Chapter 5

THE KISS

They wouldn't let me stay with him.

"Miss, you need to rest," Margaret said, pulling me away gently. "The doctors are with him now. There's nothing you can do."

"I need to know if he's okay..."

"They'll tell us when they know something. Come. Please."

She led me back to my room. But I couldn't stay there. Couldn't sit still. Couldn't stop thinking about that sound... the thud of his body hitting the ground.

What if he died?

What if I never heard his voice again?

The thought made my chest hurt in a way I didn't understand.

I waited until Margaret left. Then I opened my door and felt my way back through the hallways. Back to where they'd taken him.

The medical wing. That's what Margaret had called it.

I found the door by following the voices. Doctors talking in low tones. Machines beeping. The smell of antiseptic.

I sat down outside. Right there on the floor. My back against the wall.

And I waited.

...

Hours passed.

People walked by. Some asked if I was okay. I nodded but didn't move.

"Miss, you should really go back to your room..."

"I'm staying."

They stopped asking after a while.

The voices inside eventually went quiet. The doctors left. I heard them talking as they passed me.

"Panic attack. Severe. His heart rate was dangerously high..."

"Emotional trigger, most likely..."

"He needs rest. And to avoid whatever caused this..."

They faded down the hallway.

I stayed.

My body was exhausted. My head felt heavy. But I couldn't leave.

I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes... not that it made a difference. Everything was always dark anyway.

Sleep pulled me under eventually.

...

I woke to the sound of a door opening.

That mechanical whir. His chair.

I lifted my head. "Derrick?"

The whir stopped. Right in front of me.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was rough. Tired. But alive.

Relief flooded through me. "You're okay..."

"I asked you a question."

"I... I was waiting. To make sure you were okay."

Silence.

"How long have you been here?"

"I don't know. Hours, I think."

"You slept on the floor?"

"I didn't mean to fall asleep. I just... I couldn't leave. Not until I knew..."

My voice trailed off. What was I supposed to say? That I cared? That the thought of him dying had terrified me? That made no sense. He was my captor. My jailer.

But he was also... something else. Something I couldn't name yet.

"Stand up," he said softly.

I did. My legs were stiff. I stumbled a little.

His hand caught my arm. Steady. Warm.

"Come inside."

He led me into his room. I heard the door close behind us.

"Sit."

I felt for the chair and sat down.

"Are you okay?" I asked. "The doctors said..."

"I'm fine."

"That's not what they said. They said panic attack. They said your heart..."

"I said I'm fine, Lana."

But his voice cracked on my name.

Silence filled the space between us. Heavy. Full of things neither of us knew how to say.

"Why did you stay?" he finally asked.

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do."

I bit my lip. "Because... because I was scared. When you fell. I couldn't see you. Couldn't help you. And I thought... what if you..."

"What if I died?"

"Yes."

"Would that have made you happy? Would that have set you free?"

"No." The word came out fast. Honest. "No, it wouldn't have."

More silence. Then I heard him move closer. The chair stopped right in front of me.

"Look at me."

"I can't..."

"I know. I'm sorry. I forget sometimes." His voice went softer. "Lana... what's happening between us..."

"Nothing's happening..."

"Don't lie. Not to me. Not now."

My heart was racing. "I don't understand what you want from me..."

"I don't either. That's the problem." He took a breath. "Since the accident... since I lost everything... I've been dead inside. Going through motions. Existing but not living. And then you showed up. With your voice. Your... everything. And suddenly I can feel again. And it terrifies me."

"Derrick..."

"Let me finish. Please." His hand found mine. Warm. Real. "When I collapsed tonight... do you know what I was thinking?"

I shook my head.

"I was thinking that if I died right then... hearing your voice would be enough. That it would be a good way to go. And then I woke up and they told me you'd been sitting outside my door for hours. And I realized..."

He stopped.

"Realized what?"

His thumb traced circles on the back of my hand. Slow. Gentle.

"That maybe I'm not the only one feeling this."

My breath caught.

"I don't know what I'm feeling," I whispered.

"Neither do I. But I know I don't want you to leave. Not because I'm holding you prisoner. But because..." His voice dropped even lower. "Because when you're near me, I remember what it feels like to be human."

Tears slid down my cheeks.

"You scare me," I said again. "But not the way you did before. Now you scare me because... because I think I'm starting to..."

I couldn't finish. Couldn't say it out loud.

"Starting to what?"

"Care. About you. And that doesn't make sense. You're keeping me here against my will. You threatened me. You're..."

"A monster."

"No. You're broken. Like me. And maybe... maybe broken things understand each other."

He made a sound. Something between a laugh and a sob.

Then his hand moved from mine to my face. His fingers traced my cheek. Soft. Careful. Like I might break.

"Can I..." He hesitated. "Can I touch you? Really touch you?"

My heart thundered. "Yes."

His hands cupped my face. Both of them. Warm and gentle and trembling slightly.

"You're beautiful," he whispered. "I wish you could see yourself the way I see you."

"Tell me."

"Your hair falls in waves. Dark. Soft. Your face... it's like something from a painting. Delicate but strong. And your eyes... even though you can't see... they're the most expressive eyes I've ever seen."

I leaned into his touch without meaning to.

"Lana..." His voice was rough now. Full of something raw. "I want to kiss you. Can I kiss you?"

Every logical part of my brain screamed no. This was wrong. Complicated. Dangerous.

But my heart said something different.

"Yes," I breathed.

He leaned forward. I felt his breath on my lips. Then...

His lips touched mine.

Soft. Careful. Like a question.

I answered by leaning closer.

The kiss deepened. His hands moved to my hair. Mine found his shoulders. Strong. Real. Alive.

When we finally pulled apart, we were both breathing hard.

"Don't ever leave me again," he whispered against my lips.

"I won't."

"Promise me."

"I promise."

He kissed me again. Longer this time. Deeper. Full of everything we couldn't say with words.

And for the first time since this nightmare began... I felt safe.

...

We stayed like that for a long time. Him holding me. Me leaning into him. Not speaking. Just... being.

Eventually he pulled back.

"You should rest. It's late..."

"I don't want to go back to my room."

"Then stay. Stay here with me."

"Are you sure?"

"I've never been more sure of anything."

He led me to his bed. We lay down together. His arms wrapped around me. My head on his chest. I could hear his heartbeat. Strong. Steady. Real.

"Derrick?"

"Yes?"

"What happens now?"

"I don't know. But we'll figure it out. Together."

I closed my eyes and let myself believe him.

For tonight... that was enough.

...

I woke to voices.

Loud. Urgent. Right outside the door.

Derrick stirred beside me. "What..."

The door burst open.

"Sir! We have a problem!"

Derrick sat up. "This better be important..."

"It's the security footage. From last night. When Miss Lana was outside. We found something."

"What?"

"The voice she heard. The woman who whispered to her. We got her on camera."

My blood went cold.

"And?" Derrick's voice was sharp now.

"Sir... it's connected to the man from your accident. The one who..." The guard hesitated. "And sir... she's also connected to Lana's family. To the fire. To everything."

Silence. Total. Complete.

Then Derrick's voice. Cold as ice.

"Show me. Now.”