A big shoutout to Harliquinn for taking the time to help me figure out bits and pieces of this story and edit it adequately. Your help has been invaluable, Harliquinn, thank you!
TW: In this chapter, there is some graphic description of the tortured state of a character. We don't see the torture actually happening, but there is a detailed description of the state said character is left in. Enjoy and remember to review!
CHAPTER 4
And I'd Give up Forever to Touch You
Title Credit: "Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls
Sheriff Jody Mills was accustomed to stakeouts. She had grown accustomed to spending hours inside her car, sipping coffee, munching on snacks, and listening to music while patiently waiting and observing. It was her way of gathering intelligence and piecing together clues. However, what she wasn't accustomed to was staking out her own daughter, who had disappeared into Bobby Singer's house just five minutes earlier.
Jody had been aware for some time now that Claire was up to something. The girl had been distant, burying herself in books all day long, disappearing for extended periods, and only returning home to lock herself in her room again. Jody had tried to get her to open up on more than one occasion, but Claire remained as tight-lipped as a clam at high tide.
Feeling worried and frustrated, Jody had even discussed this with Sam and Dean that morning, seeking solace and advice. Their suspicions mirrored her own. Given Claire's history, they all suspected she was preparing for another hunting mission. Dean, in particular, was furious at the thought of her treading down that path again, especially after the time she had spent with them at the bunker. He instructed Jody to keep a close eye on Claire. Dean promised they would visit soon, and if their suspicions proved correct, he would have a serious talk with her.
Opening the lid of her travel mug, never once taking her eyes off the house, Jody inhaled the strong aroma of the coffee before taking a long sip and cradling the mug in her palms. Impatience began to creep in, and she contemplated simply walking over to the house and barging in to catch Claire in the act, whatever it may be. It was at that moment that she felt the ground tremble. Looking around in alarm, she wondered if it was an earthquake, just as a blinding light flashed inside the house, streaming through the windows for a brief moment before vanishing once more.
Without hesitation, Jody leaped out of the car, clutching her gun tightly. She sprinted toward the house, making a beeline for the front door. Her heart pounded in her chest as she ran with all her might, each passing second feeling like an eternity. What could have possibly happened? What was Claire involved in? Reaching the door, she went straight for the doorknob and was relieved to find it unlocked. Pushing the door open, she rushed inside, gun at the ready, and called out frantically, "Claire?"
Moving swiftly from the hallway into the living room, Jody lowered her gun as soon as she laid eyes on Jack, who stood a few steps away from a rift that bore an eerie resemblance to the one that had opened during his birth. Confusion etched across her face, Jody's eyes widened and her brow furrowed as she stood there, struggling to comprehend the scene before her.
"Jack? What's going on? Where's Claire?" the woman asked, her voice filled with concern and escalating panic. She holstered her gun and approached the young man.
"I don't..."
"I saw her enter, Jack! Where is Claire? And why is this..." Her eyes widened even further as her brain finally connected the dots. "No! NO!"
Her outburst made Jack flinch. He watched as the woman pulled out her phone. "Is Amber in there too?" Jody demanded, her voice taking on a sharp tone befitting a sheriff.
Reluctantly, Jack nodded, his throat dry with worry and fear. He felt frozen in place, unsure of what to say or do.
"Sam? Are you on the move? Park!" Jody barked into the phone, her pacing around the room mirroring her agitation.
"I followed Claire to Bobby's house and found Jack and a rift here. Claire and Amber are inside!"
Even without the phone on speaker, Jack could hear Dean's yelling. Anxiety churned in his stomach, and he wondered if he should inform the girls about what was happening. Choosing to wait and see how things unfolded before adding to their worries, he leaned against the dining table and waited for Jody to finish her call. He recalled Amber and Claire describing how intimidating this woman could be, and now he understood exactly what they meant.
"Sounds like a plan, yeah. See you in a bit." Ending the call, Jody turned her blazing eyes to Jack. She swiftly stowed her phone in her back pocket, pointing an index finger at him. "You need to bring Sam, Dean, and Cas here. Now! Teleport the boys here first, then Castiel. Right now, Jack!"
Her tone, posture, and the chain of events left no room for Jack to argue or stall for time. Jody watched as he vanished before her eyes. Releasing a shaky sigh, she brought her hands to cover her mouth, attempting to process what the girls and Jack had done. Her eyes closed as anger and disbelief at their reckless actions melted into guilt and self-blame. If she had looked into this sooner, maybe they wouldn't be in this situation. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes again, and her stomach dropped.
