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She was one life I saved

"Angelica's alive?" Jericho echoed, his voice full of relief, proud and thoughtful at the same time "Thank, God," he kissed the top of esture he kissed ood there, kiddo"

"It's not enough" I blinked back the tears, refusing to ruin our happy reunion by crying through the whole night

"It's a start We'll get theet them all back"

I had so ies I wanted to talk through, but noas not the ti of a journey that would take us to the gates of hell

Tonight, I would simply be thankful that he ith me, that I was not alone and that hope was on the horizon Tomorroe could talk until ere sick about rescue plans, and scheht ould rest in the security of each other's arht, I would breathe in Jericho and relish in the warmth of another person, of another person that cared about this cause and about avenging the loss ofthe bloodline that left us both survivors of an evil tyrant

Tonight I would sleep in someone’s arms, so each other closely, breathing steady, even breaths and allowing our minds to be dreamless, the sweet sanctuary of the quietness of an e, the sunlight was streaently I stretched for a long ti I was alone in bed and that Jericho had coveredfor hinized the sound of the shower

I sat up in bed, unwilling to leave the comfort of the blankets just yet and pensive for the moment I was content, satisfied that Jericho ith me and I felt safe for the first time in weeks in our small motel room I wasn't happy, I wasn't sure if I would ever fully feel that ee and foreign, like an alien eo I believed I couldn't experience a greater happiness or sense of security but when that was raked froain

I knew that it wasn't much, that the small ounce of contentet to work in a few minutes, the emotion would fade away, and I would refocus on our mission I knew that content I felt was only false security; but for now, I relished in the shared co

Jericho suddenly tumbled out of the bathroo down hisfor breath He was panicked, fear written obviously across his face and I jumped to my feet ready for battle, or ready to run

"No, no, Eden, I' into a s with e really, I, just so Ione hand through his wet hair, the other gripping firmly to the towel around his waist

"What happened?" I asked carefully, not entirely convinced Jericho would be scared of nothing

Jericho hung his head, his shoulders sluhter at the same time When he looked up at me from underneath his thick, dark lashes, his eyes twinkled with life that had beenback towards the bathroo his neck as if to find it inside

"A snake?" I asked with a flat voice

"Yes, a snake," he answered He stood in theacross his tanned, defined chest and in the smallest white towel afraid of a snake "It slithered over my foot while I was in the shower, it just scared reed, and then burst into uncontrollable laughter,for breath at the sah!" Jericho de in "At the tih harder, soon tears were strea down my face, but not the sad kind, the kind that only appear when sohed formy side I wasn't concerned with the snake or even Jericho's embarrasshter

"It's not that funny!" Jericho whined, tapping his toe iainst the red cement floor "Eden!"

"I'et control of ht, it's not that funny," I agreed, still unable to stop the left over laughter fro

"I'm not scared of snakes, really," Jericho said bravely, "it's just that, I wasn't expecting to have to share reen, awful serpent, that's all," he cringed while describing the snake and then shuddered froht, you're not scared at all" I rolled ood-naturedly

I walked over to the bathroo to be afraid of Jericho stood closely behindhi on my back and I took the initiative to walk over to the shower and pull the white curtain back dramatically

I shrieked a little, afraid of the intensity of the reen snake slithering around the basin of a white porcelain tub The snake was noand completely harmless

"Jericho!" I scolded, "This is what you're afraid of? It's just a tiny little thing!"