So This Is Love? {NYSM: J. Daniel Atlas}

Chapter 24

Daniel took a step back and released her hand. His eyes dropped to the ground and he took a shaky breath.

"I'm leaving in the morning," Amber stated, her voice steady. "I'll have the cops here as fast as I can. I'll tell them I was kidnapped and escaped."

Her eyes were fastened on the sky above. They were drinking in the brilliant pastel colors of the setting skies. Blues melted into purples, greens were scattered across the wondrous picture, along with pinks and oranges and reds. Faint glitters of stars peeked out from where they would soon shine bright as diamonds.

The sky was alive.

She closed her eyes, trying to memorize this sight forevermore and forget Evan. For just a moment.

"Amber, I am sorry."

When there was no reply, Daniel made a move to go back inside.

But he stopped at the glass door when he heard the smallest of cries.

"Amber?" He asked slowly.

He looked over his shoulder to see her still clutching the railing.

The cry came again.

"Amber?" Daniel asked, with a small note of urgency.

The woman didn't reply but her hold on the rail vanished. She fell to her knees, clutching her head.

"Amber!"

Daniel raced to her side and pulled her upright.

She quivered and fell into his arms, her head resting against his chest.

"No, no, no," she whispered over and over.

"A-a-amber what's w-wrong?" Daniel asked stuttering nervously.

"No! No! No!" She replied, her eyes wide and unseeing. "NO! NO! NO!"

She began to shake uncontrollably in his arms while tears streamed down her face. Screams kept leaving her lips as Daniel tried to hold her still.

"NO! EVAN! EVAN!" Amber screamed, closing her eyes, "NO THE FIRE WILL-!"

"Amber, it's not real!" Daniel whispered urgently in her ear. "There's no fire! It's all in your head! I know it seems real but it's not!"

Her voice grew weaker.

"Evan! Evan...Evan no," she cried.

Her tears soaked Daniel's shirt as she cried into it.

Daniel held her in his lap, rocking her back and forth slowly, whispering in her ear.

"It's not real, Amber," he said quietly, "The fire is gone. I won't let it hurt you."

"Yo-you won't let it hurt me," she repeated hazily.

"No I won't," Daniel replied, "I'll be here, I-I'll always be here."

Amber slowly began to hiccup, tears still leaking from her eyes.

"Look up," Daniel whispered, "Go on look up."

Slowly the brunette obeyed, still keeping a vice like grip on his hand.

Daniel's breath warmed her ear as he spoke to her, in a gentle tone.

"What do you see?"

The beautifully painted sky had been replaced by darkness. Inky blackness had speedily spread across the heavens and been sprinkled with lights.

"S-stars," Amber replied dully, still feeling the residue of her panic spinning in her blood stream.

"That's where you're wrong," Daniel replied. He gently tilted her wet chin upwards and pointed towards the night sky.

"I see beauty. Creation is screaming for attention but no one is listening."

The man held her closer in his arms and slowly began to point out new stars.

"I see stars like you," he murmured, "But if I think about it, I can see thousands of white fairies dancing in the blackness."

He smiled slightly down at her.

"The closer you look the less you see," he reminded coyly.

Amber restrained an eye roll as her breaths began to steady.

Slowly, she forced herself to look up.

"What do you see?" Daniel asked again, his voice barely above a whisper.

After a few moments of deliberation, she spoke.

"Pixie dust," Amber said, smiling slightly, "Pixie dust sprinkled all across the sky."

Daniel smiled and leaned his chin on her shoulder.

"What else?" He breathed.

Amber shivered slightly and studied the darkness. An old, sad smile slowly crossed her lips as she  stared upwards.

"Dreams," she replied. "Dreams so high no one can shoot them down but also dreams easy enough to reach."

Daniel turned his head toward her, and their noses almost touched.

"Who said that?" He asked softly.

"Evan," Amber replied just as softly.

Daniel nodded and hugged her tightly. His eyes silently asked her for permission and she inclined her head slightly.

He leaned in and so did she, to seal the moment.

Their lips met slowly and gently danced under the stars.

Amber pulled away after a few seconds and rested her head on his shoulder, still staring up at the night lights.

Daniel felt a solitary tear gently hit his shirt but said nothing.

A few minutes later, Amber was snoring quietly and Daniel decided it was too cold to stay outside any longer.

He gently moved Amber off of himself before kneeling and slowly picked her up.

She twitched but stayed asleep as he carefully carried her back into the apartment.

The three other Horsemen were all asleep in the living room, obviously waiting for the pair to come back inside.

Daniel smiled slightly at seeing Merrit's hat on Jack's head.

Then, he slowly walked down the hall and nudged open Amber's door with his foot. He walked inside and carefully laid her down on the bed. She immediately turned over on her side and cuddled against her pillow, causing Daniel to smile to himself.

After watching her sleep for a couple more seconds, he shook himself back to his senses and left her room.

As the door slide shut, a small, sleepy smile curled on Amber's lips.