the Light
Chapter 5 (Pt 2)
He felt her approach, tensing a bit despite himself in anticipation of her touch.
"I'm suffocating, Mac," he whispered, looking straight ahead. "It gets worse ... every day. I can't ... face him tomorrow..."
Sarah bit her lip, feeling the tears come to her eyes, threatening to break out. Harm, Harm, why didn't you talk to me earlier?
Gently she forced him to turn around to face her. Encircling her hands around his neck, she pulled him closer, her dark tear-filled eyes meeting his pain-ridden blues.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you these past few weeks. I shouldn't have listened to you when you said you'd be okay on your own. I should've known better... I should've insisted... I-" She sniffled, catching her breath. "I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere. You hear me? You'll get through this. WE'll get through this."
Instead of a reply, he reached for her, pulling her into a tight embrace.
He held on to her with the desperation of a drowning man hanging on to a lifeline, while she stroked his back with soft soothing motions.
For the first time in many weeks Harm felt safe again, and he relished the feeling of being in her arms, grateful for her existence.
He felt her shiver slightly, and he pulled back reluctantly, only now becoming aware of her wet clothes.
"You're cold," he noted, feeling guilty for not paying attention to that sooner.
"It's okay ... I'm okay," she whispered, smiling at his concerned expression.
"No, you're not," he objected firmly, tenderly pulling a strand of damp hair away from her face. "And I'm a drunk self-absorbed pig, too engrossed in my own problems to notice-"
He broke off suddenly and ran into the bedroom, only to emerge seconds later with an old t-shirt and shorts.
"Get out of that uniform before you catch cold," he said, tossing her the clothes.
She caught them but didn't move, standing where she was with a slightly confused look on her face.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She shook her head. "It's just ... It's getting late, and I should-"
"No," he interrupted, walking swiftly up to her and taking her hands in his. "Don't go ... please... Stay."
He waited with bated breath for her answer, and he felt his heart soar when he saw her smile in response.
A few hours later, as he was falling asleep next to her, the last thing his conscious mind registered was her soothing voice whispering in his ear: "I'm here, Harm ... always. I won't let you fall."
That night his nightmare had not returned.