Dark & Light

~Chapter Twenty~

(Hello loves! This tune goes sooo well with this chapter, so I hope you can play it alongside reading. :))

Chris's POV

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"Paige," I call out. "Paige, I know you."

"What do you mean, you know me? Quit playing games!"

"I'm not. I swear. I...remember," I stutter, confused by her reaction to my appearance.

"Chris, how did you even get out of the rehab facility?"
"I just got out. That's it. What does it matter? Paige, I freaking remember who you are!" I burst out.

At my outburst, Paige's irises diluate and expand. She seems hopelessly lost by and in my words.

"How could you? The doctors said it could take years."

"They tried something new, about a week and a half ago."
"And what is that?"

"Paige, what does it matter what it was! I'm here, I found you, before you boarded a flight to God knows where, and all you're concerned about is a method of therapy!"

"You haven't been yourself in about a month and a half, Chris, I think I have a right to ask how you remember who I am!"

"I thought you'd be happy," I say, feeling empty inside at how angry she seems to be at seeing me.

"You think I'm not? Try happy, bewildered, scared, dazed, and fricking overjoyed!
"Do you have any idea how I felt watching you memory-less, laying on that bed, so lost, so puzzled about tiny things, talking about someone you vaguely remembered, and she was right next to you...she was me!

"Do you have any idea at all what in the world you've done, Chris Parker?

"You've made me reconsider my life entirely. You've made me remember I'm not the only person with past scars that still hurt. You've defined love for me in an entirely new way, and given me an idea of hope that just refuses to go away deep within me. I feel hope, I feel love, heck, I even feel some faith inside, all because of you.

"Worst of all...worst of all..." she pauses for breath. She steps toward me, and I walk forward towards her.

The next thing I know, everything but her and I have faded in the world. The rain soaks our clothes, making us both shiver.

She just walks into my rain-soaked arms, and I embrace her. She looks into my eyes intensely before standing on tip-toe and coming in closer.

And everything just stops as my lips touch hers. I shudder at her gentle touch, and wrap my hands around her waist just as she envelops around my neck. Everything seems to cease existing as Paige and I swirl in a wild hurricane of fear, emotion, and sensation with our lips locked with each other's. I'm wrapped up in what I can feel so vividly but cannot truly describe, before she pulls away slightly.

"Worst of all," she finally finishes, breathing softly, "you've made me fall deliriously in love with you, and there's nothing at all I can do about it." I take her hands in mine and go in for another kiss. This one is warm, sweet & gentle, like a breeze wafting lightly through fields with gentleness and rapidity, and as sweet and warm and wonderful as a balmy sunshine in the spring.

When Paige lets go, I'm still holding her hands in mine at my chest. With her head just brushing my chin, we sway back and forth to a tune only my and her heart can hear.

And when I whisper in her ear that I love her too, she nods, and the closeness we feel next to one another only amplifies the love that has finally blossomed within despite the storm.

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Hello my lovely readers! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I want to thank you all so much for reading! Make sure to leave your thoughts on this update in the comments below and also give it a vote (:

XoXo,

Veronica