Liberate Me (Shatter Me Fanfic)

Chapter 4

        The next few days go by in a blur. I have not slept in a good 60 hours. All I can think about is her touch and what it means that I can touch her. Or at least that’s all I could think of for the first 24 hours. Ever since I have been reading her journal every chance I get. I am in her mind, in her heart. I see a person broken by the world. She is a person who wasn’t given a chance to be anything but a monster. She is strong, strong enough to withstand the force of the world. She was beaten down, yet she held onto herself no matter what the world told her she was. When I look at her, I see someone who was beaten and broken until she fought the only way she knew how. When I look at her, I see myself. I see pain. I see cracks, flaws, and weakness all hidden behind a mask. This girl will be the death of me.

                Eventually I get sleep for a handful of hours, just enough to get me thinking straight. I concern myself with only one task: finding Juliette. My energy is so low the only reason I’m able to function is because of my rage at Kent. I organize a search that I should have enacted days ago. I constantly find myself drifting and thinking of Juliette. I refuse to let myself be undone by her. I haven’t seen her in days and the effect it has on me is not ignorable. I am the same calculated, clam person on the outside. The only suspicious action I have taken is postponing a few meetings. On the inside I am panicked, afraid of finding her, afraid of losing her. I am claustrophobic inside my own skin. I cannot escape my own mind. It is caving in on me from every angle, there is nowhere to hide. I decide to focus on the task at hand. I track down any property Kent owns and after a little bit of digging, I find a small residence that I know they have fled to.

“Assemble a team of soldiers, Delalieu,” I say before walking towards the compound where the tanks are kept, “tell them to follow me and be armed.”

I brief the soldiers as we make our way towards Juliette, my prize. The soldiers understand that the girl is to be taken alive, unharmed. As for Kent, I have something very special planned for him.

                My team makes their way into the building in perfect formation. I expect no less, there cannot afford to be mistakes today. I had studied an outline of the building and I know exactly where Kent will be taking Juliette. I leisurely make my way to the parking garage, taking my place by the door. I am not unnerved. I trained my whole life for moments like this. I have one goal and I intend to carry it out perfectly. I allow myself to think about Juliette. All I want is to touch her. Now that she knows we can touch, I hope she will realize what I have been trying to tell her from the start. We can be unstoppable together, we can love each other. I don’t know what she sees in Kent, but I know I can win her over. My anger at Kent flares; I cannot imagine what he has to offer her. There is nothing mildly appealing about him. Of course, the fact that he can touch Juliette must have blinded her better judgment.  My thoughts are interrupted as the door bursts open before me.

                I take aim at Kent, cock the gun and shoot within a matter of seconds. “It’s about time.”

The fear on Juliette’s face is evident. The soldiers behind her come to a halt when they see me. I beckon towards Kent before leading Juliette away. This is the moment I have been waiting for. Seeing her, I feel like a different person. I know so much about her; feel so much more towards her. Being with her is transforming me. My bare hand is pressed tightly against her lips. My rough skin on her soft lips is making my mind race. I compose myself, determined to win her. “If I let go,” I start, already feeling her tense, “you have to promise not to scream.”

I release her and turn on the lights. We appear to be in a make-shift classroom. I’m looking at her and my heart is beating a million miles an hour. “Gosh, I missed you. You didn’t think I’d actually let you go so easily?”