Authors note: to kill him or not to kill him, that is the question, at least the answer is an easy one. I hope you enjoy what I put next. And if you haven't done so already: read Dangerous Obsessions (by me) it's the prequel.
The bullet embedded itself in a tree, it's path had taken it within an inch of Karl's right ear, Marishka, or Mary as she was called now stared in shock, "It's not fair, I tried, I came so close, but I . . . just . . . can't, why . . . I don't get it." her mind was whirling as she tried to comprehend what had just happened, she'd changed her aim at the last second, but why, was it her, or him, she dropped the gun in her confusion and stared at it blankly, "Do you know what it's like to die?" she asked quietly, still avoiding his eye.
Karl was as shocked as her, he'd really thought it was the end for him, but he guessed not. "No, I'm guessing you do, what happened to you?"
"When we separated, I went to get out of the caves in Republican territory, but I fell down a ravine, I thought I was going to die for sure, but I landed in the river, not on the ground. I drifted downstream for a few days, and washed up near the coast, ever since then I've been wandering around." she said "About a year ago I got really bad and then it hit me, my past was holding me back, I thought if I destroyed my past I could move on, but it didn't work." she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, she tried to hold them back but a couple escaped and splashed on the ground by the gun.
Karl felt very sorry for her, she'd had a rough life, rougher than most people would have, and it had gotten to her, he walked over to her and pulled her against him, she was crying properly now, but he didn't know what to say, so he just held her.
Marishka could feel him holding her and it felt nice and comforting, "I'm sorry." she sobbed. Karl ran his fingers over her head, feeling her pull closer to him, he knew what he wanted, but would it make things better or worse? He made up his mind, and waited for the right time.
After a few more minutes Marishka stopped crying, but didn't move away from him, she'd liked being with him, and that had not changed.
Karl knew it was now or never, he tilted her head back a little and kissed her hard on the lips, his hands pressed her body against his even harder as he deepened the kiss.
Marishka was taken completely by surprise when he kissed her, but after a while she was enjoying it, and she did the only thing she could think to do