The Ember In The Storm

Part II

    "I'm sorry, if only I could do something then, maybe runaway in time, I would still be carrying our child."

"Like I said before, everything was beyond your jurisdiction," Jackson rubbed the back of Elizabeth's neck with his thumb.

Along the story she unfolded, they went for a comfortable position on his bed. They lay in each other's arms, Elizabeth resting her head over his chest. He never asked or interrupted her on anything as she spoke, he listened quietly to her every word.

When he went too quiet, she asked if he was sleeping, which he responded to with a hum.

"Happy birthday," Jackson said after a moment of silence.

"You know, the night of my birthday, I prayed for God to at least let me find your or something," Elizabeth chuckled, drawing nothing on his chest with a finger, "I think it's funny because I knew you didn't want me. At that point, I was desperate. I would rather be with you, even with knowing you don't want me, than be anywhere else."

"I do not not want you," Jackson stopped caressing his thumb on her. "In fact, I prayed to see you too."

Elizabeth responded no more, but she was definitely awake.

"The things I said to you on that day, I meant none of it. I was only trying to keep you safe. If people knew..." he breathed, "I can't imagine what they would do to you, Elizabeth, I don't want to imagine anything."

After a long while, she finally spoke. "I found your paper."

"What paper?"

"It was a small one right on the side of your candle. It had some acts and scenes from Romeo and Juliet and I don't know if I was overthinking but I thought—"

"I left them for you, I did."

Elizabeth's breath stopped, "Which part?" She asked.

"All of it."

Another silence, until, finally. "You're a General, you're not supposed to."

"At this point, my position has turned into the least thing on my mind."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

She knew what he was saying to her, she just had to make sure she was not jumping to conclusions again.

"I am trying to tell you the truth, Elizabeth. No lies, no secrets, the whole truth, right in front of you."

"At this point, I don't know what the whole truth is," she shifted from his body, laying on her own pillow and facing her back at him.

Jackson turned to her, snaking an arm around her waist before bringing her body into his, a spooning position. His chin rested over her head.

"I don't know it either, but I know what I feel when I think about you, when I see you, when I hear you, when I touch you, it's nothing I've felt before with anyone. It's a thing I hate to have but love feeling, and I know you feel what it feels like, Elizabeth."

"The world out there is horrific, Jackson, especially for someone like me. You were right before, I knew nothing. Now that I do, I don't think—"

"No," he sat upright. "Is this about the baby? It was a—"

"I don't want to talk about that right now," Elizabeth whimpered, a small sob escaping her throat. "I don't want to talk about anything, please. Think about what you're telling me and think to yourself, is it worth it?"

Jackson looked down at her in disbelief. "Is it worth it? Really?"

He felt like he was being asked if having a heart to live was that necessary.