...Words can't describe how sorry I am. I've obviously fallen behind on every story I have. I'm sorry, I'm trying. Lots, lots of things have been going on. Bad, good, mixed. I joined writers club, so hopefully I'll get some writing done there. Thank you for the reviews/alerts. Please enjoy the sixth chapter of "Titanium"...
Twitter: TheCliffyG
No Beta Reader, so ignore mistakes if any (:
Titanium
"There's a lot of people outside, Mr. Goldsworthy." The nurse stated, unhooking the IV from his arm.
Eli peered out the clear window to see a mob of reporters, all pushing and shoving to get to the door. He sighed morosely, not looking forward to leaving out the front door.
"Ready to go?" Eli turned slowly to see Clare, smiling bashfully at the knowledge of what today is.
"...It's pretty packed out there. I'm kind of scared." He admitted, feeling a tug in his chest at the thought of being surrounded by those people. All he wanted to do was leave in peace, and take Clare out on a date without being mobbed.
"You weren't scared to take a bullet for me...and yet, you're scared to walk through a group of obnoxious reporters?" Clare teased, making her way into the room and standing beside him.
"I wasn't scared to take the bullet because my job is to serve and protect. Protecting you to my fullest abilities is what comes first, no matter how much you fear what would happen in the next ten, twenty seconds." He admitted calmly, reaching for his bag but Clare's small hand shot out from beside her, taking it before he could.
"No carrying heavy things, it's a strain on your body. I don't want you being short of breath. Now come on, I found another way out." After being allowed to discharge Eli, the two were off.
Eli followed Clare, allowing her to hold his bag only because he couldn't keep up with the peppy skip in her step.
Within the next two minutes Clare had busted open a back door, the sunlight hitting Eli's skin as he embraced the warmth. Lately, his body felt worn down and weak from the shooting, but he never wanted to admit his weakness. He wished with every fiber in his being that he wouldn't have to come back to this hospital ever again, but knew he would have to every week for the next two months to check his heart.
It was fragile; not meant to be broken.
And yet, it was, in every way possible.
"My car is over there, we can take it to-." Eli's scoff caught Clare off guard, as she asked, "What? What's so funny?"
"You think I'm going to get into...that?" Eli gestured to the small, baby blue honda fit, his eyebrows quirked up.
"I apologize on behalf of my car but if we're still going on this date your butt is going to have to sit in it. I'm not letting you walk, it's not an option. So suck it up, and hop in." Clare concluded, and Eli felt a fire light inside him at the sound of her commanding tone.
"Since you won't tell me about this date, you have to at least tell me where we're going." She stated, clinking in her seat belt and giving Eli a 'put your belt on in my car' look. He groaned, and Clare grinned, "You're a cop, isn't the first thing you do is put a seat belt on?"
"Not when I'm going into a bank to stop a robbery, or pointing my gun at a guy for hovering over a helpless woman in a dark alleyway. Seat belts don't always come first, butterballs." Eli retorted teasingly, proceeding to put his belt on.
"Well, where is our destination Mr. Goldsworthy?" She asked, her blue eyes curious and craving for the answer.
"My lake." He whispered, "Adam and I split the land. We were drunk one night, ended up buying a lake."
"How'd you end up buying a lake?" Her grin spread contagiously, as Eli shrugged his weak shoulders.
"Crazy stuff happens to men who drink a lot off the clock." He admitted, while Clare started up the small mobile, nodding silently.
They headed off down the road; what lies ahead, they're unsure, but it's brighter than before...
"You shouldn't be having beer, you know." Clare stated matter-of-factly, arching a brow in Eli's direction.
The injured, off duty officer simply shrugged his shoulders, staring out towards the lake. His cheeks were warm, his mouth filled with alcohol that would make him forget everything and he had a beautiful woman by his side-what more could he ask for?
"You only live once Clare. Misewell fuck up while you have the chance." He muttered, digging through his pants pocket and pulling out a blade, showing it off to Clare.
