Mostly fluff, I will get back to the real story line next chapter but I had to devote this chapter to just DG and Glitch, it was too good a moment to spoil with talk of evil. And now, on with the show.... enjoy....
Disclaimer: I still don't actually own any of this. But I wish.... well... who doesn't wish they could claim it as thier own.
Her palms were sweaty, her heart weighed heavy in her chest. He was going to make it, that was what Raw had told her again and again. But she couldn't believe him until she saw it for herself, and he didn't want her around. She hadn't argued, if he was going to help Glitch then her emotions couldn't get in the way. He needed to focus on his pain and his pain alone.
They'd stumbled their way to a river, a safe distance from the long coats. Cain had built a fire, Raw had gotten to business, and DG just sat there. There was nothing she could do, nothing they'd let her do, at least not yet. So she stayed close, ready and willing for a distraction from her own thoughts.
She didn't like feeling helpless. When something was wrong, you did something about it. That was what had been drilled into head since before she could remember. Idle hands may not be a sin, but they didn't solve the problem. There was nothing she could do, but that didn't make it any easier.
As she wallowed in her thoughts, a shadow loomed over her. She rolled her eyes at her own foolish mental ramblings as she tried to shut out the grief and meet Cain's searching eyes. It wasn't like he was dying, she reminded herself impatiently, close, but he was going to be just fine.
But he saw, he knew. In his hands were a few very sick looking daisies. "I thought you could probably use these." He shoved them into her hands before she could make him feel foolish. "If you don't want them, you could always do something with them, give the head case something to smile about.
She looked down at them in understanding, he was giving her something to do, and keeping himself from freaking out as well. She needed busy work, and he needed companionship, simple as that. "Thank you." Was all she managed as her fingers fumbled with the stems.
He watched her for another minute before he rested a hand on her shoulder. "DG." He spoke clearly, waiting until she looked back up at him. "If you don't tell him when Raw's finished with him, then your a fool."
"Tell him what?" She shook her head solemnly.
"Don't play stupid." Cain just rolled his eyes as he lowered onto the log she sat on. Did she realize she always sat on the right, even when she sat alone? And that Glitch always sat on the left? They were already in sync with almost everything. He doubted they noticed, that kind of thing usually escaped observation. And he didn't care to mention it. "We could have lost him." He saw her finger falter when he spoke, "We got lucky this time and he's going to be alright. Don't throw that luck away."
She didn't say anything, considered his words as they sat in silence. Glitch, he was the most important thing in her heart now. She'd never told anyone that, but he was. And she didn't want to ruin what they had by scaring him away. But something she hadn't thought of until now, if one of them died tomorrow or the next day, it'd be too late to tell him. He deserved to know, and whatever happens happens. By the time she looked back down at her own hands, the wreath was done and it sat almost too bright in her hands.
She had to do it, she decided once and for all, she had to tell him. And if he didn't fell the same, she could deal with it. Just three little words, it couldn't be that difficult to say. Silently, Cain nudged her, jerked his head toward Raw.
She stood, trembling hands and jumbled thoughts. He was awake and jabbering away about something, Raw was helping him up from the ground. There wasn't much she could say to him, she frowned, it was her fault, she shouldn't have left them. And for once, she just wanted to run. But she couldn't, she had to do this.
His eyes were on her, a smile lit up his face. "See? I told you it was just a flesh wound, no need to worry."
She tried to smile, but wavered a the memory. His eyes glazed and disoriented, his skin cold and clammy. Quickly, she cleared her throat, went to move but she couldn't. Her legs had turned to jello. "You were right." She tried to hide the wreath behind her back, embarrassed slightly. She hadn't thought about it at the time, it was just something to do, but it was also a symbol of exactly what had been going through her mind, worry. "As always."
He reached out to touch her, stumbled. Everyone moved in, but DG was the one to catch him. His smile widened slightly, she couldn't resist smiling back. The discomfort and nervousness forgotten. "Steady now." Her voice was smooth, easy as she held onto him, her arm looped around his waist.
He just looked at her, she was in desperate need of sleep. But she wasn't any less beautiful than always, not to him. He wanted to hold her, wanted her to let herself need him. But he had given up on that a while ago. Still, now they were here, and he didn't want to let go. "I think I prefer the munchkins when it comes to playing captive." He joked.
She laughed for a moment, her eyes sparkled with humor as she held up the wreath. "I kinda, um, made this for your." He just stared at it, said nothing. Reaching up, she rested it on his head. "There."
