Michael stood on the threshold to the sheriff's lonely hospital room. The white walls reminded him of that room Max had been tortured in. The smell of antiseptic assaulted his nostrils. He didn't really want to go in.
The first step was the hardest, but it still wasn't easy to go willingly into the room. He had never been completely comfortable in hospitals, and today was no exception. Particularly today, when he knew the man lying unconscious on the bed, and knowing he was indirectly responsible.
Slowly, Michael made his way to the sole bed in the room, checking one last time to make sure Kyle was nowhere to be found. He stood over the sheriff, awkwardly looking down at him, shoving his hands into this pockets.
"Hey," he said uncomfortably to the man on the bed. He wasn't sure exactly what to say, or if there was even a point. Could the sheriff hear what he was saying anyway?
The beeping of the heart monitor the sheriff was hooked up to filled the silence. Michael just looked at the man, lying helpless in the bed. Without his badge, without his gun, without his clothes. All this because of them.
"I'm sorry," Michael finally said, still uncomfortable, "I'm sorry that you ended up like this. You weren't even supposed to know about us. We weren't even around to help you, and we almost got your son killed as well."
Michael wasn't good with apologies, or at expressing what he was feeling. All he knew was that deep down he felt that he owed the sheriff, more than the words he was expressing, but it was the best he could do at the moment. No matter how much he had mistrusted the sheriff before, he had showed his loyalty above and beyond what was necessary.
"We'll make this up to you," Michael said, jamming his hands in his pockets. "We'll find a way to heal you. Hey, maybe we'll even find some sort of spell or something that makes you forget you even know us. God knows that would makes your life easier, make everyone's life easier."
"Damn right it would," Michael heard a voice behind him say. He whirled around to find Kyle walking into the room, carrying a styrofoam cup of coffee, still looking like he hadn't slept in months. "What are you doing here Michael?"
"Talking to your dad," Michael said shortly, not wanting to explain himself to Kyle.
"He's not exactly up for witty conversation," Kyle said sarcastically, "I don't see a reason for you to be here."
"I was just apologizing to him, but I'll be happy to leave," Michael said, beginning to walk to the door.
Kyle warred with his pride, but finally said to Michael as he was just about to go out the door, "Wait."
Michael turned, hands still in his pockets. He didn't say anything, just looked at Kyle expectantly. The sheriff's son sighed and mumbled, "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Michael said with a dry laugh, "Hell Kyle, I agree with you. This is all our fault. We both know it's not human forces who put your father in this mess."
"At least I know you didn't mean for him to get hurt," Kyle said quietly. "As much as it kills me to say this, dad made his own choices. I know you didn't pull the trigger, or Max and Isabel. This just hasn't been easy for me. This specific few months, or the rest of my life with dad as an alien hunter."
"It's hard on everyone," Michael said simply, walking back into the room. "Max and Isabel even more than anyone else. You want to know something Kyle? They told their parents for the first time that they are aliens, and you know what? Their mother and father think they're crazy. They won't believe them. Max and Isabel don't even have any kind of parents anymore."
Kyle just shook his head as he started down at his still father. He turned back to Michael and sighed, "I understand Michael, and I know deep down that it's hard for them too. Doesn't mean I'm ever going to like Max though."
"He's not exactly my favourite person in the universe either," Michael said with a short laugh. "But, I suppose he's my friend. He and Isabel have been all I've had until recently. I won't forget that, but I'm still upset with him."
Kyle nodded, not really understanding. Kyle had people in his life since day one. Even with his mother gone, he still had family and friends. Kyle flashed back to that day when Tess had died. "I'm sorry for yelling at you about Tess's death," he said awkwardly to Michael. "I know it wasn't your fault. You were just saving Maria. I was just so upset, and then we disposed of her like she meant nothing."
Michael didn't tell Kyle that even though Tess was supposedly part of their destinies, she had meant nothing. He didn't think that would be a good thing to mention though. In fact, Michael didn't say anything like that. "Why did she mean so much to you?" He was honestly curious, he didn't know Tess used to have any redeeming values.
Kyle shook his head. "It wasn't her so much as what we did. I didn't love her or anything Michael, she had kissed me once, but I knew it meant absolutely nothing to her. I'm just not accustomed to violent deaths, not among people I know at all. Honestly, just don't ever tell anyone, I was scared. Scared that could happen to me, and I'd begone with a wave of Max's hand."
Michael didn't say anything else. A doctor walked into the room to check on the sheriff's vitals. Michael had seen the doctor when they had come yesterday, she had been standing at the desk when they had walked in. Kyle stepped back from the bed to let her get to his father.
There was nothing unusual about the doctor, and Michael was minding his own business. But, when she lifted up her arms to change the IV, Michael noticed under her jacket she had a gun stuck in the waistband of her pants. And not a regular gun either. A ray gun. Just like the evil aliens had carried.
TBC..........
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