Beyond the Deep Water

Apparitions

"You should go inside now..." Adam suggests with such a tender and loving tone that only makes Camille feel worse for not being able to express the same excitement he has of seeing her after so long.

Still holding tightly to Camille's hand, Adam's honest eyes show nothing but gratitude for having the chance to see her again. The simple fact of saying goodbye is something he doesn't want to do willingly anymore. Because of a new fear, the fear of waking up again and find out that she's gone, the agony of not being close by when she needs him the most.

"I'm sorry..." he apologizes for not being there that night that she needed him to be her hero.

Now he has to sacrifice his time with her because Camille needs her friends. Someone, she might feel more comfortable with. Although it hurts him to admit it, Adam knows that there are things Camille can't say to him but she'll say to Paige and Ally.

"Adam..." Camille whispers his name with a gentle touch of sadness that, to him is nothing but love and gratitude. Adam fights the knot tightening up his throat.

"I wish I was there, that night in June, I really wish I was there..." he admits his greatest regret in life. After long months of torture and desperation for not knowing where she's been or if she was even alive, Adam it's terrifying to live her even for a few hours, now that she's here and he doesn't want to part from her.

Camille can see in his honey eyes the outcome of that night she disappeared. The next morning, Adam came back to look for her, Camille was gone, and the anguish he lived night and days not knowing anything. Day by day, living with the anger to know that the man that had been breaking Camille was still around, but she wasn't. There's never a sign of life from her at all. Adam squeezes Camille's hand feeling incapable of overcoming another event like that.

"I'm fine now, I'm here..." she reassures him, noticing the pressure of his hold Camille smiles trying her best to put his troubled heart to rest. But, deep down she feels the same overwhelming pressure.

"Hey, I'm here..." Camille whispers trying to convince herself of the same thing. Adam smiles as he looks up to the rising night.

The first stars start to twinkle in the infinite sky, Camille looks up as well. She's back in Primavera Town, with her family, with Adam, Ally, and Paige. But why isn't she happy? There's a deep sadness that weighs down in her soul because she's not happy. Everyone around has received her with a smile, but deep down she doesn't feel the same way, but why?

"I know. It's just unreal..." Adam says still holding on some skeptical emotions about it.

Camille can feel and see his pain and she hates to be the cause of it. The struggle Adam has gone through since he had the misfortune to meet her. Even though the confusion doesn't leave her alone; all Camille can do now is try, try to live her present. Try to make it up to her family and to Adam. If she forgot something, it's for a reason. Camille squeezes his hand with firmness as they catch a glimpse of a shooting star crossing the sky.

"Make a wish," Camille tells him automatically. Adam squeezes her hand one more time.

"I already got my wish," he confesses.

"Thank you, thank you for so much," Camille says, suddenly attacking him with a weak hug.

Listening to his heart pleasantly pounding against her ear, Camille closes her eyes and breathes in his calming cologne. She can't repay everything Adam has gone through because of her, but she can't let go of him either.

Adam is the only one that has loved and seen Camille for what and who she is and the thought of breaking his heart, of his honest eyes losing their light is something unbearable to imagine. It doesn't matter how confused she feels right now, her mission now is to give Adam the peace of mind he deserves.

"I don't know what I'll do without you if I hade it this far is because of you... I don't want to hurt you, Adam. I'm scared of hurting you," Camille admits with a silent voice.

Adam enjoys the sudden gesture of honesty; his honey eyes turn gentle as he caresses her soft skin. Gently squeezing her against his chest, breathing in her hair with a delightful scent of Gardenias.

Luckily for Camille, Adam keeps smiling with a reassurance that, he holds no grudge or doubts in his heart for her lack of memory.

"The lake..." Adam whispers softly, trying to keep her in his arms. Camille's serene eyes travel back to the magical lake that she loves so much. Blue Water Lake.

"Every day, I would go to the lake. Hoping that you would be there." his voice carrying the burden of missing her way more than she missed him. Wrapping his arms around her in a warm loving hug. Camille can feel his frustration.

"Every day, I would pray to God... Pray like never before. Haggle everything I have." he admits with desperation.

The desperate beat of his heart. The silent torture of having to spend many days running around town, missing school, not sleeping enough just to look for her.

"Every morning I would go the lake and wish that you would be there, like the first time I met you... sorry, I don't want to sound lame," he says with a touch of embarrassment in his voice. Camille says nothing for a moment. Wrapped in his firm arms, she has realized that she can't be selfish and submerge herself in her emotions. For Adam's wellbeing, she has to return his feelings, calm his agony.

"I understand and it hurts me to think that I can't even remember if I thought about all this while I was there... wherever I was," Camille murmurs, clearly recollecting the images of that night she disappeared.

There's something strange about that night. The memories of Steve choking her to death, laughing, enjoying her pain. Beating her even more, shouting that she wasn't his daughter. That he wanted her dead. Her heart squeezes at those horrible memories.

Taking a deep breath, Camille lets her lungs fill in with the soothing scent of someone she can trust. His heart in her ears awakening the anxiety and desire to feel again; feel what she once felt for him. Closing her eyes, Camille squeezes her small arms around his waist to ease his worries.

"I'm the luckiest girl to have you. I wish I could tell you where I was, or what happened but for now, thank you. Thank you for not doubting me." Camille says timidly as Adam buries his face in her beautiful waves and forgets about everything else.

"I'm here, now..." although, a light stab makes her stop before saying something else, something more profound that can erase all his worries completely. The words don't sound as they should, her memory brings back the tortured voice in her dreams. Adam notices her struggle and sure knows that something in his girlfriend's heart has changed.

"Don't go..." he whispers under his breath. A plead that squeezes Camille's heart to a point of tears.

To find the perfect words to reply to his love, but to Adam is evident that Camille is not the same. To have her in his arms, but her mind and soul has been left somewhere else, somewhere far. This is something that breaks his heart but doesn't want to let her go.

Digging up the courage, she needs, Camille raises her violet eyes to trap her beloved boyfriend in a world he feels lost. Lost in a pure light of calmness and completion. Unconsciously leaning closer to her, Camille closes her eyes and Adam secures her weight as he gently makes his way to her lips.