gangs away from each other more than to try and arrest anyone."