EVER.
There was a good reason too.
It took him back to a place that hurt so much that it made him want to weep.
“Yes, I trust you,” he finally said, getting past being called his birth name—not his chosen one. “Why do you ask that? I’m not getting off this jet to institutionalization, am I?” he asked.
Because he felt like he was going to lose his mind if one more thing broke him. While he was always calm, Michael felt like he was holding on by a thread. One more bad thing, and he was having a breakdown.
“No, just a question because I need you to do me a favor while you’re there.”
Michael lifted a brow.
If she needed something, all she had to do was ask. When he signed up to be an Archangel, and he’d been tasked to watch the Blackhawks, specifically Ethan, he’d been a mess.
It hadn’t been long after he’d lost Graham, and he’d been drinking, not sleeping, and a general nightmare to himself and everyone.
He’d tried to sleep with women, men, and anyone who would treat him with any kindness. He tried to find value in himself, and it took seven years to get to a good place.
Only to be blindsided again.
And it nearly broke him more.
The only reason he survived was that she’d stepped in, and saved his ass.
Her pause was making him nervous.
“What?” he asked.
She was to the point.
“Just heal. While you’re there, I want you to putYOUfirst. I want you to open your heart, and heal so you can be whole again. Let what happened in the past go, and move forward.”
He was confused.
What was this?
Wasn’t that the point of coming here?
If so, why was she being pointed about it? With Elizabeth, she didn’t mince words, but this felt like she was holding back.
“Uh, okay. With what happened with Riley?” he asked, clarifying.
She nodded.
“With everything. I love you, and I’m telling you that you need to let it all go. When you stay angry, you can’t let love in, and when you can’t let love in, you falter.”
Oh, well, he wasn’t letting love back in for a while. In fact, he was getting a cat, and calling it a day at this point. The last thing he wanted was to do this all over again, just to be disappointed.
Elizabeth continued.
“I was so angry at Chris for the betrayal of my heart that I held a grudge. When I forgave him, I was finally free. When Ethan forgave Gene for leaving, he was able to flourish. When Callen forgave his brother for hurting his heart, he was able to come to grips with all the trauma. Just be free, D’Artangnan. If you take one piece of advice from me, it’s to forgive.”
Uh, this was a weird conversation.
And he didn’t like it.
His alarms were going off in his head, but it had to be his paranoia. If not, that meant she was going there for a reason.
