Not Letting Go

Chapter 30

After several hours of picturesque dreams involving Kate, a different kind took over. Max was in the darkroom, the sinister bunker where Jefferson played out his perversions in secret. He wasn't there now though and Max wasn't tied up. She found herself wandering around looking for something, but she didn't know what it was until she came across it: Her camera. It sat on a table and she had a sense of foreboding come over her as she drew near. She was still drawn to it and slowly reached out her hand until almost touching the device. Right before she did, Max woke up with a gasp.

"Oh, fuck!" She had no idea why she was so scared. Her breathing was rapid.

Kate woke up in alarm, saying, "What!? What happened!?" She then saw the dazed and confused look on Max and realized she just woke from a nightmare. The blonde pulled her girlfriend closer and stroked her face while kissing her cheek three times in different places, before saying, "Em, my love, you're okay. I'm here. I'm right here..."

Max took a deep breath and eased into Kate's embrace. She didn't cry, but the brunette felt a lingering disturbance that was hard to push away. The kisses put butterflies in her stomach, but the nightmare was still affecting her mind. Max took another large breath and then spoke.

"I...um...sorry for waking you..."

"Don't be silly, Em. It's not your fault." Kate again kissed Max, this time on the side of her head. She then hesitantly asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Well...not sure there is much to talk about. I was in...um...the bunker..." Max began to feel emotional now, mentioning the horrible place out loud, but worked past it. "...and...I was alone, walking around and found my camera...but when I was about to touch it...I woke up. It scared me for some reason."

Kate looked at her with concern, uncertain what to make of it. She wanted to reassure her, but of what, she didn't know.

Max looked over to the other side of the room and bit her inner lip nervously. She then narrowed her eyes and made a quiet growl before getting up, to Kate's surprise.

"Fuck that dream," the brunette said as she reached her bag. She snatched up her camera roughly and then checked it quickly before coming back to the bed. Kate had sat up, watching Max with some concern still.

The freckled girl's face softened and she said, "Stay still now, beautiful," and took a picture of Kate who had dipped her head down, but was looking up at her shyly. A second later, the picture was free from the camera and Max shook it before looking at the Polaroid. This time she showed Kate and said, "Another picture to brag about how impossibly gorgeous my girlfriend is."

Kate became bashful, but took the picture from Max's hand and said, "I love when you call me your girlfriend. It's just so...I don't know, I just love hearing it and you sound so...proud."

"I am! Katie, my heart, I'm so lucky to be with you."

"My heart?" Kate smiled widely. "Please keep calling me that. I love it."

"Then I will..." Max gently took the photo back from her and then wrapped her arms around Kate at the edge of the bed. The blonde had her own hands circling her girlfriend's waist and turned her head to rest it on her chest. She listened to the beating of her heart for a few seconds.

Kate reluctantly said, "I guess we better get started with this day."

Max caressed the blonde's back for a moment and then let go, saying, "Yeah...I guess so."

"I want to make sure we have time to see Lynn."

"Oh, yeah. Of course," Max put her hand out and helped Kate down from the bed. The brunette then crouched down to quickly slip the photo into the album under the bed. Standing up, she said, "I'll be back soon, just need to change," the brunette said as she gave her her girlfriend's hand a squeeze and started to walk away, but felt her hand still held and keeping her there. She turned around to see Kate pouting. Max gave her look that she hope conveyed that it was hard for her to be separated from her too. She knew the blonde was just being mostly playful though.