A Billionaire's Bodyguard

Chapter 55: A single text can make a whole day

--------------- Tim's POV: -----------------

Today had been awful. 

I laid in bed, my constant battle against my eyelids persisting as they threatened to shut, the invisible weights holding them down had been especially strong this time around. 

Today had been a mash of everything I hated, event's filled to the brim with old gentlemen laughing as if born a few centuries too late, women trying and failing to hide their drunken stupor, and tight clothing. Then came the mountains of work. In between event's I was stuck in the back of a car, forcing my fingers to go faster then was comfortable in order to fill out documents, barely being able to scan over them and hoping that the lawyer who'd previewed them had been more careful then I was being. I'd missed a date, Bernard had been hopeful that tonight would be the night, but then just as we'd been walking in to our reservation an emergency came up, forcing me away and by the time I was done, not only had I acquired a nasty busted lip but our reservation had been given away. 

Bernard tried to tell me it was okay but I knew he was disappointed, fuck, I was disappointed. It wasn't hard to see it in his posture. 

I was failing. 

I was failing in my relationship, in my job, in my etiquette. It was slipping through my fingers. 

Maybe I would've gotten over this on any other day, or week, but not this week, not today. Percy was gone, she'd been MIA, unresponsive while out on her 'girl trip' which had been revealed to be false. After a while of not answer texts, calls, or home visits, we'd called Percy's emergency contact, getting an older gentleman who ran a gym. Her old boss. He'd relayed us to her friend, Alyssa, the one she was supposed to go on a trip with, but to our surprise and dismay, Alyssa wasn't on some trip, and Percy surly hadn't gone with her. 

She hadn't seen Percy for weeks. 

Percy had left. 

It was hard to pin point what had happened, but everyone took it hard, especially Bruce. 

I feared it was because we finally scared her off. Getting shot was a lot, even for someone who looked experienced like Percy. Who knew what those scars came from.

We'd fianlly done it, scared her off once and for all. We were a crime fighting family, constantly getting hunted down by villains who never gave up, never ceased, never ended. It was normal for her to run away, it was better even. It proved she was sane unlike us. 

But if it made so much sense, why did it ache. My chest felt like an ice pick had been launched into it, piercing my heart and forcing the pain to circulate throughout every limb. 

Percy felt different, felt brave, felt like a fit for this family. Someone who wouldn't back down. 

Yet she was gone. 

No goodbye, but a lie. 

An empty promise. 

The thought hurt more then her leaving in fact. She left us with hope, and then disappeared, and with her the hope disappeared as well. I'd stopped texting. It didn't take much to catch a hint. Poor Damien still tried, sending her homework assignments and threatening us that he'd tell Percy. That threat always put a damper on the mood. 

The sounds of a window slamming down the hall brought me back to reality. 

My vision was blurred, a warm feeling now rapidly cooling as I stared at the ceiling, the warmth of my bed not being nearly enough. My lip stung still, sending spikes of pain through my mouth and chin area. 

Today sucked. 

I sat up, placing a hand over my eyes as I did a combination of wiping my tears and pinching the bridge of my nose.

I clenched my jaw, letting out a short sigh. 

I needed sleep. 

For once the usually annoying activity seemed delightful, something to take my mind off today, off things, I would take it. 

I pushed myself off my bed, forcing my way into my closet where I took off my suit. I'd only just gotten back, when I entered I'd gotten patched up, my hero costume already off and going to the laundry. 

Now here I was, a tank top and some gym shorts on as I flopped back into bed, the previous warm spot now a mere shadow of it's previous glory. I decompressed, exhaling as far as I could go, and letting myself practically melt. 

I let my eyes flutter shut, the dark room around me turning pitch black as I began to settle into unconsciousness. 

That was until a light flooded my room, a blue tint ripping through my escape. 

I opened my eyes, my phone's screen painted the room in it's eerie blue light, allowing me to see the silhouettes of everything around me. I stared for a moment, wondering who it could be. 

Bruce? No, he was too emersed in work. The team? Couldn't be. They were fine alone.  Maybe Bernard? I relinquished to my curiosity, hoping that it was Bernard who had interrupted me. 

I dragged myself across my bed before grabbing my phone lazily off the side table. The screen had turned off on my way over. I brought it up to my face, still laying down so it was turned, laying on it's side in order to fit my perspective. 

I clicked the side button, the screen blinding me as it illuminated everything, the color of my bed sheets becoming visible once more and forcing me to squint. I quickly turned down the brightness before focusing on the message. 

{Percy}

I blinked a few times before the name settled in and my eyes shot open. I scrambled up into a sitting position, hurrying to unlock the phone, messing up the combination a few times before eventually getting the right one. Percy's message lit up the screen, the text box a contrast to my own blue ones. 

- I'm sorry Tim, I didn't mean to be away this long. Nothing is your fault, please don't apologize. I got stuck somewhere, there's a lot we all need to talk about as a group. I didn't mean to scare you, I promise nothing is your fault. I'll be home soon. When, well I'm not sure about that. Please understand, I didn't leave, I love you all too much to do that. Get some sleep tonight Tim, I know how much you need a break from that coffee.

That was it. 

Proof Percy hadn't disappeared, that something had happened and she wasn't able to talk. A part of me was conflicted, why didn't she ask for help, tell us something was wrong, but the other part, the part I was starting to side with more was happy, happy she'd said something, happy that she was coming back soon. Happy she hadn't disappeared into thin air. I stared at the message, rereading it over and over as if it were proof of the impossible. That was until the sound of footsteps pounding down the hallway interrupted me, gaining my attention. 

"SHE RESPONDED!! PERCY'S ALIVEE!!"

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