Page 131 of Uprising

I give him a smile. I can’t even put into words how happy I am that he had Bella, that he kept her safe. I know in many ways I got Bella as a substitute, as a comfort to try to mitigate the grief of losing Lara, and I think he realises that too.

“I found somewhere.” He says.

“What?”

“A house. It’s big. Big enough for all of us. And it’s got enough of a garden for Lara to be able to explore without feeling like she’s constrained but she’ll be safe.”

“Where is it?”

“In the bay district.” He says. “Not far from your old house. It’s a similar style too.”

I smile then. I loved that house. I loved what it had represented before they tore it away from me.

“When can we leave?” I ask.

“In a few days, if you want?”

“And Sofia, will she come too?”

“She will.” He says in a way that I think means he had to persuade her.

I open my mouth to ask and he shakes his head a tiny bit. “Let’s talk more in the morning. You need to sleep. You need to recover.”

“I’ve slept most of yesterday and most of today.” I reply.

He tucks my hair behind my ear. I freeze at the contact. My body instantly locking up and my stomach twisting in a way that makes me feel sick.

I can see in his eyes that he’s seen it. That he knows.

“You need to rest.” He says gently.

I look away, feeling my own eyes welling with tears.

“I’m afraid.” I whisper.

“Of what?”

“Sleep. When I close my eyes I see Ty. I see what they did to him.”

His face morphs into one of sorrow, or sympathy. “What can I do?” He asks.

I don’t know the answer to that. I want him to hold me, I want him to hug me, to wrap his arms around me and tell me nobody will ever hurt me again. But I can’t let him do that. I can’t bear the thought of him touching me right now. Of anyone touching me right now.

I shut my eyes, shaking my head.

He lets out a low sigh before slipping down the wall, sitting on the floor. “Do you remember that first night?” He says. “When we both crept into her room. Do you remember how we sat there, both watching her sleep, both amazed by what we’d created.”

I nod, feeling my tears threatening to spill again.

“Sit with me Rose.” He says quietly. “If you can’t sleep, if you’re afraid, then just sit here, and I’ll be with you, by your side, in the dark.”

I sink down beside him, silently sobbing, silently heaving as so many tears fall again.

He puts his hand on the floor between us. Not touching me. Not trying too. But it’s there, like a signal, telling me in his way that he loves me. That he cares. And that I only have to reach out and he’ll be there, giving me what I need, whatever I need.

Roman

She falls asleep halfway through the night. I lift her up, carry her so carefully over to the bed and wrap the covers around her.

---