Multiple Times

"Alex, you're going to be late for work if you don't get up!" My wife, Jordyn, yelled to me from downstairs.

"Ugh." I moaned a reply.

I swung my legs over the bed slowly, pulling the bandage off the bullet wound just under the line of my sports bra. I barely got to look before blood started to pour from it. I wrapped it back up and inspected the one on my calf. The bullet hadn't exited the other side, so the doctor had had to pull it out. My side job was pretty dangerous, and despite the fact that I was a natural at it, it was a little hard to dodge bullets while carrying a seven year old on your back.

I walked bleary-eyed down the stairs and sat myself at the kitchen table, Jordyn wrapping a blanket around my shoulders.

"How'd you sleep?" she asked, kissing my cheek. "And where are your crutches?"

"Eh. Okay." I answered, ignoring the second part of the question. "I'm just glad Mark was able to come on such a short notice."

"But if I had been there and hadn't gotten stuck at the office-"

"No. You're not blaming yourself. At least Sierra is safe. That's all that matters." I interrupted.

I heard tiny footsteps thumping down the stairs as Sierra came running into the room, smiling widely.

"Hi, Mommy!" she exclaimed, jumping into my lap. I winced with pain, Jordyn picking her up and setting her in the chair next to me.

"Sierra, remember. Mommy is a little bit hurt, so we have to be gentle around her." Jordyn reminded.

"Oh yeah. Sorry, Mommy." Sierra apologized.

"It's okay, my little monkey." I said, stroking her hair. I heard the bus about three streets down. "Mama's going to pick you up from school today, alright? I have to stay the the office and catch up on some work."

"Okay! Mama, can you make me a sandwich?" Sierra gave Jordyn the puppy dog eyes. She knew how to make it herself, but she said she liked how Jordyn made it more.

"I will, but only if you give Mommy an extra kiss before you go." she replied, smiling at me.

"Okay!" She pecked me on both cheek, making me smile. I kissed her back on the forehead and told her to get her backpack ready. She ran off to her room, closing the door behind her.

"How do they look?" my wife asked, talking about my bullet wounds.

"They look alright. I might call Oli and Kang and see if they can come down after my shift today." I answered.

"I still don't think you should go to work."

"Honey, I'll be fine. Plus, I have a lot to catch up on." I told her reassuringly.

"Fine. I'll let you go, but only if you promise me you'll wear these all day." She grabbed the crutches off the wall.

"Ugh. Babe, I don't need those." I whined.

"It's the only way I'm letting you go to work." She smirked, knowing she had me beat. "So, do we have a deal?"

I sighed again, but gave in. "Fine. We have a deal."

"Thanks, baby." She boasted, kissing me on the lips. Sierra came back out of her room with her backpack, her stuffed animal for show and tell clutched under her right arm. Jordyn handed her the sandwich and raced out the door, climbing the bus steps.

I was worried about Sierra going to school today. Especially after last night, I didn't want her to have anybody trying to kill her. And she's too young and innocent to defend herself.

"She'll be fine, Alex." Jordyn assured me, as if she had read my thoughts. "Now come on. You have to get dressed. I laid your favorite suit on the couch."

"You're an angel, gorgeous." I kissed her on the side of the head and stood up, starting to walk into the living room.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" I turned and saw Jordyn holding my crutches. I muttered some curse words under my breath as I took them, hobbling into the living room.

I slipped on my favorite suit, a light beige over jacket with a black vest and white shirt. The pants matched the jacket with my sharp, black dress shoes. I hobbled back into the kitchen where Jordyn handed me my keys. She fixed my hair and scraped a little dried blood off my cheek.

I went outside and threw the crutches in passenger side of my car, walking over to the driver's side and getting in. I listened to a podcast on the drive over to the office which I worked at.

I stopped the car in my assigned parking space and got out, walking back over to the passenger side to get the stupid crutches.

"Hey, Alex! Are these yours?" a voice asked. On the other side of my car was my brother, Lukas Enigma. Well, he was my half-brother. He owned the company that I worked at, and I was the CEO.

"Yeah. Got in a little scuffle last night." I answered, taking the crutches from his hand.

"Jordyn told me what happened. Well, she told Jayce, who told me." Jayce was Jordyn's brother, and also Luke's husband.

Yeah. Crazy, I know.

"I'm just glad Sierra is okay, that's all." I finished. I looked at my watch, realizing I was two minutes late. I cursed. "I have to get going. I'll talk to you later, bro."

"See you later." Luke waved.

I plodded my way through the glass doors and headed towards the stairs, barely dodging the rain that had started to fall. I always took the stairs up to my office, which was on the twenty-third floor, but there was no way I could do it in crutches.

I cursed again as I went over to the elevators, hitting the 'down' button. The doors opened and I stepped inside, pressing my floor.

"Wait!" A voice yelled. I shot my hand out just before the doors closed, causing them to open again. A man about mid twenties rushed inside, thanking me. He was wearing a white scarf with a black turtle neck under a gray coat.

"I'm Richard, but you can call me Rick." he said, putting his hand out for me to shake.

"Alexandra." I replied, shaking it warily. I didn't trust this guy one bit. Something seemed off about him.

