Her

Waylon somehow blushed as he entered the asylum. There weren't a lot of people, but the one who were sitting on the benches looked confusedly at the odd couple. The eyes of the woman at the reception desk widened as she saw Waylon and Eddie. It was weird walking down the corridor of a normal asylum without doctors who wanted to kill you and flying swarm of nanomachines following you.

"Please don't be alarmed," Waylon said quickly, approaching the reception, "my name is Waylon Park and this is Ed- I mean Mr. Gluskin. I've talked with you about him."

"Oh," the woman said, carefully looking at Eddie who emotionlessly stared on the ground, "I see. Thank's for bringing him in. Does … does he speak?"

Both looked at Eddie, not saying a single word. "He does, he's just … it's too much for him, right now."

"I understand. His condition looks bad. Everything's gonna be fine, Mr. Gluskin, you'll be able to talk to the doctor very soon," the woman said as she smiled carefully. She was young, probably new. Waylon liked her way of dealing with Eddie. And he liked that she didn't approach Waylon about the dress.

Suddenly, the woman leaned over and looked at Waylon. "You're the man who survived Mount Massive, right? The Waylon Park and this is the Eddie Gluskin, right? You both fled Mount Massive, right?"

"Ugh, w-well," Waylon stuttered. Apparently, they thought that Eddie had been victim of Project Walrider … and nothing else. "Uhm yeah, we both fled. Guess you can put it like that. Well, I think I'll go now, because –"

But Waylon wasn't able to finish his sentence, since he suddenly heard quick footsteps. A lot of footsteps.

"There they are! They took the back entrance!" he heard another woman yell and all of sudden, a huge crowd of reporters and cameramen were running towards Waylon, surrounding him and Eddie.

"Hey, hey! Step aside!" he could hear the woman at the reception yell before she got urged away by the reporters and their microphones. One flash, another flash, another flash. People yelling at him, begging him for an interview and holding their microphones on his mouth. He instantly grabbed Eddie's hand as he tried to push them aside, hoping Eddie's patience not to snap.

Noises, so many noises. People screaming at him, touching him, hands reaching out for him. All these noises. Voices mixing; blurry faces looking desperately at Waylon, expecting an answer.

"Mr. Park, is this really you? Mr. Park, why are you wearing a dress? Mr. Park, is that Eddie Gluskin? Mr. Park! Mr. Park? Mr. Park, just one question! Mr. Park, over here, please! What did you do at Mount Massive? Did you know from Project Railrider? Who you're with? Do you know Dr. Wernicke? Have you met Chris Walker? Have you seen the Wallwriter? Do you know Jeremy Blaire? What can you tell us about Murkoff Cooperation? Is this man next to you infected with necrotizing fasciitis?"

All the people yelling at him were giving Waylon a headache and despite telling them to give him a few seconds, they continued like a bunch of animals, gone wild about their food. He tried to hide his face, but the cameras didn't stop flashing, and after having kind of managed to battle his way trough all the people, he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

"Waylon …?"

Waylon held his breath, forgetting about the photographers and the reporters for a second. … There she was. She was wearing the black dress; her thick, wavy hair in a messy bun. Her belly had gotten a little bit rounder. Since she hadn't been allowed to visit him the four weeks he had been obliged to stay at Mount Massive, he noticed every time her belly had been growing. It's been 5 months now, and she had never looked better.

"Lisa!" Waylon screamed, running towards her before they fell in each other's arms. Tears bursted into his eyes as he brushed his finger through her soft, angled bangs and smelled her lovely scent, the one by Prada he had brought her last year. He wanted to hold her as tight as he can but he needed to mind the twins. Feeling her wrapping her arms about his neck made Waylon feel like it had been ages.

"Oh god, Lisa, oh god, oh god, why are you …? Oh shit, you can't imagine how much I've missed you. I've been though so much shit the last few days, oh god, I, I can't believe you're here in my arms," Waylon stuttered, overwhelmed with feelings, "I … I thought I would never see you again. Oh god, Lisa, Lisa …"

Waylon stopped as he began to cry. "Shh, Waylon, I'm here, everything's alright. It's over," Lisa's soft voice spoke to him, caressing his hair, "whatever has happened, I'm here. I'm so glad you're still alive, baby."

She smiled at him with tears running down her cheek, and Waylon stroke her head before he kissed her passionately. Soft, warm, delicate lips were touching his, and for a moment, Waylon caught himself being surprised how much Eddie's lips have healed in the last few hours. Then he remembered it was his angel's mouth he was brushing and he couldn't help but smile with relief.

