“What are we going to do…? He’s a mess…” Jay’s voice could be heard as Liam drifted in and out of consciousness in the back of the car. They were sitting in the car outside of the small apartment they had been renting in Paris. There was a silence. “I told you, I’ll take care of it.” Sarina replied as she looked back at her best friend who was passed out in the back seat. His physical condition was not at all good. In truth, he wreaked of sweat and blood, among other things. His hair was long and unkempt in many places. Silence again as Liam lost consciousness once more. 

“Alright, it’s going to be hard to get him upstairs… let’s do it.” Jay gave a tired smile and got out of the driver’s seat with the keys in his hand. Sarina jumped out of the car and went to the right passenger’s side door, slowly opening it and peering inside. Her heart ached for her friend, but at the same time she was filled with joy that he was back with her. With a deep inhale the teenager wrapped her arms under Liam’s and pulled him out of the car, Jay rushed to her side and grabbed Liam’s legs, making sure he did not fall onto the ground. “Easy there” He slammed the door shut with his foot and they began struggling toward the stairs to their apartment. “He’s gotten heavier. And dirtier. Are you really going to clean him up, we can send him to… I mean, never mind, heh” Jay looked away in embarrassment at almost saying something to hurt Sarina’s feelings. 

Hidden by the cover of darkness they took great care with getting Liam up the stairs and into the apartment. Between the two of them they decided to rest him in the bathtub. “Jay, I’m going to start taking care of him. I need you to go out and get me some things.” She almost demanded, but he understood the tone of her voice. “What do you need?” He asked while standing next to her beside the tub. “I need a good pair of scissors, some guy razors, a hefty nail file, rubbing alcohol among any other medical supplies you think we would need.” Sarina thought for a moment, reaching out from Liam’s side to push some hair out of his face. “And anything else you think he’ll need. My money pouch is in my nightstand. Thanks, Jay” 

Jay nodded. “Will do. You’ll be okay, right?” Truthfully, he was concerned Liam was going to wake up and try to kill her. The demon boy was just as bad a mental state as he was physical, Jay didn’t want Sarina to be hurt. “I’ll be fine, you think I can’t handle him if he wakes up?” Sarina looked up at him with a disapproving glance. “Okay, geez” He reached down and ruffled her hair before scurrying out of the bathroom. 

“Liam.” Gently Sarina removed Liam’s pants which was all he was wearing, at first she had to turn away out of embarrassment, but in her mind she knew this was something she needed to do. With the warmest water on that she could handle she waited until the tub filled up halfway and then pretended to be a mama bear bathing her cub. He was kind of like her child, she was always his caretaker. With soap and sponge in hand she began to scrub all the grime off of his skin. It was difficult cleaning his unconscious body, she was glad he was unconscious however, so it would be less awkward when she cleaned his private parts. Despite the embarrassment, she was glad to be helping her best friend, she loved him and was willing to die for him, bathing him was no trouble at all. 

After a good two hours and several times emptying and refilling the tub, Sarina finally got him as clean as he could for the time being. Now she would 
have to wait for Jay to return with the other things to finish the job. Even after he was clean she didn’t recognize him. It had been three years, he had grown a lot. He had long curly hair on his head and a full beard and mustache. The best she could do for him until Jay came back was drain the water and wrap him in several towels. “I missed you… I really did. I hope you can forgive me for letting them do this to you. You’re so inured, so lost. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry” Her eyes welled up with warm, salty tears that burned. 

Before tears could slide down her cheeks Jay quietly entered the apartment with arms full of bags. “Sarina, I’m home!” He whispered loud enough for her to hear from the bathroom. Sarina gasped and wiped the tears from her eyes quickly. “Help me get him out of the tub so I can finish grooming him” 

Jay came in after setting the bags on his bed and helped her lift the unconscious Liam into a chair she had brought into the bathroom. “This could take a while. Can you get me the scissors and file please? Oh and razors too”

The Italian did as she asked and stayed in the bathroom with her in case she needed his help. “You know how hard it was to find all this stuff in the middle of the night? Practically nowhere was open. Luckily I know some places in the black market that happen to always be selling stuff, they’re a lot pricier though. That’s okay right?” 

“Yes, yes, whatever, thank you, Jay” She ruffled his hair as he had done to her. “I need a bit more time with him, I’ll let you know when I’m done then you can help me get him dressed and into bed.”

“Sure thing boss” He smiled sweetly at her and headed out. “If I pass out, feel free to wake me, I’m always willing to help” 

Another few hours passed, this task was just as hard as bathing Liam. She had to cut his hair, trim other areas and shave his face. It was something she’d never done before, on top of all the hair ordeals, she had to file down his monster nails. Those things were terrifying and could rip her throat out if he woke and simply moved his arm. Eventually, with much awkwardness and such, she got the job done. He was finally starting to look like himself. Underneath all the hair, she could see his handsome face and finally could admire the rest of his body without being distracted by his mop head or demon claws. He was toned from all the struggling he did all those years, he was also still very injured and she needed Jay’s help to patch him up.

It took them the rest of the night to wrap Liam’s wounds, considering he had stab marks all over the upper half of his body and two broken femurs. The two conscious teenagers could only imagine how much pain Liam was in. When they were finally finished, Liam was lying on his back on the bed, his torso and arms wrapped but otherwise barren, his legs completely straight in complete casts, how the two had managed it was easy enough. Jay had studied as a field medic before when he was working with the exorcists it tied in with his assassin persona. Both a killer and a healer. “I’ll be in the bedroom, asleep, holler if you need me, or y’know… come wake me up. Whichever, I’m exhausted” Jay trudged off into the bed room to plop down onto the bed and pass out. Sarina lay beside Liam in the front room bed, she took his hand in hers and fell asleep beside him.