68

Taehyung

The drive home was fast, thank fvck for that.

I thought I was slowly going insane.

Nobody spoke a word during the drive.

My eyes were only on Jungkook.

I watched him, waiting for any indication that he was okay as he stayed unconscious - Unmoving.

I caressed him, touching him, waiting for him to wake up.

Nothing.

Not even a twitch.

Nothing to give me a little peace.

When the car finally stopped, I opened the door and climbed out with Jungkook still in my arms. Seokjin came to take him but I walked past him, carrying Jungkook close to my chest.

There was no fvcking way he was holding him again. It took everything in me to hand Jungkook over to him before.

Not now.

I didn't care that it felt like my leg was about to fall off.

No, I needed Jungkook.

I had to hold him myself.

I needed Jungkook close to me, knowing that he was finally safe in my arms. My injured leg dragged behind me as I walked inside. Without stopping, I made my way upstairs to my room. The door was already open, I walked inside to find Hae-sook standing by the bed. She rushed toward me as soon as I stepped into the room.

"Seokjin already called. I have the tub filled," she muttered, stopping in front of me.

Hae-sook leaned forward, she sucked in a harsh breath at the sight of Jungkook.

Tears filled her eyes. "My sweet child."

"You should clean Jungkook up before I have a look at him," I heard Sam say behind me.

I walked past him and into the bathroom, the tub was already filled. I sat on the edge, settling Jungkook on my lap. Hae-sook helped me pull off the jackets wrapped around his shoulders. Holding the shredded dress, I ripped off what was left of it from his body.

"Let me clean him up. You're bleeding all over the floor, Taehyung. Sam can look at your leg while I take care of Jungkook," Hae-sook suggested.

"No," I snapped.

There was no way someone else was going to take care of Jungkook.

Not even Hae-sook.

I would bathe him.

I would take care of him.

Jungkook was mine.

Mine to take care of.

Mine to love.

After almost four months, I finally had him in my arms. I wasn't letting Jungkook go anytime soon.

"Taehyung," Hae-sook sighed but didn't push.

Standing up, I gently placed Jungkook into the warm water. I winced when my leg made contact with the floor. It hurt like a bitch, pinching my eyes closed, I ignored the burn for a second before focusing on Jungkook again.

I held Jungkook in a sitting position, letting the warm water envelop his body. He was still so cold, and I feared he would never warm up again.

Hae-sook knelt behind Jungkook's head and made quick work of shampooing and washing his hair. The water turned a dirty brown, the smell touching my nostrils, almost making me gag.

I'm sorry.

So, so sorry, Angel.

Jungkook was in more pain than I had thought.

And I had no idea how I was going to bring him back to me.

I was scared that we were forever broken.

I ran my hand over Jungkook's neck and arms. When my hand neared his body, I paused, suddenly finding it hard to breathe.

How did Jungkook live in that hellhole in this state?

How did he stay alive?

"Taehyung."

I turned my head to see Hae-sook staring at me expectantly. I ignored the look of sympathy on her face and turned my attention to Jungkook again.

Squirting some soap in my hand, I quickly washed his legs and then his back. When I was done, I pulled Jungkook out of the water, Hae-sook quickly drained the dirty water. I placed Jungkook in the empty tub again, washing his again, making sure he was cleaned from all filth. I poured water over Jungkook and rinsed off the soap. When he was clean, Hae-sook wrapped a towel around Jungkook's still form.

Sucking in an agonized breath, I stood on my legs and pulled Jungkook into my arms again. I limped into the bedroom to see Sam, Seokjin, and Hoseok standing at the bed. Seokjin's eyes moved to my injured leg, and his face tightened in frustration.

"Sam, you need to take a look at Taehyung's leg. He's bleeding too much."

"I'm fine," I ground out, placing Jungkook on the bed. I wrapped the towel tighter around him and pulled the comforter up.

"Boss, let me stitch you up first," Sam suggested as he came behind me.

The anger I was holding inside of me finally bubbled out, "We don't have time for this!" I bellowed.

