Chapter Six

Zeek started running around trying to get ahold of someone on the team to make sure Jax was okay. The president and vice president were in the base trying to calm him down. Derek was still staring at his computer screen with a blank expression as blood slowly oozed from his ear. Sammy, the vice president, tried to get him to go to the nurse, but Derek wasn't responding. "Derek, please, your ear." Sammy please, but Derek didn't respond. Zeek went to hit him, but Helen stood in the way and navigated him back to the other side of the room. "I'll go get the nurse you just sit tight okay?" Sammy looked worried, he was afraid Derek's hearing was damaged. Just another thing that's wrong with himself, Derek thought. He already can't speak. Now he can't hear out of his right ear. He deserved it though. He should have known something like that would happen. He could never forgive himself.

Sammy came back with the Section's nurse who took a look at Derek's ear. She confirmed that his hearing in his right ear would be minimal at best. Derek could hear her talking, but couldn't make out the words. It was as if her mouth was covered as she spoke. Derek finally broke from his trance and looked around. He grabbed his hair and opened his mouth trying so hard to scream. He felt his face get hot as tears rolled down his cheeks. He slammed his fists onto the table in front of him cursing at himself. He looked at Zeek and signed weakly, "I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I couldn't save him. He's dead because of me." Zeek's face went from anger to worry then went over to Derek and pulled him into a hug.

"Hey. It's okay. It is not your fault. Jax wasn't thinking either. You couldn't have done anything to prevent it." Derek tried to shake Zeek off, but he wasn't letting go. "It's not your fault. He was being as stubborn as ever. Please. Stop crying." Zeek started to shudder with grief. He was the leader. He should have told Jax to forget about the room and leave. He was the reason Derek was crying. Zeek held Derek tighter and cried. "Jax was my oldest friend ya know? I knew he'd die in a stupid way like this." Zeek sniffled. Derek stopped fighting against Derek's embrace and hugged him back. He tapped that he was sorry again, but Zeek just held him closer.

An incoming call pulled Zeek away. Derek wanted to reach out to him but stopped himself. The call was from Bob's ship. Mattie and Cerberus were on the screen yelling for Zeek. They were already on their way back, but they wanted to know what had happened to Jax. Zeek told them Jax was in the explosion and was presumed dead. Mattie didn't take that well and wanted to go and look for him. Zeek was adamant about her not going looking for Jax. "I'm not going to lose you too!" Zeek's voice cracked as he screamed. Mattie begrudgingly agreed to leave it alone. She could see how much Zeek was hurting, and didn't want to press him anymore. They ended the call and Zeek sat down beside Derek again.

The nurse cleaned Derek's ear and told him to clean it for a few weeks. Derek nodded and Zeek assured her that Derek would clean it. She thanked him and left. Helen and Sammy insisted on staying with them until the others got back. The ones who weren't on the mission were out galavanting. Zeek wasn't looking forward to telling them the bad news. It didn't take long for the mission team to get back. Bob had gone as fast as he could to get them back sooner. Everyone cried and Mattie still insisted that she go look for Jax. Zeek refused to hear her out. Once the rest of them got there confused out of their minds Seek filled them in on the whole series of events. Derek sat by himself away from everyone. He still blamed himself for Jax's death, and he felt like some of them blamed him too. He saw some of their mouths moving, but couldn't make out the words. He felt his head begin to fill thoughts. They all blamed him. It was his fault. He should've died instead of Jax. Derek felt like the room was spinning around him, then he passed out.

Zeek was the first to notice Derek suddenly standing up. He went to ask him what was wrong then he saw Derek's eyes rolling into the back of his head and he started to fall. Zeek made it just in time to catch Derek's head so it didn't hit the floor. He tried to wake him up, but he was out of it. Mattie helped him carry Derek to his room. Nothing seemed to be wrong with him, but Zeek insisted on staying with him for a while anyway. Mattie reluctantly left him there and went back to the others. She told the rest of them it was about time to go to bed. Everyone agreed and dispersed to their rooms. Cerberus held Mattie in his arms. "We see people die every day, but we never imagined it could happen to one of us." Mattie leaned on him and agreed. They shouldn't die. They were immortal. Jax couldn't be dead, but he was and she would have to accept that. Cerberus scooped her up and they cuddled on their bed. "It should be easy, shouldn't it? We've lived for some long, seen so much death, but it still hurts." He kissed her head and held her close. "At least we'll always have each other." Mattie kissed his cheek and agreed. They'd always have one another no matter what. Mattie found solace in that fact. She was able to sleep peacefully in his arms with the thought of them together forever.

Derek woke up sweating. He looked around and noticed Zeek next to him. Zeek's heating blanket was covering the both of them and was on full blast, and he had his arms around him and was fast asleep. Derek could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He thought it must be loud enough for Zeek to hear, but if he could, he didn't seem to mind. Derek felt Zeek stir and closed his eyes pretending to be asleep. Zeek woke up and looked at Derek. He couldn't believe he'd fallen asleep curled up with Derek. Someone had gotten his heating blanket and put it over them. He slowly moved trying not to wake Derek and gathered his blanket as best he could and left. He didn't want a repeat of the last time something like this had happened. It would be better if he kept his distance. Once he was gone Derek sat up and looked at the spot where Zeek had been laying. He felt something inside him sink. He wanted some badly to have Zeek laying there again, but maybe he didn't feel the same way. Derek nodded to himself. That was probably right. Zeek didn't seem to care for humans, so what would make him any different.

Once Zeek knew Derek was up and about he made sure Derek cleaned his ear, but then told him he didn't need him to look after him anymore. Derek was confused. He thought he'd been doing a decent job at helping him. "You've been under too much stress lately. Last night proved it. You passed out." Derek tried to interject, but Zeek kept going. "I know you're not like the rest of us, but you're still apart of this team and I can't sit by and let you neglect your wellbeing." Derek was speechless. Zeek asked him to make sure and take care of himself for a few days and not worry about the section. Derek agreed knowing it was no use fighting Zeek at this point. "How about you go home and rest? Things will be off here for  a while anyway." Derek didn't feel right leaving, but Zeek made the suggestion feel more like an order.