The Reaper's Touch

45. As Breaking My Heart .

I knew Cupcake could feel the tension in the air. She would probably be clothes-lined by it if she walked in the space between Ezra and me.

I'm glad she didn't pry, though I knew she wanted to. Maybe she didn't want to rain on her own parade of having had the opportunity to see Jay again.

I wanted to ask her about it, but I didn't for two reasons.

One, I didn't want to be the rain on her parade because I knew my mind would be focused on Ezra. And two, maybe it wasn't right for me to pry either.

She would tell me whatever she wanted me to know. Everything else, was between her and her father.

"Where to now?" I heard her ask, whether to Ezra or me, I wasn't sure.

"I'm going home. As for him, he's got his own mission he's apparently soloing."

That alarmed her. "Solo mission? What do you mean? Ezra, what's going on?"

"He's trying to send us away, apparently." I answered her for him.

That managed to get his annoyingly graceful stride to come to a complete stop. As if some unseen barrier wouldn't allow him to go any further.

"That's right. You thought I'd keep it from her? Well, go on. Tell her. Now you know, if you don't, I damn sure will." Each word felt like pure acid coming from my mouth as I addressed him.

"Forgive me if wanting life for the both of you, not simply one, is so wrong." His calmness only angered me more.

"So that's what this is about? Whether or not you can come back with me?" Cupcake turned to face me, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the back of Ezra's head.

"Don't make me out to be the asshole in this situation. You're making decisions behind my back and against my word!" I chose not to answer Cupcake, yelling at him instead.

He turned to me, nothing but fury or hurt in his eyes. "Life is not a decision. If it is there, you must grasp it. What is it you cannot or will not understand?" His voice surprisingly rose in tone.

"I can't understand why you don't want to be with me! We're a team! We have been since they sent you to me. Since you saved me, Azrael."

"Let's get one thing clear," As he made his way past Cupcake to get to me, I figured my previous request of a fight was finally being accepted. Of course due to the usage of his mortal name.

But I was wrong.

"No one sent for me. I came to you. I knew from the beginning what I was getting myself into, coming to the Scribe. I needed you and.. you saved me."

"And.. and now you don't need me anymore? That it?" I fought back the tears.

"I need you to live for me, Emberly. To breathe. Just breathe. That is.. all I could ever ask of you.."

"Tell me, tell me what you've done." I pleaded. "If you're going to force me into this, I at least deserve to know the truth." I shrugged in defeat.

"Truth? I've told you the truth."

"About some random arrangements, not the truth. I was told there was no way for me to return, but through regression. And that's not an option for me."

"Not for me either." He said softly. "I'd need you to go back.. as you. No one else. That I couldn't bare."

"But you can bare sending me away? Leaving my last impression of you as-"

"As what I am? As doing the right thing by you?"

"..as breaking my heart, Ezra.."

He looked at me completely perplexed, as if I'd slapped him with nothing but raw emotion. I'm sure it'd been a long time since the last time that he was.