"You're bleeding out! You are no good to Jungkook like this!" Seokjin yelled back, his eyes furious.

I turned to Sam, "Make sure he is okay. I want Jungkook to be okay. Fix him!"

"But, Boss-" he started.

I sprang forward and wrapped my fist around his collar, pulling his feet off the floor, "Did you fvcking hear what I just said?"

Sam swallowed hard and nodded. I released him, and he fixed his shirt.

How did they think I would let him stitch me up before taking care of Jungkook first?

I glanced at Seokjin, he shook his head in exasperation, "Sam, do what he says. He'll never listen to any of us. Take care of Jungkook first."

Seokjin went to the bathroom, and I turned to face Jungkook again. Sam leaned forward, placing a knee beside Jungkook on the bed. He took hold of the towel but didn't move it from Jungkook.

He glanced at me, his expression was pensive, "Boss, may I? With your permission, I need to see how bad it is."

My hands fisted to the side, I hated the thought of another man seeing his body but what choice did I have?

Sam waited for my permission, I felt the urge to yell and carve his eyes out but instead stood frozen.

When I felt someone touch my arm, I swivelled around to see Seokjin holding a towel. "Tie it around your wound. It'll stop the bleeding for now."

I bent down and quickly tied it around the bleeding area. After making sure it was in place and wouldn't spill blood everywhere, I walked to the other side of the bed.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Seokjin and Hoseok quietly leaving the room, giving us privacy. Hae-sook stood beside Sam, looking just as worried as before. Her tears were long gone, her face showed her sorrow and fatigue. There was Jimin and then there was Jungkook.

How much more could Hae-sook take?

I climbed in bed beside Jungkook. Moving closer, I moulded my body around his. I held him to me for a second, breathing in his fresh scent. I sent Sam a fierce stare and then nodded. Hae-sook settled at Jungkook's feet, her hands knotted on her lap.

Turning my attention back to Jungkook, I saw Sam carefully pulling the comforter and then the towel away from Jungkook's body. I heard him suck in a breath and glanced up to see his frown as he took in the bruises that marred Jungkook's pale skin.

I had avoided looking at the bruises too, fearing I would snap from seeing the evidence of what he had been through. Deep, purple bruises covered his arms and legs, some were faded, others looked fairly new.

Maybe a few days. His knees and elbows were scraped. Probably from the hard ground. The skin looked ragged in some places. As I continued to look at his body, my breath became erratic and my lungs tightened. The side of his left leg was nearly black, and one of his arms was starting to turn an ugly shade of green.

This bruise was probably less than a week old, there were other small cuts all over his body. His face was slightly bruised but looked much better than the rest of him. I had no idea how Jungkook protected himself in this state - all I knew was that I found him alive.

Jungkook was breathing, and I would do anything to keep it that way.

With my face buried in his neck, I closed my eyes. I couldn't lose him now. I lost Jungkook once and that was it.

Never again.

"He is badly bruised, Boss," Sam finally muttered after inspecting Jungkook's body.

I lifted my head just enough to look at Sam, "I can see that," I snarled. "I want to know what you can do."

If he was useless to me, I would have to find someone else to look after Jungkook. I wanted to know if he was okay or not. If he would be okay.

"I can treat his wounds, of course," Sam started, "During his captivity, we don't know the trauma his mind and body took. We have to monitor him."

I clenched my jaw tight, grinding my teeth together.

Fvck!

I hated being reminded of his captivity and how close I had been to losing Jungkook. I thought getting him out of that hellhole would be the end.

As long as he was in my arms, everything would be okay.

But nothing looked okay.

Sam laid a hand on Jungkook's chest, "His breathing isn't laboured, that's a good sign. He's probably just in a deep sleep. A lot of time, people who go through trauma, tend to shut down. Sleep is one way to do so, Jungkook would likely sleep through the day and night. It is best he rests. You will need to keep checking on him."

"I will. I won't leave him alone," I said, placing a kiss next to his ear, "I will be with Jungkook."

