We didn't talk much on our way home. Then again, it wasn't necessary. He didn't let go of me, refused to leave me out of his sight. It was a side of him I never saw before. For a little while, I didn't have to look after myself. Safe, protected. Couldn't remember the last time I allowed this to happen. The wastes changed me, molded me into a new self-reliant and hardened person. I never looked back. Always figured this was the way I had to move on if I didn't want to slip back into the darkness I fought so hard to overcome. As I saw my act crumble into pieces in front of me, I realized how tired and worn out I was.

At home, he guided me straight to my bed. As if I was a delicate statue carved out of marble, he laid me down.

'Rest. You've gone through enough for one day.'

He crouched in front of me and covered me with the blanket. I stared at him in awe, feeling uneasy of the way he treated me. I never allowed myself to feel fragile again, to feel weak. But I couldn't hide it that late afternoon. There wasn't any energy left in me to do so.

'Stay with me?' I asked him, reaching out for his hand.

He crawled over me, laid down on the bed behind me. He placed his left arm over my waist and pulled me close against him.

'I'm not going anywhere. Try to get some sleep.'

A few hours later I awoke by the sound of thunder. A storm raged across the sky, lashing out furiously. My eyes needed a few moments to adjust to the darkness our home was covered by.

'Mac...?'

No reaction. Lightning lit up the room every few seconds. My hand touched the empty space next to me. Still warm. I grabbed the blanket, wrapped it around myself and got out of bed.

'Where are you?' I spoke, now louder.

'I'm outside!' I took a few steps towards his voice. Through the window I saw him outside. He stood in front of the power generator, flipping switches and banging on the thing.

'Power's out. It's this freaking storm...!' He had to speak up due to the insanely loud sound of the rain clattering on our wooden rooftop.

'Come inside!' I shouted. 'We'll take a look at it tomorrow!' I watched him hurry back inside, shielding his face from the rain.

'I figured I could fix it before you woke up. Damn thing does nothing.' He tapped his clothes and let out a miserable groan.

'I'm soaking wet.'

'Get yourself out of your clothes. Before you get sick.'

As he undressed himself, I searched for candles. I knew I had them lying around somewhere. I searched through the dresser. First drawer, nothing. It was filled with spare clothes, ammo and pens. Second one was a minor success. Only four and they've been used before.

'Got some!' I shouted triumphantly.

I threw the blanket in the sofa and placed the candles on the coffee table. My trusted flip lighter was where I left it, left pocket. It wasn't long before the room was covered by a beautiful orange hue.

'You want some drinks?' I heard him ask from across the room.

'I could use one, yeah.' I sat down in the sofa, feet on the table. The nap did me good. I felt calmer again.

'Feeling better?' he asked as he entered the room, wearing a flannel shirt and a new pair of jeans.

'You should know you snored. Again.'

'Shut up.' I giggled, feeling a little bit embarrassed. But by now he heard it so many times there was no point in feeling awkward about it. He handed me my glass of whiskey, placed his on the table and sat down next to me. I noticed how the flickering candlelight danced on his face. He leant his chin on my shoulder and put on his most angelic, innocent smile.

'You know, how a tiny woman like you can produce such an enormous sound will always be a mystery to me.'

'Little?' I scoffed, gasping dramatically and placing my hand on my chest. I put my glass down, harshly.

'Who are you calling little, you small bastard?' Without any warning, I mercilessly tickled his sides and belly, making sure his chance for escape was nonexistent.

'Mercy!' He yelled, interrupted by his chuckling. He tried to shove away my hands, but I didn't stop. His chuckle became a laugh, a rather high pitched one. I put on big eyes and went for round two. Fueled by his begging, I ran my hands over his body, pinching and tickling him even more.

'All right, all right. Fine. You're not little. Just stop.' He wiped a tear from his eye.

'I forgive you. This one time.' I taunted. I spread my arms open. 'Come here.'

Hesitantly he shuffled closer. Then he let himself fall into my arms. His hair was still wet from the rain. We laid there for a while, talking. Enjoying being near each other, away from harm. I listened to one of his stories he told about his time with the gunners while I played with the watch on his arm. One whiskey became two, and soon I found myself staring at my nearly empty third glass.

'How did this glass get empty so fast?' I innocently announce, smirking at him.

'Or more importantly, what's that? There, on the floor?' He grabbed my chin and pointed my head towards the dresser. I didn't clean up after I searched for the candles.

'Nothing. It's stupid. It's one of my old dresses.' I admitted and I felt a wave of nostalgia wash over me. I was tipsy enough to talk openly about it without feeling sadness.

