Fear the Night
Chapter 14-The Doctor

Chapter 14: The Doctor

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

“Howlucky she is to have two men lookingafter her,” the servant muttered as he and the driver carefully loweredIsabella on the stretcher toward Maverick and Yukio.

“Itis nice, isn’t it?” Natalie retortedas they brought Isabella to the ground, gently. “The two of you head back and tell the Suits you’re coming back for metomorrow.”

“ButMiss Keith---!”

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

“Hearthat, Mave?” Yukio beamed, proudly. “I’mbrave and strong.”

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

“MissKeith, please reconsider,” the servant begged.

“I

“I’llbe fine,” she assured him. “Tell fatherI’m staying with Isabella tonight. I’vedone it before so he shouldn’t argue.”

“Youwould have sleepovers with her,too?!” Yukio wondered in wide-eyed disbelief. “She never let me stay thenight!”

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

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

Thethree watched the wagon drive away and Natalie and Yukio looked at Maverickexpectantly.

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

Shepouted slightly at not being able to walk with Yukio but did as she was toldwhen Maverick knelt down to pick up the stretcher at Isabella’s feet, Yukio ather head.

“Goexactly where I tell you,” he toldNatalie as they began walking down a dirt road Maverick had said they would beheading.

“I’lljust follow the path, right?” Natalie shrugged, glancing over her shoulder athim.

“You’dthink it’d be that easy,” Maverickretorted. “Just listen to what I tellyou. For now, go straight.”

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

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

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

“She’san heiress!” Yukio snapped.

“I’vetaken orders before, Yukio,” Natalie smiled back at him, continuing down thetrail.

“Anheiress with good hearing,” Maverick chuckled. He suddenly stopped when he caught a glimpse of something shining in thebushes next to them, but it was gone in a flash. Yukio frowned at Maverick’s back but saidnothing as Natalie continued walking.

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

“Whatis it, Mave?” Yukio asked as the other man only scanned the bushes with hiseyes.

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

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

“Don’tscare the Greenhorns, Joshua,” Maverick requested and the couple shot theirwide-eyes gazes at his still smirking face.

“Joshua?!”they both shrieked, but when they heard the bushes rustle, they whirled theirgazes to see a tall man with a strong, square jaw, emerald eyes and auburn haircut close to the scalp. He had a fleshyscar running down his right cheek that made his seemingly displeased expressionlook all the more menacing and the shine Maverick had spotted had come from amirror he held in his hand.

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

“I’mguessing it concerns the one of the stretcher?” Joshua smirked, heading towardthe group. Natalie shrieked and dartedbehind Yukio, making Joshua frown as he came closer to the still unconsciousIsabella.

“Holdup! Wait a minute! Stop right there, Scarface!” Yukio ordered and Joshua stopped by Maverick andglared at the younger man. “Hard stareme all you want. You’re not touchingher.”

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

“You’retalking to the boyfriends,” Yukioanswered for Maverick who shifted on his feet and looked awayuncomfortably. “I’m the acting brother, and I’d rather have a Suit take care of her than thisguy!”

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

“But,Mave---!”

“Shutit, Greenhorn!” he snapped then looked at Joshua. “Can we pleaseget to your place and treat her?”

Joshuastared at Maverick, hard. The youngerman 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 itmade him look soft.

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

“Canwe talk about this at your place?” Maverick requested again and Joshua noddedthen waved at the three to follow him. Maverick stepped forward, Yukio trailing behind with the stretcher andNatalie glanced around before running after them and latching herself ontoYukio’s arm. Joshua slowed to walk nextto Maverick who said nothing but knew the older man would start theconversation.

“Iswhat that kid said true?” he asked and Maverick glanced at him but still saidnothing. “She’s pretty. I’m happy for you.”

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

“Ifyou 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 atIsabella. “Yukio was just worried abouther,” 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 afterall these years, huh old man?”

“Youwanna take that chance, boy?” Joshua smirked.

“Justdon’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.”

“Youmean he won’t shoot me before I treatthis young lady, here?” Joshua retorted.

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

“Youare her boyfriend,” Joshuachuckled. “I could hear it in the wayyou said her name. You care a lot forher.”

Maverickcould only smirk and shrug again as he looked ahead, then admitted, “Yeah…Ido.”