Cold Hearts - Mark Tuan fanfic

29 - Back To His Arms

"Elysa," it's nice hearing your name again. It's also nice seeing a man you know, aside from Thorne. The PI calls your name again and you look straight at him.

"What is this? Where are you taking me?" You're confused. How did he find you all the way to Malaysia? What is his mission? Who sent him? Mark? The thought of Mark still looking for you after all these months makes your heart skip a beat. Could it be?

"How are you, Elysa?" He asks, looking over his shoulder with a smile on his face. 

You relax from your chair, thinking he wouldn't hurt you. 

"What are you doing?" 

"The deal you were supposed to go to? It's a buy-bust operation."

"What?" This has never happened before. Surely Thorne had checked on the client before sending you off. "How'd you know?"

"Because we sent them."

This is confusing you right now. Why would he do that? What is their purpose? To get to Thorne? But they should know by now that Thorne doesn't deal with clients personally. 

"How? I mean...why?"

"We need to get you out, Elysa."

"Huh?" You laugh at the absurdity of it. They couldn't possibly do that, could they? Knowing Thorne, he wouldn't allow that. But still you expect it to be true....you want it to somehow be reality. 

"I was sent to get you."

"By who?"

"You'll see." He smirks. 

"Is it Averin? Is he alive?" You get chills down your spine thinking of that nasty man. 

He doesn't answer. Instead he continues on smirking and shaking his head. 

The car gets in an underground parking lot of a huge hotel. 

"You stay here," the PI says, leaving you inside the car alone. 

After only a few minutes, the car door opens. 

That face stares back at you, unmoving, not knowing what to do. His lips open a bit as if to say something, but closes again. Tears are slowly rolling down his cheeks, and you feel yours doing the same. He gets in the car slowly. Gently, he cups your face with both hands and pulls you in his arms. You can't stop sobbing.

"Elysa! Baby!" He manages to say. Your hand starts to move and wrap them around his shaking body. 

"Mark!" His name finally came out of your mouth. 

"Sorry to break the reunion, but we got to hurry," the PI comes back in the car.

"What? Where are we going?" 

"I'm taking you back with me, baby." Mark says, pulling you back in a tight hug. 

"Wait." You push him back gently. "How? My passport is with Thorne. How can we get out of here?"

"We've got everything for you." The PI hands you an envelope. Mark helps you to open it. Inside is a passport - 'Elysa Tuan' it says. The name sounds nice. You repeat it, voicing it softly.

Mark takes your chin and kisses you on the lips. "We're gonna get married anyway, right?" he chuckles nervously. 

This moment seems surreal. For six months you've wanted to see him, just be back in his arms. And now you are. You sob again, not because of fear but because Mark is beside you. 

"Hey," his hands are cupping your face, "I'm here. I won't ever let you leave me again. You understand?"

You nod and bury your face in his shoulder. 

____

Somehow, you were able to get through immigration and into the plane. Your heart beats faster as you near the place you once called home. Nostalgia, excitement, fear...all these are battling inside you as the intercom announces the plane's landing. 

"It's gonna be ok, baby," Mark holds your trembling hand. With that small gesture, you feel safer...a bit safer. 

As the PI drives you to Mark's house, you look out the window. The buildings, houses, landscapes and everything your eyes touch on bring back memories. Nice memories of the past. Your lips turn up a little without you even knowing it. 

Mark, seeing your smiling face, pulls you closer to him at the back seat. "I miss you, Elysa." He plants a kiss on your forehead.

"I miss you too, Mark." Tears again start flowing down your cheeks. Mark wipes them with his palm.

"I love you."

"I love you more."

Mark's parents are at the door, already waving as they see the car enter the gate. Mrs. Tuan runs to meet you when Mark opens the door. She pulls you immediately in her arms and you both cry. 

"Elysa, honey. I'm glad you're ok. We've been worried sick."

Mr. Tuan, too, hugs you. "Everything is gonna be fine now." He assures. 

They let you in their house with Mark following just close behind. Mrs. Tuan's arm is around your waist and ever so slightly patting you there. It feels like you have a mother to comfort you again. 

"You must be hungry. I already prepared food in the dining room," pulling you to the table and letting you sit on the chair. 

"Thank you!" You're still teary-eyed. It's still unbelievable that you're here. You look at each and every person around the table - Mrs. Tuan's lovely face, Mr. Tuan's fatherly smile, and Mark's loving gaze. A tear drips on your food and everybody hovers over you. 

"Honey," Mrs. Tuan's comforting arms reach you first. "It's ok. Just cry it out. Would you want to go rest first? Mark, take her to the room. I'll let the maid bring food up for her."

She hands you over to Mark, who gently guides you up the stairs and into the guest room on the second floor. He lets you sit on the bed and grabs a blanket which he puts around your shoulder. 

As he stands up, you grab his arm. "Mark," he immediately goes to your side. 

"What is it?"

"Don't leave me." You don't want to be alone. Everything still seems unreal. You don't want to wake up on your bed back in Kuala Lumpur. What if this is all just a dream?

"I won't, babe." He moves you over to one side of the bed and he takes the other, putting one arm under your head and another around your waist. He pulls you close and kisses your forehead. 

You curl yourself up to him, feeling the warmth of his body, making him comfort you. The safety of his arms give you the alleviation you need. "Are we really here?"

"Yes, Elysa. We're home."

Home...That's nice.

"Are you still gonna be here when I wake up?"

Sensing your anxiety, he pulls you even closer, linking his fingers behind you. "I'll be here. I promise. I won't leave you."

You smile weakly and your eyes close. 

The sound of shooting outside makes you jolt from your deep slumber. Scared, you curl up in one corner of the room, holding your knees to your chin. Suddenly the door bursts open. Thorne comes in with three other men, guns in their hands. 

"No," you try to scream but the word won't come out. 

Thorne approaches you and you sink deeper into the corner. The barrel of his gun is against your temple. You quiver as he kneels down in front of you, not moving the hand with the gun. "You've been a naughty girl, Kara. I told you what I'd do if you pull a stunt on me, didn't I?"

You nod. The cold steel on your temple pushes harder. 

"Let him in," he shouts. 

Another man comes in the room dragging a bloody man on the floor. The body makes a loud 'thud' as the man let's go of the hand he was pulling. There is a bullet hole on his forehead. 

"Mark!"