Titanium

Part 27-Lena

Disclaimer: I'm not Lauren Oliver.

Lena

Alex pulls me into a hug and I breathe in his scent. In one second I feel completely at home. There is no place I'd rather be. 

"How did it go?" Alex whispers against my ear. 

I can hear the dread in his voice. He must think that because of the strain and worry on my face, Hana was kicked out. Maybe even worse. I quickly reassure him. 

"Well. They're letting Hana stay."

"Really?" He pulls back and holds me at arms length. "Then why are you so worried?"

I sigh. "They're going to question you. I know that you didn't do anything, but still. It makes me nervous."

"Lena," he breathes. He pulls me closer towards him. "I'm going to be fine. I promise. I'll never leave you. Not again."

He says this last part with an air of regret so strong, it's almost palpable. I feel an instant need to reassure him. Reassure him that I am forgiving more and more as we speak. That even though I'm not completely there yet, I will be soon. I want to be. 

"I know," I whisper these words faintly before pressing my lips lightly to his. A whisper of a kiss. 

"You're too good for me," he says, his lips still close to mine. "I don't know why you ever took me back. But I'm glad you did."

"I'm glad I did too. And we deserve each other. We've both done things we regret. But that's what love is, seeing past the mistakes into the person inside. And I can tell you right now that you are the best person I have ever known."

"I love you."

Love. A word that for so long I was afraid to say. It would sit on the tip of my tongue, but I was forced to keep it down. Now that I can say it freely it feels like so much more. Even the word sounds magical like a secret better let out then kept. 

"I love you too," I say faintly, the words rolling off my lips. Alex looks deep into my eyes and kisses me lightly before asking again. He knows something else is wrong. 

"What's going on? What's wrong?" 

I explain to him how Julian saved Hana and about the people that are immune to the cure. I tell him how we are going to fight. 

"Wow," he says, looking shocked. 

"I don't know what to feel. I mean it's good that we're trying to save them, but we just got out of a fight, we don't need to fight again right now. I know the Wilds isn't perfect but it's better than being in there. I don't want to take chances, I want to live. I want to live here with you," I say, it feels good to express this all. To finally vent. Alex listens intently the whole time. "And it's a death wish. There is no way to know who is immune and who isn't. There is no way to make them come of we find out. We're asking to be caught."

"You're right, there is no way this will end well. And part of being in the Wilds is making your own choices. If those people want to live in the cities then we should let them. They know that coming here is an option."

"I guess, I mean they don't really know what they're missing, but still I don't want to get involved in this. I know it sounds selfish, but I don't."

Alex brings me closer to him. 

"The Wilds are endless, Lena," Alex whispers in my ear. 

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we don't have to be involved in this," His voice grows with excitement and I can tell whatever this idea is, he wants it. But there is worry there too, a worry that seems to run more for me than for him. I can't even start to think about what he is going to propose. "We could go. Run and never look back."

I smile slightly. That Idea doesn't seem half bad. 

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