𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞〚𝚙𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 〛

Chapter 26: I Can't Lose You

Delilah was frozen in place, not knowing whether to run towards him and dry his tears or to walk away, unwilling to get hurt again. Her breath caught in her throat, worry eating her from the inside.

"Del, please," he whispered. "Please, don't walk away."

Forcing her limbs to move, she took a few steps closer. "Rafe, what happened?"

He took a deep breath. "My father kicked me out. I... I didn't know where else to go."

In three steps, she was by his side, pressing her hand to the side of his bruised face.

"Ray, did he do this to you?" she whispered, horrified.

He shook his head. "It wasn't him, it was my... my drug dealer. Dad beat him up pretty badly and practically disowned me."

At the reminder of his drug addiction, Delilah dropped her hand, taking a small step back. "Oh."

"Del," he said, his voice pleading. "I know I have problems. A psychologist has told me as much." 

He took a deep breath. "I'm clinically psychotic, with anger issues and who knows what else. I... when I was younger, they said it was because I wanted my father's attention more than anything in the world. The drugs, the parties, they were all ways to cope." 

The words spilled out of his mouth as if he could do nothing to stop them. They had weighed on his chest for too long. 

"I swear, I swear, Del, I want to get better. But I need help. I need you. Desperately. Please, you're the only thing that is keeping me going." 

She opened her mouth to speak, but he interrupted her. "I don't deserve it, I know. I'm the worst friend, the greatest idiot in the world, but without you, I won't make it."

"Ray," she whispered, her heart breaking in half. "I can't forget what you did to Pope, what you did to JJ, it haunts me everytime I look at you."

"I'll change, Del," he said, falling to his knees. "Please."

"Stop." She crouched down to his height. "I want to help you. And I will. But...it'll take a lot of work, you know that."

"I'll do anything," he breathed. "Anything, you hear?"

"I know."

"I'm so, so tired," he said, lost in a daze. "My father's outburst, the drugs, losing you... I'm on the edge."

"Hey," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him. "Hey, it's going to be alright."

"I don't know. I don't know anything anymore."

He buried his face in her shoulder, breathing deeply as if her scent could calm him down. His arms held her tightly, scared that life would rip her away from him and that he would fall deeply into an abyss of shadows and darkness. 

That's what would happen should she push him away and leave; He would fall until he reached the bottom of the pit, shattering into a thousand pieces upon the impact, never to be whole again. Without her, he was doomed. And Delilah realized it. 

Gently rubbing his back, she soothed him with soft words and her simple presence. They stayed in that same position for such a long time, the cozy glow of the setting sun reflecting against their blond hair. 

Exhaling a long breath, the girl pulled away, dusting herself off and rising.

"Come," she said with a small smile, extending a hand towards him. "Uncle Ross must be setting the table by now."

Grateful, he slipped his hand in hers, letting her pull him to his feet. "Thank you, Del. I'm not worthy of you."

She rolled her eyes, smacking upside the head. "Don't be ridiculous."