"Do you have a nickname?"

"Nope. Not at all." I tried to avoid eye contact with him, praying this ride would be over soon.

"Come on, it's my birthday. I want to get to know a beautiful woman like you better." he said, smiling seductively.

I groaned at his flirting. "Dude, I'm married."

"What does that matter? I bet I could give you a better time than he could."

"Wow, thank you for assuming I'm married to a guy." I seethed. "And I have a very good time with my wife, thank you very much."

Suddenly, the elevator shuddered to a stop, leaving us in darkness. The one time I take the elevator, and the power goes out. My eyes adjusted quickly and I saw Rick on the floor. I was very tempted to kick him in the spot where it hurts.

"Here." I said, sighing. I patted him on the shoulder and held out my hand. He took it and I helped him up, trying not to wince in pain.

"Thanks." he said, not making eye contact.

"No problem." I answered, turning away from the awkwardness.

I waited for the back-up generator to kick on, but it never did. That's when I knew something was wrong.

"It's over, Alexandra Michaels." Rick began. I turned slowly and saw him holding a pistol, aimed right at my head.

"Rick. Just put the gun down and nobody has to get hurt." I cautioned.

"You're dead."

"I think not." I grabbed the barrel of his gun and yanked it out of his hand, but not before he could fire it off. I screamed as the bullet went through my leg, blood spraying everywhere. I grabbed my leg with one hand and smashed Rick on the head with the butt of the pistol. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"You ruined my favorite suit, damn it." I muttered, taking off my over coat. I bent down and took off Rick's scarf, wrapping it around my bleeding leg.

I took out my phone and called Riley Enigma, Luke's adoptive father.

He answered right away. "Alex! Luke told me what happened. Are you alright?"

"That was no big deal. But I'm stuck in an elevator with a bullet that went through the artery in my leg. If I don't get out of here, then I'm gonna bleed out." I explained quickly.

"I'll get help. How long do you think you have?"

"Probably fifteen minutes." I winced as I lifted up my undershirt, blood soaking through the bandage on my side. "Actually, make it ten."

"Alright. Hang in there, Alex." he commanded, hanging up.

I put the phone in my pocket and slumped to the ground, holding my hand to the wound on my upper body. My vision started to blur but I kept my eyes open, not letting myself pass out.

"Alex! Are you in there?" A voice yelled. They banged on the door, the sound echoing through my consciousness.

"Hello?" I croaked out.

"Alex! Oh thank god, it's me, Luke! Kang and Oli are on their way here. We're gonna get you out of there!"

"Okay. Sounds good." I mumbled weakly. My head tilted to the side, my eyes halfway closed.

Suddenly, the elevator lights came on and the doors opened, brightness flooding the small space. I crawled my way to the door, Luke taking me in his arms.

"Hang in there, Alex." he said, taking off his shirt and pressing it to the wound on my side. He set me on a stretcher and I was wheeled off, finally passing out.

-_-_-_-

"Alex? Alex, can you hear me?" a voice came into my consciousness.

"Mmm." I moaned. I opened my eyes and saw Olivia, one of my best friends from high school years standing over me. She was a doctor, and the best one I knew. She was married to a guy that I also knew from my high school years named Kang.

"Alex! Thank god you're alright!" Oli exclaimed.

"Come on, I wasn't even close to dying." I argued.

"Alex, this isn't time for jokes. You had twelve seconds before you would have been toast."

"Yeah. Like I said. Not even close." I sat up slowly, looking around. "Where's Jordyn?"

"She's outside. With Mark, Kang, Sierra, Jayce, Luke, and Riley. They're all worried sick about you."

"Well let them in then. I'm completely fine."

"Alex, listen to me!" Oli yelled. "I almost couldn't even bring you back! You have to stop joking around!"

The door opened and Sierra came running in, tears in her eyes. "Mommy!"

"Hey, my little monkey." I said. "I'm alright. You don't have to worry about me."

"Alex! You scared us to death!" Jordyn exclaimed. "Never do that again! Promise?"

"I promise, baby. I'm alright. Really." I went to stand up but Luke held me down.

"Oh no you don't. You're staying here for at least three days." Oli commanded.

"No way, doc. I'll fall way behind work." I argued.

"You have the week off. And however long you need to recover. I can do your job and mine." Luke informed.

"Guys, I'll be alright. Stop acting like I'm dead." The mood in the room was nerve racking.

"Alex, that's what I was trying to tell you, but you're too stubborn to listen!" Oli said, putting a hand to her forehead.

"You did die, Alex. Oli barely brought you back with the defibrillator." Riley stressed.

"Oh." was all I could say.

"Well, let's let you rest up. I can look after Sierra for a few days if you'd like, Jordyn." Luke offered.

"Thank you, Luke." Jordyn replied, hugging him. Everybody left leaving my angry wife and I alone. As soon as the door closed, the anger evaporated, leaving a neutral feeling in the room.

"I'm just glad you're okay." She said, a tear escaping her eye.

"Hey, and I'm gonna be fine. Always." I answered. She sat beside me and took my hand, rubbing her thumb across my knuckles.