I Cannot Offer You Freedom
Chapter 7
~*~
"Almost every rib is broken or cracked, his right arm is entirely shattered from the impact of the fall, one ankle is broken, and the shoulder of his shattered arm is sprained." The doctor's voice grew more and more grim with each passing syllable. "To top it all off, he has a concussion from where he hit his head. That was one nasty fall . . . Oh, he'll live!" he added quickly, seeing the looks of shock her was receiving from the others members of the STN-J. "But he'll take a while to wake up, not to mention recover."
The young doctor paused once again, seeming slightly puzzled. "It's amazing he lived at all . . ." he finally said. His voice was quieter, and Robin and Karasuma were having trouble figuring out if her was talking to himself or to them.
"Most people don't survive a fall of almost five stories." He turned and left the room, still muttering to himself.
Karasuma stared after him, her hands stuffed deep into the pockets of her coat. Robin stared down at the slumbering man before her, her eyes taking in the machines and the seemingly endless miles of tubes and wires hooked up to him. He looks awful . . .
The door opened behind her, and she turned to find Sakaki also staring at the wounded Amon. He moved to stand on the side of the bed opposite Robin, left arm wrapped in bandages to the elbow and hanging from a sling. "Shit, Amon . . ." His whisper was an echo of what they all heard in their heads.
***
Back at the STN-J headquarters, Michael was watching everything through the surveillance cameras Karasuma and Robin had so kindly set up for him. His mouth had tightened into a thing line, lips pressed together so hard that the blood flow was gone. The hands that rested above the keyboard were shaking and the frightening light that Robin had witnessed earlier burned once more in his eyes.
Doujima came up behind him, a fashion magazine in one hand and a cup of something in the other. Her eyes widened considerably. "What happened to Amon?"
Michael looked up at her sharply. He had caught the tell-tale tremor in her voice when she had said that. Turning back to the computer, he answered, "He fell . . . from nearly five stories up."
The drink fell to the floor, spilling its contents everywhere as the blonde girl's hand flew to her mouth. Neither of them made any more to pick it up as their eyes stayed riveted on the screen.
After a few minutes, the three witch hunters turned and left the hospital room as one. Michael downsized the view of Amon's room, leaving it as a little box about two inches wide I the bottom corner of his screen. Doujima sat down hard in a chair next to the hacker, her eyes still staring at the pale Amon.
The seconds dragged by like hours.
When the door to the elevator opened. And Sakaki stepped out, Doujima jumped from her chair, ran across the entire room, and flung herself into his arms (or rather, arm), surprising herself most of all. "Sakaki!"
Eyes dancing, the brunette wrapped his good arm around the shaking girl and led her out of the way, letting Robin and Karasuma step off behind him.
Robin allowed herself a small smile as she watched the two of them move off, but it faded quickly as her gaze fell upon the brooding Michael. Moving quietly, she sat down next to him with only the soft rustle of skirts to announce her presence. She laid one small hand on top of his and he glanced over at her, his gaze laced with worry as he took in her charred appearance.
"You could have been killed Robin." She noted the unsteady tone of his voice and the way his hand trembled slightly beneath her own.
"I know," was her only reply, and the two sat in comfortable silence until the room was empty and darkness painted the sky outside.
Sighing heavily, the hacker rose to stand by the window, staring up at the sliver of a moon as it ascended slowly through the sky. "I've always wanted-" he began suddenly, ". . . I've always wanted to be able to fly to the moon." He laughed softly. "Even when I was a little kid, I can remember lying out in my yard just staring at the moon and dreaming about what it was really like. . ." He trailed off and Robin moved to stand nest to him, he hand slipping into his.
It was at that moment that something unspoken passed between them. As the stars glittered like gems outside, and wisps of cloud swirled around the moon, there was a tingling in their hands, a spark that jumped from one to the other.
"I'm sorry we didn't get Miro, Michael," Robin said, casting her eyes downward.
His hand squeezed hers and she brought her eyes upwards once more, their green depths taking in the profile of his face, outlined sharply by moonlight. He looked so . . . alone. I want to stay with him, and I want to stay with him always. Always . . .
His other hand sought hers and he turned to face her, eyes glowing silver. "Robin I . . ." One hand came up and cupped her face in its warm palm. She nodded, understanding what it was he was trying to say.
"I want to stay with you Michael," she told him softly, taking the plunge and baring her soul to him. "I want to be with you."
Time seemed to freeze around the two STN-J members, and Robin found herself almost drowning in the computer genius's azure eyes. Here was a boy, lost and alone, who had fought to get though each day of his life, struggled with every passing moment to live on; had fought to live with memories and emotions no one should have to bear. Now she stood before him, naked in her emotions, nervous and waiting, hoping he would be able to trust once again.
A crystalline tear formed at the corner of one eye and Robin followed its progress down his smooth skin, until it fell, glistening, to the floor.
"Robin," he said in a quiet voice, thick with emotion. "Robin . . .I can offer you everything, myself, all my love, whatever it is you need, I can give it to you. But-" she caught the anguish in his voice as he turned his head away. "But I cannot offer you freedom. Not as I am now."
He hung his head as if in shame, and when he finally turned back to the blonde-haired craft-user and met her eyes, his own begged her forgiveness. It's not fair to her. . . to ask her to stay with me and be with me when I cannot leave this building. She doesn't deserve to suffer my punishment.
But, much to his astonishment, her eyes were filled with understanding, trust, and something almost unrecognized; something murky, which tickled his memory and finally pushed its way to realization. It was love.
"It doesn't matter to me," she told him, her own eyes brimming with tears. "I'll stay with you . . . now and always."
Biting his bottom lip, the hacker pulled her into his arms, holding her close to him as the moonlight flooded them both with its silver gleam. Looking down at her, he found her head tilted upwards, studying him.
Without really knowing what he was doing, he leaned down and gently touched his lips to hers, feeling their softness and warmth and wanting more. With a satisfied air, Robin met him with her own kiss, lips moving against his slowly.
When they finally parted, both knew that they would never again be able to live without the other. They were the suns in each other's skies and the earth beneath their feet.
"For you are the wind beneath my wings . . ."
***
@_@ Oh my goodness; I didn't realize I had written this much in school. Most of this chapter was written today, also. It's a miracle my grades don't suffer from all the lack of attention I give my work . . .
Anyway, I'd love to know what you guys think! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, cause they finally got to kiss! ^-^ Whoohoo! You have no idea how much I love finally having them admit they like each other and everything. It really is a wonderful moment for me. *tear tear*
R&R!
~Dreamwalker
P.S. Oh, by the way. . . that last line is from a BEAUTIFUL Bette Midler song called "Wing Beneath My Wings". Standard disclaimers apply, I don't own it, blah, blah, blah. You should listen to it sometime, it's a gorgeous song and Bette Midler has one hell of a voice. ^_~
Chapter 8
