Ice Princess

8

He took her coat and hung it up, but she still felt cold to him. Wrapping a blanket around her, he brewed her some tea and ordered dinner in. Bringing her the mug, he sat beside her and wrapped his arms around her. Mina snuggled into Matt as she sipped her tea.

"Thank you."

"I ordered food, but you look like you're ready to pass out."

"I don't think I can eat."

"You don't have to, if you do, something will be here for you. I want you to know, I have no expectations of you, if you're worried. You're safe here, rest, sleep. The bedsheets' just been changed."

"I couldn't do that."

"Yes, you will." But she was already nodding off next to him. Matt caught her teacup before she dropped it, then gave her a few minutes, picking her put and putting her in his bed. He curled around her until the food arrived. After eating, he checked on her and she was sleeping but it was fraught with dreams as her expressions changed on her face. His touch on her faced soothed the worry lines. Gently, he shook her awake.

"I have to go out for a couple hours, but food's in the oven staying warm if you get hungry. Other than that, sleep."

"I should be going."

"No, you need to rest, let me take care of you. Please?"

"Ok." She laid back down and nodded off again. Two hours, Matt said. Then he'd come back, just in case, he left a message on her phone for her to stay there.

When he did get back, he was battled and bruised, but in one piece. Shower and changing quickly, he was just starting to nod off when she screamed. Her nightmare was overlaying with reality causing her to push Matt away.

"You're ok, you're safe. It's just me, Matt."

"Matt, I ... I... I can't do this. I need to leave." Hurrying she put on her shoes and headed for the door.

"No, wait." He tried to stop her. "We didn't do anything."

"No, I just can't completely. I shouldn't have gone out with you the first night."

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

"What do you mean you shouldn't have gone out with me the first night?"

"I can't risk anything bad happening to you because of me. I'm sorry. I can't do this. I need to go, I'm sorry for everything." She shook him off. "Please don't." He could tell it hurt her more to say that than it did him.

Matt tried to contact her for the next week, even went to her apartment a few times, but she wasn't there. At night, he would stand on the fire escape outside her window and would hear her sobbing and talking to herself. The things she said made him fell sadder about her. When he would come by just before dawn, she had already left for the day.

_______

"What do you mean, the mission didn't go as planned?" Mina asked Bruce. "Everyone came back, right?"

"Yes. But two of the hostages didn't make it." Mina slumped into her chair.

"Which two?" Before he told her, she already knew which two.

"Mina, I'm sorry. I know they were friends of yours and you were trying to get them out but...".

"I planned for every contingency. Every one of them. Did no one read about the constant power outages in the cells they were being kept in and the lack of security through the front hallways..."