All for you

Chapter 12

Day 1 in Base

You were here. You were alive and you looked pretty okay to me.

I couldn't do anything. I was paralysed. All I could do was scream. You came and knelt next to me with your hand around my side. You sat down cross-legged and pulled me into your lap, cradling me. You pushed the hair out of my face and wiped the tears of my cheeks. I didn't know I had missed you this much.

The room was painted white. A black coffee table sat upon a rug. On the coffee table there are magazine and books. The floors are carpeted white. There are 2 single chairs next to the door and a couch on the far wall with a lamp next to it.

"Hey babe I'm here. It's ok. Just breathe. Shhhh." You did your best to calm me down.

My cry weakened. Being in your arms again was comforting. I felt like a child again despite the fact that I am slightly taller than you.

You held my head against you chest. You ran your fingers through my hair as I finally calmed down.

I took a deep breath. "I'm so.... so sorry."
"Babe. It's ok."
You looked down at me smiling. It was a broken smile though.

"What did they do to you?"

"Babe, don't worry about me."

"Don't block me out like this. Not now. Please."

I move off your lap and sit in front of you. You raise your shirt. Bruises just like mine. Almost exactly the same. I raise my shirt.

"Heyy. Bruise buddies."

We both giggle and you pull me back onto your chest.

"That terrible we shouldn't joke about that."

"Hey I never noticed but that is something I really love about you. You always manage to make a joke in a bad situation. You always try to ease the tension in a bad situation."

My look changes from confusion to a grin.

I get comfy against your chest and listen to the beat of your heart. It's a steady rhythm.

"All I remember was being in bed, being surrounded by a whole heap of guys and then getting whacked in the head. What happened after that."

"After they hit you I tried to help you but my hands were tied. I was shouting at them to let us go but they dragged you out of bed, out of the house and then I heard an engine start and only 2 guys came back. They punched me a whole heap of times. Then the guys left and I was in the bed for ages. I think I was there for like at least 12 hours. I was trying to sleep and then I heard all this banging and the all these cops came in and untied me and told me I had to go to the navy base in Cairns because you were there and then they took me to the airport. The whole flight I was with a cop and then he followed me all the way to the base."

"How long have you been here?"

"3 hours I think."

I rest my head back on your chest. We sat in silence for a few long seconds.

"I'm joining the navy."

You arms tighten around me. I look up to your face. Your eyes are filled with tears. I sit on the floor and pull you into my lap, cradling you like you did for me.

I gave you a kiss, wiped away the tear that escaped your eyes and held you tightly.

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm proud of you. I'm so fuckin proud of you. And I worry about you because I love you and I never want anything to happen to you."

I didn't say anything. Just pulled you closer, held you tighter and found even more love for you that I didn't think was possible.

I never want to let you out of my arms. I never want anything to happen to you.

"I have to join. It's the only way I'm going to keep these assholes off my back. I'll be at sea and it'll be harder for them to get to me. As for you, I'm going to buy a place up here, somewhere near the base. You can stay up here and I need to organise security anyway so you will be safe up here if you want to stay."

I can't hear you say anything but I feel you nod.

"Where are you staying and who with."

"One at a time babe."

We ask questions back and forth for at least a half hour.

"Well I've got all of this to do."

I say handing him the folder.

"And I have a tonne of stuff to sort out so I don't know what you want to do. If you come with me there is a good chance you will bored out of your mind but I mean it's up to you."

I get up off the floor, wrap my hands around your waist and stare into your eyes.

"I'm so happy you're ok."

"And I'm happy my baby girl is ok."

I brush my lips against mine and you pull me closer. You put one hand on my side and the other on my neck. We kiss.

"I forgot how good you are at kissing. Holy shit I missed you so much."
You smile at my comment.

"I gotta go sort out all this paperwork so uhh yeah."

I pick up my folder, close the door behind me and head to front desk to see the lady again. She sits there on the phone typing away. She does the "give me a second" hand gesture and smiles.

"Sorry about that. I understand you have a lot of paperwork and other things to sort out."

"So much you wouldn't believe."

"Sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Elizabeth, just call me Liz."

"Nice to meet you Liz."

She stood up from her chair and I followed her to another room. The room was white. It's a light room that looks over the water. In the room there is a desk. Liz sits at the far side of the desk and I sit in one of the two chairs on the opposite side. I place the folder down.

Liz opens the folder to see a very thick stack of papers. She looks at her watch. "When do you sail next."

"Fortnight."

"Jeez we better get started then."