:: Hospital Room ::
Jake woke to see...a lady and not Ron, sighing at the fact that he was supposedly now much better. The sight of two boys, brown haired and freckled and tinkering with some small toy, were sitting near the lady - Sheego, he remembered suddenly - and quietly speaking with her was mildly baffling. He didn't remember them being here last time. Well, no, they probably hadn't been. He blinked, his brain just not wanting to work.
"Finally awake," stated Sheego, looking over at the teen. "Ronald will be very happy, you know."
The twins, in perfect unison, looked up, at each other, then stood, making for the door. Sheego chuckled, watching them go strangely fondly. The soft gentleness on her face was kind of beautiful to watch, like a mother seeing her children grow up too fast. Jake had to agree, the twins Jim and Tim had looked so much more mature. Mentally and possibly physically, he mused as they walked back in, looking...taller. Bigger. Then in came Ron and...and his head spun, his heart tripping at the heart breakingly beautiful smile bestowed upon him. By the gods, he was so in love with him.
"Hey," he whispered, Ron coming up to kiss him softly, smoothing Jake's hair back.
The blond sat, the others in the room suddenly scarce as he leaned over the dragon, hand on his darker-skinned chest, pale fingers covering the talisman of black glass. "I think we need to do something drastic, Jake," he finally said, voice soft and dangerously warm so that the brunet felt his belly heat up like a bonfire. "This cannot keep happening."
The dragon sighed, pulling his hand up to press the talon his lover wore as his own talisman into his freckled chest with darker fingers. "I know."
The blond kissed the dragon's forehead, sighing. "I am going to stop this." Jake stiffened, looking into his eyes, the determined set and the dead serious fury lurking like banked fires. "You are going to stay here. You are going to get well and I will not be loosing my mind worrying over you." The brunet opened his mouth to protest and the blond set a finger over his lips. "No, Jake. This person is targeting you. YOU, Jake. I will not let you get fucking killed by some piece of shit with a misplaced vendetta against you." His voice was low and rough and absolutely terrifying. Still, he pressed butterfly kisses all over his face. "I can't, Jake. I just can't." It was heartbroken and terrible to hear and he was nearly crying. "It has to end. And I will not be going alone. I promise."
Jake just sighed as if it took everything in him to let go. It really had, though.
:: In the Hospital Hall ::
"Soooooo..."
"What now?"
Sheego looked at the twins, the boys surprisingly accepting of her near their friends and family. It was...a nice if foolish change. "Now, we wait for Ron to rally the forces." This garnered a slighlty confused look, she elaborated. "You see, Ronald Stoppable has one hell of a spine. Titanium, even. And a very well hidden spot of vengence filled fury under his heart like a black Pandora's box. Now this box has been not only been cracked open, but ripped off the hinges. It has been a LONG time coming, really. And now..." She shrugged. "He is grappling with the box to put the lid back on, but he needs to let out one of his monsters or it will fester. He knows this. Amazingly."
The twins shared a look, nodding. "Done," they chorused, faces serenely calm. Sheego felt a shiver crawl along her spine.
When Ron finally was able to part from Jake, he stood in the door, the she-villian-turned-bodyguard nodding as she stood at the door awaiting her orders.
"No one in or out in the next two days. Check and recheck each doctor, nurse, and cart and needle toting asshole this hospital has before letting them near here. This might have been an airborn attack or a small dart, we don't know, but no one is going to touch him until this is over. Orders confirmed, Sheego?"
"Sir!" she saluted, feeling the intensity of him and the absolutely terrifying power in him, fighting to get out. This is what she had talked about but this was freaking ridiculous. She hadn't known how hot it burned in him until just now. And she was so glad it was she it was directed at.
"Good," he said lowly before walking away, the twins standing with her, faces a little surprised but otherwise unchanged.
"Well," Jim started.
"He's righteously pissed," finished Tim.
Sheego started to laugh at the vast understatement.