Fear the Night

Chapter 14: The Doctor

“Careful!” Yukio and Maverick both snapped at the servant as they and Natalie stood outside to pull Isabella from the wagon.

“How lucky she is to have two men looking after her,” the servant muttered as he and the driver carefully lowered Isabella on the stretcher toward Maverick and Yukio.

“It is nice, isn’t it?” Natalie retorted as they brought Isabella to the ground, gently. “The two of you head back and tell the Suits you’re coming back for me tomorrow.”

“But Miss Keith---!”

“I’m ordering you to go back!” she told the servant. “I’ll be fine, I promise.” She slid her arms around one of Yukio’s. “I have a brave, strong man to protect me.”

“Hear that, Mave?” Yukio beamed, proudly. “I’m brave and strong.”

“And still a Greenhorn,” Maverick replied and Yukio shot a glare at him as he only continued, “Let’s get going. We need to get there before sunset.”

“Miss Keith, please reconsider,” the servant begged.

“I

“I’ll be fine,” she assured him. “Tell father I’m staying with Isabella tonight. I’ve done it before so he shouldn’t argue.”

“You would have sleepovers with her, too?!” Yukio wondered in wide-eyed disbelief. “She never let me stay the night!”

“You’re really worried about that now?” Maverick snapped.

“Alright,” the driver nodded and turned the wagon around as he said, “Be careful, Miss Keith!”

The three watched the wagon drive away and Natalie and Yukio looked at Maverick expectantly.

“Yukio and I will carry the stretcher,” he instructed. “Natalie, get in front of me.”

She pouted slightly at not being able to walk with Yukio but did as she was told when Maverick knelt down to pick up the stretcher at Isabella’s feet, Yukio at her head.

“Go exactly where I tell you,” he told Natalie as they began walking down a dirt road Maverick had said they would be heading.

“I’ll just follow the path, right?” Natalie shrugged, glancing over her shoulder at him.

“You’d think it’d be that easy,” Maverick retorted. “Just listen to what I tell you. For now, go straight.”

“Alright,” Natalie shrugged and clasped her hands behind her back as she sauntered down the trail.

“You shouldn’t order her around like that!” Yukio hissed at Maverick’s back.

“Oh, quit your over-protective crap with your girlfriend!” Maverick hissed back over his shoulder. “She could do with taking a few orders!”

“She’s an heiress!” Yukio snapped.

“I’ve taken orders before, Yukio,” Natalie smiled back at him, continuing down the trail.

“An heiress with good hearing,” Maverick chuckled. He suddenly stopped when he caught a glimpse of something shining in the bushes next to them, but it was gone in a flash. Yukio frowned at Maverick’s back but said nothing as Natalie continued walking.

“Natalie. Stop,” Maverick ordered and she stopped dead at hearing his tone.

“What is it, Mave?” Yukio asked as the other man only scanned the bushes with his eyes.

“So…” a voice from the bushes called. “My eyes haven’t deceived me.”

Natalie backed toward the two men, but Maverick only smirked while Yukio felt helpless, unable to let the stretcher go.

“Don’t scare the Greenhorns, Joshua,” Maverick requested and the couple shot their wide-eyes gazes at his still smirking face.

“Joshua?!” they both shrieked, but when they heard the bushes rustle, they whirled their gazes to see a tall man with a strong, square jaw, emerald eyes and auburn hair cut close to the scalp. He had a fleshy scar running down his right cheek that made his seemingly displeased expression look all the more menacing and the shine Maverick had spotted had come from a mirror he held in his hand.

“Joshua,” Maverick nodded his greeting and the other man nodded back. “I-We need your help.”

“I’m guessing it concerns the one of the stretcher?” Joshua smirked, heading toward the group. Natalie shrieked and darted behind Yukio, making Joshua frown as he came closer to the still unconscious Isabella.

“Hold up! Wait a minute! Stop right there, Scarface!” Yukio ordered and Joshua stopped by Maverick and glared at the younger man. “Hard stare me all you want. You’re not touching her.”

“Let me guess,” Joshua smirked and turned to ask Maverick, “the boyfriend?”

“You’re talking to the boyfriends,” Yukio answered for Maverick who shifted on his feet and looked away uncomfortably. “I’m the acting brother, and I’d rather have a Suit take care of her than this guy!”

“You were the one who wanted medical attention for her!” Maverick shot back. “It was your idea to bring her here, and now you’re saying ‘No’?! Sorry, but you’re not in charge anymore! Joshua is treating her whether you want him to or not!”

“But, Mave---!”

“Shut it, Greenhorn!” he snapped then looked at Joshua. “Can we please get to your place and treat her?”

Joshua stared at Maverick, hard. The younger man knew what the doctor was looking for, and he didn’t care if the man knew he actually had feelings for Isabella. If it got her treated, he didn’t care if it made him look soft.

“You’re in trouble again, aren’t you?” Joshua finally asked with a slight smirk.

“Can we talk about this at your place?” Maverick requested again and Joshua nodded then waved at the three to follow him. Maverick stepped forward, Yukio trailing behind with the stretcher and Natalie glanced around before running after them and latching herself onto Yukio’s arm. Joshua slowed to walk next to Maverick who said nothing but knew the older man would start the conversation.

“Is what that kid said true?” he asked and Maverick glanced at him but still said nothing. “She’s pretty. I’m happy for you.”

“Knock it off, will ya?” Maverick muttered. “I told you years ago, you can help me the way you helped dad, don’t try to be my dad.”

“If you were your father, whom you resemble a lot, I’d tell him the same thing,” Joshua retorted. “I can’t help it if I act like your father sometimes.”

“Yeah, well, neither can I,” Maverick replied and glanced over his shoulder at Isabella. “Yukio was just worried about her,” he explained, looking ahead again. “I think he was expecting somebody he could take in a fight. Then again, you might be a little rusty after all these years, huh old man?”

“You wanna take that chance, boy?” Joshua smirked.

“Just don’t hassle the guy, huh?” Maverick replied, ignoring Joshua’s challenge. “He’s pretty good with a gun. Not that he’ll actually shoot you.”

“You mean he won’t shoot me before I treat this young lady, here?” Joshua retorted.

“Isabella,” Maverick told him. “Her name is Isabella.” Joshua gazed at the younger man and Maverick looked at him in wonder as he shrugged, “What?”

“You are her boyfriend,” Joshua chuckled. “I could hear it in the way you said her name. You care a lot for her.”

Maverick could only smirk and shrug again as he looked ahead, then admitted, “Yeah…I do.”