Five Hundred Miles

2.4: Going home.

Chapter 2.4: Going home. [UNEDITED]

[Beautiful things don't seek attention.---The Secret Life of Walter Mitty]

"Okay," I say, my eyes fluttering close when his fingers scrape against my chin, bringing out new sensations that even Gideon Camerons cannot do. I touch his hand that's on my face and lean into it. "Okay, I'll stay."

Gideon's hand slips over my neck and he pulls me close until we are just a few centimeters away. He presses his forehead against mine and takes deep breaths while I weep silently.

"Thank you," he whispers, smiling a little. His eye lashes are so long that they tickle me. "I'm sorry, princess."

Joshua? Is he really my Joshua?

"Why are you sorry?" I ask.

He leans in and touches his lips with mine, only a soft gesture but enough to send spirals into my system. "I left you. It was the worst decision of my life to me apart with you. Now, I found you again, and I'm never letting go...."

The rest of his words doesn't concern me. I simply stare at him, trying bit by bit to picture Joshua in front of me. Many years have passed, Joshua's beautiful face is still sculptured in my mind perfectly. Gideon has eyes like him, cheekbones like him, nose like him, lips like him. Why do I just realize it now? The both of them are the same.

"Joshua," the name escapes me before I can stop myself.

He seems to hear me. His head jerks up slightly and he looks at me through lashes.

My hands raise up to touch his face, every bit of it. His cheek, so ever warm under my fingertips, his eyes, unlike anything I've ever seen. Is the mam in front of me really Joshua?

"It's really you, oh," I lean in to kiss him, desperately and feverishly like I've never did. My hands curl into fists as I taste him thoroughly, pouring years of despair into it, everything I did for him, everything.

I break it, not making an effort to stop the years from pouring out. "Where have you been all these years?"

“I've never been away, just waiting for a letter from you," he answers, kissing me again. “We've both been waiting too long. I missed you."

“I thought I'd be dead without you," I say, memories of the blade and unwelcome blood flood in my mind.

“No, not dead." Joshua kisses my face softly, hugging me closer to him. “I'm here now. I'm here."

I curl my fingers tightly around his collar. “I... I loved you, Joshua, I never told you."

“I know," he smiles. “I love you too."

He looks exactly like Joshua, sheepish, charming. He convinced me thoroughly, I believe him.

His declare of love is all I need for now. When he sobers up and awakes on the morrow, I will only ask him why he's drunk. It's not important at this current moment. Nothing matters but Joshua.

I found my Joshua, and he found me.

***

The next morning, I am awaken by him. He grunts.

The arms around my waist loosen their grip, and I can feel him shifting off me. The place where his heat left me hits the cool air, having me shivering from the sudden coldness.

My back aches from the solid hard ground that I lay on for not changing position the entire night. I hadn't been able to rest properly, after knowing that Gideon is actually Joshua, it makes things look and seem like a dream every girl wants to have. I don't want to fall asleep, because I'm afraid that once I lose conscious, the dream will vanish and every beautiful thing will just be taken away from me once more.
Once is good enough to kill me. Twice, it will put me through a place worse than hell.