The Dark World (book 2)

twenty-three.

Hey! I'm so proud of myself I'm starting to really love this story again.

QOTC: do you prefer sunny days or stormy days?

I love summer and spring thunderstorms. They're my favorite to curl up in bed and read/write.

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Tessa's POV

"DO YOU STILL LOVE LOKI?"

I froze. I should've seen that coming too. It's only fair to reply, and reply honestly. Because Steve did with me.

I was just thinking about this earlier.

I do love him. I need him; I miss him. He was my everything for the time being.

And damn did I take what we had for granted. I thought we'd have all the time in the world to fall in love slowly and completely. I knew I wasn't ready to be in a serious relationship until I got everything figured out with my powers and could settle down. But I wanted him to be there through it all with me.

Because when I did, in fact, have everything in order, I wanted to talk about the fond memories with him; because he would've been there.

And now he's just gone. He left so abruptly...I wasn't ready to fall in love but I sure as hell wasn't ready for it to be taken from me like candy from a child.

I felt useless. I couldn't bring him back. As it turns out, I don't have a power that can bring someone back from the dead. If I did, I would've brought Frigga back the moment the Dark Elves left. I could've saved everyone.

But I didn't. Because I can't.

As I opened my mouth to reply, I couldn't help but burst into tears. Steve's face fell and he slowly reached his arms open, which I fell into.

"He's gone," was all I could manage to choke out.

I heard him take a deep breath and lean his cheek on the top of my head. "I know..."

"And it's all my fault!" I yelled, pulling myself up. I gripped my hair and wailed.

Steve's eyebrows furrowed. "Tess, how is it your fault?"

I couldn't stop the tears from flowing long enough to give him a rational answer. My face was frozen in a pained expression, and I could feel was my heart aching.

"Come here," I heard him murmur to himself as he pulled me into his lap. My arms wrapped around his neck and I buried my face there, sobbing.

I could feel him rubbing small circles on my back, and I figured focusing on those would help calm me down. I focused on my breathing but I couldn't stop hiccupping.

Wiping my eyes sheepishly, I pulled away so we were face-to-face.

"Yeah, I do," I managed to say. "It's just not fair!"

A couple more tears rolled down my cheeks but Steve wiped those away with his thumbs, and after, holding each side of my face.

I snaked my hand up his arm to hold one of his cupped hands, and I leaned my face into it, fluttering my eyes shut.

"I thought we'd have forever. He wasn't supposed to die..."