Caught
1316 Words
Darkness
Again
But this time it was different
This time he wasn’t letting me go
Damien: Voice right next to my ear “Run if you want but I’m done chasing ghosts, This time I’m catching you.”
Me: Backing up till I hit the wall “Damien, don’t”
Damien: “Don’t what? Touch you? Talk to you? Pretend I don’t know?”
I heard him move, Felt the air shift,
His hands found my shoulders in the dark, Not rough,Desperate
Damien: Shaking “Three years, Aria, Three years I thought you were in the ground.”
Me:Tears falling “You were the reason I had to”
Damien: “I know.”
His voice broke
Damien: “God, I know, You don’t think I replay that night every day?”
The necklace was still between us, Cold against my chest
His thumb brushed over it, then over my collarbone
Like he was making sure I was real
Damien: “Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you let me suffer?”
Me: “Because you would’ve found me! Because you” I choked “Because you killed our baby!”
Silence
So loud it hurt
Damien: Whisper “What?”
The emergency lights flickered back on Red, Dim.
And I saw his face white, Shattered
Damien: “What did you just say?”
I tried to step away, He blocked me
Damien: “Aria, Look at me, What baby?”
Me: laughing, but it was ugly “The one you gave me and then took away! The one I was bleeding out with while you walked out the door!”
His hands dropped from my shoulders like I’d burned him
Damien: “No. No, that wasn’t, I didn’t know”
Me: “You didn’t care to know!”
I was yelling now, 3 years of it
Me: “You only cared about control! ,About me obeying! ,You didn’t even ask if I was okay!”
Damien: Grabbing my face “Stop, Stop saying that.”
Me: “Why? Because it’s true?”
Damien: “Because it’s KILLING ME!”
We were both crying now
His forehead pressed to mine
Damien: “I was drunk, I was angry, I thought you were with Ethan, I never meant Aria I would never”
Me: Shoving him “But you DID! You did and now I’m here and you’re here and I can’t”
The alarm started again
But softer, A different tone
Security over speaker: “CEO Cross? The generator’s unstable, We need to evacuate the ER floor, Now.”
Neither of us moved
Damien: Wiping my tears with his thumb “Is it true? Is there a baby?”
Me: Shaking my head “No, I lost it, that night.”
The truth hurt more than the lie
His face crumpled
Damien: “Oh, Aria,I’m so sorry,I’m so f*****g sorry.”
For a second I believed him
For a second I wanted to let him hold me
Then I remembered the blood, The pain, The loneliness
Me: Stepping back “Sorry doesn’t bring her back.”
Damien: “I know, but let me, let me make it right. Please.”
Security: Louder “Evacuation in 2 minutes!”
Damien: Grabbing my hand “Come on, We have to go.”
He pulled me out of Trauma Bay 1 Down the dark hall
Other staff were running past us with flashlights
No one looked at us, No one saw the way he was holding my hand like he’d die if he let go
We got to the stairwell
Damien: “After you.”
I started up, He followed
Step after step, In silence
Just our breathing and the echo
Halfway up he stopped me
Damien: “Aria.”
I turned
He was one step below me, So we were eye level
Damien: “I’m not the same man, I swear to you, I’ve been in therapy for 2 years, Anger management. I go to her grave every week and I talk to her and I beg her to forgive me.”
Me: Quiet “I’m not her anymore.”
Damien: “I know, You’re Dr Vale. You’re stronger, You saved 3 lives tonight.”
He reached up and tucked hair behind my ear
Damien: “But you’re still mine and I’m still yours, the bond didn’t break.”
My wolf whined
Mine mine
Me:Whisper “Don’t.”
Damien: “Don’t what? Love you? Because I never stopped.”
We made it to the roof
Cold air hit us, The city lights were out in blocks,Power outage
Nurses and doctors were huddled in blankets
Nurse Kemi: Running to me “Dr. Vale! Are you okay?”
Me: “I’m fine.”
Damien let go of my hand, Put space between us
CEO mask back on
Damien: To everyone “Medical team, do a headcount, Make sure everyone’s okay, I’ll call for backup generators.”
He walked away to make calls
But every 30 seconds his eyes found mine across the roof
Like he was checking I was still there
Like I might disappear again
At 5 AM the power came back
At 6 AM he was still there
Damien: Approaching me “You’re off in 2 hours.”
Me: “Yes.”
Damien: “Can I drive you home?”
Me: “No.”
Damien: “Can I walk you to your car?”
Me: Sighing “Fine.”
We walked in silence through the parking garage
When we got to my car, he didn’t open the door for me
He just leaned against it, Blocking me
Damien: “I’m not going to hurt you again.”
Me: “You say that now.”
Damien: “I mean it and I’m going to prove it.”
He pulled something out of his pocket,
A key.
Damien: “This is to my office and this” He held up his phone. “is my personal number, 24/7, If you’re scared, If you need anything,If you just want to yell at me.”
He pressed both into my hand
His fingers lingered
Damien: “I’m not asking you to forgive me, Not yet
I’m asking you to let me try.”
He stepped back
Damien: “Go home, Sleep,I’ll see you tonight.”
Me: “You don’t have to”
Damien: “I want to.”
He walked away
And I stood there holding his key and his number, wondering if running again would be easier than staying and seeing if he really changed
- Writer