"No! No, no, no, no!" She uttered aloud, despite no one being in the room, her widened eyes scanning the area for the rift that had suddenly disappeared.
Amber and Claire took a few tentative steps into this new world they had entered. The desolation stretched out before them, with the remains of burned, leafless trees scattered haphazardly amidst the cracked and dusty ground. The eerie silence hung heavy in the air. Each breath they took felt like swallowing ash, the air was different—thick and scorching, burning their throats.
"Now what?" Claire asked, doing her best to sound calm and confident.
"I'm going to try and locate him," Amber answered.
Closing her eyes, she drew herself deep within her mind and psyche, seeking that elusive point of connection between her and Kyle. As her focus sharpened, the bond between them surged to the surface. It was stronger than what she was used to feeling when they were two worlds apart, but still faint.
"I can feel him," she called out to Claire, her tone infused with a mix of relief and urgency. "He's not far. Come on, let's move!"
Claire nodded and started following Amber, her grip tightening on the handle of her gun. Her left hand instinctively rested on the archangel blade snugly secured at her waist. Briefly, her gaze flickered to the open rift behind them, a glowing tear in the fabric of reality.
"I thought the rift would take us directly to him," Claire murmured, voicing the confusion echoing in both their minds.
Amber's answer carried a touch of disappointment, her eyes constantly scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger. "Yeah, me too."
"Wait, stop!" Claire's voice made Amber halt. The blonde's hand was slightly trembling as she pointed back at the rift. Her eyes shifted between the portal and Amber, unease etched deeply on her face. "Are we really going to leave it wide open like that? What if Luci spots it and decides to go through?"
Amber ran a hand nervously through her hair. She stared at the ripple of light, her expression one of worry and helplessness. "Look, I know it's not ideal, but what can we do? We can't bring Jack in to guard it. That would leave us with no backup if something happens."
Claire's brow furrowed as she was considering their options. "What if we close it and reopen it when we're ready to go back?"
Amber shook her head impatiently, "Impossible. It would take us ages to redraw the sigil, and we don't have enough ingredients left to open a second rift."
Claire sensed a hidden weight in Amber's tone. Stepping closer, she fixed her suspicious gaze upon her friend. "What aren't you telling me?"
"Nothing! I just..."
"Hey!" Claire's tone and expression turned so sharp it made Amber take a step back. Claire, from tone to posture, resembled Dean so intensely in that second, that it made Amber gulp uneasily.
"Dude, I followed you out here. I'm risking my life. I'm risking my ass. And I'd do it again, if I had to. And I'd do it again, because I trust you and because I believe what you're doing is the right thing to do. But if there's anything you haven't shared with me about this mission... I swear to God, you fucking say it now, or I'm going back and leaving your ass here to figure this shit out on your own!"
Amber hesitated, her eyes darting away briefly before meeting Claire's intense stare. She knew Claire didn't make idle threats, and Amber also knew her friend would find out sooner or later anyway, so, what the hell…
"I... I'm not entirely sure of how to... seal it," Amber finally blurted out.
Claire's jaw dropped, disbelief flooding her expression. She turned to glance at the rift and then back at Amber. "Are you out of your freaking mind?" Her words exploded, reverberating through the air.
"Shut up! We can't draw attention to ourselves, remember?" Amber hissed.
"What's the point? A freaking rift that we have no fucking idea how to seal is right there! Even if we don't draw any attention now, that freaking thing will do it on its own! And then what? We'll camp out at Bobby's dining room fighting off the devil every day? What the fuck were you thinking? How could you possibly not look into how to close the goddamn rift?" " Claire's frustration poured out, wild gestures punctuating her words.
"I didn't have enough time, alright? Kyle's half-dead! Do you hear me? It was now or never! We didn't have a few more days to figure out the last step! I'm sorry, but we didn't! We're already losing time! We need to get to him, now! I promise, I'll figure it all out once we're back!"
"Yeah, maybe Luci will lend a hand, too! You know, give us his two cents. I'm sure we'll find him having burgers with Jack, catching up in Bobby's kitchen..." Claire's tirade was cut short as she turned her back to Amber with the aim to emphatically gesture toward the rift. The problem was, it suddenly wasn't there.
"Fuck!" Claire muttered, and Amber quickly turned her head, panic rising within her as she realized the rift was nowhere to be found.
