Sleep: Chapter Two

Jill paused at the doorway. "You heard?" The thoughts in her head turned to chaos as she tried to process his waking.

"Every word," he answered.

"Why should I wait?" she asked in a whisper, hand still on the door frame.

Chris didn't hesitate to reply. "Because I love you." Her hair fell over her face as she stared at her shoes, all at once angry again. He seemed to sense it and frowned. "I'm sorry for... Well, for everything. For neglecting you, for being an ass... All of it." She stepped back into the room and he motioned to a spot on the bed besides him. She tentatively sat in the spot and held off a hug from him. Instead, he took one of her hands. "Jill, I love you. I swear on whatever you want me to swear on; my life, yours, everyones."

She bit her lip, still staring at her lap. "Explain why you didn't tell me before," she ordered quietly. She felt cornered, trapped, and all by her own partner.

Against her will, he pulled her into a hug. She stiffened, not hugging back. "I was scared," he admitted against her shoulder. "I thought I'd lose you." Jill turned her head away from him. This was overwhelming her more than he could know. Tears burned at the back of her eyes, but she didn't let them out. He placed a hand on the side of her face, gently rubbing his thumb over her cheek. "Jill... Look at me."

She shook her head and pulled away, standing. "I... I can't, Chris!" She rushed from the room. He pulled the IV from his hand and ripped off the monitors attached to him. He went after her, but standing at the doorway, he couldn't see her. She was gone.