Title - Don't You Go
Chapter title - Knuckles
Author - OblivionsGarden
Genre - Romance/Drama Disclaimer - I do not own the Uncharted Series in anyway shape or form. I only own the plot points surrounding this series.
Chapter Word Count - 1929 words.

A/n - Please leave a review, I'd greatly appreciate it. Hope you enjoy, xx (:


"You should see your face right now..."

"I... How did you even put all of this together? Even I barely know about this one."

Rafe was well and truly stumped. In the four months you'd been together, he had gradually told you more and more about his treasure hunting life. He told you how after the incident that left him in hospital, which was still a touchy subject, he had all but given up that side of him. But you could see it in his eyes, he longed for the adventure. He was a great liar, but not to you. Not anymore.

Over the last month you had been piecing together various news articles, rumors and chunks of text from the history books all relating to the lost copper scroll.

"In Kalya there's was an archaeological site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1946. They found two scrolls made of copper, although they turned out to be one scroll, split into two." You explained, having found the story fascinating when you first read about it. "The copper scrolls were found in '52 and they had details of locations. Sixty four locations to be exact, each having gold and silver hidden there. The locations were specific though... Like, in the funeral shrine in the third row of stones, one hundred gold ingots."

"So whoever wrote it was familiar with the treasure." Rafe scanned over the documents that now littered his desk. "Why did you do all of this?"

"I'm not stupid Rafe. I see how happy you get when you tell me about the stuff you've done... You miss it." You felt a warm flutter in your stomach at the genuine smile he gave you. "I've set up a meeting with a man who's grandfather worked at the site as an archaeologist. He says that his grandfather has a journal of his lead archaeologist from the dig which has directions to something unwritten. He thinks it's the scrolls. All we have to do, is negotiate with them and get that journal."

"What?" Rafe had seemed to be growing more and more excited up until your last few words. "We?"

"What? You think I'm going to set all of this up and not come with you?" You scoffed. "Rafe, I-"

"No." He shakes his head, picking up the articles into a pile. "I'm not taking you with me."

"Why not?"

"Because these things can get dangerous." He sweeps the files into one of his drawers, closing it and staring up at you with his jaw set. "I'm not going to take you into that life, not after how my last job ended."

"We're going to meet with a middle aged man and his grandfather to buy a journal, what's he going to do, pull a gun on us?"

But that's exactly what did happen. Rafe reluctantly, after an evening spent persuading him, let you go with him to get the journal. The man was alot more arrogant than you'd expected, insisting he had much better offers for the journal and that the amount Rafe offered him was an insult. Ego's clashed, tempers flared, Rafe made a few choice comments along with suggestion of just stealing the journal from him and the man pulled out a gun.

Your heart leapt to your throat and your feet seemed to be frozen to the spot as Rafe darted in front of you, holding up a hand to pause the man. A brief image flickered through his mind, a tall man doing just that to protect his brother. He shook his head, focusing on the situation.

"Just, calm down. There's no need for that." Rafe's voice was struggling to stay calm, but he knew where this mans head was at, he knew how to reason with him. The only way to reason with him. Give him exactly what he wanted. "I'll meet your pitch."

Rafe made a show of pulling out his check book, scribbling out his signature and the amount that had been requested, knowing it was far too much for a journal that might not even be what they need. He had dragged you out of there as quick as he could manage, having his driver almost breaking the speed limit to get home.

He was pissed. You could tell from the silence, the flared nostrils, the clenched fists resting on his lap, the tapping of his foot on the floor of the car. When you got home he dismissed his driver for the evening and you had to jog to keep up with him. It was a rare moment to see him like this, not something you'd seen since you'd started dating. You tiptoed around him, curious as how to speak, the very air around you seeming fragile.

"Rafe?" Your voice was quiet against the thick tension as his eyes snapped to meet yours. "You alright?"

"I told you." His voice was low and even, sending the hairs on the back of your neck standing on end. "I told you it gets dangerous. People who own these things are never satisfied and they will always do whatever it takes to get what they want." He crossed his living room, hands tightly gripping the mantle. "You are never coming with me again."

"But we're fine aren't we? We have the journal and we're both fine... And I could learn to handle myself, y'know a little self defense."

