The Angel,The Devil,The Nerd

Chapter 66 - I'm fine

CHAPTER 66 - I'M FINE

ERIC'S POV

When I opened my eyes I felt something like a sharp sting beneath my ribcage, so I tried to sit up, but I felt hands keeping me from it and that voice, that heavenly voice ... "Don't move. They've just stitched you."

I looked up and saw my Natalie squeezing a pillow and better tucking it behind my back so that I could be more comfortable. I remained dazed for a few moments. I was sure I was ... well, dead. I mean, last thing I remember, I was fighting with the Armorer and he stabbed me, I dropped to my knees and lost consciousness. What happened after that?

But more than dazed, I was mesmerized by the sight of my princess. Natalie had a weird look on, though. She didn't seem mad, but was grim, not sure why. I sat up better, with her help, and asked what happened, she cracked a small very gloomy smile as she caressed my cheek, eyes watery as she explained, her voice reduced to a feeble whisper: "I almost lost you again. That's what happened."

I blinked my eyes, confused, but when those heavy drops streamed her cheeks, I forgot about everything and quite simply pulled her against me, she resisted, saying I was still weak, they'd just finished stitching me to cure the blade wound I had on my upper abdomen, which I guess is the one the Armorer kindly offered me, but I forced my bones not to complain and brought her into my arms, cuddling her silently as I apologized for having scared her. She saw everything after all. One thing is to barely be able to tell among the blur that all those hospital uniforms made when I died for two minutes, the other is witnessing the real act, the blade piercing through my flesh, me crumbling to my feet ... it must have been horrible for her.

She hid her face behind my neck, arms around my shoulders, as she let herself go to pained but silent tears, sitting beside me as I tried my best to soothe her, saying it was over now and there was nothing to worry about, she asked about other people wanting my head and I grinned, informing her that Jake and Lukas had already provided, and as for the Armorer, despite his last act, his organization was dead ... just as much as him, Natalie informed me.

What confused me wasn't him being dead, but her sounding so anxious about such news, as if he could come back to torment us even from the other world. I didn't ask just not to upset her more, so all I did was cuddle her, trying to make her forget about everything. Now that I think about it, she probably saw the enemy dying too. She'd never seen a man die.

I hugged her tighter, reminding her I love her and that now that it's everything really over, we can live our dream, she gave me a half smile, but still remained in the same position. I would have wanted to tell her something, but I had no idea what. The first time I saw a man dying in front of me I was 14, but with everything that had happened already, I wasn't that much upset.

Natalie instead ... despite everything, she's such a sweet girl, she couldn't see a mouse dying, imagine a person. When we found a little mouse in her basement once, where we'd gone officially to do laundry, as her mother had asked, she screeched more at me already going to kill it than at the rat itself. She even chastised me, because annoying and dirty or not, it was still a living being, and its life was worth it just as much as ours, so imagine her witnessing a human death. I can't help but think she'll need more therapy for this.

We remained there, me cuddling her and placing small kisses on her temple now and then, her slowly ceasing crying, but never moving. To cheer her up, I tried to propose we call Noah, he must be worried, she cracked a small smile, informing me that she'd talked to him only half an hour ago because he refused to go to sleep if he didn't talk to his papa first, so it was a good idea. She said she'd tried to convince him that I was sleeping and she couldn't wake me, but his response took her off guard: "He said: my papa would never forget to wish me good night."