The Years After

Chapter 24

       We walked to Diana's house, Bryan went to go get Kay.

       "Why are you not staying at the Palace?" Diana asked.

       "Because I'm mad at my dad, he said he was going to lock me up and forbid me to enlist in the war." I explained.

       "Well he's your dad, he obviously worries about you, I think you did a pretty bad move in ditching him like that." Diana explained.

      "Well he doesn't act like he cares," I harshly told Diana.

      "Well you should go ahead and apologize to him, he may act like he doesn't care, but on the inside he is probably worrying himself thinking if you're okay." Diana said and I thought about it, maybe I should apologize, I do miss my dad and I do love him, I am going to apologize. I went out the door and Nicole followed me.

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        We were walking towards Downtown and Nicole asked me, "Where are we going?" 

        "To the Palace. I'm going to apologize to my dad." I answered. We were a good 45 minute walk towards the Downtown and then 15 more minutes to the Palace, and I took that time to talk to Nicole, we were dating, but this whole war stuff was stealing time from us. "Nicole, how do you feel?" Great, now I feel basic.

        "Good, I'm still trying to forget what happened to my house, and I keep missing Mason." Nicole answered sadly.

        "I know, and I promise to bring your brother back, I know he means the world to you." I assured Nicole.

        "Really!" her face lighted up and she hugged me, very tightly, but I felt the love, something I haven't felt in a while, then she raised her head and kissed me, "I miss Mason, very much, it's not that I don't love Hunter, it's that he really isn't warm, he was more hard on us since our parents died. Mason, he was more loving and sweet, he was strong, but when I needed a shoulder to cry on, he was there always, so it really hurt when I lost him, but now I have you, and everything is all right."

        "I know I can't replace your brother, but I am here for you and I will always be here, forever." I told Nicole and she hugged me again, " I promise I will always be here, even if I am taken miles away, I will always protect you. I am here for you."

        "Promise?" Nicole asked.

        "Promise." I assured.

        "Thank you for loving me, I really needed someone like you, someone with whom I feel safe, even if there is danger, with you I am protected. Thank you." It was getting darker, the city lights sparkled and for a moment I felt like they sparked for us, the city was alive, it felt like it was running on our love. For a moment, there was no war, we were free, our love was thriving, everything was perfect. We started kissing passionately, our bodies being joined by our lips, the love was burning uncontrolled through our veins. The wind caressing our bodies, making Nicole's golden brown hair flow perfectly, but the wind was getting stronger, way stronger, and then I looked up. It was not wind, it was the fan of a hovercraft lowering towards us, sweet moment is over. It was too late to run, but we still did. 

        "Run! Nicole, Run!" I screamed over the loud sound of the hovercraft.

        "No! Look behind you!" Nicole warned. I looked behind me, several soldiers were coming down from an opening at the bottom of the hovercraft. They ran towards us, thump thump thump, was the only noise I heard, it was their big, black boots hitting at the hard, dry soil. Shit, they got me. I thought, then from a speaker someone said, 

        "Stop, in the name of the leader, I order you to stop, knees on the ground, hands above your head. don't do anything that could risk your life, my men are armed and ready to shoot." I looked at Nicole's scared face, don't worry everything is going to be okay. I promise. I mouthed to her. Promise? she mouthed back.

        "Promise." I answered, I felt a hand grab my neck, and then throw me to the ground. Then another tried to grab Nicole, "Don't hurt her please!" I shouted, "she has nothing to do!" I pleaded, they just grabbed her by her arms and they hancuffed me. Then they lifted me and pushed me towards a gate on the hovercraft. "Everything, is going to be alright!" I shouted to Nicole, "I'm going to be back!" 

         Nicole was crying already, "Don't do anything to him!" She shouted, "He's innocent," she cried, "I love you! Please come back!" Nicole shouted as she tried to set herself free from the men's grip. 

        "I love you too!" Then the gate started closing, and the men set Nicole free. They ran towards the gate and then Nicole followed,  but it was too late, the gate was closing, the last thing I saw from the outside was Nicole on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, repeatedly screaming, "I love you!"