"Sometimes I can't see myself when I'm with you. I can only just see you."

— by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Aaron had eliminated most of  their memories seven years ago but the only thing that possessed him was her love. The betrayal he felt when she had left him to mourn by himself, that stabbing feeling had remained with him all these years and every time he was with her he remembered those feelings so vividly.He lived with that loneliness every day and now that Sophie wasn't there to hold him when he was down he missed her more than anything.

"Don't you get tired of waiting for me?" She asked him as they sat side by side on the beach. She was more focused on covering his hand that resting on the ground with the sand, building a mountain around it than proceed to scatter the mounting sand.The warmth from the sand seeped into his hand.Her legs were resting on top of his. He was looking at the outline of the sun as it sank among the ocean, the hue of red, orange and golden emerged over the ocean like a sinking ship."I do get tired every day but the hope that someday you will be here besides me maybe that is what is keeping me from giving up on us."

"What if I asked do you love me the same way you did before?"He smiled it was the question he could answer in a heartbeat.

"I fall in love with you every day more than before and more than I loved you yesterday."Then he had caressed her hairs lovingly.Touching her head slowly and with the softest touch he was capable of.She had closed her eyes and let herself lean into his touch warm touch.

"Promise me you will love me every day? You will think of me every day?"He pleaded with her, his eyes brimming with tears. The loneliness was suffocating him.It was wearing him out. There was sadness in her eyes, and a part of him saw pity for the desperate man who pleaded her never to forget him.

"I think of you every day I think of you even when I remember nothing.I think of you when I feel nothing and it makes me feel things I can't explain. Does it satisfy your fear? "She had closed the remaining gap between them and taken his face between her hands. Letting her run her fingers on his face, her fingers gently stroked his jawline, his lips and his cheekbone as if she was remembering that touch of his skin. Then she had closed the gap between them and let their lips meet in a slow kiss at first that turned passionate.Their lips moved in a sync. He had pulled her on top of him and let her wrap her legs around his waist. Her arms had circled themselves around her waist and pulled her impossibly close to him, letting his body support her. Her one hand had gone around his neck, and the other had just stayed and stroked his face with the lightest feathery touch.

Then he saw her dissolving away from the trap of his arms. He had seen her slowly disappearing into nothingness and all his attempts to save her residues had gone in vain. She was the portrayal of the sun in the horizon as it went down, the sun was lost among the ocean just like she was lost among abysses. He had woken up from the deep slumber, jolting awake in his place, desperate to search for her, his forehead was glistering with sweat beads, his breath coming out in short pants, His hairs were messed up, his head dizzy and his heart heavy. He looked at their intervened hands; he had been holding onto her hand tightly as if refusing to let her go. He looked at her face that was so calm and covered by the shadows of her thick eyelashes. She was as beautiful as she was seven years ago.To him she was still a fairy tale. He was the prince, but she was his knight in shining Armour. Guiding him when he was possessed by sins and demons. Loving him when the world hated him. Seeing him for that innocent and untainted boy when he was ridden with blood and scars.Smiling at him when the others scowled at him. He had held onto her because he knew if he lost her no one will ever love him, she was the only one in the entire universe who held his hand and walked him in the garden of joy.She was the only one who had listened to him and calmed down his ragging demons who were trying to tear him apart and force him to do things he didn't want to.

He had sat by her for hours and keep observing her. Maybe he wanted to reassure himself that she was part of his reality and not a wonderful dream. Maybe he wanted to remove the shadow of doubts from his mind that she was going to leave him. He wanted himself to know that this was reality. He sat besides her for hours holding her hand in his and pressing warm kisses to the back of her hand. He smiled at her and stroked her face. He uses to do that every time he was about to leave for work. She would open her eyes and greet him with the sweetest smiles.Than bury her head in his chest until he was forced to pick her from the bed and drop her in front of the washroom. Lightly pushing her to go inside in encouragement like you do to a little child. At times she would give him the most innocent puppy eyes look, pursing her lips like a child. He would laugh at her attempts to get out of it. She wasn't a morning person like him and she didn't appreciate having to wake up at mornings and be productive.But she was smart, hardworking and dedicated at whatever she did.

He laid beside her on the bed , he held her hand and let sleep to consume him. It reminded him of times when he couldn't sleep, and she would face him on the bed and take his hand in hers. She would smile and than close her eyes, it always calmed him down and helped him to fall asleep.

