Bones

63: One Last Night

(Picture above is Nathaniel Buzolic as Alpheus Archer)
Chapter song: Disturbia/Radioactive Mashup - Rihanna & Imagine Dragons

Alpheus & Electra
The next day..
"Alpheus?" I whispered into the darkness. There wasn't any light in the room except for the light sealing through the small window in the steel door.
"Alpheus?" I raised my voice slightly praying they wouldn't hear her. I had been fearing the worst after the last visit. I hadn't heard Alpheus move since. It was scaring the shit out of me.
"Alpheus?" I said once more
"I'm still here.." He said lowly and weakly. I was pained to hear him in a weaker state. He'd managed to prevent me from undertaking any torture, physical torture. It was torturing me emotionally to have to watch it. Hear it. Every time Alpheus was jabbed, cut, prodded I felt it.
"I'm so sorry." I said my voice shaking as I started to cry.
"For what?" He said his voice barely audible
"You don't have to protect me anymore. You need rest. Let me take it from now on." I say
"No. I'd take this all over again and then some. You need your strength to get out of here." He says
"If you'd think I'd leave without you, you must have been hit over the head when I wasn't looking." I said
"Electra-"
"I can take it, Alpheus. I've been taking stuff like this my whole life." I confided
"What?" Alpheus asked
Well, if I'm going to die might as well confide in someone.
"My father.. He.. He beats us." I said
"Ares?" He questioned
"Yes. But, for most of my life, my brother Nicomedes.. He used to take my punishments. Just like you." I said smiling slightly as tears slipped down my cheeks at the thought of how horrible it all ways.
"For once.. Just let me protect someone." I said
"I can't just let him torture you."
"You'll die." I croaked
"And you'll live."
"Bullshit." I growled "They'll kill you then kill me right after. I don't know anything. Why keep me around?" I say
"They'll torture you to get answers from me."
"If that's true.. Just promise me one thing.." I said
"Anything." Alpheus says
"Whatever they do.. Don't say anything." I said "Don't give away anything for my sake." I add
"I promise." He says after a moment
"Thank you." I whispered and the door buzzed. Two figures walked in and the lights came on. I winced seeing Alpheus. He was bruised and bloody. All because he was protecting me.
The man glanced at me and headed over to me drawing the dark baton from his belt. I gulped the burn on my stomach tingling. I braced myself clenching my fists. Alpheus weakly raised his head. I looked into his dark eyes seeking comfort. I remembered the feel of his hands on me. His scent. His husky morning voice. As the baton jabbed into my stomach I threw my head back unable to stop scream. I didn't want Alpheus to see my face. I didn't want him to break his promise. This wasn't just for him, it was for Nico. The brother that took the beatings for me for as long as I could remember. I griped the chain with my hands dulling my screams. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. This guy was just another Ares.
He stopped removing the baton from my body I lowered my head to look at him.
"Are you ready to tell your boyfriend to loosen his lips?" He asked despite the fact that he was wearing a mask I spat on his face. Getting him right in the googles. Then flicking my hair out of my face I looked at Alpheus he looked impassive. I found resolve in his eyes. Thinking about his gentle kisses, the way he cuddled me. I felt stronger like anything he did wouldn't hurt me. I was doing this to protect someone I cared about. Someone I couldn't live without.
"Morris." The same voice comes from the doors grabbing the man's attention.
"It's time for them to eat." He says Morris wipes my spit off his goggles with his sleeve and walks forwards and buzzes the door open and pulls a cart in. He grabs a tray with two steel plates and two steel cups and puts it between Alpheus and I. They leave the room and after a moment another alarm sound echoes and our chain are loosened dropping us to the floor. I land on my hands and knees. Alpheus lands on his side. I quickly crawl passed the food and straight to him. My chains dragging behind me. I cup his cheeks, being revived at the amazing feeling of touching him.
"Alpheus." I said pulling his head onto my lap. His eyes open lazily.
"Lex." He says I smile through my tears nodding. I reach behind me grabbing the tray. He sits up weakly. I have him his cup and his plate which had stale crackers and a slab of cold chicken. He sips his drink. I dip my fingers into my water and start to wipe the blood off of his face. His eyes never leave my face as I'm doing it.
I manage to get the dried blood from my nose and clean his chin reasonably. He lowers his head resting his forehead on mine. I nuzzled his head. Our hands found their way into each other linking together. His hands were cold but warm at the same time. We stayed like this for a few moments before we broke apart to eat. The food was disgusting. My water tasted like iron from small amounts of Alpheus' blood. He held out the last piece of his chicken towards me.
"No, it's your's." I said
"Please?" He said
"You need it more than I do." I said he kept it held out to me.
"Alpheus, if you don't eat that I will force it down your throat." I said a weak smile spread onto his lips.
"That's my girl." He said I smiled fondly at him. He ate the chicken slowly. I watched him wishing we were anywhere but here. He finished and rubbed his hands on his jeans.
"They're going to kill us aren't they?" I said he looked up at me.
"I think so." He said my eyes dropped to the floor. Alpheus took my chin in his hand lifting it so our eyes meet.
"If one last night is all we have.. I just want to.." I put a finger across his lips. Dreading what he might have said. Not even seventy-two hours ago I was telling him we couldn't be together and aiming a dagger at his head.. Now all I wanted was to be with him till they dragged me away.
"Can we just.. Sit here together..?" I said he nodded opening his arms I slid over and leaned my head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around me, the cool metal of his chains stinging my skin. He slid backwards to the closest wall leaning against it pulling me into his lap. I nuzzled as deep as I could into his chest taking in his warmth and his scent. He buried his nose in my hair his forehead resting in the top of my head. I grabbed fistfuls of his shirt feeling the tears come. I never thought I'd die like this. I always thought I'd die in battle. But, I guess I was in battle. I was at war with myself. A part of me wanting to forget about Alpheus, just forget him completely. Claiming he wasn't good for me. Another part of me wants to spend every moment with him. Not parting from him ever. Knowing I'd never feel with way with anyone else. I didn't know what to do. I've never felt this way before. I nuzzle deeper into Alpheus. Sooner or later, I'm drifting into sleep losing myself in his warmth. I'm at peace.