The Uprising (Book #3 in The Inception Trilogy)

chapter twenty-one

*unedited* as always, and this chapter is kind of garbage but I really needed to get an update for you all. hope it's not too terrible, lol. try to enjoy xx)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

EVELYN JOLTS AWAKE THE second she feels Harry move against her. She'd subconsciously been awake, awaiting the moment he did open his eyes, but she feels remarkably well rested, though it can't have been more than an hour since she dozed off.

Evelyn props herself up on her elbow, gently parting his hair to check the back of his head. The stitches have popped since the skin pulled itself together, so she removes the remaining bit of the thread, causing Harry to groan. He goes to sit up and she lightly pushes his head back down.

"Hold on," she tells him quietly, nearly in a whisper. She finishes undoing the stitches, then looks up for the nurse. She realizes everyone is asleep, including the two nurses. She starts to think she might have been snoozing much longer than an hour.

"I should punch you," she grumbles to him. "I won't since you did it to save Sasha, but I still want to."

He lays his cheek on the floor to peer up at her. He bats his lashes innocently. "I love you, though."

Her cheeks flush, but she replies easily, "And if I didn't love you, I would punch you."

He smiles a little and closes his eyes.

"You're so stupid. Stupidly brave," she murmurs, brushing his hair back into place with her fingers. "I don't know whether to admire you or hate you for it."

"I thought you loved me."

"Shush."

"You're love is abusive, Evelyn."

She crosses her legs and places her hands in her lap. "You scared me, Harry."

He pushes himself up onto his elbows, then lays his head on her knee. "I'm sorry, love."

Evelyn instinctively rakes her fingers through his hair while her eyes scan the darkened plane for Sasha. She finds the girl curled up next to Robbie, and a smile plays on her lips. "She's safe. That's what's important now."

"I agree."

He sits upright then, crossing his legs as if mimicking her. He takes her hands in his own, kissing the back of hers so lightly her heart falters. She yanks him towards her, wrapping her arms around his neck as she shoves her face into his shoulder. So close. She'd been so close to never feeling him again. So close to losing her dreams of a future because he wouldn't be in it. She'd been so close to giving up.

He rubs small circles into her back, then he places a featherlight kiss against her neck. Another on her jaw. Then her cheek. Her nose. Finally her lips. She craves so much, but she knows their limits. She can't kiss him too hard without the risk of turning. She wants to kiss him hard anyways, but she grabs ahold of her wits and pulls away.

He pushes his forehead against hers. "I need to get rid of these damn teeth."

"Yeah," she whispers, breathless even though their contact was brief. "You do."

***

It wasn't long until Maxie awoke, and Evelyn had already been feeling the need to speak with the younger girl. To thank her in the very least. Evelyn can't quite wrap her head around these powers of hers, but they had saved hers and Harry's life earlier today. Or had it been yesterday by now? The nurses are still asleep, and the windows of the plane are blacked out so it's impossible to tell the time.