"I can't lose you too!"

You awoke to the soft, gentle feeling of kisses being delicately placed along your shoulders and neck. Slowly and groggily opening your eyes, you register the sunlight streaming in through the window, which had been left cracked open, allowing the warm summertime breeze to lazily drift through your room.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Shane's voice softly rings out from his side of the bed, his arm winding around your waist as you turn to face his puppy dog eyes that you fell for so easily.

"Morning" you reply, stifling a yawn. You hadn't slept too well last night, the heat leftover from the day along with the
stress of running your farm had kept you awake long after Shane's gentle snores began to fill the silence of the night. Another round of kisses come your way as you stretch against his chest, this time covering your face, starting on your forehead before tracing the lines of your cheekbones and ending up on your lips.

"I got up early and fed the animals this morning." He murmured between kisses. "I hope that makes your job a little easier today." You smile gently at him, wondering to yourself how you managed to get so lucky. You allow yourself to drink in his features for the millionth time, observing his mulberry hair, roughly tousled after a good night's sleep and his stunning forest green eyes that never fail to remind you of the night you fell in love with him, as you sat together by the lake not too far from the farm. Shane was perfect, to you at least.

Noticing you watching him, Shane's face broke out into a smirk. "Like what you see?" he said, waggling his eyebrows in a comedic fashion and laughing as you threw your pillow into his face in an attempt to get him to stop. "I love you," he whispered as you crawled out of bed to prepare for the long day ahead of you. His eyes followed your figure as you stumbled over to the closet, rubbing your eyes and yawning hard whilst you pull on your everyday work outfit.

"Don't wait up for me tonight, ok? I'm probably going to be late," you say after a couple of minutes as you sling your backpack over your shoulder, tools clunking loudly as you do so.

"Big plans? Where are you headed?"

You quickly run a hand through your hair, scraping the loose strands away from your face, eyes darting down to your feet.

"The oasis. It's Haley's birthday this week and I need to find her a gift. You know how much she loves coconuts."

"Is that so." Shane sighed quietly, his face set with disappointment. "Honey, we've been together long enough for me to tell when you're lying. You can never maintain eye contact," he says quietly, studying your face as it contorts with guilt.

"Damn. Is it really that obvious?" You chuckle, watching as Shane nods his head gently, still waiting for your honest answer. "I actually have to go to the mines today."

A deep, low moan escaped through Shane's lips as worry began to set into the lines of his face, making him appear much older than he was. "Why would you lie to me about that?" he asked sternly.

"You get mad whenever I go"

"Because it's not safe!"

"I can look after myself! I'm not Jas' age, I know how to handle the mines! Besides, I have to go, we need the resources for the list of things that need repairing around here." You sigh deeply, turning towards the door. "Look, if it makes you feel any better I'll stay on the first couple of floors. I should be able to find what we need there." You forcefully open the front door, but before you can take a step outside, Shane grabs your arm, holding it tight.

"I'm still not happy with you going"

You stare at him in disbelief, frustrated with his inability to compromise. You're about to yank your arm free and storm out of the farmhouse when you catch the expression pulling at Shane's face, a look that you've never seen before and one you hope you'll never see again. After a couple of seconds, you find your words, still watching his face intently.

"Shane, let me go," you say gently but firmly, but his grip only tightens until it's almost painful. "Shane..?"

"I can't lose you too!" he blurts out before you can finish your sentence, tears building in his eyes. You stare at him in shock as he finally lets go of your arm and walks over to sit on the front porch, head in his hands.

"I've already lost so much. I can't... won't lose you too," he says in a small and muffled voice that makes your heart split in two. You walk over to sit with him, wrapping your arms around him and kissing his cheek gently. "You're not gonna lose me, okay? It took a lot of work and pepper poppers to get you to like me, I'm not about to throw that all away". You smirk as he laughs softly before wiping the tears from his eyes. "I promise I'll be careful down there. I'll come home the second I see anything dodgy, okay?"

"Okay."

You give Shane a kiss on the top of his head, ruffling his hair slightly before heading off down the path that lead to the mines. Shane watched as you slowly walked away, further and further until you were no more than a spot in the distance. Anxiety began to gnaw at his stomach, but he pushed it away, reminding himself that you always came home. You always came back to him.

And you always would.