Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Four: Breath

The light was fading in and out, in and out. The dim light bulb above Antonio swinging back and forth, highlighting shadows before the darkness swamped in again once more. That sound was back, short, wet gasps echoing through the space all around him. He tried to move, but he found he couldn't. His fists were clenched so hard, his nails were digging into his palms as he tried to wrench at his wrists, finding himself restrained. That surge of panic was back, he could feel it climbing inside his chest, clawing at his airways, constricting them.

That stench of copper was in the air, Antonio could taste it on his tongue. The nausea was back, turning his stomach upside down, driving bile into his throat. Those ragged pants were even louder now, the breaths crisp and terse, each and every one getting slower and slower. It was like a ticking clock pulsating through his head, that noise getting quieter and quieter until he had to strain his ears just to hear that sound. He didn't want it to stop, he needed to hear every single sound because that meant that she was still alive, that she wasn't leaving him. It meant that Maggie wasn't dying.

"Can you hear her final breathes?" he heard that violent whisper in his ear, taunting him. That malevolent presence lingered just over his shoulder. Antonio couldn't see Jack Cooper, but he knew he was there. He was always there, always in the background, always lingering just out of sight. "Just a couple of seconds and it'll all be over..."

—-—

"Antonio..."

His name was being called, Antonio could hear that soft, sweet voice piercing through the veil of crippling darkness that was encompassing his soul. He opened his dark eyes, surprised to find his face wet as he struggled to breath, his heart pounding against his ribs. There was a moment of disorientation, he was still trapped in that basement unable to move, unable to speak, all he could feel was those hot, salty tears leaking from the corner of his eyes.

"Antonio..." Maggie tried again, her gentle fingertips brushing those tears from his strong cheekbones as she spoke softly. "...I'm here."

The relief hit him like a freight train, he felt it crash straight through him as his gaze focused on Maggie's pretty pale features. She was leaning over him, her chestnut waves were falling loose over her oval face as she cupped his cheek, her thumb ghosting along the stubble on his jawline in a soothing caress. She was speaking again, he couldn't hear the words over the rush of blood in his ears but her voice was tender, she spoke in that tone, the one she reserved only for him. Her lithe body pressed along the length of his, her small feet rubbing along his larger ones as her floral scent flooded his senses. Antonio inhaled deeply allowing her entire essence to overwhelm him.

"I'm here." she whispered into his ear, her soft cheek pressed lightly against his. "Always here, always with you."

A little bit of Antonio and Maggie for all of you wonderful people.

Anime: lol I felt it was time for a Gabe and Kim chapter, the two of them have been a long time coming. I think Kim completes him in a way the church never could.

Lauren: I am so happy for them too, the way these two just gelled together worked out so well for me. Gabe has such a compassion for people and so does Kim, so I feel like it just fits perfectly. I'll be glad to write how their relationship continues.