The Fire Didn't Stop Her

So This Is Love ...

He screamed and his shot up in his bed. Sweat coated his body and he was shaking violently. His eyes were filled to the brim with salt water and he could hardly see a thing. "Cinder," he said. His voice shook as much as his body. "Cinder," over and over again he said her name. Just like in the nightmare. He fell back onto his bed and shrank into himself.

He heard the door creak open. "Kai," it was the princess. He yearned to get up and hold her. But he was so shaken he couldn't control his own body. "Kai, are you okay?" she came closer to the bed. Her eyes glinted with the moonlight that crept in from his window. She could see how defenseless he was right now. "Oh, Kai," her voice caring and sweet. She came to a stop a foot away from the bedside and knelt down to be at eye level with him. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"Yes," he said ever so weakly. Her hand rubbed up and down his arm, pressing a warm feeling under his skin. It gave him the strength to move, to sit up. He leaned against the head board and breathed in and out several times.

"What happened?" He closed his eyes, but that was the worst thing he could have done. Images of her bleeding corpse flashed in his mind and he came back to reality with gasped jump start. More tears trickled down his face while he suppressed the whimpers forming at the back of his throat. Her fingers slowly came to his face and fabric-ed fingers banished the tears. Her hand rested on his cheek as he continued to shake. "Do you want me to stay for a bit?"

He weakly nodded and looked back to her. There was no blood streaming down her head, nor was she wearing a wedding dress. She was real and okay, and alive. As she began to crawl onto his bed, he couldn't wait another second. He lassoed his arms around her waist and tugged her into his chest. His head fell into the crevice of her neck and his tears overwhelmed his eyes once more. She hadn't made a sound since she last spoke. But her hands found their way to his back and she gently stroked up and down.

He felt so weak. He felt like he was wimping out in front of Cinder. It made him blush incredibly, but his tears denied him a break. "Kai, what happened?" Her voice so sweet. Too sweet for him. She was so caring and considerate for someone with such a horrid past. He could never deserve her, never make her feel whole. Not even come close to the right fit for her. But she was here now, and she was all he needed.

"You ... you and I," he stammered. "We were married. You agreed be-because Levana said she'd kill m-me if you didn't. Then, she said you'd .. have to .. have kids .. w-with me. You got scared and ..." It was too painful. He didn't want to poison her thoughts with his nightmares. Or to make her think that he was psychotic.

"What happened next?" She didn't seem interested in the terror of it. She seemed more fearful for what he thought. For his well being.

"You sh... you shot," his voice tremor-ed greatly, but not enough to stop him. "You shot yourself to get out of it."

"Kai." Her arms squeezed him for a moment. She drew him closer and kissed the top of his head. He was completely defenseless. He was feeble beyond words. "I'd never do that to you. I'd never leave like that."

"Promise," his voice more stable and less shy. "Promise me you'll never leave me. Please," he begged. He tried not to sound so needy for her, but his walls had been destroyed. All of his sorrow had come to the top layer of his body. He craned his head so that his lips brushed her skin. He trailed light kisses on her neck.

"I promise, I'll never leave you, Kai." She flinched again. It was a swift movement, but he caught it. The act was soon forgotten as she raked her fingers through his hair and held him close with her other hand. He glanced at her hand, which was covered by a silk glove. He reached out and took her hand, then pulled off the glove. Her metal hand was cool, soft and smooth. He pressed the cyborg limb to his face and sighed with delight.