"What the hell? What the hell? Where did it go?" Amber asked frantically
Claire brought her hand to her face, covering her mouth, as she glanced around in every possible direction, hoping she'd somehow see it. "It's gone! How is it gone?" she asked Amber disbelievingly.
"Do I look like I knew this could happen, Claire?" It was Amber's turn to exclaim. Reaching out to Jack, asking him what was going on on his side, she felt her worry and confusion skyrocketing upon not receiving any response.
"Damn it, Claire! What are we going to do?"
Claire closed her eyes for a brief moment. When she spoke again, her tone was clipped, but resolute. They needed to put one foot in front of the other and keep going, if they wanted to have an actual chance to survive this.
"We're going to do what we came here to do. We'll go find Kyle. You'll do your mojo and fix him up, and then we'll come back," Claire said, her voice carrying a hint of determination amidst the desperation. She knew their only chance was to stay focused on their mission. "And you'll have Jack call for backup. Hopefully, they'll figure out how to replicate the spell and open a new rift from the other side..."
"And by 'they' you mean…" Amber didn't even finish her sentence, arms crossing across her chest, a subconscious effort to shield herself from all of the unknown repercussions lying ahead of them.
"Any better ideas?" Claire asked, her tone resigned, knowing that they were running out of options and refusing to give up.
"Son of a bitch!"
Dean's knuckles whitened as his grip on the steering wheel tightened. After Jody's phone call they had parked on the closest gravel-covered shoulder of the small Kansas road they had been driving on. The two of them had spent the next few seconds from the moment Jody hung up trying to process everything they had just learned, sitting in silence with the occasional swear slipping Dean's mouth. They didn't have to wait long.
A quiet "I'm here" made their heads jerk to the backseat, seeing Jack sitting there, posture hesitant as he nervously wet his lips.
"What the hell did you three do?" Dean's voice boomed in the car, causing Jack to flinch, but Sam intervened.
"Not now, Dean. Jack, Bobby's! Right now!"
Not uttering another word, Jack touched the two men's shoulders, and in an instant, all three of them vanished into thin air.
Sam and Dean felt their heads spin for less than a second before their feet forcefully connected with the ground. Looking around, they immediately recognized the familiar dining room that had never served its purpose after Bobby lost his wife. The room held memories from their childhood, where it had always been a space between a library and an office, while all meals took place in the kitchen at the small table Bobby kept there. Sam immediately noticed the room had a sense of being lived in. It was not in the state they had left it after their last visit during a hunt a few months back. The table, once bare, now hosted an assortment of books, notes, jars, and bowls. The air carried a fragrant blend of herbs and smoke and, sprawled across a significant portion of the floor, was a large sigil, its intricate design commanding attention just a few steps away from where they stood. Sam and Dean's enlarged eyes looked frantically for the rift but all they could see was Jody, rushing to them.
"It's gone! It's just vanished," she said in a panicked tone, her face flushed and her eyes welling up at the realization of what that meant. "They're trapped there! What are we gonna do?"
Sam and Dean stood there, struggling to pace with the situation that kept spinning further and further out of control.
"Amber sent me a telepathic message saying it vanished on their side, too" Jack said in a hushed tone.
Sam's eyes scanned the space around him as he told Jack in a curt tone, "Jack, go get Cas!"
Immediately obeying the order, Jack vanished and rematerialized a few seconds later, an unconscious Castiel draped unceremoniously over his shoulder. Sam and Dean exchanged a look as their mutual question of why Cas hadn't contacted them to tell them the kids were gone got answered.
The young nephilim deposited the angel onto the couch looking the epitome of discomfort. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment and guilt, and his brain flooded with fear over what would happen to Amber and Claire. Would he ever see either of them again? He lightly touched his index finger to the angel's forehead. Instantly, Cas gasped and snapped into an upright position. His eyes darted from Jack to the alarmed adults in the room, taking in their stunned expressions and the unfamiliar surroundings.
"What... What's going on?" Cas asked, bewildered, his gaze flitting between Jack and the adults, struggling to make sense of the unexpected situation.
Four pairs of glaring eyes solely focused on him, made Jack take a step backwards. The irony of the moment wasn't lost on Cas. This powerful creature felt vulnerable and scared of their reactions, when he could easily annihilate all of them with a snap of his fingers. The same paradox he had so many times witnessed with Amber was now unfolding with Jack.