As long as he took to heal, I would not leave his side.

I continued to pepper Jungkook's face and head with kisses as Sam cleaned his wounds. He disinfected them and wrapped bandages around the worst ones. He then applied salve on the bruises.

I whispered sweet words in Jungkook's ears. My words were from the heart - the very same heart that was aching as he remained still. I told him how beautiful and brave he was. How he was my beautiful and perfect Angel.

Jungkook was my everything.

Everything I could say, I whispered in his ears, hoping that even in his sleep, he could hear me. I caressed him, my hands wandered over his pale skin, never once stopping while Sam finished up.

I touched him, held him, kissed him and all the while, he stayed immobile.

If it wasn't for the rise and fall of his chest, he would have appeared dead. It scared the hell out of me, and I hoped that he would wake up fast.

I needed his beautiful brown doe eyes.

Jungkook's sweet voice.

When Sam was done, he leaned back, I quickly adjusted Jungkook's towel and comforter. After properly covering him up, I tugged him closer to me.

"Boss, I did what I could. You will need—"

I pushed my face in Jungkook's neck, his sweet scent helped calm me. I shuddered and took a deep breath. Placing a kiss on Jungkook's neck, I whispered, "We are going to be okay."

"I will call you when Jungkook is awake," I muttered.

I blinked and stared at Jungkook's sleeping face, he looked so peaceful, his face pale and relaxed.

My Angel looked like a sleeping beauty.

But his sleep was probably plagued with nightmares, I would be there to keep them away.

I would fight his demons for him.

After all, I promised to give Jungkook back his wings.

My chest grew tight, my eyes pricked with unshed tears.

For the first time in my life, I felt… weak.

Tears.

Stupid fvcking tears.

I was crying.

"I will wait for your call," Sam mumbled before standing up.

Hae-sook quickly took his place and adjusted the towel around Jungkook. She pulled the comforter over him and stepped away.

Sam came to my side, "Can I stitch you now?"

Without answering, I pushed my injured leg in his direction. My teeth ground together as he removed the bullet and stitched the wound. It was painful and burned like a goddamn bitch but staring at Jungkook's sleeping face eased the pain. I was lost in Jungkook, ignoring the needle as Sam finished up.

After inspecting his work, he pressed a fresh bandage over the wound and stood up. Sam didn't say anything when he stepped out of the room. Hae-sook fussed over Jungkook, her forehead creased with worry lines.

"How is Jimin?" I asked mindlessly, pushing Jungkook's hair out of his face.

"Jimin's sleeping," Hae-sook replied quietly.

I nodded silently.

So much happened, I wondered how we were going to get back from it. I started to pull the comforter over myself when I saw Seokjin come into the room.

"Painkiller," he muttered, handing me the glass and pills he was carrying.

"What did Sam say?"

I shrugged, quickly swallowing the pills. "As far as the bruises, he will heal."

When I turned away from him, I heard him sigh. After waiting for a few seconds, he finally left the room and closed the door behind him. Placing a kiss on Jungkook's forehead, I wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him to my front.

I ignored the throbbing pain in my leg and closed my eyes, "I'm sorry, Angel. For failing and disappointing you. If only I had listened. I don't know how you will forgive me but I promise that I will never fail you again," I mumbled in Jungkook's ear,

"You are my everything, Jungkook. I just need you to wake up. We will figure everything else out after that. I promise I won't leave your side," I whispered.

Jungkook didn't stir.

Not even a twitch.

His lack of movement felt like knives stabbing at my heart.

I was hurting for him.

As the seconds, minutes, and hours ticked by, I slowly lost my resolve. My eyes drooped, and no matter how hard I tried to keep them open, it became almost impossible.

What the fvck.

When my vision blurred and I weakened with weariness, I swore.

My arms tightened around Jungkook one more time.

As my eyes closed and darkness clouded me, I finally understood.

The fvcking asshole.

Seokjin drugged me.

"Stupid sleeping... pill..s."