Can't Smile Without You...

Chapter Ten: I can't...

***3rd POV***

Sweet smells...

Like flowers...no.

Better than flowers, like honey...

Christine smelled honeysuckle, most likely the blankets of her bed. She felt the smooth cotton sheets that kept her so warm. Wrapping her comfortably.

She felt the pain in her ribs...far less than before, the spear tip gone, but she was bandaged tightly, almost too tight. She scrunched her nose, opening her eyes to a pleasant sight.

Nuada must've been kneeling next to her bed, his crossed arms rest on the edge, the side of his head on his elbow and he was sleeping. He was beautiful when he slept...so peaceful looking.

He wore a sleeveless grey tunic, with simple black leggings, his boots forgotten on the other side of the room near the door. She slowly reached out a hand, her knuckles grazed lightly down his temple, then she rest her hand on his cheek.

His eyebrow twitched, his nose as well, she giggled at the reaction and he opened his eyes. He gasped and quickly stood up, backing away from her bedside.

"I am sorry, I-...I should not have fallen asleep...forgive me." He seemed to refuse looking at her.

She sat up, a concerned look on her face. "Nuada? Are you alright?" She asked, wincing a bit from her wound.

"No...I am not, I nearly killed you...and my connection with my sister-...it is-...it is gone. I cannot feel her, I feel so...alone." He looked at the floor.

"You have me, Nuada. I'm still here...your sister asked to be free...I was dying anyway, so I freed you both." Christine said, sounding unsure if it was a good thing or not.

She forced herself out of bed and stood up. "I'm not going anywhere." She reached out to touch him, but he recoiled from her. "Nuada...I'm no fragile thing. I thought-...you won't touch me, will you?" She came to a realization.

He looked at the floor with his arms crossed, a pained look of shame on his face. He shook his head.

"Come on! You weren't shy the other night! I already said that I'm not upset with you! I've been shot, stabbed, blown up before, Nuada! I'm not afraid-" He cut her off.

"What if I am!? I am afraid, Christine! I am terrified of losing you! Do you not understand!? I am the reason that you've been in a coma for three days! I can't...I'm sorry." He snapped, eventually calming himself when he saw her on the verge of tears.

"So, when I kissed you...that meant nothing...? Everything?! I want to love you, Nuada! Why are you pushing me away!?" She shouted.

"It meant everything to me, Christine!!! I love you!!! That is why I can't hurt you again!" He barked back.

"And I love you...but I'm not made of glass." Christine said more quietly, giving up...she walked passed him, opening the curtains to the rest of her room.

She walked out and found her phone on the coffee table. "Where are you going?" Nuada asked, calming himself down.

She had four unanswered texts, from Myers.

Myers: What are all these messages? Call me!

Myers: Chris, are you drunk?! Who's Nuada!?

Myers: Chris! Call me! I heard what happened! Please, be okay!

Myers: God damn it, Chris! I'm worried! CALL ME!!!

Christine grimaced and held her phone to her chest. She quickly replied: I'm fine, just woke up. Everything is alright now. She didn't have time to put her phone down before someone was knocking on her door.

She groaned, Nuada came into the main room as she approached the door.

"Who is Myers?" He asked, just as her hand reached for the door.

"It's a long story that you don't wanna hear, okay? It doesn't matter because-" She froze for a moment when she opened her door. She was met with none other than the Boy Scout himself. Her already burning eyes poured and she threw her arms around his neck, freeing her pain like a flood gate. "John! You're back! You're really back!" She cried.

Myers was stunned for a moment before wrapping his arms around her.

Nuada clenched his jaw like a bear trap, his fists tight at his sides when John smiled and kissed her head, lifting her up and spining with her.

He couldn't touch her...but he most definitely didn't want a filthy human to...