Tears in the Bed Sheets: v.2
Rachel somehow managed to keep her composure throughout Tom's funeral. Digging into some previously undiscovered well of strength, she even managed to hold it together all the way back to the hotel but the well ran dry as soon as she reached her bed. She collapsed on to it and wailed.
Tobias, who had morphed human as soon as they entered the room, lay down next to her and wrapped his arms around her.
She cried harder than she ever had in her life. She cried harder than she even knew was possible. The sobs kept coming one after another and for once she didn't hold back. There was no need for secrecy anymore, no need to hide the pain. She cried every tear left unshed during the war and Tobias held her through every sob; one arm around her shoulder, the other stroking her hair. Occasionally his fingers would enter twine with hers. She cried and he held her for exactly one hour and forty-five minutes.
Then his arm shifted and he drew away from her. She watched with panicked eyes as he slid off the bed. She didn't need to ask. She knew exactly what he was doing.
"No!" She begged and screamed. "Please don't. Stay with me. Stay with me Tobias. Be human with me."
He hesitated then reached out and grabbed her hand. "Please understand" he said, "I can't give up my wings any more than I can give up you. If I stay human we'll never again be able to soar above the clouds together. If I see you riding a thermal it will be from the ground. I don't want that. I can't give up the sky. So please don't ask me to."
Slowly she let go of his hand. He stepped back and she watched wordlessly as the feathery pattern etched itself onto his skin. He completed the morph and began to return to human but she stopped him.
"No, please don't. Stay like that."
He wanted to wrap his arms around her again but he respected her wishes just as she had respected his.
Instead he perched on the top of her headboard and watched over her until she fell asleep on the tear-soaked bed sheets.