First Snow

Wrong Train, Right Direction

Author notes: my deepest apologies for the delay. Writer block, need of lightness, fatigue, and maybe a little bit of nostalgia at the idea of wrapping this fic.
Anyway, it's done, this is the last chapter. An epilogue isn't excluded, just no now. I want to thank each of you, old readers and new readers, anonymous ones or familiar ones, for your support, your kindness, all along this fiction. I'm grateful, and I feel lucky to have had only amazing readers. Take care, each of you, stay safe and happy.

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He was terrified.

Like he had never been.

His shaking hands had grabbed her and he had rushed down the stairs.

When she had suddenly fallen, like a puppet whose threads had been cut, he had barely had time to catch her in order to cushion her fall. He had started to shake in panic, he who was known for his composure, and his trembling fingers had brushed her face.

She was burning with fever.

Gathering her small form in his arms, he had tried to call her, but his throat was so tight that he had had to swallow before being able to get some words out.

"Seri..."

He could barely recognize his own voice. She hadn't answered, desperately still, her eyes closed, and the flashback of painful memories had taken his breath away. No, not again.

He had carried her and was now rushing down the stairs, his mind blank, unable to think of anything but Seri. It was all his fault, she had come despite her condition to see him, and his father's words echoed in her mind, as did Agent Kim's words.

To protect her, to protect his family, he had to distance himself, and in reality, he had convinced himself that this would make their final separation less painful, less difficult to bear.

He had been wrong. So wrong, and he was in so much pain. He was terrified of losing her, he had never imagined loving someone as much as he loved her, but she had changed his life, with her chatter, her courage, her laughter, and he needed her more than anything.

As he exited the building and emerged into the street, his eyes searched the surroundings frantically, until he saw her mother rush out of one of the cars with a panicked expression, closely followed by what must have been a NIS agent in civilian clothes.

"What happened?" she asked, out of breath, her voice full of restrained tears.

"She... She just collapsed... We have to take her to the hospital, quickly!"

The agent helped her get Seri into the back seat, where she sat down as well, putting her head on her knees and calling out softly, to no avail, Seri was unresponsive and was terrifyingly pale. He had to fight the urge to scream in fear, in anger, and when the agent turned to him, he cut him off.

"I can't ride with you, in case I'm being watched, but ... I'll follow you in my own car ..."

He knew it was in vain, if he was being watched, the mere fact that he had spoken to this agent was compromising, but if he got into the car with him, then there was nothing more he could do to protect his family.

He closed the door and hesitated briefly, the thought of getting away from her was more difficult than he had imagined. The fight between his duty as a son and what he truly wanted was permanent, he was caught between two worlds, to which he belonged, but he knew deep down where his loyalty laid, and what choice he would do if it wouldn't endanger his family. Seri had become his world, his country, and he felt homeless at the mere idea of not having her within sight. He rushed over to his own car, however, and drove off.