VIRUS

TWENTY TWO

Chapter Twenty-Two: Fears and Confessions

Dawn lay in bed, the steady hum of the cabin's heating system the only sound breaking the silence. She felt a little better today, the fever that had kept her down for so long finally starting to break. Her muscles were still sore, and her energy was low, but she was lucid again, which was a relief. As she adjusted her blanket, trying to get comfortable, she heard muffled voices coming from just outside her room, in the hallway.

She recognized the voices instantly: Holden and Isabel. Holden sounded... off, his voice shaky, as if he were struggling to keep it together. Curiosity got the better of her, and she lay still, straining to hear the conversation.

"I don't know what I'd do if I lost her, Isabel," Holden's voice broke mid-sentence, trembling. "She's the only thing keeping me together. The only thing that makes me feel like I'm... worth something."

Dawn's heart clenched. She'd never heard Holden sound so vulnerable. He had always been the confident one, the protector, the one who took charge no matter how bad things got. But now, his raw fear was laid bare.

Isabel's voice was softer, gentler than usual. "Holden, we were all scared. When you left... you didn't see how she reacted. Dawn was terrified something would happen to you. She thought she'd never see you again. I had to keep her from getting up and going after you herself."

There was a pause, and Dawn could almost picture Holden wiping at his face, trying to compose himself. His voice came out quieter this time, but still unsteady. "I didn't mean to scare her. I just... I didn't know what else to do. She was getting worse, and I couldn't sit around watching her suffer. I had to get something for her."

Isabel sighed. "We know you did it for her. But it doesn't mean we weren't scared. You know how she feels about you. You're everything to her, Holden."

There was a soft, choked sound from Holden—he was crying again. Dawn's throat tightened, the tears welling up in her eyes too. He was always so strong, so unshakeable in her eyes, but hearing him like this was breaking her heart.

"You don't get it, Isabel. I've never had someone like Dawn in my life. Never. My entire life, I've been this screw-up, this... this disappointment. Even when my father was gone, I could still feel him, y'know? Breathing down my neck, waiting for me to mess up." Holden's voice cracked with emotion. "But Dawn... she makes me feel like I'm better than that. Like I'm worth more than just being some messed-up kid from a broken home."

Isabel's voice was barely above a whisper. "You are worth more, Holden. Dawn sees that. We all see that."

"I'm so afraid of losing her," Holden whispered. "I can't lose her. I won't."

There was a pause, long and heavy, before Isabel spoke again. "Holden... you can't control everything. You can't always protect her from everything."

"I know," he snapped, his frustration leaking through. "But I'll die trying if I have to. If anyone, or anything, comes for her... I'll kill them. I'll rip them apart. I don't care who or what it is. Dawn is the only good thing to ever happen to me, and I'm not losing her, Isabel. Not to this world. Not to anyone."

The intensity in his voice sent a chill down Dawn's spine. He wasn't just speaking out of fear or frustration—he was dead serious. She had known how deeply Holden cared for her, but this... this was something more. It was terrifying and heartbreaking at the same time. He would go to any length, do anything, to protect her. It wasn't just love; it was a deep, primal need to shield her from the horrors of the world they now lived in.

"Holden," Isabel's voice trembled slightly, clearly unsettled by the raw intensity in his words. "I get it. I do. But you have to be careful. You can't lose yourself trying to protect her."

Holden let out a shaky breath. "I know. But I don't care what happens to me as long as she's okay. That's all that matters."

There was silence for a moment before Isabel replied, "She's going to be okay, Holden. You've done everything you can for her. You've been there every step of the way. But she needs you to be strong, not reckless. She needs you to survive too."

"I don't know how to be anything but reckless," Holden muttered, half to himself. "It's all I've ever been."

"Then learn," Isabel said firmly. "Learn how to be the person she needs. You're already more than enough, Holden. You just need to believe it."

Dawn's heart ached as she listened to the conversation unfold. She hadn't realized just how deeply Holden was struggling with all of this—how much weight he carried on his shoulders. And now, she knew she had to talk to him about it. He couldn't keep bottling everything up, trying to be the savior without thinking about himself.

The conversation outside the door quieted after that, and eventually, Dawn heard the soft sound of footsteps retreating down the hall. She waited a few more moments before she sat up, feeling the familiar dizziness hit her, but determined to confront Holden.

The cabin felt eerily quiet as she slipped out of bed and opened the door. She found Holden sitting in the small living area, his face buried in his hands. His shoulders shook slightly, as if he were still fighting the tears. Her heart broke seeing him like that.

"Holden," she called out softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

He looked up, startled, wiping at his eyes quickly as if trying to hide the evidence of his breakdown. "Dawn... you're awake. You should be resting."

She shook her head, walking over to him slowly. "I heard you. I heard what you said to Isabel."

His expression faltered, and he looked away, clearly uncomfortable. "I didn't mean for you to hear that."

"I know." She sat beside him, reaching for his hand. "But I'm glad I did. Holden, you don't have to carry all of this by yourself. You don't have to fight the whole world to protect me. We're in this together."

Holden's jaw clenched, his gaze still fixed on the floor. "I'm not strong enough to lose you, Dawn. You're all I have."

"You won't lose me," she promised, her hand squeezing his gently. "But you have to take care of yourself too. I need you. We all do."

Holden looked at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and love. "I don't know how to do this, Dawn. I don't know how to be anything but afraid of losing you."

"Then let's figure it out together," she said softly, leaning in closer. "You're enough, Holden. You've always been enough."

As she rested her head against his shoulder, the weight of the moment settled over them. They didn't have all the answers, and the world was still falling apart around them. But for now, they had each other—and that was enough.