"We opened a rift," Jack finally managed to say, realizing that wasting time wasn't in anyone's best interest. As Jack's words sank in, he observed their impact on the faces before him. Despite already knowing this would be the case, hearing this from Jack brought a tangible reality to the situation. Dean turned his back, his hands flying through his hair, swearing angrily under his breath. Sam stood there, mouth set in a straight line. Jody, having seen the rift with her own eyes, simply waited impatiently for more intel, her left boot drumming against the old floorboards. Only Cas maintained a composed facade, masking the turmoil within.
"So, uh... Amber tweaked a spell, and we opened a rift. They managed to successfully enter the universe where Kyle is trapped. Then apparently, a couple of minutes after they went through... the rift closed on its own," Jack provided the barebone of the story, aware that they needed the basics to begin planning their next moves. He could provide details later as needed.
"I'm still able to contact Amber. I'm just not sure what to tell her," Jack added. His brain racing, he mentally checked the steps he was to take in case of an emergency. Turning to Sam he said with a glimmer of hope, "She has created this step-by-step guide for the 're good with magic, maybe you'll be able to replicate it. Though, we don't have enough of all the required ingredients left..."
"You tweaked a spell?" Sam asked incredulously, the volume of his voice rising, his eyebrows arching. "And you didn't ensure you had extra ingredients in case something went wrong?" His tone escalated gradually as he took a step forward, demanding answers. "Are you out of your minds?"
Amid the mounting tension, Jody's urgent tone cut through the room, calling everyone to focus on finding a solution. "What are we going to do?" she asked, her words carrying the weight of the situation.
"I… I don't know," Sam said, his eyes briefly locked with Dean's, who looked as helpless as Sam felt.
"Jack!" Sam snapped, his frustration reaching its peak. When the nephilim reluctantly met his gaze, Sam fired his next question. "Where is the guide that Amber made?"
Jack immediately brought the piece of paper to him and watched as the seasoned hunter read through it with a creased brow. Sam, moving to the part of the floor where the sigil was drawn, peering inside the bowl, and then hurrying to the table, silently assessed everything.
"We can't replicate this. We don't have enough of anything," Sam concluded desperately. "Even if we did, the fact that it closed so soon after opening, means it was unstable from the beginning!"
"I can't believe this! I can't believe you three did something so damn stupid," Dean yelled, shooting a glare at Jack. He had no other means to vent his anger as he felt cornered in this deadend.
Dean's words felt like a slap in the face to Jack, but he tried hard to maintain his composure. Turning to Sam, he said in a hopeful tone, "Well, we still have my blood, which was one of the main ingredients… so maybe if we could find the rest of them…" he suggested, recalling everything Amber had shared with him.
"That doesn't change much," Sam shot down, eyes looking through the ingredient list for a second time. "Amber has created this spell with her blood as one of its components and if we change that without something similar to replace it, then the spell won't work. And since your blood is also a component already we can't use that as a replacement either. We need something with similar potency that's not already there…" Sam said with a shake of his head, dread settling in him as his own words registered. What the hell were they going to do?
"Rowena."
At the sound of that name, everyone turned to look at Cas.
"She's the only one who might be able to help us," the angel's voice resonated as his eyes met everyone's in the room. "The only one able to replicate the spell, or find us the ingredients…"
Sam didn't wait for Cas to finish his sentence. Immediately taking out his phone, he called the witch, each ring a silent prayer for her to answer and accept their plea for help.
"Shh! Shh! Shh!" Claire's urgent hushing made Amber freeze in her tracks, her heart pounding in her chest. The two of them instinctively drew closer together, their bodies shifting into a protective back-to-back fighting stance. With vigilant eyes, they scanned their gloomy and foreboding surroundings, each nerve on edge.
Amber's lips parted, ready to question Claire about the source of her alert, but before she could utter a word, three menacing figures lunged at them from different angles. Acting on pure instinct, Claire swiftly shot one down, while Amber unleashed her power to blast a second one. The third creature crouched on the ground and snarled, observing their movements.
"What the hell is this?" Amber asked, her face contorted in disgust at the sight before her.
Claire shook her head, her own expression mirroring the disgust etched on Amber's face. "No freaking idea."
The creature was pitch black. Its form, though reminiscent of a human, twisted and contorted with an unsettling animalistic posture. Its flesh, devoid of any protective covering, exposed the raw sinew and skeletal structure beneath. Only its face deviated from any semblance of humanity, resembling a grotesque fusion of a rugby ball-shaped head, two pairs of large, unblinking eyes on either side, and a menacing beak-like mouth. As it opened its maw, displaying a set of jagged, yellowish teeth, strings of thick saliva dripped down its chin.
