Souls Through Time (EzioxOC/DesmondxOC)

Chapter 38 - Claire

December 21st 2012

The drive back to the Temple was cloaked in silence, a heavy, unspoken tension draping over them like a fog that clung to each breath. Claire felt the finality of their journey press down on her, coiling like a lead weight in her stomach, each passing mile bringing her closer to a fate they could barely understand. She glanced sideways at Desmond, catching the steely line of his jaw, the fixed intensity in his eyes as he stared straight ahead. The quiet determination etched across his features was unmistakable, a strength she had come to know and trust. But beneath it, she could sense something else—a subtle, trembling current of nerves that pulsed beneath his calm. Even he, she realized, could feel the tremor of what they were about to face.

The Temple loomed in front of them, its ancient walls silent, watching, as if it, too, held its breath for what was to come. They parked the van and began unloading supplies, each movement practiced yet heavy with the knowledge of what lay ahead. Claire watched the others fall into their routines, their voices hushed as they avoided each other's eyes. She lingered, her gaze following Desmond as he moved, his body taut with focus, his every step weighted with the inevitability of what they would face.

Drawing a breath, she took a step closer to him, gently catching his gaze. "Got a minute?" Her voice came out softer than she intended, but steady, grounded by the quiet determination in her chest. Desmond's eyes softened for a brief moment, recognizing the weight behind her request. He nodded, the hint of a tired smile passing over his face as he led her to a quieter corner of the Temple's vast, echoing main room.

Desmond leaned against the cold, unyielding stone wall, a low sigh escaping his lips as the tension slipped just slightly from his shoulders. In that small moment, Claire saw something vulnerable in him, a glimpse of the weight he carried but rarely let show. Stepping closer, she slipped her hand into his, their fingers entwining naturally, and she felt the familiar warmth of his touch, the grounding, steady reassurance he gave without a word. The hardness of the stone wall pressed against her back, a stark contrast to the warmth that pulsed between their joined hands. Here, in the dim, ancient light of the Temple, she let herself savor the moment—the quiet strength of him beside her, the sense that even now, with the unknown looming, she wasn't facing it alone.

"We're getting close now," she murmured, her voice barely rising above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might shatter the fragile calm between them. Her thumb brushed gentle circles over the back of his hand, grounding herself in the rhythm of his pulse beneath her touch. "Feels like... like everything has been leading up to this, doesn't it?" She paused, her gaze drifting as if she could see all the battles and struggles they'd endured hovering in the air around them. "After all those times we've fought, clawed our way through, faced things we could barely understand—it's strange, isn't it? Now it's all coming to a head, and... part of me can't believe it's real."

Desmond's head dipped in a small, almost weary nod, his eyes drifting to meet hers with a searching intensity. "It's hard to believe, honestly," he murmured, his voice carrying the weight of battles fought and losses endured. His gaze softened, and Claire could see a flicker of something raw, unguarded beneath his usual resolve. "Sometimes it feels like... like we're not even meant to reach the end, you know?" He paused, the edges of his mouth tightening in a faint, pained smile. "Like everything—everything we've done—is just one impossible fight after another, with the odds stacked against us from the start."

Claire felt her chest tighten, the ache of his words resonating deep inside her, pulling her closer. She knew his strength, had seen him push through every obstacle thrown his way, yet here, now, there was a vulnerability she rarely glimpsed—a silent admission of how much he'd held together, alone.

He took a breath, his hand holding hers just a little tighter. "But having you here..." His voice trailed off, a quiet reverence in his tone. "It makes a difference." The words were simple, but they filled the space between them with a warmth that eased the shadows pressing on her heart.