WhiteScratch

Always Together

I awake back in that moment, the moment when I realized I had just been stabbed by my own father. The intensity of the pain is too overwhelming to stand up straight so I fall to my knees and look around desperately for Jake. I see him come flying from the right in the corner of my eye as he pins Alastor to the wall but before I have time to react, he swings the knife and impales Jake from the back, to the heart. My heart stops, the pain disappears as I am filled with extreme terror. I open my mouth to scream but nothing comes out and the scene in front of me vanishes as quickly as it appeared.

My eyes zip open as I sit up straight in less than a millisecond. Tears roll down my face like waterfalls as I shout in terror, out of breath. I feel arms around my waist from the back in an instant and I struggle to get away with every ounce of strength I have. Soon the sounds of the world return to my once deaf ears and I hear a calm but worried voice from behind me saying "You're okay! You're okay, I promise", repeatedly. Once I recognize the voice, the voice I've been so desperately needing, Jake's voice, I calm down and use the rest of my energy to turn around and hug him like my life depended on it. The pain in my side returns like lightning but I ignore it as much as I can.

"I saw you die! I saw him stab you in the back! How are you still here?!" I choke out between sobs. All he does is hold me tight and close as he responds, "It was just a dream Rachel. You're safe now." We stay in our embrace for a minute longer before the pain becomes too much to handle as I cry out again. Jake gently takes my arms from around his neck and slowly lays me back on the ground. He puts his hand on my face and rubs down my cheek and up my chin as he explains, "I was able to remove the blade when you were unconscious and luckily, the bleeding had stopped a little. Probably because the blade had created a blood clot. I was going to try and cut off the bottom part of your shirt to keep it off the cut but the part covering the cut had been saturated with blood and would've been impossible to remove without opening the wound again. So I cut off what I could and left what I had to. I lost my bag at some point, I can't remember when, so I don't have anything to stitch you up and nothing to use as a bandage except the parts of your shirt. I..." I cut him off before he can say anything else by holding up my index finger in front of his mouth. He grabs my hand and kisses my finger before he breaks down in tears.

"I almost lost you Rachel. You were almost gone. Some protector I am." He says downheartedly. He turns away from me and I sit up, pushing the pain away. I put one hand on his back and use my other to turn his face toward me again. I wipe the tears away with my thumb and kiss his forehead. He sniffles again before he pulls me into another hug. I whisper in his ear, "But you didn't lose me and that's because of the protector you are. No matter what happens, you always come through Jake."
"At the very end, when it's almost too late."
"But it's never late. That's what matters Jake. I'm still here because of you. I would be gone right now if you weren't here." I pull away to look him in his eyes. Somehow, his eyes still manage to sparkle, even in the darkest situations. I smile and laugh slightly thinking about this. He smiles back. I forgot what that looked like, it's been so long. His smile is so warm and loving and it makes me feel good inside. 
"What's so funny?" He asks with a small chuckle.
"Nothing. I was just thinking about something. It's nice to see that smile again though." I tell him.
"I could say the same about yours." He says before he leans back against a rock. He holds his hand out and motions for me to come over and I do so as quickly as I can manage while also trying to keep the pain at bay. I cuddle up close to him, laying my head on his shoulder as he puts one of his arms around me, rubbing my arm and holding my hand with the other. This is the most safe, protected, and comfortable moment I've been in for what feels like an eternity. I never want this to end. I want to stay like this forever with him but I know my job is not over. I haven't accomplished what I came out here to accomplish yet and I won't stop till I do, no matter what happens.

I start to drift off but Jake breaks the silence.
"Hey by the way, happy birthday." He says before he kisses my head.
"Wait, it's my birthday?" I say sitting up. He laughs slightly before pushing me back down on himself.
"Yep! I saw a calendar on the wall when I was being guarded by that NightWalker." He explains.
"Oh wow. Thank you." I say with a giggle, in serious disbelief.
"Of course. Welcome to the 17 gang. About time."
"Shut up." I tell him as I smile and push him over gently. He lets out a full on laugh as he falls over before getting situated with me again. Jake is 5 months older and always makes fun of me for it. We had a real countdown before we left home but kinda got side tracked in the last month we've been gone with everything that's happened. I was honestly surprised he even remembered but then again, I'm talking about Jake here. My best friend since birth and now boyfriend. He's always been with me through everything and we've always had the best time together. He is really the best person in existence and I know he's not going anywhere.
"Some way to spend your birthday, huh?" He says and I cackle in response.
"Oh yeah. Almost getting killed by my own father and being worried to death for you is how I want to spend my birthday every year." I say sarcastically as he squeezes me slightly.
"That was yesterday and your birthday wasn't yesterday. It's today. It's this moment." I feel a sting behind my eyes as I try not to cry happy tears at that thought.
"Well, speaking of it in that sense, it's the best birthday I've ever had. Just being here, with you, right now." I squeeze his hand tightly.
"I love you, Jake." He kisses my head once more, "I love you too, Rachel." I smile and cuddle into him even further before I let my eyelids fall and sink into slumber.