Chapter 7: Still alive

Marion knew Indy would come for her. And she also knew he thought she was dead so it was little surprise that his reaction to seeing her was to freeze, then launch himself forward and grab her. She'd seen his confrontation with Belloq before it'd happened and she was more than grateful to Sallah and the children for not letting Indy get himself killed. She knew he'd gotten the message by now.

'I thought you were dead,' he told her. 'They must've switched the baskets. Are you hurt?'

She shook her head as he pulled the gag out. Indy kissed her passionately. She practically felt all the fear and the self-loathing seep out of him as she returned the kiss, letting him know that she was really still here without saying anything. It was clear that the idea of her dead had scared the hell out of Indy. She gasped when he pulled away. Then he went for the ropes binding her.

'Wait, Indy,' she told him. 'Stop.'

He did. Pulling back, only to look at her in confusion. He would expect her to want to get out of here as soon as she possibly could. But she'd had time to think of this and she'd been sifting through the future – an advantage of having a psychic channel open in your brain, she guessed. They'd come back before he could get the Ark away from here. If she was gone, they'd know he was here.

'They keep coming here and asking about you,' she explained to him. 'They'll be back soon.'

That was it. He smiled gently and stroked her face. She knew he'd figured it out too. And that wasn't all he'd figured out.

'How long have you been able to see the future?' he asked.

She pressed her lips together. 'Since a few months after Abner sent you away. Nick sent Penny to explain it to me. She said they weren't allowed to tell you.'

'What caused it?' he asked.

'Penny called it an emotional burst,' Marion explained. 'She said that level of pain either results in an emotional burst or a self-destructive path.' She gave him a look, letting him know she knew which one he'd taken. He clearly didn't understand the look properly so she clarified. 'Seems we took both paths.'

Comprehension flickered over his eyes. Indy averted his eyes, shame-faced. Then he looked up at her again and tucked her hair behind her ear. She looked up at him. She wanted an explanation for the way he had drank himself to sleep every night. Apparently he could understand that just fine.

'I'm sorry, sweetheart,' he told her. 'It was the only thing I could think to do. I missed you and I didn't want to leave you, so everything hurt too much. It was the only thing that would make the world shut up.'

'Like I said before: you decide to take off again, you take me with you.' She glanced down at the rope binding her. 'Except for now.'

'How long have we got?' Indy asked.

'Probably half an hour at most,' Marion answered. 'Belloq likes me so he'll try to coax the information out of me. Next time you see me, I'll probably be wearing a new dress.'

'Belloq probably just likes the look of you,' Indy muttered irritably.

Marion smiled. He's so cute when he's jealous. 'Oh, he does. No need to get green around the edges, Jones. I'm not going to fall for the Frenchman's twaddle.'

Indy smiled tightly. 'The Frenchman I'm not worried about,' he lied. 'It's the Nazis I'm worried about.'

'So am I.' Marion involuntarily shuddered as she remembered what she'd seen in the vision.

'Marion?' He cupped her chin and turned her face up so she had to look at him, not that she was really complaining about the view. 'What's wrong?'

'Nothing.' Marion shook her head. 'Just…'

'You saw them?' he asked.

'First vision you ever saw me have.' Marion averted her eyes again. 'They're all monsters, Indy.'

Indy rested his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes.

'You don't have to stay here, baby,' he told her. 'I can bring you with me. Get you somewhere safe and then come back for the Ark.'

'You don't get the Ark now, you won't get it later,' she told him. 'You know that.'

'Why do you go getting yourself in trouble if you know it's coming?' he asked softly.

'Why do you go on suicide missions?' she countered, her voice barely above a whisper.

He pulled back and looked her right in the eye. The answer was the same: because I feel like I have to. She hadn't realised she'd started to cry until Indy gently brushed the tears away with his thumbs. Then he leaned in again.

'You don't have to be so strong all the time, you know,' he told her.

'Neither do you,' she murmured.

He leaned in and kissed her again. This time, he was much more gentle and loving, pouring his emotions, instead of his desperation, into the kiss. She knew he didn't want to leave her but he had to. When he broke the kiss, he reluctantly took up the gag and tied it up again. She bent her head, allowing him an easier time of it. When she looked up at him, she saw his reluctance. He brushed her hair back.

'I'll come back for you,' he promised.

Then he kissed her forehead and he was gone. Marion sat back and waited.