Under My Skin

Part 11- One Last Night

"What the hell is wrong with you James?!" Emi yelled, pushing him back, before running inside her house. 

"Emi!" James yelled, following her inside. 

"Look, Emi please, just listen to me!" 

"Fine James! I'm listening!" 

"I messed up with Gwen, I was hurting and I wanted to get back at you and Bob." 

"You think something's happening with Bob and I? Are you kidding me? I have told you multiple times I see him like a brother!" 

"I know, but I got jealous and I shouldn't have. I should have tried to talk to you-"

"But we weren't speaking to each other." 

"Yeah. And about the thing with Cyclone-" James said, walking up to Emi and grabbing her hands, "I lost you once and I know you are going to put everything you have into this mission, even if it meant you got shot down. I can't lose you again, but in trying to protect you I did lose you. I'm so sorry Lane." James said with tears forming in his eyes, to which Emi pulled him into a hug. 

James burrowed his face into Emi's neck and she whispered in his ear, "You're an asshole Jake- but you're my asshole. I'm sorry for overreacting." 

Emi could feel James smile as he said, "You haven't called me Jake since we were kids." 

"And you haven't called me Lane since we were kids." 

James pulled out Emi's neck and asked, "We good now Lane?" 

"Yeah, we're good Jake." 

"Good. There's something I wanna do on our last night before the mission," James said, picking Emi up and carrying her to her room, with her giggling the entire way there. 

--- 

Emi and James lay there, Emi on James' chest, in silence. James is rubbing Emi's back while she strokes his chest, both knowing this could be their last night together- not know what could happen tomorrow. They could lose each other, but they don't want to think or even speak about it, as the fear is too overwhelming. Their hope is that they both come home safe and sound... but there is always in fact a possibility that it could turn out as they feared most.