"How are they?" Waylon asked Lisa, gently stroking her belly. She smiled, "They're fine. Just like their dad. Let's go. I'll tell you everything later. Not … here."

Waylon nodded, pushing away the photographers they successfully had managed to ignore for the past minutes and walked to Eddie, apathetically standing in the corner of the room, heedless of the nurse and some other photographers.

"Eddie," Waylon said, dragging him away, "Eddie, they'll help you here, just … just tell them everything they need to know, okay? I'll … I'll come and visit soon. I promise."

Eddie nodded, carefully taking his hand. "Thank you for everything," he said, avoiding Waylon's gaze, "I owe you. I … I have no words for what has happened. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Waylon said smiling, "we're friends, after all."

Suddenly, a frenzy of flashing cameras interrupted their talk and photographers were pushing Waylon aside, trying to talk with Eddie.

"Get away from him," Waylon yelled as he saw Eddie being overwhelmed by all the people trying to ask him for an interview, "go and call the security, they have to leave this place!" The nurse nodded before she ran down the corridor.

"Waylon, it's ok, leave this place as long as you can," Eddie said firmly as he reached out his hands, and Waylon did the same thinking Eddie insisted shaking his hand or something.

"Here," Eddie said tenderly as Waylon noticed the little box in his hands, "it's yours, after all." He smiled softly, then Lisa suddenly dragged Waylon away and Eddie's face disappeared behind the cameras. Waylon stumbled down the stairs as he reluctantly followed Lisa, not managing to avert his gaze from Eddie. It hurt like hell seeing him like that. Such a different man. Leaving him felt … strange.

This hell had really come to an end. Everything was like it never happened. He was still alive and … the old Eddie was dead.

"Okay, baby, tell me everything that happened," Lisa said, opening the car to get some fresh air, "I'm so glad you're alive. You know, when I heard what happened I freaked out and tried to contact Mount Massive, but nobody answered the phone."

What did they do with Eddie at this very moment? Waylon hoped he was alright. He should've stayed there. Yes, he finally had his Lisa back, but all that trouble, all these noises … that must've been to much for Eddie. Jesus, why did he even continue thinking about him? He was with his wife, his pregnant wife he hadn't seen in a month. He needed some time, Waylon guessed, get some shuteye and take a shower and everything was going to be normal.

"Waylon? Are you … there?"

"Huh? Oh. I'm sorry, darling. What did you just say?"

Lisa silenced, confusedly staring at the driving wheel. "Uhm, I … I just said that I had tried to contact you, but the phones were broken or so." – "Oh yeah, Blaire had tried everything to keep everybody's mouth shut, including mine. Now everything's over but, well, I have the proof of everything," Waylon pointed at the files he had taken from the jeep.

"I heard Blaire recently …" – "Died? That's true. He got killed by his best friend," Waylon laughed. Lisa didn't understand a single world, and Waylon promised her to explain everything when they were home.

"Finally this bastard got what he deserved," Lisa said, staring on the streets, "I can't believe he did us this favor. What are these files?" – "My means of destroying Murkoff," Waylon answered.

They said nothing to each other for a while. In ten minutes they would arrive at Waylon's home. He imagined Lisa and him falling on the bed, passionately loving each other. So close and yet so far away. He really needed to do some things before that.

"Uhm, Waylon? The man you were with … is that Eddie Gluskin?"

"Yes, he is. Why?" Finally Lisa came up with the questions she actually wanted to ask him.

"I've … I've seen photos of his, well, territory. The sewing room and the gym and … and the … Waylon, did he do something to you? I know that dress is made by him, you don't have to lie. That wound on your leg, was that him? I mean, you're safe now, you don't have to play along."

"I don't have to …? Oh, yeah, of course. No, Eddie's not that bad, in fact, he's actually pitiable, he's just … very lonely and desperate and has a terrible past. His mother died, his own father raped him and everything, see, it's just very complicated. So yeah, that wound's because of him, and yeah, I'm fine, baby," Waylon smiled as he caressed Lisa's smooth arm. But Lisa didn't look relieved.

"What the hell, Waylon? He killed patients just because he felt doing so. … And you even call him Eddie."

"That's actually not true, he thought they are women who needed to be fixed."

"That's like defending Hitler."

"What the hell, Lisa? Could you please not?"

"I … I can't believe you're defending him. Have you seen his bloodshot eyes?"

Waylon sighed, "Yes, believe it or not, I have. But this isn't his bloodlust or anything, it's the result of forcing him to serve as a guinea pig for Project Walrider." – "For what?"

