The Choice

32) Aurora

Warning: smut - forcing - nightmares.

I exit the bathroom and stroll towards the living room to find Omer not there. Joe jerks his chin inside, "his room." He says and I nod heading inside for his room. I open the door slowly to find him laying on his bed with his legs crossed and arms above his head as he gazes at the window above his desk across from the bed.

He glances at me then pats the bed next to him. I rush to his side then climb the bed nestling at his side. I lay my head on his chest and ask softly, "how do you feel?"

"like I want to marry you."

I push myself on my elbows , "are you proposing to me, Omer Mughrabi?" He grins then nods, "It's not the official proposal yet. But..." He trails off sitting up and I do too then he stands taking my hands lifting me to stand with him. We stand in the middle of his room and he speaks voice thick with emotion, "Aurora, let me be honest with you. I cannot stop my heart from loving you more and more everyday. I'm scared. I'm scared my love will suffocate you. I'm scared I'll rush you into things you're not ready for. I want to take my time with you, to get you to be at peace with me. But- I cannot stop it. The longing, the desire to have you by my side all the time. "

I shake my head," then don't. Don't stop any of that, Omer. I have never been more at peace that I have been with you. You make my soul happy, loved, cared for." I place my hand on his jaw and he leans in as he kneels in front of me. I startle, but he grips my thighs stopping me from moving as he sits on both of his knees.

" Omer. " I whisper and he lowers his head. I hear a sniff. He's crying. I try to reach for him, but he doesn't move his steel grip on my thighs as he leans forward pressing his forehead on my thigh. I lace my fingers through his hair as tears threaten to fall from my own eyes too.

"I couldn't anymore." That's it, I hear a sob break from him. An actual sob and I shake his hand off crouching in front of him bringing his body flushed to mine in a protective embrace. And he cries. Cries for the nights he spent alone. Cries for the times he got abused. Cries for the years ripped away from him against his will.

In their eyes, he's a huge man that scares them off. But in my eyes? Oh, in my eyes, he's my baby. My first child.

He lost his mother and met her today. But she won't be the one to make up for the past 20 years of his life. I will.

A give a silent promise as I rub his back.

He sniffs and gasps crying silently burying his face in my chest. Hiding himself from the world.

I am not comforting the man I see and know. Right now, I am hugging the young boy that only ached to be loved. To be held not hit. To be appreciated not lusted after.

"I love you." I whisper and another sob breaks out of him and he tightens his arms around me.

He looks up, eyes welled with tears. Face young and broken. Soft with emotions.

"Please, marry me, Aurora."

My tears too fall and I beam through them and nod rapidly, "yes. Yes, Omer. Remove my memories and ask me, I will say yes every. Damn. Time. YES!"

He lets out a laugh and kisses me passionately. "I love you." He keeps whispering that through the kiss and through the night we stay here.

I hear a strangled cough and feel the bed shift underneath me. A gasp fills the room followed by another cough. The same sounds that awakened me a week ago at the hotel room. I sit up, the room is utterly dark, the bed shifts again as a cough comes out of him.