Save Your Heart

The helicopter ride was long and stuffy. I feel that I know for sure that I’m Closter phobic now, I feel like the walls were closing in on my, ready to crush me at any moment . The only comfort I found was Riley’s arms around my. Holding me close while the actual doctors stuck needles in my arms. He would whisper stuff into my ear, telling me to clam down and nothing was here to hurt me. Honestly, it was better with him here. Plus he was holding me, hugging me close to him. It is the greatest thing ever, now would be the perfect time to confess all my feelings for him. But then again, I would never come up with the guts to tell him.

“I’m so sorry, this is my fault.” He whispered to me, both of us watching the doctor move to the front of the helicopter.

He had buzz cut blond hair and extremely tan skin. You could tell he had been someone in the army as well, someone who had been stationed over here for some time. I felt bad for him, he looked like a guy that really wanted to go home. Just like me, I don’t know how much longer I can take it. All I want to do is go home to the apartment that Riley and I use to share. Of course now I can live there with Riley again, I won’t have to be alone anymore.

“Its not your fault.” I talked the loudest I could, but honestly I couldn’t talk very loud. All of the screaming that I had committed just about shot my voice. I doubt that I will be able to talk for awhile. I snuggled closer to him, and then tucked my face into his warm neck. It felt great to have him back. Without him I don’t know where I would be today. He is the person who has always been there for me, always there to protect me and be a true friend. “If it weren’t for you I’d still be in there.”

He winced and then began to run his fingers though my dirty greasy hair. I would kill now for a shower right now, then I could at least be presentable for him. At least he is taking me for who I am at the moment, a beat up girl with no life anymore. I’m going to have problems now, possibly problems that I’m going to need psychological help for. Those men ruined my life, I can never forgive them.

“It is my fault though, they wouldn’t have taken you. I should just leave you, then maybe you can have a normal life. One where you don’t have to worry about waking up underneath the floor boards.” He made it sound like he was already ready to leave me. I cannot have that happening. How could I ever live without him? He is the love of my life, if I have to confess it now then I will.

I frowned then looked up at him. “You cannot leave me.”

My voice was clearly begging, but he still looked like he was ready to set out of my life. How would you feel if your best friend was about to leave you? I can answer that for you. You would feel broken, torn apart. You would be ready to do anything to get them to stay, and it looks like that is what I’m going to have to do.

“Why, all I do is put you in danger. I should leave you just so you can be safe again.” He demanded, he face serious. I couldn’t bare to loose him. “Give me one reason why I should stay.”

My lower lip began to tremble and I found it hard to keep my heart from shaking. What is he doesn’t love me back? “Because I love you.” I snapped, making it sound like I wasn’t completely scared of telling him. But I was, I could barely force it out of my lips. What am I going to do if he says he doesn’t love me back?

He froze and then looked down at me with wide eyes, maybe trying to figure out an answer to give me. But all I got was a big tight hug. “Really?”

I whined a little bit and wiggled. “Ow, stop. Riley you’re hurting my back.” My back felt like it was on fire when I felt him hold me this tightly. When I asked him to stop he did, then he just looked at me with him big hazel eyes. The hint of curiosity filling his face, did he really want to know if I was tilling the truth. “Yes…really.” His eyes grew wide with excitement. “I’ve loved you for as long as I known you.”

He whimpered a little bit, bit I found myself smiling that he wasn’t entirely flipping out. “Why are you telling me this now? I wasn’t going to leave you, do you think I’d really have the guts? I cannot leave you.” He never told me if he loved me back, but I guess I was happy enough to know that he wasn’t going to leave me. Then again I will never look at the same at him again, he knows how I feel about him. “You can sleep peacefully on that, darling.”

I sighed a little bit. “Good, I can’t loose you either.”

He smiled and then pressed his lips to my forehead. Then he shifted me so that my head was resting upon his shoulder. “Get some sleep, Meg. When you awake we will be home, and I will get us back to our true home soon.”

I listened to him and was more then willing to. Anything would be worth getting out of this day for. All I want is to go home and be able to take a shower and sleep, maybe even sleep in Riley’s arms. It would be nice to be able to rest in my own home, force myself to grow better. But then again I could very well take the time off, think things through. It would be worth it completely. That’s what I fell asleep thinking about.

~The Next Morning~

I awoke to a loud beeping, a beeping of a heart monitor. My eyes opened and I began looking around. Riley sat next to my bed, his eyes heavy with sleep. To be honest the joy in his eyes when he seen I awoke made me happy, but it was sad to see him in such shape. Then again, he needed to sleep and I felt the need to send him home so he could take care of himself.