Waylon silenced. Why had he forgotten about that? Now that Lisa and him were back together, she surely had a lot of questions. And she would't be as lenient with Eddie as him. Shit. Lisa probably had seen his hickey … what if she decided to continue asking? … No. He couldn't tell her what had happened between Eddie and him. It was too embarrassing, nobody needed to know about this. Waylon knew Lisa well. She was the most beautiful creature on earth, but she wasn't free of jealously as well. Waylon needed to keep his mouth shut, especially concerning this one night … the night in which him and Eddie had been closer than ever before.

"You know, you're already famous," Lisa said quietly, "they've found the tapings of the security cameras. You were seen fighting some really dubious … people, surviving all of that. And you were seen fleeing with that guy. You're kind of a star now."

"No offense, but he's got a name, too," Waylon could hear himself say, and he gasped. Shit, he needed to stop defending Eddie. This really looked weird.

"No offense taken. I know, I'm sorry, baby. It's just … so strange, seeing you like this. In that dress, your face covered in bruises, I," Lisa got quieter, helplessly staring at the wheel, "I was worried sick about you."

"I know, baby. I love you," Waylon smiled, carefully stroking Lisa's hair. Then he looked up, and what he saw next made his heart race a bit.

This old big tree the kids from Leadville liked to climb, then the van that's been standing here forever, then the cobbled surface making the car shake, then this one, old advertising pillar and … there it was. His home, the small house with the cute garden, standing in front of a tiny forest. Everything was still the same. That fence Waylon hadn't managed to finish coloring after he had drove back to Mount Massive, the pigeons romping in the bird bath. Lisa had no idea what seeing all of this felt like.

While Lisa was making some coffee, he took off the dress and his pants, and took a shower. Feeling the hot water running over his body never felt as good as right now. He could see the water turn red as he soaped himself. He managed to carefully put off the bandage Trager had brought him before he had anesthetized him. He had heard that Blaire had been found with some fingers and his tongue missing, and his genitals chopped off. Served him right. Next to him Trager who had been crushed by something. After taking off the bandage, Waylon could see that his leg was still as shitty as it had been before, and it started to hurt again. It was red, and blue, and green. After getting out of the shower, he took some paracetamol, then he looked at himself in the mirror. He looked exhausted, and he sort of aged. His eyes were tired and deep rings were hanging under them. His lips were chapped, but not as much as Eddie's, and his face and one eye was full of bruises. And the hickey. Waylon hoped Lisa would take it for a bruise as well, but … that was highly unlikely.

"Baby? Are you okay?" Lisa asked, carefully opening the door. Waylon smiled. "Yes I am. Now."

His love scrutinized his bare body, then she smiled as she took his hand and tenderly pulled Waylon into the bedroom.

"I've waited so long for you," she said as she was opening her dress. "Me, too," Waylon replied, caressing her soft skin, "you're so beautiful. Your voice sounds like an angel, I almost forgot. Oh god, Lisa, I really thought I would never see you again. I fucked up so hard."

"Don't say things like this," Lisa said as she shoved down her black dress, "let's not talk about this. Let's do other things." Waylon smiled as he took of her underwear, carefully leaning over her.

"Your eyes," Waylon said tenderly, seeing them shine is the light of the sunset, "they're so bright, and right now they look a bit like forget-me-not."

"I know I look good, darling."

Waylon held his breath as Eddie's face flashed to his mind, his light blue eyes shining in the red light of the sunset, as he proceeded along the never ending road to Nebraska.

"Waylon?" Lisa asked carefully. "Your heart is racing, what's the matter, baby?"

"Nothing," Waylon smiled as he kissed her carefully, "just some flashbacks. I love you, baby. Let's continue."

"I'd like to but … aren't you happy to see me?"

"Huh? Of course I am!" Waylon didn't know what his love was talking about, before he realized what she meant. "Oh, uh, I …" he stuttered, looking down on him and noticing him being not excited at all, "as I said, it must be Mount Massive. And I'm actually pretty freaking tired."

"It's ok, baby. Let's have some rest. I'm so happy to have you back." They smiled at each other, then they closed their eyes, holding each other tight. It was cold, even under the two blankets, and sometimes the heating didn't work, like now, but Waylon was happy to be here. Everything was old and a bit shabby, but they didn't have more money, and he could sleep with Lisa everywhere.

"I know it's not pure extravagance but it will do. At this very moment, love's the only thing we need."

"Go away, Eddie," Waylon whispered to himself, "we had our time. Why can't you leave my mind?"