Matthew set Marlo down on her bead. It had taken him some effort to find her house.
"I'm not asleep," Marlo said as she caught at his wrist," I've been awake for a little while."
He sighed," I wish you would've told me that a little while ago."
"I wasn't sure if I was still alive."
He smiled," Fair enough."
She smiled at him. His face and clothing was filthy. There were red stains on his shirt and pants and a smudge that looked like dirt mixed with blood on his cheek. She lifted her hand to wipe it off but he stopped her.
He wrapped his slim finger around her wrist," It's been a long time since anyone cared enough about me to wipe up my blood." He sounded amused.
She wasn't sure why he had stopped her," Why don't I change that."
He shook his head no and laid her hand back down on her blanket," You're the one who needs someone to take care of them."
Marlo gave him a confused look," What-"
"Look," He said, moving the mirror so that she could see herself in it.
She let a groan and rolled over on her side. She looked like he did, dirty, bloody, but worse. She had bruises on her cheeks, her clothes were ripped, and where her shirt was torn it revealed a gash above her heart. She touched her fingers to it lightly, and flinched.
"Ouch," She said as if observing something rather than exclaiming in pain.
He sat down on the bed next to her and took her hand off of the gash and held it,"
She spoke again," My mother used to tell me: Love will change your heart, your mind, your soul, but just because love is a beautiful thing doesn't mean its consequences are. I understand what she meant now. She was talking about William, my father. He betrayed her with his love and she and I suffered the consequences. I'm still suffering them, and now you are. I'm sorry."
He looked at her ," You don't have to suffer them alone, you have me."
She swallowed," I never stop thinking about you."
He closed his eyes and smiled, when he opened them again he said," I thought about you and escaped exile, just the thought of your name gave me the strength to go on," He paused and grabbed her other hand," I love you. If you don't feel the same then don't say anything, whether you want me to or not I 'm going to protect you, even if you're never my girlfriend.
"I love you," She said. His eyes lit up and he leaned to kiss her. She abandoned herself to the kiss, it was soft and slow.
They broke apart and she leaned her head against his shoulder," When do you think they'll come after us?"
He was playing with a strand of her hair, " It will probably be awhile considering that I killed all but ten of them, eleven if you count Master."
"I want to kill them," She said coldly.
"The conversation certainly took an unexpected turn," He said jokingly.
She looked out the window. It was raining," I'm not joking."
"I know," He said gently," I just wish I could keep them away from you."
She put her hand on his cheek," As long as I'm with you I know I'm safe."
He touched the hand that was on his cheek and smiled down at her. She smiled back. It was obvious that he was strained and worried, but he seemed happy like this, with her," We can't stay here," He said.
She nodded," I know, in fact I don't want to. It's all to familiar here."
"I know where we can go," He said," but you're going to have to trust me."
"I do," She said," Where are we going?"
"Arizona," He looked at her hand in his," It will take them a little while longer to find us there, but when they do I'm going to kill every last one of them, I promise, Marlo, I'm not going to let you down."
"We, will kill them, together," She looked at the smudge on his cheek and felt even more compelled to clean it off. She rubbed at it as she spoke," I won't leave you."
He closed his eyes, basking in the promise of Marlo, life, and the destruction of Master and his evil plans. He thought of his immortality and what would happen after Marlo was dead. He opened his eyes and bit his bottom lip," Marlo, dear, the war is just beginning."
