Forever.

Chapter 20: Negative?

Claire's P.O.V. (The next day)

"Claire? Claire, oh my god, Claire." I hear Braden say in a shocked and panicked, but still weak and scratchy voice. I lift my head up as I open my eyes and reach for the back of my neck, and gently massage it since there's such a big crick from the way I slept.

I pulled up a chair last night after Braden fell asleep and I guess my head was hanging down all night from sitting up while sleeping.

"Yeah? What's wrong? Are you okay?" I ask as I stand up and go to his side.

"Oh my god, you're here?" He asks.

"Of course I'm here." I say as I grab his hand gently. He gives me a relieved, and tense look, but he also looks a little confused by the way his eyebrows are partially scrunched together.

"And you're okay? Oh my god, I'm so happy to see you." He says as he partially tightens his grip around my hand.

"Yeah I'm okay."

"Oh thank god." He says through a sigh of relief.

"Braden, you saw me last night." I say as I gently rub the back of his hand with my thumb.

"What? I did?" He asks.

"You must have been hopped up on pain meds or something, because you weren't yourself." I say when it comes to my realization.

"Maybe that explains why I'm hurting so bad. Wait, what happened?" He asks. The medicine or something must have made him so loopy that he didn't comprehend what happened.

"Do you remember anything?" I ask.

"I remember a fire, the ceiling collapsing, but not much after that. I know bits and pieces of our conversation, but the one thing that's crystal clear is you not leaving me." He says.

"No, I left." I say as tears well up in my eyes. "I should have gotten you out. I shouldn't have let you push me out of the way. I should have been in your position, and I was going to, but you didn't let me. And now look at you." I say as the tears spill over.

"I don't care. My number one priorities above all things in this world are you and your safety. In that building, both priorities were in danger. I did what I had to do in order to protect them, even if it cost me my life." He says passionately. I want to tell him that it did cost him his life, but that will open up a whole new can of worms. But what he said moves me into even more tears.

"I love you more than you can ever imagine." I say as I grip his hand a little tighter.

"And I love you beyond words. Are you sure nothing happened to you?" He asks.

"I'm fine."

"Wait, what's that?" He asks as he attempts to lift his arm, but he fails.

"Hey, be careful." I say as I gently help him put his arm down.

"What is that?" He asks in a scratchy voice.

"What's what?" I ask.

"On your arm." He says as gestures to my upper arm with his eyes.

I look at my arm and there's a scratch, but it's not bad.

"It's just a scratch, it's nothing to worry about." I say as I shake my head.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I doesn't hurt. I didn't even know it was there, and I'm not the one who needs to be worried about anyway." I say as I place my hand on his shoulder. The contact sends a spark throughout my body and I smile. He closes his eyes with happiness but opens them again before he falls asleep.