A Single Candle

Chapter Seven: Alone, Whether You're Here or Not

"Dreams are great, but that's not what I want! I want something real, something I can hold on to! I… I want you!"

-- Yolie, A Single Candle

Yolie wanted to wake up, but she couldn't. Her mind was racing. Ken… what had really happened? She searched her mind for her last memory… and what she found, was the last thing that happened before she danced with Devon… 'He had smiled at her and handed her a drink. "Wouldn't want you to dehydrate, now would we?" He said. She had laughed with him and drank it down.' Now she wished she had refused. What had happened after she drank that? What was making Ken run? Why didn't she remember? Had he really drugged her? She had so many questions that weren't being answered. Questions that she needed to know the answer to for her own sanity's sake… and for her love's sake, too. She needed to find Ken.

She forced herself to sit up in bed even though her body refused. She was in a hospital bed, but her clothes were still on, so she decided she would make a run for it. It couldn't have been too long since Ken left. She had to find him and demand an explanation. She wanted to demand an apology first, though. How could he say he love her and then just leave like that? It wasn't right! Especially not in a time when she needed him so badly. She just wanted someone… Ken, to hold her. She needed to feel that closeness.

She got out pretty easily by pretending she was just a regular visitor. She stayed calm until after she was outside. Then she ran. She ran as fast as her legs could take her. That was when she saw it… Devon's car. However, it was empty, and she wondered if he had gone in to see her… or kidnap her. She didn't know what Devon did to her, but whatever it was, she was furious about it. She refused to be taken for a fool, and he had. She would never forgive him. In her heart, she felt she had enough rage inside her to… to kill him. But he wasn't there. Instead, she saw Ken, leaning up against the car. He looked like he had been crying. She stopped abruptly. "K-Ken? Where were you?! I was worried sick!" She said softly, panting heavily.

He looked up quickly. Ken's ace showed all the elements of surprise and worry. "Why did you leave? You're sick! Devon… he raped you. You could be pregnant! You can't go running off like that!" Yolie sighed. She could have guessed that that was what Devon had planned. But she didn't care anymore. She smiled at Ken.

"Is that why you were going to leave me? Because I had a baby and you wanted me to get together with Devon for the baby's sake? Because, that won't happen! You don't even know if there is a baby!" Yolie shouted defensively, inching closer to Ken until she could wrap her arms around him.

"No. That's not it at all. Yolie, I want to be with you, but I can't. You wouldn't touch me if you knew what I had done." Ken said sadly. "I know that won't happen. I know, because I wouldn't let him come near you again. I love you, Yolie. That's why I had to protect you. I have everything ready. You won't need to worry or fear because of me. I'll go. Then it's my problem. Forget about me! Go away!" He shouted. Tears trickled down his face. The harder he tried not to cry, the more he did. She looked up at him, trying to decipher everything. It was so much for her, and yet she couldn't rest until she knew. "Yolie…"

"Ken…" Yolie placed her hand on his cheek and smiled. "If there is a baby, I want it to have a father. I want you to be that father, because you are the man I love. I am not afraid of you. Nothing could ever make me feel any different about you! Don't you see, Ken?! I don't care. Because… because…" her eyes darted down to something very unusual. His shirt had an unusual stain on it, red, like… "No…" She whispered, looking back up at him. Ken was shaking miserably. She wanted to say it. She felt it… but she couldn't move her mouth. Her world had just been knocked off its hinges. "You… you didn't… you killed him…" She said. It wasn't a question. One look and she knew. Ken pushed her away gently.

"I have to go. Goodbye Yolie." He said. "I… I'm really sorry." He opened the car door and jumped in. Yolie quickly came back to her senses and tried to stop him, but the car had already sped off, leaving her to cry all by herself on the ground. She wanted to say that this didn't change anything, but it did. But not the way he thought.

"Ken…" she whimpered. She could hear the nurses and doctors coming for her. She knew that they had come to take her back to that cold room on that cold bed where she would still be alone and nothing would be any better. She began to cry. "Why?!" She shouted in anguish, as she was carried away. The ladies tried to calm her down, whispering comforting things in her ear, but this only enraged her more. She was tired of being treated like a child and they didn't have a clue what was wrong! You can't care unless you know! Suddenly, she missed Miranda. Miranda had always been there for her. Maybe… just maybe, she would give her a call once she got back inside her room…

She had a lot of thinking to do…

TBC

Sorry this chapter was so short. I had to fill in some gaps for those who were confused. However, there's still the question… happily ever after or not? Who knows? Guess you'll just have to keep reading! Love reviews! Please send them as long as you don't flame me… flaming and constructive criticism are different, though! Keep that in mind!

Christine Lennoire