Page 157 of Marks of Rebellion

"Shhh." I kiss her, and the ache I've had for months in my heart starts to fade.

"I dreamed of you. Between my night terrors, I would dream of you. I kept hearing you telling me to breathe at all hours of the day."

"All day and at night when I wasn't picking new flowers, I'd watch you with binoculars on the balcony. Sometimes I could see into your room. Whenever you would be crying, or he came near you, I'd say it in my head. Sometimes, I said it out loud and then pretended you were with me, and I was breathing with you."

"Every time he made me kiss him, and I knew you saw it, I died a bit inside. I'm so sorry—"

"No. You aren't going to apologize for him. You did everything you were supposed to in that situation. Nothing you did is your fault."

"But—"

"No," I growl, and she jumps. "Shit. I'm sorry, Flower."

"Don't be. I love who you are. Don't ever change, Hunter. I want you to be exactly who you are. And mine. I need you always to be mine."

"You have me, Flower. Forever."

Her breathing gets heavier. "What if I never go back to normal?"

"Then I'll just breathe with you. No matter what, I want you. That isn't going to change."

More tears fall on her cheeks, and I kiss her some more. Her skin is hot, and I pull back. "You need to rest. I don't want your fever spiking."

"Can I shower?"

I stroke her hair. "Sure." I help her to her feet and turn the shower on. "By the way, you look hot with your short hair just as much as when it was long."

"I didn't want them to cut it."

"It'll grow back. But you're sexy with it short or long."

There's a knock on the door, and she jumps.

"I think that will be your food. Get in the shower."

She steps in, and I leave the door cracked open.

Jerry has a tray of food. He tells me her prescription will be available soon and he'll deliver it.

He leaves, and I set the food up on the balcony.

When she gets out, I help her into the robe, and she sits on my lap, eating and feeding me fry jacks. After they are gone, she snuggles into me, and we gaze out at the never-ending blue of the ocean.

She falls back asleep on my lap, and for hours, the only movements I make are to caress her hair or kiss her head.

There's a knock on the door, and I assume it's Jerry with her medication, so I carry her to the bed and tuck her in.

I guessed correctly, and he hands me her pill bottle.

I take a few steps back to the bed and am going to lay down with her when I notice her body shaking and sweat popping out on her head. She sobs, and I try to wake her up, but she screams and cries. I hold her, and she opens her eyes but seems stuck in the nightmare.

Time passes, and I finally pull her out of it. I help her calm down and give her one of her prescribed pills.

She takes it and falls back into a deep sleep.

When she wakes, it's nighttime, and everything is dark out. Her fever is gone, and she sits up. "I didn't tell you about the others."

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