“Riley?” I whispered quietly, rolling a bit to watch him. He smiled and reached over to stroke my cheek.

“I’m glad to see you awake, they did a check up on you. You are lucky to be alive.” He hummed, hurt fuming in his eyes. But could I really blame him? He looked like he needed to puke, like he was repulsed to hear that I was in such a shape. But I couldn’t really blame him, he felt like he was completely responsible. I don’t want him to feel like that, all I want is for him to put it behind us.

“What did they find?” I hummed, moving over a bit and patting the space next to me. I would feel better if someone were to lay with me, it would make me feel like this wasn’t all a dream and I wouldn’t wake up back under the floor boards. He didn’t make a movement, he just watched my hands pat the sheets. “Please, I feel like you’re not real.”

He sighed deeply then carefully climbed into bed with me. Gently tucking the blankets tighter around me and watching me while he laid his head next to mine of the pillow. “They told me that they were surprised by your fever, and they couldn’t believe that you were still conscious when we found you. You have a cracked rib and sprained ankle. The worst thing that you have is the lashes on your back where they…they…”

“You don’t have to save it.” I informed. He didn’t like knowing that they had taken a knife to my back, they even forced stitched the cuts. My memory informed me that I had begged them not to, that I couldn’t take it. The men-or should I say man- had stitched it with thread and I couldn’t believe that they had thought that would work. But at least he tried, that particular man had only been trying to help. I believe he had been held prisoner once as well, he had begged them not to do anything to me. He even snuck me water and food sometimes. “Riley, one of them tried to help me. He dropped me off and told me to run, and I did. But they caught me. If it wasn’t for him I would’ve bled out the day that the did that to me. He saved my life that day, and he shouldn’t be blamed for this. Can you just have them question him, I think he is innocent.”

“He still kidnapped you.” Riley growled, wrapping an arm over his torso to touch my cheek. “Open your eyes, Meg. He helped kidnap you and then helped torture you. I don’t think you quite see that he is an evil man, that you could’ve died yesterday.”

“Riley, he tried to save me. He was against it, if he hadn’t did what he did then I would’ve died the first week. They wanted to kill me the first day, he was the only one who said that I should be let go. He was held there before me, Riley.” I demanded, raising my voice higher then I should. But I felt like I needed to get my point across, I don’t think he understand that the man who we were talking about was someone who needed to be saved. I refuse to watch him go though the government because he tried to get me away from those men. He risked his life for someone he never knew, and now he could get killed for it. “Please, he did the right thing, he doesn’t deserve what you think he does.”

Another sigh escaped Riley’s chest and then he placed his kiss on my forehead once more. “If you feel this strongly about him, I will request a meeting with him and give him a chance to tell the truth. If he does he will probably get off easier.” I felt my heart flutter, at least Riley would do this for me. I know that I can trust him now, and that I never want to leave him again. “Now, for what else is wrong with you. When you were trying to get out of that box you bent the tips of your nails into your skin. They sedated you and had to clip them away, so it will probably hurt when you bump them on something, like typing for an example. But it should only take them a couple weeks to heal. They also took the thread out of your back and replaced it with the right sowing stuff. As for the sun burns you experienced, all I can say is Aloe Vera.”

“When will my fever go down?” I questioned, leaning my head onto his shoulder. Wondering how long I have been out. It has only felt like a second, but then again what do I know?

“Its already going down rapidly, and they are quite impressed with your recovery so far. But its still high and when I take you home in a few days you’ll have to stay in bed.” He informed. Leaning his head onto mine and nuzzling it slightly.

I tilted my head up with a pool of confusion showing in my eyes. I thought for sure I was going to have to stay in the hospital, but somehow he has proven my suspicions wrong. “I thought I had to stay here?”

He smiled and looked excited for the first time since I saw him again. It made me happy and honestly it was a nice feeling. I haven’t felt this way in so long, it makes everything a little bit brighter. “I hired a nurse that will work through our apartment, I think we have both been away for two long. She said that you will still have to be hooked up to a heart monitor and an IV, but she is fairly confident that its safe to do this with the condition you are in. The hospital just has to agree, and now that you are up they can.”

My eyes filled with glory. Not only that but I felt the need to scream in excitement, so far this is the best thing that has happened to me so far. I’m proud that he would think of me in such a way. Not only do I get to go home, but I get to go home with him. We can share our only bed together again, cook meals that always ended up being crappy, even watch Family Guy when we are bored. This will be the greatest thing ever! Little did I know, that it wasn’t just the hospital that had to decide, it was the government as well. They could very well be out to get me killed for allowing such a thing to happen to me. I’ve got a big target on my forehead, and even though Riley was hiding that from me, I know what is going on.