Tulip's Destiny

XXXVII - In His Arms

Raine opened her eyes, scanning the room. She jolted up in sudden panic hearing a familiar voice from outside. "Raine! Raine, I know you're in there. I FUCKING KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! You freaks, stop hiding my wife." Gelo's voice resounded.

Her heart thumped violently against her ribcage. As soon as she was about to cry in hysterics, she felt a hand in her mouth and gasped in shock. Raine resisted as much as she could but it was too hard, all she could do was cry. "Raine... it's me. It's Mikhail, Raine... you're safe here with me." Mikhail said gently. Sobs raked through her body as she managed to slip a couple of words between the hiccups. "M-m... Mikhail?" She asked, looking at him.

"You can't hide from me forever, Raine! I will always find you! YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME! YOU ARE MINE!" Gelo shouted, following a huge commotion outside. "Come out! Stop hiding my wife!"

Raine shivered, shaking with fear as her eyes leaked with painful tears. Mikhail softly lifted her off the bed and into his arms. Raine forced her mouth shut from the muffled sobs as Mikhail pressed her into his chest. "Shhhh... he won't get you. I promise I won't let him. He will never hurt you again. I won't let him. Shh... I'm here now." He rubbed her back softly yet tenderly.

"Raine!" A loud bang was heard from the outside causing her to panic and eventually digging her nails against his back as she contained her screams. "In the silence... deep resounding violence of two hearts beating for each other..." Mikhail began in a lowly voice. He tangled his fingers through her hair and played with it.

"In the quiet, stillness I'm reminded of... what it means to love another... Ohhh I would carry it all for you... When the light has gone and all the night has fallen..." His voice mellowed, following a sweet smile. He pulled the blanket that she had pushed away and covered her body as she laid softly in her arms.

"When the last bird sings good night... When the sigh of songs inside your heart comes calling... Let it lead you home... to me..." A soft silence fell over between them, enthralled by the intoxicating melody from his humming. She was still shivering but the crying had stopped. Raine closed her eyes, snuggling in his safe arms.

It was one of the longest nights of his life, Mikhail felt a heavy weight in his chest watching her like that. His blood boils from the state Raine's been suffering in for the past days. With a hurricane of thoughts forming in his mind, he slowly got up and placed her on the pillow. Mikhail laid next to her, squeezing her hand tight. He continued to stare at the ceiling for hours, watching over her now peacefully sleeping.

It had only been years since they met and the first weeks she arrived in her life, Raine had completely made his life turn upside down. All this, he can't make out. She doesn't deserve any of this. He can't help but blame himself for everything. Had he stayed with her, would this still have happened? It broke him more than anything to see her like this. Not her. What did she ever do to deserve all this?

Her body shivered, making him turn to her by impulse. With eyes still closed, soft murmurs escaped from her mouth. "M..m..mikey..."

He pushed out strands of hair, covering her face. Mikhail cupped the side of her cheek as a lone tear fell down from his eye. "Tulip..."

Morning came, waking him up in the well-lit room. He looked around to find her still sleeping by his side. He sat on the side of the bed, wiping his eyes open. Mikhail got up, pulling the curtains so that Raine would not wake up. He kissed her forehead, giving one last look before leaving the room. "Good morning." He smiled at her mother, preparing the dining table. "Oh! You're up early." She said, acknowledging him. Mikhail looked at the sofa to find Manuel and Lara huddled together in a sweet slumber. "Let me help." He insisted, arranging the plates around the table. "Thank you..." Mother nodded.