Defector

Chapter 15: Theon

I am sorry it has been such a long time since my last update, life has a way of making its presence known, and not in a good way. I want to thank those of you who are still here and still reading and haven't given up on me or this story yet. so this one is for you!

with love, 

M. Blackwater 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The stuff that Meena gave me to drink tasted like cat pee but I was thankful that it helped with the pain. She was currently sitting behind me stitching up my wounds. I was too aware of her cool touch on my shoulder as she worked on the wound 3 inches to the right. There was a curved needle in the First Aid Kit but sadly no stitching string, so she improvised and used some dental floss that I had in my pack. I'll give her one thing; the woman is resourceful.

We sat in silence, until it I couldn't sit quietly with her touching my bare skin any longer. "So Meena..." I started training off. Great. Now what was I going to say.

"Yes?" she said still concentrating on the stich job.

I had exactly three seconds to say something relatively normal before I sounded like complete idiot. "Tell me about yourself." I mentally punched myself, right, real smooth.

"Well, there isn't really much to me. I am a first generation born Moder, the bullet that tore through my leg tells me you already knew that."

My chest ached at her words. I'm the one who shot her. I'm the reason she's in this mess. She let out a small laugh as if it was no big deal, even though I knew better, I relaxed a little bit, and she continued. "My parents were both born human, but changed back in '24. They were drafted to become Moders and fought for to restore peace to Pallas, and when the war was done they moved into a Moder Camp and had my brother and I."

It all sounded so normal the way she said it, not like they were the cold blooded killers I was brought up to believe they were. Pull yourself together, Theon. I couldn't let this pair of green eyes make me question everything I knew, even if they did belong to the closest thing to perfection I had ever seen.

"What about you?" her words brought me from my thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"What is your story?" she asked and added "Sorry." When I grunted in pain when she pulled a little too hard on my skin.

"I was found in the bombed remnants of the Eastern Burrows. I was four." I stopped not wanting to say more.

"Oh." She said softly but respected my boundaries. We sat quietly for a moment and a sense of guilt fell over me, as she finished her final stitch, pouring the last of the antiseptic on the closed wound. She began cleaning up her makeshift hospital equipment.

Why was it that I didn't want her to know about what had happened to me? I couldn't answer that, not in a logical way anyways. So taking a deep breath, I began to speak. "It was just after midnight when the bombs began to fall." The rustles of her cleanup stopped as she registered my words.

"Theon." She said my name so quietly I almost didn't hear her. "you don't have to." Her voice full of emotion and sadness.

She laid her small hand on my uninjured shoulder, her touch soft, sending electricity dancing through my body. I shook my head, she was much different than I had imagined a Moder to be, more human than any human I had ever met. I shook my head "No, no it okay." I took a deep breath before continuing. "They," I spit the word with venom. "attacked the burrow when they knew everyone would be asleep. I remember hearing the sounds thinking it was a nightmare. I was frightened and ran into my parent's room of our canvas. My father was out hunting when it happened. That's when the animals were most active. It wasn't until I heard the screams of the others that I realized it wasn't a dream. My mother grabbed me and carried me outside. She put me down inside the opening of the storm drain pipe, told me to stay there while she ran back and got my brother, he was only a baby. I waited for hours. But she never came back." She removed her hand from my shoulder and my heart sank. I felt guilty that my tone had offended her.

I glared down at my feet, angry that I had upset the woman who had stayed with me, took care of me, saved my life when she easily could have left me to die. Although ashamed to admit it, if the roles were reversed, that is what I might have done, if it were anyone but Meena.

She slowly came around to my side, and sat down on the old log next to me. Although it was light out it was still dark in the cave, the fire the only light. I stared at the flames dancing, embarrassed to look at her. "Hey." She said softly, scooting closer till our shoulders touched. There was no anger in her voice, but still I refused to look at her.

"Theon." Meena said reaching out and touching my face softly. I froze. My heart stopped beating. I closed my eyes afraid they would show the emotions that were trying so desperately to break through to the surface. I felt her hand press more firmly to me cheek urging me to look at her. I allowed her to guide my face in her direction but kept my eyes closed, her hand never leaving my cheek.

"Hey." She said once again, I could feel her face just inches from mine. I slowly opened my eyes but remained looking down for a moment longer. As I lifted my gaze my eyes met her beautiful green ones.

"I'm so sorry." She said emotion straining in her voice. What happened next surprised me to my core. Her delicate arms wrapped around my neck and pulled me to her body.

I sat there for a moment in shock. No one had ever hugged me since the death of my mother. After a few moments, my arms awkwardly made their way around her waist holding her in a gentle embrace. She was so small in my large arms, but I liked the way she felt pressed against myself.

I held her for a moment longer, before releasing her from my grip. This woman would surely be the death of me.