Angels and Death

Chapter 3. "Oh, you're awake!"

...Or he could have just left when they declared him in perfect health-a Christmas miracle, without the Christmas- he didn't have to do this. But... he did it anyway. When I faltered on my last word he turned slightly towards me. There was this... look... in his eyes... I tried to place it, but I came up with nothing.

"Please? I mean you don't have to...go." I finally finished in small voice. 

"Are you sure? You don't have to do this, feel like you owe me. You owe me nothing." he stated. I noticed how he spoke, he sounded funny to me, not in an nasally way, but in a old timely way I suppose...

I said "Yes." He gave a slight nod, then he seated himself back into the chair on the other side of the room. "So what's your name?" I asked, not knowing what else to do, it was weird, but at the same time, I didn't have a creep factor from him. I can't explain it but somehow I knew he was safe. Stupid, I know, coming from the girl who almost died at the hands of this Asshat.

"Caspian. You can call me Cas, if you prefer." Careful and soft were his words. 

"Nice to meet you." I replied.

"You as well, Samantha." he said with a lilting grin.

He sat in that very chair, for quite some time as we talked about different sorts of things that night. I won't deny, I thought this whole situation was a little weird, but at the same time I was intrigued. Cas was new around here and I thought maybe that explained his oddness. I found him somewhat interesting, and welcome strangely enough. We spoke for hours and hours that evening, until finally I fell asleep.

That night my dreams ran wild. I was taken back to the night of the yellow man and the blue pulsing veil. The phantom of the raw, hot pain was ever present. My screams-whether they were ever verbalized or not mattered little-they shook my body with the power of violent earthquakes. Yellow man was rising ever upward, the blue pulsed and grew, yellow and blue collided, FLASH!

I awoke to a violent scream escaping my lips. My breath was forced and ragged, my skin, as was my coverings were soaked in a cold sweat. My head whipped to the chair where Cas had sat, but he wasn't there.

I can't describe it, but what I can say is, it felt as if my heart dropped an inch or so. Now, if you were to ask me what that actually meant? Well... I had no answer for you. I gulped hard down my throat, closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

On an exhale, I opened my eyes and there Cas was, standing by the window looking over at me. He was leaning in to the sil, probably had been looking out at the night and city lights, when I had my little disturbance. His arms were folded over his chest, but in a soft, self embrace kind of way, and he had one leg relaxed over the other. Our eyes met, lingering for just seconds, when his hands fell to their sides, and he began moving towards me.

He pulled his chair close and sat within it. He scootched a bit closer before settling and laying his hands to rest on my bedside. It was then I realized, I was holding my breath-feeling even more foolish if it were at all possible-I let out the hot air I held inside my lungs. My eyes wandered to Cas and again our eyes met. He placed his hand over mine, in what I can only assume, to be a thoughtful gesture. A chill ran up my back.

My mind raced with possible words to say, things that bellowed from down deep, yet nothing, not a word, came out. "Can I get you anything?" Cas asked in the softest manor. His eyes gazing straight into mine, as he began to caress my hand in his, those eyes never once wavering. My eyes, locked into his, not able to speak, unable to move...

Who was this guy? Touching me as if he knew me like that... all soft, caring, tingly...

"Should I stop?" he spoke softly, just above a whisper. I swallowed, attempting to clear the lump forming in my throat, captivated in those eyes. Finally after what seemed like forever, I managed a slight nod of my head, gesturing as a no.