She was so close, just mere inches away from his face. And all he could think of was kissing her, seeing how she would taste after all this time. Settling for a safe alternative, he pressed his lips to her cheek for a brief second. "Thank you." He whispered next to her ear as if nothing had happened. She nodded, "We need to talk, Glitch."
"I couldn't agree more." He watched her start to walk away, instantly wished her arm was still around him. But that wasn't the way it had to be, right now she had to say what she needed to say, and he was more than willing to listen. With that in mind, he followed her toward the edge of the water.
Cain watched them, smiled slightly. He was going to suggest they all get a couple of hours of sleep, but this might be better. Raw nudged him and they shared a look, things weren't going to be quite the same around here. Raw stretched out by the dim embers of the fire as he continued to analyze the way they acted. Chuckling, he propped up against the log and tipped his hat down to shade his eyes. If they weren't going to catch some sleep, he was.
She looked out at the river, dropped to the ground. Neither of them spoke as he sat next to her. The river's moving water was soothing, just the sound of it and the sun against their faces showed signs of peace. There were so many who were awake, preparing for the day's adventures, and not knowing of the trouble that brewed beneath the Outer Zone's surface. But that didn't bother her now, now she had other things on her mind, he could tell, there was doubt and pain in those amazing light orbs.
Absently, his hand rested on hers, his touch caressing and gently. She tore her gaze off of the water to look at him. He was smiling, not hugely, but just enough to light up his whole face, the wreath of daisies still rested on his matted curls. "You scared me, Glitch, more than I'd care to admit."
"I know, DG," His smile faded, "But it's over now."
"But it's not." She swallowed hard, "Every time I close my eyes I'm back outside that tent. Something always goes wrong, and it isn't always the same thing. In the end, it's always the same. We're too late and we can't save you." She choked back the wetness, her voice thick and rough. "I have to watch you die and it's too late to say the things I've been denying to myself for a long time."
He pulled her into his arms, held her to him as she wept. It shook him to the core that one person could feel so much about another. He knew how he felt about DG, his heart could explode with the emotions it held for her. But as she sat in his embrace, he couldn't but feel a little more.
When she had stilled, her breathing even and steady, he locked his fingers with hers. "What is it you've never said? That you've never told me?"
She moved out of his arms to look at him, their hands stayed interlocked. "I never told you," She was making a mistake. She was going to ruin everything but she had to. "how I feel about you."
"And how do you feel about me?" His voice was soft and uncertain. He almost sounded vulnerable. As if she could say the wrong thing and completely destroy him. It made her feel a tiny bit better, knowing he was just as unsure about all of this as she was. Neither of them knew what the other really expected. But that was hope, they could figure it out together.
"Your my best friend." She started, Glitch's face fell. "But your more than that. You became the person I could be myself around, and you make me feel like every thing's going to be alright in the morning. You changed me and you made it impossible for me to live without you a long time ago." She covered their hands with her free one. "I'm in love with you, Glitch."
He flashed a smile, a brilliant and dazzling smile that sped up her heart. "I've been waiting a really long time to hear you say that." His lips met hers softly, his hand came up to cup her face.
She sighed under his touch, and as all her thoughts evaporated, she let her hand rest on his shoulder. Never in her life had she dreamed of being kissed like this. Sure she'd read of tender but passionate moments in the romance novels her "mom" loved. She'd never been able to stand them, because she could never wrap her mind around the concept. How someone could fall for another so completely in such a short amount of time. Now she understood the severity of it. She'd tripped over her own feet and ended up crashing into love in a matter of days. And now they were her, in the middle of another heartbreaking circumstance, and she loved him even more.
They had to part, their need to breathe their only tie to reality. She was smiling now, her eyes bright with love. "I take that to mean you like me too."
He laughed, pressed his lips to her forehead. "I'm absolutely crazy about you, Doll." His fingers, long and nimble, traced the skin bellow her eyes. "You really need some sleep."
"So do you." She rested her head on his shoulder, sighed when his arm came around her. "Only problem is, I don't have the inclination to let go of you so soon."
"Simple enough solution to that." He pulled her down beside him, laughing as she fought to keep herself in a sitting position. He won, because she chose to surrender, and she settled into his arms. The sun warmed their faces, the breeze cool and soft. He watched her until he was sure she had fallen deep into sleep, then he let himself drift off.