BORDER

Chapter Twenty Two

NERISSA

    When I awake for the second time, I am in the sleeping bag. It is dark now, and stars twinkle in the sky. I find Anakin's silhouette and stay quiet as I watch him watch the fire.

"Do you want to be a stalker or do you want come warm up?" His deep voice startles me.

    I swallow around a smile as I sit. "Sorry, still a little tired."

"Not surprised, your body took one Russa of a beating."

I chuckle before pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "Thank you for carrying me. It was very kind of you."     "What happened? I don't remember what happened after I saw you jump in after me." His jaw is clenched in concentration. "Why would you be so stupid to do that?"

    I slip out of the sleeping back before joining him on the log. I glance at him with a cocked eyebrow. "That is an extremely unusual way of offering a thank you."

I cross my arms over my chest as he drags his hand down his face. "Why did you do it?"

"Well, we can't break the promise and we both heavily agreed to save each other with these truces so, that's why."

"That's the only reason?"

"Angel's promise." I swear but as the words slip through my lips it almost feels like a lie.

He clenches his fists. "It could have killed you. He could have."

"But he didn't. That's all that matters. We're here, right now, and nothing is going to stop us." I see as the tears begin forming in his eyes. My heart soars at the sight of true emotion.

    "I would have lost you." He starts before stopping.

Lost me? What is he talking about? Why would he have hated the idea of me passing on? He can't stand to be in my presence. I look at him with concern, it must be that potion still working it's way through him.

"You only feel that way because of the potion." I gently caress the side of his cheek with the pad of my thumb. "It'll wear off. I promise, Anakin."

"Don't touch me." He snaps before pushing my hand away and standing up. "We need to keep things on the right track and I don't need a fucking angel touching me."

There he is.

I nod.

"As you wish. Do you have any other questions for me or just more lame insults because you don't know how to deal with gratitude?" I stand up with my finger pointed at his chest. I stalk myself up to him and stand on the tall stone that sat next to the log. I dig the tip of my finger into his chest, even standing on the stone, I am not taller than him. "You need to learn some manners. The minute we get out of here I can promise you will not see me again. I was trying to praise you and yet, here you are, throwing a tantrum like a five-year-old little boy who didn't get what he wanted!"

"Please, Nerissa, remind me what I want."

I sputter out at him as my brain struggles to find an explanation. "You know what, Anakin, I think you might actually like me. And I think you hate me for it."

"Like you? Please, Temptation, I can barely stand you."

"Yeah? Then why do you call me temptation?"

"I already told you-"

"Lie to me one more time, Anakin Kumar, I dare you."

He just stares at me.

Gods. He truly is awful.