Chapter 12

To Wait or to Escape?

A/N: Thank you Firelce, NinjaMelissa, Ninjaofmagic01, and Dj6667013 for your fantastic reviews!

:D Okay, so this particular chapter is a bit different from most because I need to work on other types of writing. It's my first "real try" with romance (my least favorite genre, but with Zane I can tolerate it) and has a bit of emotional stuff too. The thriller comes in the next chapter.

So for any Zane and Pixal couple lovers, this is for you, enjoy!

"Zane?" Pixal calls my name softly, leaning against my shoulder.

"Yes?"

"Where did you get the scar on your shoulder from?" she asks, tracing the old, closed wound from when I was thirteen. It tickles and I twitch a bit.

"From when the three men invaded the house in the village."

"That must have been painful," she says, hugging me tighter. It was, but the helplessness I felt when Jane and Grandmother were killed was even worse. There's nothing more painful than watching someone suffer and die without being able to help them.

"Pixal?"

"Yes?" she responds, running her fingers through my blond hair and snuggling closer to me.

"Will you promise me something?"

"What is it?"

"If something bad happens…save your self first," I tell her, turning and wrapping my arms around her.

"Zane, I could never do that," she replies, "You know I would do anything to protect you."

"Please, promise me you will," I implore her, "I can't lose anyone else close to me."

She stares up at me, her green eyes unreadable. "Please, Pixal."

"Alright, I promise," she says, taking my hands in hers. I smile and caress her moist cheek.

"Don't cry."

I lean in and kiss her forehead gently for a long time. I let my hands fall of her slender shoulders to rest on her thin waist and pull her in closer. Her stomach is pressed against mine and she takes my warm neck in her lovely hands. I move my moist lips away from her forehead and let them slide down her cheek to touch her lips. I press a bit harder, but not enough to smother her, ignoring the stabbing pain in my leg.

She's the first girl I've ever kissed. I married my first love and she's the only one for me in this lifetime. My wife smiles and kisses back with pleasantly cold lips, and runs two hands through my hair again. I feel my heart hammering through my chest.

We should be attempting to escape, not kiss and be affectionate right now. Affection. It's something I haven't experienced much in my lifetime, but it's wonderful. It's the greatest feeling I have ever known and I don't want to stop right now, nor ever really.

I lean forward and so does she, causing us to fall backwards against the wall, me sliding to the floor with her small figure on top. I feel my cheeks heat up and feel this sensation in my stomach that seems like adrenaline or something. It feels like I'm about to plummet, but it is pleasant and addicting at the same moment. I touch her smooth, silver hair and tickle her neck. She giggles and pulls away, tickling my nose. "Zane Julien," she beams, "You have terrible breath."

I chuckle and hug her gently, feeling her cold body against mine. "Everything's going to be okay. We'll make it out," I reassure her.

"I trust you, Zane. We will get out."

"For now, let's wait," I say. She nods, pushing my head back down with an index. I smile as she plays with my hair and slides her left hand down my chest, tracing my abs.

After a few minutes she falls asleep on me and I wrap both arms around her. In a few hours I begin to feel a bit thirsty and sick to my stomach. My leg feels hot and painful, enough I have to refrain from shifting every few seconds so as to not wake her up.

No sounds have reached my ears so far, except a little roach that had crept in the room earlier and disappeared into a crack in the tile. If Pixal had been awake, she would have chased after it all over this place. I shut my eyes wearily and find a sweet, soft sort of tranquility, despite the circumstances. I hear a few shifts that soon start to fade away.

"Zane, my son," a voice calls me belonging to the precious soul I lost so long ago.

"Father?" A man materializes in front of Pixal and I. His white hair is still kept neatly as ever, and he shifts his thick, framed glasses against the bridge of his nose.

"Come, my son. Set her down for a moment and get up."

I gently remove Pixal from my chest and gingerly set her delicate figure on the floor. I get up and Father takes my hand, ambling toward the window. Strangely, my leg doesn't feel any pain whatsoever.

We both peer out the window down the seemingly five or six story building to the ground below. Father turns around and sets a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Son, it's shorter than you or even Kai think. You could even jump down, Zane."

"Thank you, Father," I say and he pulls me into an embrace, still smelling of the same cologne he's always worn. I return it. I can hardly hold back the tears that threaten to take over me. "I miss you so much, Father."

"I miss you too, Zane," he responds in his caring way, "I need to leave, son. I love you."

"I love you too, Father," I say, hugging him a bit tighter before he gently pries me off.

He turns away. "Wait!" I set a hand on his shoulder, a tear slipping down my cheek. "When will you be back?"

"Soon, my son."

I open my eyes. Pixal is still asleep on my chest and my leg still throbs horribly. It was only a dream, but at least a pleasant one compared to many I have had. I now feel a bit…more peaceful, after having been able to see my father. The window…could it be?

I do the same to Pixal as I had in my dream and amble to the window, this time alone. I peer out. It does seem to have shrunk a bit since last time I looked, yet again, could it be? I swing both legs outside and stretch my hands out, feeling for the sill. My left one touches it and grasps it. I draw in a deep breath, waiting to gather up my strength and courage for this, the leap of faith. I grab the sill with my right hand as well…and jump.