GIDEON

I cut the call and lean back on my chair. I desperately need my wife right now. I hear a low moan I stare at the ceiling.

Eva...Is my angel having an erotic dream?

I'm fine with making that a reality as soon as I can. Which is now. All my fantasies are broken when I hear my name screamed in panic.

I push the chair so hard that it crashes on the ground and practically sprint to the bedroom.

Eva is wildly thrashing around. Good heavens, another nightmare. This one looks pretty bad. I don't touch her, but I call out her name. No response. Suddenly she curls up in a ball and begins sobbing.

I inhale sharply, "Eva?".

I can't bear it. I won't bear it. I shout her name and shake her shoulders. Her eyes open. I sigh, relieved to see that shade of gray.

But apparently, my relief is a little too fast. Eva pushes at my chest and falls off the bed.

"Jesus, Eva! DON'T!"

I crouch down next to her. She whimpers and flinches away. She's never done that before... My panic grows. I check over her in utter despair. My nightmares, though more frequent, were nothing compared to hers.

She slaps her hand over her mouth and doubles over.I wordlessly pick her up and carry her to the bathroom.

She drops to her knees and throws up into the toilet while I hold her hair back as she retches. She rolls sideways with her back resting the wall. She still doesn't look at me, and I have to fight not to panic. She drops her face between her knees.

"Eva? Angel, do you want to shower?

She wordlessly nods her head. Look at me, look at me

"Eva, tell me what's wrong",I demand. Her head jerks up and her face is stained with tears. I want that fucker to rot in hell...

Her eyes open wide and she begins to speak mechanically."The usual. Except for the fact that you were there. You saw, and you walked away."

I never thought words could hit this hard. "Eva..."

"Not your fault, not your fault..." she murmurs dazedly. I stroke her face gently, and she bursts into tears. Sue me, but I am relieved. At least I know how to deal with this shit.

"shh, angel... " I pick her up and take her to the shower stall. I turn on the water to be warm.

"Scalding hot,"she says. I turn to her, confused.

"The water. Scalding hot" she whimpers

I nod and pull her to my chest. The water burns, but it's alright. Eva is limp in my arms. We are both fully clothed.

Very, very gently, I strip off her clothes and what worries me is that she complies without any sort of resistance.

She looks up into my eyes, "I killed him. I stabbed him. Over and over and over again. On that beach I went to when I was a kid. I used to love it... "

Oh, no, no, no, angel...

I remember the guilt of killing a man. No matter how much he deserved to die, it was always hard.

"I'll take you there again. We'll remake memories." I lift up her chin. Her body radiates devastation. I can't watch her like this.

I see the familiar blaze in her eyes and a moment later, I am smashed to the wall and kissed hard.

NO!

This is wrong. But I can barely stop myself. I'm hard as rock are already

I disentangle her from me and give her a bone crushing hug. I take her to the bed and cover our naked bodies with the blanket.

"Don't you want me now? " she whispers.

As if.

"Eva, no. Not like this. I'm here for you. And I will never walk away. I love you" There. I said it.

Eva burrows her head in my chest and begins wetting it with saltwater again. I don't stop her. I just pull her closer and gently rock her. I just want to see her gray eyes all happy again. I want my fiercely Jealous woman with a capital J back. Maybe the shrink is correct. Maybe we do tear each other down. But even if we do, Eva is my favourite destroyer.

Crossfire, angel, Crossfire