She gasped, her jaw agape, "Why do you have that on you, Eli?"
"...I'm a cop, I have a lot of things on me. Anyways, I can't really lift my arms without feeling a burning tug and I want to take my shirt off to go for a swim. Can you cut it for me?" He asked nonchalantly, placing the blade in her petite, jittery hands.
"It's kind of cold out, you might get sick." Clare warned, as if Eli was her reckless son who was about to make a wrong decision.
"I'm warm on the inside, that's all that matters." He whispered, feeling her warm hand graze up his back, her fingernails gently grazing over him. She swore she heard a small hum from Eli's lips through the faint chirping birds; gratitude and appreciation written all over his face.
"Is your back okay?" She wondered aloud, and he sighed, craning his head back to view Clare.
"Honestly?" He asked, and Clare nodded, the blade touching his shirt but not cutting yet.
"It hurts...a lot. I've had bad back problems since I was a kid, and having a bullet go through me and being on bed rest can fuck a guys back up." Eli grunted, manuvering between Clare's legs, resting tiredly against her.
She didn't quite understand why he had changed his mind so quickly about going for a swim, to just leaning against her frame. Truth be told, he was tired. His mind was stressed with thoughts of his lover cheating, and physically, Elijah Goldsworthy was a mess.
The effects of the alcohol was beginning to sink in, his emotions running rampid inside him. Through the darkness surrounding the two silent friends, Clare could see his chest starting to rise up and down a bit frantically. His normal calm state had been broken; the real Eli Goldsworthy starting to show.
"Is your breathing alright?" Clare asked softly, running a hand up his arm.
What she heard next, cracked her heart in half.
A sob.
He was crying.
A polic officer who Clare thought had the hardest exterior known to man, was crying. The warm tears he shed were hitting her arms, getting caught between her fingers. She collected his tears, silently comforting him by letting them release from his broken-looking eyes.
Eli stared out to the moon shinning off the water, reflecting into his sensitive eyes. He laughed a little to himself, sniffling and wiping away the tears, irritating his cheeks by the rough rubs.
"I-I thought she loved me." He scoffed out, shaking his head, "I thought someone...actually loved me. A-After the honeymoon, our fighting got worse, her interest in me grew less. She was fond of other men, always-always looking for someone else when I was right beside her. S-She thought I couldn't see it...but those eyes were always glancing, always looking, searching."
Clare's heart felt caught in her throat, hearing Eli express his pain towards what happened between him and his wife.
"...A-All I wanted was a baby." Eli whimpered truthfully, the empty bottle of whiskey burning his hands.
"I wanted a life, a second chance. I fucked up...so many things, so many people and when the thought of marrying Imogen crossed my mind, I thought I was doing something right this time around." His heavy head rested against Clare's chest, as they both stared up at the stars.
"...I'm never good enough, that's why I jump in front of bullets. There's been situations where I wouldn't wear a bulletproof vest. I pray each time that the bullet will kill me. Hell, I took one to the chest and it didn't. Not even death wants me around." Eli whispered solemnly, his hands dropping the bottle onto the wood supporting them.
He needed to hear something that would change his outlook on life, that would make him wear that vest every time because he had someone to live for. He needed to hear that he was needed in this cruel world; that he wasn't useless, a nobody, and the husband of a cheater.
Clare shifted slightly, leaning back against the lake cabin. The birds who had been chirping earlier had been silenced, and all that was heard was the sniffles coming from Eli.
Without warning, Clare laced her fingers through Eli's warm, clammy right hand. His green eyes immediately shot up to glance at Clare in utter confusion. She smiled whole-heartedly in his direction, squeezing his hand in reassurance.
"...I want you here, Eli."
END OF CHAPTER 6
So...*scratches back of head* Reviews?
I'm really sorry about the delay, it's pathetic and I apologize. I'm really going to try harder to update guys.
Love you guys,
Cliffhanger Girl
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