Slippery love

Chapter 5

Katie shook her head, her anger giving way to exhaustion. "I don't know if I can do this," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I'm so lost, Aiden. I don't even recognize myself anymore."

Aiden took a step closer, his voice gentle but firm. "You're not alone," he said. "We'll do this together, one step at a time. I'll be with you every step of the way."

Katie's lip quivered as she looked at him, the anger slowly melting into a deep, aching sadness. "I want to believe you," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "But I'm so scared."

Aiden nodded, understanding the depth of her fear. "I know," he said softly. "But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere. We can face this together."

Katie stared at him for a long moment, her defences slowly crumbling. "Okay," she finally said, her voice trembling. "But you can't leave me again. Promise me, Aiden."

"I promise," Aiden said, his voice filled with sincerity. "I'll never leave you again."

Katie took a deep breath, the weight of his words sinking in. "Alright," she said, her voice still shaky. "Let's start today. One step at a time."

Aiden smiled, a glimmer of hope lighting up his eyes. "We'll take it slow," he promised. "Together."

Katie nodded, a small sense of relief washing over her. With Aiden by her side, she felt a flicker of the strength she once had. It wouldn't be easy, but knowing he was there gave her the courage to take the first step towards recovery.

Aiden helped Katie to her feet, supporting her unsteady frame. "Let's get you some fresh air," he suggested gently. "We'll take it slow."

Together, they walked towards the door, Aiden's arm around Katie's shoulders, offering her the stability she desperately needed. As they stepped out into the sunlight, Katie took a deep breath, feeling the fresh air fill her lungs. It was the first breath of many on her long road to recovery, but with Aiden by her side, she knew she could face the challenges ahead.

Aiden knelt beside her, his eyes searching hers for any sign of the Katie he knew. "Katie, I'm here because I love you. I came back for you," he said, his voice filled with a mix of determination and heartbreak. He gently took her hand, feeling the coldness of her skin against his warm fingers.

Katie's eyes flickered with a hint of recognition, but it quickly turned into a glare. She yanked her hand away, her voice sharp and laced with bitterness. "I didn't think... you'd come back," she spat, her words slurred but her anger unmistakable. "You left me, Aiden. What did you think would happen?"

Aiden's heart ached at her words, but he kept his voice calm. "I promised you I'd come back, and I meant it," he said, glancing around the room, taking in the disarray, the stark evidence of her struggles. "But Katie, we need to get you help. This isn't you. This isn't the life you deserve."

Katie laughed bitterly, a harsh, hollow sound. "Help? You think you can just waltz back in here and fix everything?" she sneered, her eyes flashing with anger. "You don't know what it's been like. You have no idea what I've been through."

Aiden took a deep breath, fighting to keep his composure. "You're right. I don't know what it's been like for you," he admitted, his voice steady. "But I want to understand. I want to help you. Please, Katie, let me help you."

Tears welled up in Katie's eyes, but she quickly wiped them away, her expression hardening. "Why should I trust you?" she demanded. "You left me when I needed you most. You don't get to come back and play the hero now."

Aiden's heart broke even more at her words. He reached out, but she pulled away, her eyes filled with hurt and anger. "Katie, I'm so sorry," he said softly. "I know I hurt you, and I can't change that. But I can be here for you now. We can start over. Together."

Katie shook her head, her anger giving way to exhaustion. "I don't know if I can do this," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I'm so lost, Aiden. I don't even recognize myself anymore."

Aiden took a step closer, his voice gentle but firm. "You're not alone," he said. "We'll do this together, one step at a time. I'll be with you every step of the way."

Katie's lip quivered as she looked at him, the anger slowly melting into a deep, aching sadness. "I want to believe you," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "But I'm so scared."

Aiden nodded, understanding the depth of her fear. "I know," he said softly. "But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere. We can face this together."

Katie stared at him for a long moment, her defences slowly crumbling. "Okay," she finally said, her voice trembling. "But you can't leave me again. Promise me, Aiden."

"I promise," Aiden said, his voice filled with sincerity. "I'll never leave you again."

Katie took a deep breath, the weight of his words sinking in. "Alright," she said, her voice still shaky. "Let's start today. One step at a time."

Aiden smiled, a glimmer of hope lighting up his eyes. "We'll take it slow," he promised. "Together."

Katie nodded, a small sense of relief washing over her. With Aiden by her side, she felt a flicker of the strength she once had. It wouldn't be easy, but knowing he was there gave her the courage to take the first step towards recovery.

Aiden helped Katie to her feet, supporting her unsteady frame. "Let's get you some fresh air," he suggested gently. "We'll take it slow."

Together, they walked towards the door, Aiden's arm around Katie's shoulders, offering her the stability she desperately needed. As they stepped out into the sunlight, Katie took a deep breath, feeling the fresh air fill her lungs. It was the first breath of many on her long road to recovery, but with Aiden by her side, she knew she could face the challenges ahead.

As they stepped out into the sunlight, Katie squinted against the brightness, feeling an overwhelming sense of disorientation. The world outside felt so different from the dark, suffocating bubble she had been living in. Aiden kept a supportive arm around her, guiding her down the steps of her apartment building.

Katie's legs wobbled, and she clutched onto Aiden for stability. "I can't believe how weak I've become," she muttered, frustration evident in her voice.

"It's okay," Aiden reassured her softly. "You've been through a lot. We'll get you back on your feet, one step at a time."

Katie looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mix of anger and sorrow. "You say that now, but what happens when things get tough? Will you run away again?"

Aiden stopped and turned to face her, his expression serious and filled with regret. "Katie, I know I made a mistake by leaving. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I see now how much I hurt you. I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere. I'll prove it to you, I promise."

Katie held his gaze for a moment, searching for any sign of insincerity. Seeing none, she nodded slowly, though the pain and doubt lingered. "I want to believe you, Aiden. I really do."

As they walked through the neighbourhood, the familiar sights and sounds felt strangely alien to Katie. She noticed people giving her curious glances, aware of how dishevelled she must look. Aiden guided her to a small park nearby, finding a quiet bench where they could sit.

Katie collapsed onto the bench, exhausted from the short walk. She closed her eyes, trying to calm the whirlwind of emotions inside her. Aiden sat beside her, giving her a moment of silence before speaking.

"Katie, we need to find a professional to help you," he said gently. "I know you're strong, but you don't have to do this alone. There are people who can give you the support and care you need."

Katie's eyes snapped open, and she glared at him. "You think I don't know that?" she snapped. "I've been trying to keep it together, Aiden. But it's not that simple. I'm scared... of everything. Of failing, of never getting better, of being alone."

Aiden reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. "You're not alone," he said firmly. "I'm here with you, and I'll be with you every step of the way. We'll find the right help together."

Katie took a deep breath, feeling a glimmer of hope amid her anger and despair. "Okay," she said quietly. "But this has to be different. I can't handle any more empty promises."

"I understand," Aiden replied, his voice steady. "This time, we'll do it right. One step at a time, together."