The Wanderers [Old Version]

Chapter 34: Engagement

Nico's POV

I woke up to the sound of crying. I rolled over and opened my eyes. Clara sat at the edge of our bed, her face buried in my jacket. She was shaking violently, she was crying.

I quickly slid to the edge of the bed and put my arms around her. I kissed her neck and whispered, "I'm here."

She stopped crying after a minute and whispered back, "They're gone, Nico. They're gone..."

I pulled her closer to me, "Your parents?"

She covered her mouth and nodded, tears ran down her face.

She mumbled, "We may not have had the best relationship, but they were still my parents. I won't....I won't even be able to go to their funeral."

I leaned back and she buried her face in my chest.

Light was peaking through the cracks in the walls. I held Clara's hands, "Hey...lets go outside. Maybe some fresh air will help you feel better."

She nodded and slid off of me. I took her hand again and walked outside.

There was frost on the grass and small icicles hung from parts of the buildings. In a few days, we'd likely be buried in a blanket of snow.

Clara leaned forward on the railing and looked down, "Why does everything bad have to happen to me?"

I stood behind her and rested my chin on her shoulder, "Because the universe knows you're strong. You're a survivor, babe. You're gunna outlive me. You're gunna outlive a lot of people. You find the strength to go on."

She looked out towards the sunrise, "Oh please, I'm not strong."

I turned her around and peered into her beautiful green eyes, "Hey, listen to me. You're strong. Ok? You used to cry and vomit when you saw a body. Now look at you. You sacrificed so much to prove that you're strong. You've killed, what, a dozen people? Maybe more? You're strong. No one else has changed so much. You used to be weak. Not anymore."

She rested her head against my chest again. We stood in silence for a few minutes. She looked up at me and kissed me, "Thank you."

I smiled, "For what?"

She grabbed my face and gave me a long kiss, "For being Nico."

I pulled her closer, "No problem."

We stood outside in the cold for another ten minutes or so, but the cold didn't bother us. We didn't speak while we were outside. We simply watched as the sun rose over the horizon.

The door creaked behind us and Petra stepped outside. Clara smiled at her, "Good morning."

I smiled at her as well, "I should probably go hunt."

I walked inside and grabbed my rifle. Marc twitched and moaned as I walked past him.

He rolled and opened one eye. He saw me grab my gun and sat up, "Everything ok?"

I patted his head as I walked past him again, "Just going hunting. Go back to sleep."

Petra came back inside and sat next to Navaeh. Clara was still standing on the balcony when I went back outside. I gave her a hug from behind, "I'll be back. Go back inside."

She turned and kissed me, "Be safe."

I waited until she went back inside and I jumped down from the balcony.

I walked down the road until I found a shopping center with an Old World helicopter wrecked in the middle. It looked like it skidded to stop and took out a few buildings along the way.