Emergent

Chapter Seven

Caleb turns to leave. I push him back into the room. "Stay, please." I whisper. I don't really want to be alone with him just yet.

"Well?" Tobias asks impatiently, drumming his fingers on the arm of the chair he is sitting in. His voice sounds almost the same, but has become a little deeper. Toughened by the events of the past.

I decide to do it. To come out from behind Caleb. If all goes to crap, there is enough room in between Caleb and the right side of the doorway that I can squeeze through and run. I know my way out.

I come out of the darkness in the hallway and into the the light of the room, looking down. I glance up at him, lock eyes for a moment, and them down again. He has matured a bit, small bags under his eyes, and he has a small bit of facial hair rimming his chin. I can't look at him for too long. I don't want to know what is hidden behind the stern look in his face. I don't.

Tobias starts to laugh. Laugh. Why?

"I'm dreaming. Wake up Four, wake up." He sounds bored. Does he have many dreams like this? He starts pinching and and hitting himself. When he looks up and I'm still there, he grits his teeth and starts slapping himself in the face. He grimaces in pain every now and then. I can't take it anymore.

"Tobias." He doesn't reply and continues to 'wake himself'.

"Tobias. Tobias. Tobias. FOUR!" He finally stops, mid-slap in the face. I laugh. Hysteria.

"Not a good time for la-" Caleb starts, but I interrupt him with an 'I'm-your-sister-who-you-thought-was-dead-for-two and a half years-so-leave-me-alone-I-will-do-what-I-want' glare.

When I turn back to Tobias, he is still mid-slap. He realizes this and drops his position. "Caleb, can I have a minute with um, her?" He points to me. A stroke of pain runs through my chest. He doesn't even address me by my name.

Caleb looks at me and nods, not giving me an opportunity to object. He leaves and I hold my breath. I don't want to know what will happen next.

Tobias steps closer to me and circles around me. When he comes back to my front, he lightly touches my ravens on my collarbone. I actually forgot about those. He sighs. "It is you." He sounds almost disappointed. I nod the best I can. I can't speak, I can't breathe, I can't think about doing either. Especially when he talks like that. I chew my bottom lip. He backs up from me.

He doesn't ask any questions, he doesn't even look like he has any. I close my eyes and attempt to explain anyway.

"It's a long story, one I can't explain now. I saw my brother for the first time in two years just over and hour ago. I saw Cara too, although she knew." I bit my lip, I didn't mean to rat her out. It slipped out. "And, I'm seeing you now." I open my eyes and quickly re-close them. "I can't be expected to...explain n-now." My lower lip wobbles. I bite it to stop it, but it doesn't help. I can't help anything now. I start crying, I'm not as tough as I used to be. I am damaged beyond repair, and this definitely isn't helping. If anything, it just got worse.

I look down. "I'm sorry Tobias, I didn't want t-" I am interrupted by a mouth colliding with mine. I'm shocked for a second, but kiss him back. I can't let things like this go to waste. I, for one, would know.

He breaks away, pulls me into a hug, and starts to cry into my shoulder. I've seen him cry twice, but not like this. His tears cascade down his cheeks, and he sniffs every now and then. He buries his face in my hair and sobs. "I m-missed y-you. A lot." He stutters.

"I'm so sorry. I-" I can't finish.

"Shh" he softly hushes. "It's okay. Don't explain it now."

I take note of the word 'now'. I knew he would want me to explain, but something strikes me about him saying it. I ignore it. Instead I stand there, my face buried in his chest, his chin resting on my head, enjoying the moment I've been longing for so long.