~𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃 𝐌𝐄~

Burner Phone

My spine feels like someone has thrown several hammers at it. Inara insisted I slept in the bed with her but I wanted her to have it all.

At least I got a pillow?

I lay flat on my back with my arm over my eyes. She needs to have at least a little light to sleep but it feels like the whole sun is shining in my eyes.

"Hey," she whispers down at me. "You awake?" She still sounds exhausted like she's just done ever sport on the planet.

"No," I mutter very much awake.

"Ugh just get in this bed and sleep. I want you to."

I exhale. "Fine."

She scoots over to the other side and makes room for me. That scent. She must think I'm crazy by the way I'm breathing.

"Now sleep." She says.

We turn to opposite sides and I hope she can't hear my heart racing right now. Who am I kidding she probably can.

Some time has passed and she's shaking the bed with her crying. I can tell she's trying to be quite but her sniffles are giving it away.

I turn to face her back. "Hey." I put my elbow on the mattress to help me sit up a bit. "Turn around." I pull her around to face me by her shoulders.

"I'm sorry," she cries. "It's just so overwhelming and I- I." She doesn't finish her sentence she just hunches over and fills her hand with tears. "I just don't know."

"It's okay, it's okay," I quickly say, putting an arm around her and bringing her into my chest.

"Just knowing he hasn't been dead this whole time it's just.."

"No, I get it," I whisper.

Feeling her shake on my skin I grab a water bottle from my bedside table. "Here."

She takes a couple sips and gives it back to me. I'm holding her. Like really holding her. I don't ever want to let her go but she pushes me away. She pushes me away and gets to her feet still sniffling.

"Can you take me somewhere?"

"Of course, where?"

"To the diner you found me after the hospital."

Oh. I was thinking somewhere in the house. "Oh yeah, sure. Would they still be open at two am though?"

"Yeah. They're always open."

Looking at her pained face makes my breathing weak. I'm going to make her smile even if it takes all night or all day or even all week.

"Okay well let me grab a hoodie," I say getting out of bed.

"Get me one too?" She says straightening her shorts.

"Sure."

I'm in my closet trying to find the nicest hoodie I have. I've chucked on a shitty black one but I need to find my most expensive, most appealing one to give her.

"Heiro? You okay in there?" She calls from outside the closed closet doors.

"Yeah one sec!" I find one. I used to wear this one all the time. Perfect. I grab some cologne and spray a couple sprits on it.

"Here," I say handing it to her. She pulls over the dark red fabric over her head and doesn't pull the hood down. The hoodie is so big that the hood is falling just touching her lips.

"Ready?"

"Yeah I just need to get some shoes. And so do you."

Oh. Yeah I do.