Somewhere near midnight, Charlie woke up from a nightmare and sat up in the bed. She looked behind her and Kai was still there, fast asleep. She smiled and lay back down. She took his hand and laid it over her waist. She felt his heart beating in his chest against her back; the slow, strong, steady rhythm hypnotized her. She lay close to his warm body and savored this moment. No one knew what lay ahead tomorrow. This might be the first and last time they were ever together. She closed her eyes and tried not to think of tomorrow. She would remember this night forever, how he was here with her. All that mattered was here and now. Her and Kai. Together.
Early the next morning, she felt a sudden cold gust down her back. She opened her eyes and saw Kai getting dressed.
"Kai? What's going on?" she asked him. He pulled on his jacket and smiled at her.
"It's almost time to start training; they'll wonder where I am." He said, sitting down on the chair to do up his shoes laces.
"So today's the day." She said, getting up and getting dressed herself. Without Kai to keep her warm, it was very cold indeed.
"Yeah, now when they opened the door, take Dranzer," he said, taking the blade off the table and loading it into his old launcher.
"And aim right at the door. She'll burn the guards and give you just enough time to get out. I'll be here, in the auditorium, waiting for you. When you run, I'll run after you and help you get out. Once you're out, run for the woods." He explained quickly. She nodded and tried to take it all in.
"When they find out you helped me…when Tala finds out…" she said.
The thoughts raced through her head. The torture methods they would use to kill him.
"They'll do some pretty nasty things to me, but I can take it. As long as you get out and they can't use you to hurt me, I'll survive." He said, getting up.
She looked at him. She was nervous and scared. He knew she wasn't any good at blading. He reached out for her, pulled her against him and hugged her close.
"Dranzer knows everything you need to know. Just keep her in mind and she'll be at your side. Just talk to her and she'll understand." He smiled at his old beyblade. "She's a very smart phoenix." He said, looking at her in his launcher.
"You know, a phoenix was the sacred bird in many religions, but particularly ancient Egypt." She said, leaning against his chest to hear his heartbeat one more time, fighting back the tears.
"I do." He said. He took her trembling hand and kissed it.
"I've always wanted to go Egypt. See the pyramids, palaces, tombs." She laughed with a tear rolling down her cheek. He wiped it away with the back of his hand.
"You can still get to go. If everything goes well." He said.
"They say that standing in the burial chamber of the Great Pyramid is an experience that can only be explained as magic." She said and looked up at him, into his grey eyes.
"The only thing better than that, would be holding your hand as well." She said to him. "Kai, please come back to me. After last night…I want to see the world with you. I want to go on more dates with you. I want you to teach me to blade," she laughed. "And maybe I can kick your butt one day." She laughed a nervous little laugh.
"I'll teach you. But you'll have to practice for a few years to be able beat me." He smiled and leaned down to kiss her. She broke the kiss and smiled at him. He let her go and walked towards the door.
"Whatever." She said as he walked towards the door. He opened it and left, locking it behind him so no one who get suspicious.
"Couldn't you just let me out?" She asked as she sat down on bed. She saw him appear back at the window and she ran to him.
"If I let you out, they'll know it was me, and you won't get very far without feeling like coming back for me." He smiled, and stuck his hand through the bars. She took his hand.
"When I get back to France, I'll come back for you, with the whole army if I have to." She cried.
"Don't." he said, letting go of her hand. "Our bitbeasts can decimate an army, and you'll get killed." He said, walking away. He stopped and turned to face her slightly.
"I love you." He said before he rounded a corner. She turned and slid down the door and held onto the warmth he had left on her hand.
"I love you too." She said.