'I kept it because a long time ago, a part of me hoped I could return to the life I once had.' I sigh and pull up my shoulders.

'Doesn't matter, it was foolish.' I stare into my nearly empty glass and fumble with my fingers.

'Try it on.' He charmingly asked.

'Why?' I chuckled, felt a bit uneasy. I never expected such a request from him.

'I've never seen you in a dress before.'

'No peaking!' I sang, took up the red dress from the ground and walked to the bedroom. Once I was out of sight, I regretted the idea instantly. My body wasn't exactly in a state to wear a dress anymore. My legs and arms covered by wounds and scars. Bumps and bruises. My skin was pale. Staring at the dress, I wondered how long I'd been standing there.

'What's the holdup?' He shouted amusingly.

'Yeah... Ah, give me a sec.' I replied, and I noticed my words sounded slurred, but I wasn't that drunk. I felt nervous.

After I changed, I shyly stepped into the room and placed my folded hands behind my back. I didn't knew exactly how to move, how to behave. Back before the war, I never thought about it, walking elegantly in a beautiful summer dress. I worried it looked like I was barging in the room, still wearing my military outfit and ready to go out guns blazing.

He smiled, and I saw his eyes shine. He stretched out his arm. Slowly he blinked.

'Come here. Don't be shy. You look beautiful.'

'Thanks.' I mumbled. I averted my eyes, felt a little queasy.

Since I didn't feel like parading around, I went back to laying on the sofa with him. I laid my head to rest on his upper leg and reached for my glass.

'So, do you... still think about it?' He asked in a serious tone, as he pulled my hair behind my ear.

'About what?'

'Returning to your old life? Before... all of this?' I could tell he wasn't confident asking that question.

'No.'

'Are you happy?' Worry in his voice. Once I noticed it, I came back up and placed my hand on his knee.

'I am. Why do you ask me this? Something wrong?'

'I've been wondering lately. You and me, it changed things for me. I've just been thinking...' He grabbed his glass and took a big gulp.

'About what? Tell me. You know you can.' I shuffled closer, placed my arm around his shoulders.

'Don't you ever wish for another life? A life without danger, bloodshed... violence. Today made me realize it even more. Hell, I almost lost you.'

I always assumed we would to spend our days as mercenaries, make piles of caps and take it day by day. But hearing him say these words, talk about this idea of his... Suddenly, I felt this tremendous weight being lifted off my chest. A weight I had carried with me for a while, but always ignored.

'I'd... I'd like that.' I managed so say, my mind eagerly trying to picture what life would be like.

'I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I've never been honest with Lucy, she died with the thought of me being a brave soldier. Someone people respected. I never told her the truth. I figured, maybe she couldn't love me once she knew.'

'Oh honey, I'm sure you had your reasons. Don't dwell too much on the past.' I caressed his cheek. He grabbed my wrist and kissed it.

'It's different, with you. I didn't make the same mistake again, you know perfectly who I am, what my past it all about. And yet here you are.'

His green eyes pierced mine, as if he found something inside them that he couldn't believe still existed.

'You didn't leave me. I'm so grateful for that.' He smiled.

'I love you the way you are. You're brave. You.. you fucking saved me. Don't you realize that?'

There were many things I wanted to tell him. How grateful I felt towards him for picking me up from the dirt, dusting me off and making sure I survived this world. How I owe it to him that I was still around in that very moment. But he didn't let me.

He leaned in, pressed his lips against mine. I saw his eyes were closed firmly. I let his words sink in and kissed him back, enjoyed the softness of his lips sliding over mine. He breathes nervously through his nose. We cradle back and forth in the sofa, getting lost in our kiss. He lets out a feint moan and retreats a little. Our foreheads were still touching.

'Being around you drives me crazy, but the thought of losing you even more.' He mumbled.

And then, everything stopped.

My neck hairs raised, my arms covered by goose bumps. A tingling sensation runs over my spine.

I straddled him and kissed him again, this time deeper. I felt unstoppable, my passion fueled by the last words he spoke. I run my fingers wildly through his hair, pulling his head back. His hands warm hands slide across my back while I plant kisses all over the right side of his neck and teasingly bite his earlobe. He pulled out a rope of fabric from my dress, loosening it.

'Up for something different?' He murmured against my lips. He slides his hands under my dress, kneading my bottom briefly with his rugged hands.

After I nodded, he wrapped the makeshift blindfold around my eyes, made a loose knot at the back of my head.

'You trust me?' he asked, his voice hot.

'Yes.' I breathe, and my mind runs wild with thoughts on what he's planning to do to me.