In The Dark

Number Six. Daunting Shadows

I can't tell how long it has been since Abel came to join me on the roof, or how long we stay up there before we head down to the conference room, the only thing that pulls me down is knowing how hard Carter appreciates.

Abel is right though, I need to work on the crippling co-dependence I have on him, it isn't healthy, and I'll only become unhappier by dwelling on what is real and what isn't.

How do you stop that, with him always around it seems impossible to get better, Carter's face drops open in shock when Abel and I walk through the conference room doors. The conversations all stop, and I realise they were waiting for Abel but never expected me to join, I quickly settle in next to Carter and stay quiet, waiting for him to pull me into his lap but I doesn't.

"You going to spit out the bad news Lew?" Daniel asks, putting his phone away with an interested grin on his face.

"Overnight I was informed of some troubling information. You haven't been down to front desk or returned their calls have you?" Lewis asks Carter and my heart rate spikes.

"Was gonna head down after the meeting. What have you heard?"

"There was a robbery in town last night!" Everyone hears the gasp that leaves my lips and Carter stands up immediately, his chair flying back and clattering along the floor.

"There was what?" He growls, fists clenched tightly.

"The bookshop, the grocery and the emporium, the citizens said it was a couple of young guys that they have never seen before"

"You better be joking Lewis!"

"I would never joke about this, especially after what happened last night"

"Fuck" He shouts, marching from the room on a quest to find out who these people are. Showing a hell of a lot of more interest in their wellbeing than my own, I race out of the room after him, down the hallway to catch up with his long strides.

"Carter!" I call out and he stops, turning around to look at me, face red in anger. "Where are you going?"

"To find out what happened so that I can end this madness, I promised them safety and security"

"WHAT ABOUT ME?" I shout, "Why do they matter more than me?" My voice cracking at the end, my eyes betraying as they fill with traitorous tears.

He sighs, running a hand through his dark hair. "They don't"

"You said that, that when the guy put a gun to my head it wasn't a big deal, you gave up on me"

"I would never give up on you" The red draining from his face.

"Then why?" I say softly, letting the first tear cascade down my cheek.

"I'm building us a house!" Carter blurts, my head jerking up to meet his eyes and my stomach falls out my asshole.

My voice comes out as a whisper, "What?"

"Us. I am building us a house"

"I don't understand" I admit softly.

"In town, a couple streets over, I have been planning it for a long time, so we can be away from this place and live somewhere that feels like a home"

"Another prison to keep me in?"

"No, no" He lies, cupping my cheeks, "You would be able to leave whenever you like and make friends, live a normal life"

"You were doing that for us?"

"I told you" He's staring down at me. "I love you Lizzie"

I tear my eyes away from his and step back, nodding at his words and keeping my tears at bay. "Go and deal with the robberies, I'll- I'll see you back at the suite later" I tell him, walking away from him before he could see the avalanche of tears fall down my cheeks.