Free Falling

dix

Rebekah woke up before dawn. The soft snores of her roommate curled around her like wisps of smoke as she slid out of bed and padded out of the room.

The house was as silent as death as she crept down the hallway. The morning was surprisingly chilly and she found herself regretting her decision not to bring a jacket. She briefly debated tiptoeing back into her room to get a coat but decided against it. She didn't want to risk waking anyone else; they were exhausted and they needed- deserved- their rest.

Grabbing the car keys from the bowl next to the door, she unlocked the front door and slipped outside.

"Going somewhere?"

The shock of hearing someone address her out of the semi-lit darkness made Rebekah squeak. The keys in her fingers fell out of her grip and clattered across the brick floor.

"Seb?" She squinted, tucking her hair behind her ears. She could just make out his silhouette as he sat on the porch swing. "Why're you awake so early?"

"It's... it's a long story. Well, sort of." Sebastian sighed and ran a hand through his hair repeatedly. "Why are you awake?"

"I'm going to the hospital. I want to be there for Finn the moment they allow visitors in."

"How're you getting there?"

"My mum left her car keys with me when she went back to the hospital last night. I think she called an Uber get her there." Rebekah knelt down and picked up the keys, tucking them into the palm of her hand. As the sun rose behind the hills, streaks of purple, orange and yellow blended across the sky behind Sebastian and Rebekah could feel her heart squeeze. He wasn't wearing his sunglasses this morning and she could now see how tightly shut his eyes were.

Abandoning her planned path to the car, she sat down carefully next to Sebastian, feeling the swing dip under their combined weight.

"I do this almost every morning," he said finally. "Wake up before dawn, I mean. It's just that..." He growled in frustration. "I just... I don't know. I guess it's just that I keep hoping that one day, I'll open my eyes and I'll be able to see the colours of the sunrise."

Rebekah's heart squeezed even more. She couldn't think of anything appropriate to say. Without hesitation, she reached out and grabbed his hand, linking their fingers and feeling his warmth seep through her skin.

A muscle in his jaw twitched and his grip on her fingers tightened.

"I'm ready," he said finally. Without warning, his eyes flew open. He blinked a couple of times but Rebekah had seen it- the dull unfocused film that covered the bluest eyes she had ever seen.

Sebastian cursed under his breath before scrunching his eyes shut again. "Well, that's that." He forced a pained smile onto his face. "Anyway, let's go. I'm riding shotgun. There's no way I'm going to let you go to the hospital by yourself."

He made a movement to get up but Rebekah tugged him closer to her. There was just so much pain in hs voice and it was clear that, despite his brave face, he was overwhelmingly disappointed and she wanted so desperately to stop him from hurting but she didn't know how.

"Every morning," she said, her voice coming out softer than she had intended. "I'll be by your side every morning until you get your sight back, okay?"

Sebastian's eyes opened again, his lips parting in a silent 'o'. For several agonising moments, he didn't say a word and Rebekah began to fret that she'd said something wrong.

"Fuck," Sebastian murmured suddenly. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. "Fuck me."

Rebekah felt her face turn beet red. "I-uh... um-" What could one say in response to someone asking you to fuck them?

"What? No, not yet... Get your mind out of the gutter, babe." Sebastian had a sly grin on his face. "I'm just pissed because I'd give everything to be able to kiss you right now, but being as blind as I am, I'd probably end up leaning in and making out with a window or something."

Rebekah laughed. "You're a strange person, Seb."

"Ah, but I'm your strange person." His fingers squeezed hers gently and the affection in his gesture and words made her stomach feel as if she had butterflies in there.

"Seb, I... I think we need to get some things straight first before we, I don't know, get more involved."

"I'm all ears. Literally."

Rebekah slapped Sebastian's shoulder lightly. "I'm serious, Seb. I think you need to know something about me." She faltered for a second before hurriedly adding, "I'veneverdatedanyonebefore."

Sebastian smiled and Rebekah immediately felt confused. "Why're you smiling?"

"Because I'm a selfish son of a bitch who's glad that there's no past ex boyfriend that I have to share you with." He leaned in conspiratorially. "I think you should know something about me too." He gestured for her to lean closer and when his lips were brushing the shell of her ear, he whispered, "I wish I'd met you a long time ago but now that we have, I never want to let you go."

As he spoke, Rebekah became incredibly aware of the fingers of his free hand as they crept up and cupped the side of her face, but she was unable to tear her gaze from his. His shuttered eyes was speaking volumes more than Rebekah had ever expected.

Gently, he tilted her face towards his, his fingers skimming across her jawline and cheek and skirting at the edges of her lips as he leaned in. Rebekah could feel her heart beat throb in her temples and hear her heart thumping so loudly against her ribs that she was sure Sebastian could hear it. Heck, penguins all the way in Antarctica could probably hear it.

And then her phone rang.