Our Flame

LXI

NADIA

My head rests on Ezra's chest, his arms wrapped tightly around me as if he was afraid that I'd leave. Yet, I don't think I could ever leave him. My eyes drift to my leg, I want to be me again.

I want to be able to walk more than two steps, I don't want to continuously wish for revenge. Every thought I have explores this new found hate for my father. And the hate I feel now is nothing like I felt before.

"I want to kill him." I mumble. "I know." Ezra shortly answers. "And I want you by my side when I do it."

I look up at Ezra to see an unrecognizable glint in his eyes. No words leave his mouth, as he places a kiss to my cheek.

"You haven't kissed me since everything happened." I notice. "Nadia- it's alright, Ezra." I interrupt. "Don't do that. I haven't kissed you properly because I don't want to force anything onto you." He explains.

"I'd kiss you every second if I could but, you've been through something that I can't begin to understand. I just want you to continue to have control in what we do."

I didn't think about it like that nor did I think about how my absence might've affected him. "I'm sorry." I apologize. "You don't have anything to be sorry for, πανεμορφη."

"Can I kiss you?" I look back up at him. Ezra smirks pulling my face to his. When our lips meet, it's just as good as the first time we kissed- if not better.

The kiss isn't fast or rough, it's soft and the perfect pace. In the weirdest way all the pain I felt washed away in that moment.

"That's disgusting." Niko enters the room. "Something I definitely didn't need to see." Luka shakes his head. I move away from Ezra, the smirk never leaving his face.

"What do you want?" I face Luka and Niko. "Surprise." He holds up Misha. I reach my arms out, Luka shakes his head. "Walk to her."

I roll my eyes, holding up the middle finger. Ezra stands from under me, grabbing Misha from Luka. "Walk to me, Nadia." Ezra speaks.

I huff, moving to stand up. My feet hit the ground, one leg moving in front. I grimace when my other leg hits the ground, a slight pain flowing through my body.

"I hope everyone knows how ridiculous this is." I take another step. "You'll thank me later." Niko folds his arms. I shake my head, as my feet move.

"You alright?" Ezra questions as I make my way to him. I nod my head, grabbing his extended hand. "The best four steps I've ever seen." Luka shrugs.

"Where's my new favorite brother?" I wonder. Niko and Luka scoff, "We didn't know he'd actually leave." They both say. "Where is he?" I repeat my question.

Niko shakes his head, "Aleksi is getting food." I nod my head at his response, taking Misha from Ezra's arms.

As silence takes over the room, my mind thinks back to the month I spent in the worst place ever.

"No one should be treated like this." I practically cry to Oscar. I stare at the handprint of my arm, evidence of my father's hatred toward me.

"Nadia, you'll get through this- you just have to be as strong as I know you can be." Oscar tells me. I've been strong my whole life, but this time I can't.

Everyday, it's something new. Each day is worse than the last but, I know I wouldn't have made it this far without Oscar. When I feel like giving up, he's there reminding me that we both have people to make it back to.

My head snaps forward as the door swings open, "Stand her up." My father shouts. "Boss- stand her up."

Oscar pulls me from the ground as gently as he can, all for my father to push me back down. I wince as my head hits the ground.

"Leave Oscar, I need a moment alone with my daughter." My father orders. Oscar stays in his place, until he finally walks away.

"Part of me envies you, Nadia. You have everything I never did." He kicks me. "And I will take it all from you." His hands grip my hair.

"You won't even know who you are by the end of it."

"Nadia." Ezra calls out. I clear my throat looking around the room, "Are you alright?" He questions. I nod, "I just haven't stood for this long in a while." I lie.

I sit in the chair behind me, attempting to sort out my thoughts. "Talk to me, Nadia." Ezra sits next to me. "I'm afraid." I admit.

"I can't let my father hurt you, I'd never forgive myself if he hurt you." I tell him, "He has already hurt me and that isn't your fault."

I move closer to him, "I'm- don't apologize for something you didn't do." He interrupts me. I nod at his words. A knock at the door causes us both to look up.

A slight smile makes its way onto my face as Viktor and Vadim enter the room. "I'll be outside." Ezra pecks my cheek before standing up.

"How do you feel?" Vadim grabs Misha. "Me or my puppy?" I joke. "You." Viktor leans against the wall. "I hate being locked up in here. I walked like four steps, I'm ready to leave." I express.

Viktor sighs, "You'll leave tomorrow, Nadia." I smile, "Finally." I speak. "But you'll have a physical therapist." Vadim speaks up. I nod, as long as I get out of here.

"You guys have to show me the file." I say after a moment. Their faces change at the mention of it, "I almost died over it.  I deserve to see it."

Vadim nods, "You'll see it." The room stays silent until I speak up again, "I have to see Oscar's sister."

Tears threaten to leave my eyes at the mention of him, "Nothing I can say or do will bring him back but she doesn't even know. If it was me, I'd want to know." I speak.

"Her brother is gone and it's my fault, she should know." I add. "It isn't your fault." The two speak at the same time. "You guys weren't there, it was." A tear leaves my eyes.

"I watched it happen and I couldn't stop it. In what way is that not my fault?" I say. "Did he blame you? In the last seconds was he mad at you?"

I shake my head, "Exactly, you can't beat yourself up. I know you cared for him Nadia and I'm sorry that he isn't here but you are. You're here Nadia, you have the chance to get revenge for him." Viktor tells me.

"And what if I can't?" I wonder. "Then someone else will, our father has wronged many people. If not us then it's someone else."

"All I know is that it better be us."

**
this is all over the place
word count: 1186