Miami Heat Ch. 06

"I'm sorry....I'm so sorry that I said those things..." She whimpered, rubbing her pink nose on her jeans and sniffling. "I still feel horrible, I feel worthless, but I...I think I could do better things than die. It's a coward's way out."

Her brogue made some of her words adorable, "out" became "oot" and her "r's" were rolled sweetly on her pink tongue. I moved to kneel down in front of her and she smiled sadly.

"When do ye think I'll get better?" She whispered. She looked so lost, her eyes wide and sorrowful, her face pale, even her freckles seemed dull as she cried silver tears that glinted in the light. I held my arms out for her and she slid down to wrap her arms around me, curling up in my warm lap. I brushed her long coppery hair back from her face and smiled down at her.

"I think you're starting to get better." I whispered. "Just keeping fighting, Áine." The fact that she understood that she was going to get better comforted me. It was a sign that she was ready to face what had happened; even if she was terrified to do it. I rocked her back in forth in my arms, gently comforting her and taking her shudders into my own body, trying to give her some of my strength. Áine had to get stronger, she had to fight. I hummed gently, knowing that music was something that she liked. As her body finally stopped shaking and she relaxed against me for the first time, she sighed spoke.

"Sean?" She whispered my name.

"Yeah?" I knew that I would do anything that she asked me.

"Don't leave me." She pleaded softly.

"Never." I promised. I had to find those bastards and make them pay and help Áine heal. The last thing that I was going to do was leave my beautiful Áine. She had become everything to me. My cars didn't matter any more, the house didn't either. The beautiful and broken creature in my arms was the only thing that I wanted right now. I would help her heal, I would make her strong again, and then...WE would kill the bastards that did this.