She was going crazy, she knew it. She wanted to hide it, break it, tear it, make it go away. But she couldn't. She was helpless, face to face with a power beyond her. She knew its name, yet she was too afraid to name it. Lips and hands trembling, heart racing, she opened the door, she had to, she had to, the phrase repeating over and over in her head. She was definitely going mad. But there was no going back. She had to. She slowly entered, fear was written in her eyes, flowing through her veins like poison. "This isn't me. This is NOT me!" she kept screaming in her mind still shaking, still... "Worried" The word slipped under her breath without warning. She felt her heart sting. Truth hurt.
"Fiona..." a pale voice enveloped the morbid silence.
Face pale, with eyes full of tears, she approached the voice, fear taking over her whole. There was another person in that room, she was aware of that since the beginning. The man, resting on an old, wooden bed, turned his head to face her. She froze, eyes wide opened, like she just saw him for the first time. Half of his face seemed to be melted, his blue eye studying her frozen figure. She couldn't believe his state. Her gaze moved from his face to his body, the once a robotic arm was now just scrap metal, and his left leg seemed half cut. She collapsed on her knees beside the bed, still crying, still denying. The man slowly rose his good arm, slightly touching her cheek with the tip of his fingers, wiping her tears away. She gently touched his hand, holding it against her cheek. She couldn't take it anymore; she couldn't hold back her tears, the silence was killing her, but not a word was coming out, just sobs. He broke the silence:
"Fiona... please, don't cry..."he said with a hoarse voice. "I know I'm not as... as handsome as ... before, but it's still... still me..." he was having a hard time talking, she did realize that, but couldn't stop herself.
"You idiot!" her crying words were hurting her lungs."Is everything a joke for you!? Are you not aware of your state? Are you not aware of the possibility of you..."she stopped wiping her burning tears, she couldn't say it.
"Dying?" it was so bluntly put that it took her by surprise."I am very aware... Fiona... I just wanted to see you... your smile... for one last time..." he continued with a faint, yet painful smile.
"Take it back..." she whispered.
Her whisper barely touched his ear. "Wha-?"
"Take it back!" she almost screamed.
"Fiona, I..." but he couldn't continue.
"Rhys!!" his cried name devoured the entire room. She could barely hold herself from hitting him, she could barely keep her body from shaking violently. Silence took over them. He was still studying her every feature.
"Fiona... I love you... always will... forever..." each breath of his was coming slower and slower, which scared her.
"Take it back... take it back" were her last words as she collapsed on his chest. Eyes burning, years ringing, she could hear a soft voice calling her, getting louder and louder with each breath of hers. Everything was dark, confusing, blurry. The voice was getting louder, clearer.
"FIONA!!"
Scared and confused, still in tears, she jumped from the sudden, loud call of her name. Looking around her, she noticed two hands were holding her shoulders, gently shaking her, but whose hands where those?
"Fiona!" she heard it again.
Then it hit her, regaining her vision, she could clearly see who was in front of her. It was...
"Rhys!!!"
The man didn't have time to react to her sudden hug, taken aback by her action. He could hear Fiona still sobbing, tightly holding, close to squishing him. He put his arms between his body and hers, trying to escape her death hug. He studied her closely as she was wiping away her tears, worry written all over his face.
"Fiona, are you... are you alri-?" he was interrupted by something warm and soft touching his lips. He couldn't believe his eyes ,and lips, Fiona, the one that would beat him to death even for a single pick-up line, was now kissing him, with passion.
She didn't want to stop. Almost breathless she broke the kiss, trying to grasp for air with deep breaths. She was glad, she was very glad. No. She was happy. She has never felt this happiness before. She started laughing, tears still streaming down her cheeks.
"Can somebody please explain wha-"her fingertip prevented other words to slip out from his lips.
"Shut up, you idiot! Just shut up..."
