Capture Me

Silent Heartache

Ryder

We were on our way back home and Nara hadn't said anything since we left the building. I could tell her about Cassandra now, I could tell what she told me, but I wasn't going to—not in the car.

Her sight never left the window on her side when I glanced at her. "Are you okay, baby?"

There was a gap of silence before she answered, "No."

I breathed. In, out. In. Out. Her answer seemed to suck the air out of the car. "We'll get past this, Nara."

"I know, it's just that I worry for your safety, of what might take place once you're there. I will not be able to live without you, Ryder." Her husky reply echoed all through out.

I felt like my heart was being squeezed and the thought of having to leave Nara alone didn't sit with me well. "I won't leave you, baby. I'll kill Death myself if it means I get to go back to you."

She didn't reply. The silence swallowing the sound that only the hum of the car could be heard, but I still waited for it until we were maneuvering in the garage. I got out and went for her door.

Something—I don't know, call it a gut-feeling—didn't sat well with me, a heavy weight in my stomach.

I took my wife's hand in mine, still, I couldn't shake the nagging thought that something was out of place. I ran my hand on the gun belted to my lower back, ready to pull it out and pull the trigger if I had to.

"What's wrong?" Thalia asked, clamping her other hand on my forearm.

"I think someone got in the house." I answered her, scanning for anything out of place.

I led Nara down to the bunker, a hidden area under the garage. It was likely to be the only thing that would remain intact if ever my house got bombed.

The only source of light were the open screens of monitors parked in the middle of the room and I momentarily let my wife's hand go to turn on the ceiling lights.

"You've got a bat cave." Was Nara's awed whisper as I found the switch and flipped it on.

I let her take in everything and walked to the monitors to check the camera footages over the last hours.

The need to take extra precaution on everything gnawed at me, maybe because we were close to the ambush day—as I liked to call it—and I was with my wife or it was just plain paranoia, either way I was keeping us both safe if ever someone got inside the house.

Nara's hands held mine as I went through the feeds, fast forwarding on every angles and seeing if something different caught my sight, thankfully, there were none.

I let out a sigh of relief, but still pulled a few guns and ammos in one of the many weapon racks just to be sure.

We went to the kitchen warily. I had to feed Nara because she hadn't taken anything since last night and it was almost morning.

Nothing was said during this course of time and I hardly kept myself composed.
● ● ● ●

I watched Nara emerge from the bathroom toweling her hair, she was in one of my shirts again—and I won't ever get tired of seeing her in them.

"Hi," She greeted, approaching me on the bed where I had lain and rested her head on my shoulder.

I hummed in response.

In the time that she was in the shower, I contemplated on how I would tell her about her sister. It seemed so easy having thought of just laying it out there and seeing how she would react—for a couple of seconds.