Survival

chapter 3.

The corridor was so long and dark that it seemed to go on forever. I was running. I was trying so hard. But it didn't seem like I could move fast enough.

The footsteps were haunting. Heavy and menacing. I didn't know before that footsteps could be menacing.

I didn't dare to look over my shoulder. I was already running at what seemed like a sluggish speed, but my heart was pounding like I was in a dead sprint. I just had to get away.

They kept getting closer. And the faster that they approached, the slower my legs would move. My body was sore. My hair sticking to my sweaty cheeks. I couldn't catch my breath. It felt like my lungs were going to burst.

"Emma." The voice was so deep. It was so close. He was so close. Not again.

"Emma." It was just behind me now. I could feel my that my entire body shaking with fear.

"Emma." He grabbed my arm and involuntarily, the scream escaped my lips.

I sat straight up in the hospital bed, my ribs sore and my face damp. Spencer was standing beside the bed, his hands raised in mid-air, like he was contemplating whether or not to comfort me. His eyes were so full of concern. His facial features showed it prominently.

"Emma.." He said my name so slowly, so delicately. "It's just me. You're okay." He reached down and took my hand; it was such a ginger touch that it caught me off guard. I stared up at him, my eyes must have been so wide: I could feel that I was on the brink of tears.

He gestured towards the edge of the bed. "May I?"

I nodded and slid over to give him some room. I kept my attention focused on him, on our entangled hands. I had to try to forget, this seemed like the easiest way to do that.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" He looked down at me. His thumb grazed across the back of my hand. I couldn't tell if this was a conscious action.

"I don't think I can." My voice broke, I had to bite my lip to hold back the tears. I averted my gaze, dropping it down to our intertwined fingers.

"Why are you here?" I couldn't muster up the courage to meet his eyes. I pulled my hand away, combing it through my hair, damp with sweat.

"You all should be on a plane, going back home. I mean, you caught your guy right?"

He didn't respond.

"You did catch him, right?"

The thought of that man being out in the public. The thought of him being a threat to an innocent girl...

"Officially, no we didn't."

My heart started to race. He's still out there. He is out in this world somewhere.

"And J.J and I, well we were sent to see if he had brought you to any other location. Anywhere he might be hiding."

I couldn't believe the words that I was hearing. I had to still be dreaming. They found me, how could they not have found that monster.

"It is also still our job to ensure your safety. As far as we know, no one has ever escaped from his grasp before. We don't know how he will react."

I swallowed hard, staring blankly at the wall in front of me. I had to process this information. My brain couldn't quite make sense of his words.

"...so I'm not safe." My voice was barely audible. Right now, I was at my most vulnerable. He had easily taken me at my least.

"We have guards monitoring every entrance to this hospital. And I'm here with you. No one is going to hurt you, I promise." Spencer rested his hand on my arm, pulling my attention towards him.

"No one is going to hurt you."

He sat up straight, readjusting himself so that he was facing me. We kept our eyes locked on the other. He flashed a soft smile, almost shyly, and dropped my gaze.

"Do you pinky swear?" The corner of my mouth tugged up into a smirk. It was my way of breaking the tension. He chuckled, amused by my childish words.

"I pinky swear."

I picked up his hand, unfolding his little finger and wrapping mine around his. He couldn't contain his smile, and I had to admit that it was adorable.

I caught myself staring at him as we each took our hands away. I guess it was normal, to have so much admiration for someone who you see as your savior. Your knight in shining armor. Except minus the actual 'shining armor'. Yeah, this was normal.

"Where are you from Emma?" The soft smile was still visible upon his lips; making his question seem more sincere.

"Arizona. Phoenix actually. When I was a kid, there was this little hole in the wall diner in our neighborhood. We used to go there before..." I trailed off. "It was, and probably still is, the best food in the city."

Spencer's focus didn't falter from me, from my words.

"What about yourself?"

"Las Vegas." He waited to see my reaction.

"You don't seem like the type of guy that would have grown up in Las Vegas."

He chuckled and look down at his hands. "You'd be surprised at how often I get told that."

"Oddly, I'm not very surprised."

"I got out of there as soon as I could. I didn't fit in too well." His tone changed, although it was slight, it was still noticeable.

"I think you've found where you belong." I smiled at him, feeling the weight drag at my eyelids. I tried so hard to fight it off. I was scared.

Spencer took notice immediately.

"Um, is there anything I can do? Would you like a coffee? I could have someone run to the store and-"

"Would you lay with me?"

My question was so direct, I think it caught him off guard.  He sat there staring at me for what seemed like a millennium. It had to have been only a few seconds.

"I don't see any harm in that."

He laid down beside me, being extra careful not to move the bed too much. He rested one hand behind his head, the other on his stomach. I looked up at him, studying his of sorts.

I took a deep breath, then cuddled into his side. I felt every muscle in his body stifen temporarily, but relaxed almost as quickly.

"Are you comfortable? I could call the nurse to bring you another pillow. Or maybe a blanket, I dont know." He rambled on and on so much that I had no choice but to find it amusing.

"I'm okay. Really."

I felt my eyes flutter closed, the same moment that my nose took in the scent of his wonderful cologne.

Bliss.

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Hey guys! I'm sorry that it took me so long to post another chapter...its finals time!

But I really hope that you like it!

~♥