"NO!" Rafe's fist collided with the mirror that sat above his fireplace, the glass shattering and falling onto the floor. You jumped, stepping back and pressing yourself against the wall. "I will not put you in that situation again." He dropped his hand to his side, chest heaving and you can see the blood beginning to drop from his knuckles. "I can't stand the thought of you-" He gulped back a breath, fingers raking through his hair. "I care too much about you to put you at risk for something as stupid as this."

He suddenly seemed to hear his own words after he'd said them, eyes widening for a brief second before he rushed from the room. You heard the slam of his bedroom door and you released the breath you'd been holding. You decided to give him some space for a while, heading to the kitchen to find dustpan and brush. You clean up the broken mirror, hoovering the carpet to make sure that none of those microscopic pieces that find their way under your skin were left behind before you decided to venture up to Rafe's room.

The door was shut but not locked and he was sitting on the edge of his bed, head hung low and elbows resting on his knees. The blood from his knuckles was running freely onto his carpet, a fact that would irritate him to no end once he'd calmed down.

"I'm sorry." If you hadn't been standing still you would have missed his murmur. "I didn't mean to scare you."

You didn't say anything, instead pulling him up by his non wounded hand and dragging him into his bathroom. You pushed him to sit on the toilet seat as you found out a first aid kit and a wash cloth. You pulled his hand to your lap as you sat on the edge of the bath, wetting the cloth and wiping off the blood. He hissed at the contact but didn't pull away.

"What did you mean?" You ask it quietly, so as not to shatter the calm that was beginning to settle over him. You thought you knew the answer but you wanted to hear him say it. "When you said you cared too much..."

"Nothing. It's stupid." Rafe watched you with tired eyes as you cleaned, disinfected and bandaged his sore knuckles. You didn't let go of his hand though, holding it between your own as you watched him.

"Rafe, talk to me." You sigh. "I need to know whats going on up here." You tap two fingers to his temple and watch as he bites his lip, dropping his head to stare at the floor.

"I scared you." He holds up a hand to stop your protests. "I did, I know I did. I'm sorry but that is why I can't... We can't, or we shouldn't... I'm not good enough." His voice was strained and it hurt you to hear it. "I destroy everyone that gets even remotely close to me. With you, it was supposed to be sex and nothing more but... You being you, went and ruined that plan."

"Rafe, I don't understand."

"Today, that man pointing his gun at us... I used to be like him. I was him, more or less. I have hurt innocent people... I have used people, lied to them and manipulated them all for treasure. All for my damn pride. And it got me put in a coma with two people who were the closest thing I ever had to friends thinking I'm dead and probably happier for it."

"Rafe, why didn't you ever tell me this?"

"I... I didn't want you to think less of me." He confessed, his watery eyes finally meeting yours. "I knew you'd leave and I started to realize that I can't do this alone anymore... But I can't." He cleared his throat, standing to leave the bathroom only for you to follow.

"Rafe, don't you run away from me now." You called after him, halting him in his tracks. "You want me?" You ask and he gives a small nod. "You have me, you idiot... I thought you knew that. Whatever is in your past will stay there and I will not think any different of you. I am not leaving you, Rafe. I know this is terrifying, don't you dare think you're alone in that but that's what relationships are. It's being at your most vulnerable with someone and knowing they won't use it against you. Stop running from me and accept how you feel."

"But what if-"

"If you're thinking about what happened today then I will work behind the scenes if it makes you more comfortable. I get how you feel, I'll be worrying about you all the time too if you decide to go after the scrolls."

You crossed the room, standing in front of him and slipping your hands onto his shoulders. His eyes were half lidded in exhaustion as he gazed down at you. You leant up, catching his lips in a soft kiss, full of unspoken emotion as his arms slipped around your waist holding you as close to him as he could get you.

"I don't deserve you." He whispered, voice hoarse.

"We deserve each other." You corrected him, kissing him again. "I love you, Rafe. You need to accept it."

"I... I love you too." He let out a breath, feeling a weight lift from his chest as a smile finally reached his lips.

"It's been a long day. Let's get some sleep."

You pulled him to his bed and snuggled into his side when you hit the mattress. You knew there was still so much to Rafe that you didn't know, but you'd learn it in time. Right now all you needed was him at your side and the knowledge that he needed you just as much as you needed him. Everything else would come later and you were happy to deal with all the darkness and messed up clutter from his mind as it revealed itself but right now, you were happy just to be his.