Addie and Ciara: Forged in Light

Chapter 2: The Great Escape

Those green eyes sent a tidal wave of emotion crashing through Addie's senses with reckless abandon, destroying her every thought. Her aching body fell to its knees with a weight so gargantuan she could barely breathe, her vision blurring with the tears that bountifully fell from her sunken, tired eyes. A familiar figure rushed over to her, catching her before she fell to the ground completely. His hands gently caught her, cautiously lifting Addie back to her feet.

There was no way. It was completely impossible, and terribly unthinkable, for Adeline's mind to even allow itself to believe Dominic's arms surrounded hers. She shut her eyes for a moment, squeezed them as tightly as she could, and inwardly convinced herself it wasn't him. It couldn't be. It was beyond all reason for such thoughts to even occur to the one abandoned by him. She had shut him out of her mind, or at least desperately tried to, and wouldn't allow herself to be tricked once more. But, as her puffed eyes slowly opened, those same green eyes hidden behind a concerned brow stared intently back at her.

Dominic examined Addie's frail frame, speechless, his gaze not once leaving her. He soaked in her current state, never before had he seen her so completely shattered. Her sunken eyes and colorless, almost ghostly cheeks, paired with her hair, now completely straight and resting on the floor behind her. All of this was accompanied by old, dirty, ragged clothes that were much too big and practically fell off what she had left of her body. The only thing he recognized was the tattered brown jacket, his jacket, that he had given her before he was chosen. Before he knew it, tears began to rush down his cheeks, too.

"Addie? My Addie? What- I, I thought you were dead! Oh, god, I-," Dominic sobbed out in a hushed whisper.

Addie half-heartedly attempted to push away from Dominic, but deep down, despite everything she had been through, she couldn't help but melt into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. Dominic wrapped his desperate arms around Addie's body as gently as he could, while still squeezing her into a hug. He cradled the back of Addie's head as she cried.

"So - so that's all it took? You leave, a-and you get to live some perfect life, and you just- leave me," Addie lamented, trying to convince herself she was still bitterly mad at him, "You left me,"

Guilt encased Dominic's entire being as Addie let out those growling words. He could only squeeze tighter as his brows furrowed and his voice wavered around the lump in his throat.

"Oh god, no you- Addie, I came back the next day, and you were gone! You- I, I thought you had run away, and I came back every single day. Hoping you might come back. Praying... god I prayed, to everything and anyone listening, that you'd come back to me." Dominic frantically held onto Addie, "But after three years, I finally gave up," he choked out, pulling away from the hug and cupping Addie's face so he could make direct eye contact with her, "And I see now that it was the worst decision I've ever made. God, I wish-" His thumbs gently caressed Addie's cheeks, that now grew redder than the fire in her soul. Addie's eyes widened in revelation as she froze.

"You - waited for me? Came back for me?"

"But you weren't there. I thought you- you might've-" Dominic struggled to regain his composure, but failed miserably as a sob escaped him.

Addie inevitably snapped back to reality, as the baby in her care began to squirm, fussing about something to the point she babbled with purpose. She was frustrated about something and wanted Addie to know.

Addie's head darted over to the baby, Dominic following Addie's gaze. Dominic's mournful mind flooded with horrific thoughts of why she might have this baby, and his face contorted into a mix of worry, terror, and confusion.

"What- what is it?" Addie cocked her head to the side in confusion, smearing the tears from her eyes.

The baby waved the apple sauce packet in Addie's face, somewhat distraught. Addie took it, realizing that the majority of its contents were at the bottom, and pushed them up to the mouthpiece, handing it back to her. The baby gladly took it, contently nibbling and drinking once more.