Spy School: College AU

Chapter 16: Miracle After Miracle

Tadaaaaa!! Last ever chapter of this book, not counting the epilogue after this. As a special end of book treat, however, I will post the epilogue next weekend, so this will be the last chapter of this book, except for something I will talk about in the end author's note of the epilogue. 

CIA HQ
LA Branch
7:00 PM
Sunday
October 13th

Erica's POV:
"My sister is waking up. Kasey's waking up."

I hugged him tightly as tears began to roll down his face.

"Hey, shh, shh, it's okay Ben. She's okay."

He sniffled and looked at me.

"I know." He whispered. "I wasn't sure if she ever would be again. But she is- she's better at least. I have to go to her." He said definitively, scrambling to get up.

I got up too, and he paused.

"What?" I asked. "I'm obviously coming with you." I said as I slipped on shoes.

"But-"

"No buts. I'm driving. You need to have a clear head to drive and I know that you have a lot of emotions right now and I don't want you driving unsafely. Or going alone. I don't want you to feel alone in this."

"You don't need to do that Erica." He said as he pulled on his shoes and grabbed his jacket.

"I do Ben. You'd do- you did the same thing for me. Or well- something similar. And I'm not letting you go this alone. I'm going to be here for you. It's the least I can do."

"Erica, you don't owe me anything. I helped because I was on a mission and because I didn't want him to hurt anyone else any longer. It wasn't so that you felt you owed me."

"I know you don't feel that I do, but I do. You got me out of a really tough situation. But I'm not going with you to settle up debts, I'm going because I care about you. And every second we spend arguing is more time until you see your sister, so I suggest you shut your mouth and let's go. Please Ben. Let me be here for you."

He didn't say another word but stepped back towards me. He stood close and looked at me intently.

"You care about me?" He asked quietly, face inches from mine.

"I-" I breathed deeply. I hadn't realized I'd said it, it was just so easy to say. "Yeah- yes, I do. A lot."

"I care about you a lot too." He whispered with a small smile.

Our eyes were locked, breaths mingling. I notice his eyes flick down to look at my lips and my heart started beating faster. He gently reached his hand to my face and tucked some loose strands of hair behind my ear, only he didn't move his hand afterwards.

I saw the gap slowly close as we were both drawn together.

Ben cradled my face and pulled me in for a kiss, gentle, and emotional. He pulled away after a few seconds, still holding my face softly.

"Thank you." He said softly. "Let's go."

"Alright!" I exclaimed. "Keys."

He tossed them to me and we took off for his car. We were silent the whole way down, and I could tell it wasn't full awkward silence but it wasn't entirely comfortable silence either. When we made it to his car, that another agent had brought over during our ambulance ride, I hopped in the driver's seat and he began directing me via GPS on where to go.

After about 10 minutes of driving, he decided to speak.

"Thank you Erica. You're right I- I don't- I didn't want go through this alone again."