Wanderlust Heart (18+)

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Stefan's singular arm wrapped around me tightly and I did as he told me to do. I hid my face in the crook of his neck and wrapped my legs around his torso so that I secured myself in case he needed to free his hand.

My heart palpitated faster than ever as he kept walking with me. Gunshots were going off everywhere, the loud alarm system was blaring so loudly that I could physically hear my eardrums straining. I heard the screams of women and men in pain, the screams of women and men fighting as best as they could.

"Anna is dead!" I heard someone scream, but I didn't dare lift my head. Stefan would kill me. I have to keep my head down because if any of Anna's soldiers seen that I was being carried to safety, they would kill me on the spot, per her orders.

I heard Gino shoot his gun from behind Stefan and a body fell on the floor a few feet away from me, making me tense. I heard Stefan's shoe squish in that person's blood and I cringed. Stefan rubbed my back a little bit before holding me tightly again, "We're almost out of the door. Willow has a car on standby but as soon as we get out, I have to put you down. We have to run, okay? Run as fast as you can."

I nodded, getting more nervous now.

"I know you're tired," he whispered and I nodded slightly before he continued, "But you have to run as fast as you can. You have to fight, okay? Fight through the exhaustion, Sammie. I'm going to put you down in about thirty seconds. Run."

I felt every nerve in my body begin to itch from excessive adrenaline and it almost made me even more tired, but I have to fight. Just like Stefan said, I have to fight through the exhaustion. I can do this...., right?

I counted in my head by fives.

Five... Ten... Fifteen... Twenty... Twenty-five...

Thirty.

Right on time, I felt Stefan's arm slip from around me and I sucked in a sharp breath, doing exactly as he told me; even with all of the bullets whipping around our heads and screams burning into our brains.

I ran.

I felt my bare feet touch snow and I did exactly what I fought to do. I ran like hell. I ran faster than ever before, trying to survive for my brother and for Matteo. Trying to survive for Willow and Gino. Trying to survive for Benny and for Savannah.

I heard a bullet whip past my ear and I screamed as I continued to run. I never dared to turn back and look. That's what you would do if you had a death wish.

I followed my brother before I felt my legs grow weak. I felt every muscle in my legs screaming at me to just take a second. Just take a second and breathe so I can continue.

But I can't do that.

I'll die if I do that.

"Stefan!" I breathed heavily as I began to involuntarily slow down and he pointed just ahead. In the trees, I saw a black car. Oh my God. We're almost there. I'm almost there.

I just have to push forward for a couple of more seconds. Only a few more seconds, Sammie. You can do this... You have to do this.

"Stefan, I can't," I whimpered as my knees began to buckle from the stress and exhaustion. Without any hesitation and before Stefan even had a chance to encourage me, Gino's arm wrapped around my body and swooped me into his arms as he ran faster into the trees. The car's headlights turned on immediately and the door opened in the back so that we could slide in quickly.

I was slid in with Gino and Stefan slid in behind him, closing the door as the car sped off through the small, snow-covered pavement.

"Oh my God!" I heard Willow's voice but before I could even react, black dots filled my vision and I began to panic.

"I- I can't see, S-Stefan," my words began slurring and I felt his arms wrap around me, pulling me into his side, "The exhaustion is taking over, Sammie. Just close your eyes and you'll be home soon. I promise."

So I did. I closed my eyes and dreamt of home.

✈️

"She's been asleep for twenty-seven hours, is she okay?" I heard Willow whisper and I heard Benny's voice right after, "She was held hostage for seven weeks. After doctor Romani examined her, he said she was extremely malnourished, dehydrated, and sleep-deprived. He said she's supposed to sleep this long or whatever."

I opened my eyes and blinked a few times after I heard the door close, meaning they left. The room was dim with only a bedside lamp on. It's Matteo's room.

I'm home?

I'm finally home?

I slowly lifted up and took in my surroundings. I'm definitely home. A small smile made its way to my face and I peeled the covers off of me and swung my legs over off of the bed. Light, small bruises littered my legs and arms from the guard hitting me.

I frowned from the memories of Anna going into detail of her and Matteo having sex. I frowned from her putting it in my head that he's only with me to make her jealous. That he, at one point, wanted to marry her too.

She stole my engagement ring from my finger and put it on her own. I don't have it anymore.

I looked down at my clothes, remembering that Anna forced me to only wear my underwear and a t-shirt. But now I'm in Matteo's t-shirt and clean underwear.

I need to take a shower. Now. I feel disgusting.

I stood up and my legs immediately began to ache from the soreness of running for so long. I slightly limped over to the bathroom door and opened it. The shower was going and I spotted Matteo washing his hair. He looked exhausted.

I also spotted blood going down the drain. Blood that painted his skin. He hurt someone. But is he okay?

I decided to leave the room because honestly? Anna made me too insecure to even be around him. I'm scared that he'll hate how I look. I'm scared that he doesn't love me. Or maybe he once did but doesn't anymore.

Or am I over-thinking everything?

But before I could even turn around, Matteo opened the shower door and looked at me with a growing grin of disbelief and relief on his face, "Sam?"

I looked up at him, exhausted, and smiled softly.

"Hi."