Amber instinctively prepared to unleash another blast, but a strange sensation coursed through her. It was an innate warning, a dormant alarm within her, urging her to stop using her powers. Amber had no idea of the cause or implications, but she heeded the warning, unwilling to jeopardize her ability to heal Kyle or contact Jack.
"Can you shoot it?" Amber asked.
"Can't you blast it?" Claire inquired.
"No. Not sure why, but I can't," Amber replied breathlessly, glancing at the ones they had already killed and feeling some relief at seeing them motionless.
Claire, not wasting a minute, shot the remaining creature. It screeched in pain before collapsing on the ground, leaving behind a black, tar-like pool that resembled gore.
"What do you mean you can't?" Claire's voice trembled with a mixture of confusion and concern as the two of them hurriedly resumed their journey, their pace hastened by the urgent pull of Amber's connection to Kyle.
Amber shook her head, answering reluctantly, "I don't know. My powers feel... off.
And I have a feeling I'll need them both for Kyle's sake and to reach Jack."
Upon hearing those words, Amber heard Jack's words echoing in her mind, but it was muffled. Distant. A sinking sensation tugged at her, intensifying her growing unease. What the hell was happening to her powers? It was as if a veil had descended between her and Jack, blocking their once seamless connection. His words finally registering, her face paled even more.
"Sam, Dean, Cas, and Jody know. They're at Bobby's," Amber informed Claire, a deep nervousness reflecting in her tone. "They've reached out to Rowena, and she's there helping them open a new rift, one that will supposedly remain stable and won't close like that on us again," Amber informed Claire, pushing her fear about her powers to the back of her mind.
"At least she'll know how to close it," Claire quipped, her thoughts swirling in a whirlpool of conflicting emotions with this new information. As much as she hated it, she couldn't deny that she felt like crap knowing that the Winchesters and Jody were aware of their situation. She knew they would be worried sick about them and would undoubtedly kick their asses for this endeavor to save Kyle, once she and Amber managed to get back, assuming they were able to return at all. Unbeknownst to Claire, similar thoughts were flooding Amber's brain, too.
"Dean says to start moving towards the place where the first rift opened," Jack's telepathic message arrived, breaking through the fog that used to be Amber's brain.
"No! Not yet!" Amber's urgency was palpable. Her eyes darted around, searching for answers in the creepy surroundings. "We're close to Kyle, and I'm not leaving without him. Besides, it'll take us at least another thirty minutes to walk back to that spot. Can't Rowena open the rift closer to our location?"
Jack's reply carried a note of unease. "No. Sam and Dean's blood will serve to create the opening between our worlds, but it won't help pinpoint your exact location. That would take a lot of time. It's easier for her to open one where we initially did," Jack was trying to explain everything as best as he could, based on what he had heard the red-haired witch say.
"Okay, but still. Tell them we need more time. I'll let you know when we have Kyle and start heading back to where we passed through," Amber's voice quivered slightly, betraying the weight of her concerns.
"And, Jack, please don't mention what I'm about to tell you... My powers… Something's off. I feel them draining. I don't want to overuse them, so try not to contact me unless it's an emergency, alright? I'll let you know when we're ready to return, so you guys can open the rift for us."
As Amber concluded her message to Jack, Claire watched her. The distant expression on Amber's face hinted at ongoing telepathic communication. When Amber finally turned her attention towards Claire, the latter raised an expectant eyebrow, silently demanding an update.
"So?" Claire's question resonated with curiosity and worry.
Amber's response was measured and neutral, masking her underlying anxiety. "So, they can only reopen the rift where we first opened it. That means, once we get Kyle, we'll need to make our way back there."
"Shit," Claire quietly cursed. She didn't like the idea of wandering through this unfamiliar place. She didn't like not knowing what to expect. The creatures here weren't like the creatures on their side of reality. And the one thing they did know they could encounter… That scared her even more. Her eyes restlessly scanned their surroundings. Despite her efforts to appear composed and confident, a flicker of concern shadowed her expression. She could storm into a vampire nest without a second thought, confront a horde of demons with enthusiasm, but this place...
This place gave her the creeps. Not knowing what they might face curbed her usual overconfidence. She wondered if Lucifer had already sensed their presence, adding another layer of dread to the mix.
Opting not to voice any of these thoughts, Claire simply asked, "Are we getting any closer to Kyle?"
