Gaze (✔)

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Monster

Start the song at the first *** :)

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She spent the day packing until he called.

She knew one of them would – the separation was already gnawing at her stomach like a rat, urging her to go after him no matter what words had passed between them.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, morosely, when she picked up the phone. Although she didn't recognise the number, she knew it would be him.

"Me too," she replied in a mumble. There was silence for a long moment, but it didn't really feel silent to her. She could hear the thoughts whizzing between them, unspoken words aching to be released.

They both spoke at the same time:

"Maybe we can -"

"I'm coming down -"

"What?" Wyatt said, his voice lifting from the sad monotone she'd heard initially.

"Tonight. I've packed our stuff, I should be there by morning," she paused with a sigh. "I'm sorry for being so stupid – I was only thinking of myself."

"So was I," he whispered. "We can talk when you get here – about what to do next. I'm meeting with Duncan tonight."

Her heart clenched with worry – she wouldn't be there to protect him. She knew he didn't need it, but the thought of him meeting the enemy without her made her choke with panic nonetheless. "Wyatt, I don't trust him."

"I know. I'm not sure what he wants, but I trust that he won't ambush me. He'd start a real war – and he's not that stupid." He added: "I hope."

"Just – be careful. Please. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"I will. I'm not going in alone."

There was another silence, and she basked in the quiet sound of his breathing. She wished she could feel his chest rising and falling with each breath – she imagined it. But he was so far away.

"Clara, what you said earlier..."

"I mean it. I love you."

He sighed contentedly, and she could almost hear the smile in his words. "I know. I love you too."

"I'll see you soon." She hung up abruptly, clutching the little cell phone to her chest, which was rising with hope and the pounding of her heart. She knew they'd be okay.

*      *     *

She left not long after their conversation, gathering what little things they had strewn around the house and stuffing it all into the back of their old car, which was pretty big, until the house was bare once again. She'd looked solemnly back through the door, with all the lights off in the house and only the early afternoon light streaming through the windows to illuminate it. She hoped she would see this house again.

The drive wasn't as long as she'd expected – perhaps five or six hours, and soon she found herself approaching familiar territory. She wasn't quite on Wyatt's land, but she knew she was close, and a surge of happiness filled her. The sun was only just setting – perhaps he hadn't gone to see Duncan yet. Her phone had run out of battery a few hours ago, making her even more anxious to learn what was going on.

The road had been largely empty for most of her drive upon entering Maine. She wasn't surprised – up in the north, at night and on country roads, there weren't many people driving. Still, the occasional car drove past her, and so she didn't find it strange when a car turned onto the road just behind her, going at a steady pace behind her own car. Another followed it, both with their headlights on so bright that she couldn't make out much else, like she was being followed by two stars that bounced around over the bumps and potholes.