When he came down to make something for himself it was almost close to Two. He quickly fixed himself a sandwich and a cup of tea. He sat by the window and let the moon light fall on him while enjoying his food. He combed her hairs than styled it in a french plait and put the flower tiara on the top of her hair , adjusting it so it won't fall. He had collected leaves and wild flowers just to create a tiara for her. As he was painting her nails Edna Wilbert entered the room. She was a lady in her 50's with copper hairs, a small face with over sized glasses that covered most of it and dusted freckles on her nose and cheeks. She was small and petite and over enthusiastic at times nevertheless she was a total sweetheart who was kind, always compassionate towards others.

"She is so pretty? Isn't she?"

"Yes."He had replied while wiping the polish that had smeared around her nails.

"You make her look more pleasing."He had smiled at her comment.

"No matter what she wears for me she will be the most beautiful girl I have ever seen."

"She is so lucky to have met you; I know when she wakes up she will be so proud to see the man you became."Edna put her hands on both of his shoulders and squeezed them in a comforting manner. It wasn't easy to stay strong at moments of weakness but he had held in his emotions. He felt her loss right now more than ever because he knew that there weren't much chances that she will wake up and see him. He knew the day she wakes up he would hold her in his arms and never let her go. They had suffered enough , they were away from each other for a long time now but he didn't want to.Edna put her hands on both of his shoulders and squeezed them in a comforting manner. It wasn't easy to stay strong at moments of weakness but he had held in his emotions. He felt her loss right now more than ever because he knew that there weren't much chances that she will wake up and see him. He knew the day she wakes up he would hold her in his arms and never let her go. They had suffered enough , they were away from each other for a long time now but he didn't want to.

"Do you want to go outside and take a walk with me perhaps? It will help you clear your mind. I feel your pain after all I lost Wilbert too." He had kissed the top of Sophie head and followed Edna out of the room. They sat on the bench that was placed on the patio of the house rather than walk. "Seven years ago when Wilbert dragged you away from the edge of the bridge- he told me that he had never seen someone look so lost and miserable all his life. You went through a lot that day. It's okay to break down at times. I know you are still hurting. Just let it all out- the suffocation will slowly kill you. I have seen you losing yourself all these years." He didn't reply. He didn't want to break down in front of her or anyone for that matter.He wasn't going to show his vulnerability in front of anyone no matter how close he was to them. "You lost Wilbert too. Could you bring yourself to tell someone about it? Were you strong enough to admit that you were hurting and you needed someone to ask you ones about the storm you carried within yourself?" Edna was at a loss of words. She opened her mouth but no words came out, no emotions came out, and she was at a lost of expressions of what she felt at the moment.

"What about Sophie's family?"She asked.

"What about them?"

"No one besides you ever came to visit her. So everyone at this place assumes that she had no one besides you."

"Yes!You are right-All Sophie has is me and I have her. Her foster family abandoned her the moment she turned 18. They cut all ties with her and refused to see her after that. As for me my birth father murdered both my mother and stepfather. He ended up in prison for life, and I am here. So even if we have families for both of us they don't exist any more." Edna pitied them both, they might have gone through a lot and even now they were suffering. A part of her feared that Aaron was going to lose Sophie too. It was something that she had heard the doctors discussing numerous times among themselves in a hushed voice since Sophie was in coma for a long time now. But she couldn't bring herself to tell this to Aaron for the fear of how he was going to react after that both of them sat in an awkward silence They couldn't bring themselves to initiate conversation with each other. "It's getting pretty late Edna- I think you should go and get some sleep."He had broken the thick tension and silence that was burdensome at last.

"I am going to Sophie's room." With that he got up to leave not before bidding her a proper goodnight. He left, but still she sat on the patio looking at the rolling waves and the sky that sparkled with the stars. Somehow she felt as if Wilbert was still there watching over her and it brought a feeling of peace and calmness over her."Look what I brought for you?" He had produced that bracelet that he brought for her.He was used to bringing her gifts on his every visit and today was no different, But this gift was special it reminded him of him the moment he had laid his eyes on it. Taking it out of the box he had put the bracelet around her delicate wrist. The bracelet was expensive but it was worth the price. It was a heart and on both sides of the heart there was a wing with a golden chain.The heart had tiny real diamonds on it that sparkled as the moonlight fall on it.

"I know you'll love this sweetheart. He had whispered softly and then placed a tender kiss on her wrist. Throughout the night he sat by her, as the soft music played in the background. He couldn't close his eyes because he wanted to spend every single second with her until he leaves. " I will love and protect you forever." he whispered to her as he placed her head in his lap cautiously. . His head felt dizzy and his heart had thumped hard against his chest as he held her in his arms. He held her even when the sun came out and rose high in the sky. Having her here had put him at ease and a part of him felt complete and at ease.

Chapter Status : Unedited

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