"Yes, he's close," Amber confirmed, as she led Claire down a treacherous, winding dirt path. The air grew heavy with an haunting silence, the path gradually descending into what should have once been a lush, forested expanse.
"What do you think happened in this place?" Claire asked her friend uneasily in an effort to distract herself from her previous thoughts. They maneuvered through the skeletal remains of once majestic trees, disturbing the stillness. Insects scattered in a frenzy, as the two pairs of army boots walked through their territory.
Amber cringed at the sight of a massive spider rushing between her shoes. "I don't know," she replied absentmindedly, her mind preoccupied with their mission. All she could focus on was finding Kyle. Her head was throbbing with intensity, and her stomach churned from her ragged nerves. A myriad of thoughts and uncertainties flooded the recesses of her mind, overwhelming her ability to process anything else in this moment.
"I think it's some sort of post-apocalyptic world. A universe where some super powerful evil bastard has triumphed," Claire pondered aloud, her words carrying a hint of fascination as she indulged in her own theory, seeking to make sense of the desolate surroundings.
Amber's senses heightened, her focus sharpened. "Look! Claire, over there!" Her urgency sliced through the air, jolting Claire out of her contemplative state, drawing her attention to a point in the distance. It was a small cave, quite close to the ground. There were a few naked branches thrown over it, doing a poor job of hiding its entrance. Amber's heart kicked in her chest as she felt it. As she felt him.
Breaking into a sprint she headed to the cave, Claire hastening to catch up with her.
Crouching down to navigate through the small, low opening, Amber cautiously made her way inside, her heart pounding in her chest. The oppressive air in the cramped space seemed to weigh on her, amplifying her trepidation. She paused for only a second, her eyes widening in disbelief. It was a mix of relief and horror that washed over her as she comprehended the gravity of what she was witnessing. Against all odds, she had found him.
Her stomach churned as her brain processed the sight before her. His tattered clothes barely clung to his battered body, revealing large areas of burned and infected flesh beneath. The stench of decay and blood hung in the air, assaulting her senses. She struggled to reconcile the image before her with the vibrant and strong person he once was. His face, his once beautiful face, was now a distorted mess of bruises and swelling, making it difficult to recognize his features. Each deep cut that marred his chest and abdomen told a tale of unspeakable torment. And there, one of his legs, broken and twisted in an unnatural angle, exposed a bone jutting out from the torn flesh, a grim reminder of the brutal violence he had endured.
Amber's hands trembled as she reached out, gently placing them on his ravaged body. The feeble beat of his pulse sent a surge of desperation coursing through her. She could no longer hold back the tears that streamed down her face. The weight of his suffering pressed upon her, and she could only imagine the agony he had endured to protect her, to protect all of them.
"He did it all for us," she whispered through choked sobs, her voice filled with gratitude and anguish. In that moment, fierce determination ignited within her. She would do whatever it took to save him, to mend his broken body, and to repay the debt of sacrifice he had paid on their behalf.
Claire had also made her way in and more or less collapsed on the ground near the exit as soon as the suffocating smell hit her nostrils and her eyes took in the sight in front of her. Trying to ignore the bile rising to her throat, it was in that second she realized how close they had cut it. Amber had been right. Even one more lost hour, and Kyle would be dead.
Amber raised her trembling hands over Kyle's body and closed her eyes. With a deep inhale she invoked all of her power, all of her grace, and drew it on her fingertips. A golden aura started emitting from her palms and fingers as she focused every fiber of her being into healing Kyle. Her hands moving on their own accord over his body, covering every inch of it, leaving no trace of what he had endured behind. Lowering her palms to rest against his chest, right above where his heart was, Amber's lips twitched in a relieved smile as she felt it beating lively and rhythmically again. Opening her teary eyes, she watched his own flutter open, and locking with hers.
In his hazed state it took him a few seconds to realize what had transpired and who was with him. As it hit him, his eyes enlarged and he sat up hastily, his hands flying to cup Amber's face. Disbelief mixed with awe and heart wrenching terror swirled together in his gaze.
"Amber?" he choked out.
Amber let out a wet sound, a mixture of a sob and a laugh as she leaned into his palms, her hands moving to clasp the back of his neck, before leaning forward to kiss him. It was a deep, urgent kiss that left them both breathless. When they finally broke apart, Kyle gazed into her eyes, fear gripping his insides.
"Damn it, Ace… What have you done?"
Eeeeek! I'm so excited we got to this part already!
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, please spare a minute to give me some feedback!
Have a great week people!
