Lost on Titan

{Part 35}

~Videl~

"Why can't you see me?!" Videl yelled at her mother uselessly. Her mother was smiling cruelly this time, as she walked past her toward the release catch. "Can't you hear me!?" Videl screamed. "Mommy, don't go! Please!" The airlock chamber opened, and her mother stepped inside. When the ejection sequence started its robotic countdown once again, and the sound of the air hissing out - like an evil vindictive snake - pierced the air, Videl didn't bang on the glass wall this time. She sank to the lab floor, sobbing. "How could you leave me behind?" Videl whimpered, staring in horror at her mother's disdainfully glowering face. Her daughter was invisible to her - she meant nothing to her! When the chamber opened up behind her mother at 0, Videl let out a garbled, blood-curdling scream. "NO!!!"

Videl woke up from her nightmare with the scream on her lips. She gasped for air, looking around and realizing she was not 10 years old, and she was in her bedroom, rather than the lab. She was alone! Or so she thought for a horrifying moment, before she felt the weight of someone climbing into her bed and sliding under the covers. Kane wrapped his arm around her waist, squeezing tightly.

"You were screaming, sweetheart," Kane told her, sounding pained, like her anguish was his own. "It's just a dream, okay?"

A fleeting crash of relief barreled into her as she tried to catch her breath. She felt like a scared little girl whose nightlight had burned out, leaving her in the dark where shadows looked like monsters. Her room was dark, except for the light streaming in from the bathroom. Suddenly, she felt frustrated and resentful. "You weren't next to me," Videl sobbed into his chest, wanting to push him away, but also needing his proximity. "You weren't here - I thought I was alone." If she wasn't so torn up from the emotional pain that the nightmare had caused her, she would feel horrible for sounding like she was accusing him of abandoning her - he was  here now. Kane didn't sound upset by the accusation though, unless he was trying his best to hide that it stung a little bit.

"I was sleeping on the floor, V." Kane's chest rumbled against her tear-streaked face. "You're not alone, baby. I'm here."

"Why were you sleeping on the floor?" Videl couldn't help the needy, aggravated whine in her voice.

Kane flinched, like the sound of it hurt him slightly, but he squeezed his arms tighter around her, not letting his tone reflect it.

"Should I have slept on the couch?" Kane asked gently, running his fingers through her hair.

The feeling comforted that wounded part of her that needed to be upset at someone, and she started to calm down.

"No, I need you close to me," Videl whimpered shamefully. "Please, don't leave me alone. I don't want to be alone."

She cringed at how clingy she sounded, but she was more afraid of the empty chasm of space that wanted to claim her shredded soul in its depths, than the idea of her neediness pushing him away. He said he wasn't going anywhere, her inner voice said, spitefully. He can't leave! He promised. But he hadn't promised out loud, she had just felt that it was unspoken. He could run away any time. As if reading her panicked thoughts, or perhaps just responding to her last words, he kissed her forehead that was surely salty with sweat.

"I won't leave you, V." Kane sounded so sincere. "I promise."

Her anger, her anxiety, and her cloying loneliness ebbed, hearing those words. Her breathing slowed as he kissed the tears away. She was safe. He wasn't running away. She wasn't alone. Now that she was feeling more even-tempered and level-headed, the guilt and embarrassment for treating him like she did finally dominated her other emotions.