Back to You (Sequel to Take Me Away From Here)

Chapter 30

Tim POV: 

I lie in bed, starting to doze as I read a book. I turn the page as I hear the bathroom door creak open. Faith walks out, wrapped in a towel. She walks to her bed, where her clothes are set out. She stares at them, before shutting her eyes tightly. I glance over at her, wondering what's going on. She seems off... 

"Everything alright?" I ask carefully, while she nods. She slips on her oversized top over the towel, before letting the towel drop. She quickly puts on her underwear and a pair of gym shorts, before going to hang up the towel on a hook. She stands in front of the hook as she hangs it, her legs trembling. I narrow my eyes, feeling a little alarmed. She turns around, while I continue to watch her knees shake. I look up to see her watching me carefully. She pants, before looking down at her feet. "What's going on?" I ask, sounding much more concerned now. I sit up, and put my book down on the nightstand. She takes a step back, staring with tears in her eyes.

"I... I..." She stutters, before looking toward the door. "I need to stay somewhere else tonight... I..." She spits out, before walking toward her purse. She grabs it, and begins zipping up her bag. I stand up and walk toward her, making her back away. She puts her hands out in front of her, like she's telling me to stay back. I stop in place, feeling a little shocked at the sudden turn. 

"Faith, what the hell is going on?" I ask, feeling panicked now. She begins to break down, making my instinct to comfort her kick in. I walk toward her once more, causing her to cower. I take a step back, staring at her in shock. "Faith..." I call, desperate to know what's causing her to act this way. Tears stream down her cheeks, as she tries to wipe them away. 

"You hurt me..." She lets out, making me narrow my eyes. She sobs, making me feel numb. She sees the confusion in my eyes, and bites her lip. "You raped me, Tim... That night..." She cries, sounding like she's running short of breath. I feel my chest ache, at the sheer mention of the night. I take a few steps back, knowing that she probably needs a bit of space right now. 

"Babe, we--" I begin, before taking a deep breath. "That was over a decade ago." I say, before wincing at my own words. That doesn't diminish what I did... I sit down, trying to seem as submissive as I can be. "What brought this up?" I ask carefully. She places a hand over her chest, seeming frantic. 

"I need to go..." She lets out, making me cringe. She grabs her things, and starts toward the door, forcing me to quickly make a judgement as to what I should do. I follow her outside, as she walks toward the truck quickly. She tosses her stuff in the back seat, and hops in the driver's seat, cranking the engine. I hop into the passenger side, making her stare. 

"Let's talk, instead of running, alright?" I release, watching her hands shake on the wheel. "What made this come up? It's been eleven years." I let out, trying to delve into the issue. She breathes deeply, seeming to be in an extreme state of distress. 

"I repressed it... like the event with Horace." She spits out, looking out the windshield. I cringe, before nodding. I guess digging up one issue is bound to stir up a couple others that are lingering under the surface. "I didn't think that you hurt me like that... I didn't know that you raped me, or that you... you just taunted me..." She rambles, appearing like she's unconsolable. Her breathing is making my chest hurts, as she goes from panting to holding her breath, to panting once more. 

"Honey, I was breathing in more coke than oxygen at the time... I know it's no excuse, but I wasn't in my right mind. That's why I got sober, and you know that." I release calmly. She shakes her head, placing her hands on her chest. 

"I can't do this anymore." She says, making my heart sink. She shuts her eyes tightly, her hands trembling as she completely comes apart. "I'll figure out a caregiver, but I can't... I can't do this with you anymore." She asserts, while I sit in a slight state of disbelief. How is something from over a decade ago just now catching up to us? 

"Faith, just take a deep breath and calm down. I know this is a lot, but--" I start, before she interrupts. 

"I can't live down the hall from someone who has single-handedly done more damage to me than any other human on this planet." She shouts, leaving me speechless. "I need to get the hell out of there, and maybe out of Nashville." She says, gripping the wheel. I lean my head back, before rubbing my forehead. 

"I'll drive us back tonight, and then we'll decide what we want to do in the morning. How about that?" I offer, watching her nod slowly. "Let me grab my bag, and I'll be right back." I say, getting out of the truck and walking back into the hotel. I walk back into the room, fighting the urge to fall apart. 

I grab my things and toss them in my bag, before noticing my trembling hands. I stare at them for a moment, before feeling the shaking enter my torso, and jaw. Emotion follows quickly behind, as I feel my shoulders quake. I hit my knees, before leaning my shoulder against the wall. I grab my stomach, feeling physically ill. I surprise myself with the intensity of my own crying. I sit with my back against the wall, forcing myself to breathe for a moment, before I feel a brief moment of shock. Faith stands by the door, watching me. Tears run down my cheeks while I sniffle, feeling a little embarrassed that she just saw me ugly crying on the floor... 

"I don't want to look back and say that I should've left... I don't want to make that mistake again." She releases, her streams of tears running down with trace amounts of mascara. I nod, trying to understand. 

"I won't make the mistake of hurting you again." I reply confidently, watching her wince. She wipes her tears, before shaking her head. 

"How can I be sure?" She asks, while I rub my forehead for a moment, feeling a pounding headache come on. 

"I've lost you a number of times now, and I can't bare doing it again. You're all I have left, and that's it... I know where I've gone wrong, Faith, and I'm not going to repeat that." I try to convince her, hearing her sigh with a heavy heart. "Please, Faith..." I beg, as she cringes. She stands and cries so painfully that it guts me. I stand up, and slowly walk toward her, before wrapping my arms around her. She falls into my embrace, placing her face against my chest and sobbing. Her hands grip onto my arms, hooking onto me tightly. "I'm so sorry..." I let out, feeling hollow. She takes a step back, before looking up into my eyes. She places her hand on my cheek, brushing away a tear, before leaning in. She kisses me. 

She comes in for another, before she she lifts my shirt. I run my hands under hers, while kissing her even harder. She reaches for my belt, before lifting her arms so I can pull off her t-shirt. She pulls off my belt, before seeming to freezing a bit. I push her hair behind her ear, before looking down at the belt in her hands. I cling onto her shoulders, as I kiss her cheek, watching her shut her eyes. She tosses it to the side after a minute, before quickly reaching for the band of my jeans. She unbuttons them, starting to pull them down, as she also kicks off her shorts. She walks backward toward the bed. She lies back, while I hover over her, feeling a little hesitant. I kiss her shoulder, hoping it'll ease some of the tenseness between us. She wraps her arms around me. 

"It's okay." She lets out as I pull away. I lock eyes with her, seeing her nod, granting me consent. I start, feeling her squeeze my shoulders a bit. She shuts her eyes, while the air between us feels thick. She turns her head to the side, before I feel her knees close in toward my hips. I kiss her jaw, feeling her hands wrap around my head. 

"These arms of mine..." I whisper, watching her break a smile. She kisses me, as things begin to grow a little more comfortable. "They are yearning..." I continue, hearing her laugh a bit. 

"Yearning from wanting you..." She sings, making me smile. "Please, don't blindside me, Tim." She lets out, running her fingers through my hair. I shake my head, before kissing her as a reassurance. "Seriously... promise me that you won't blindside me." She demands, her smile fading as tears reenter her eyes. 

"I promise." I say without a second thought. She nods, clearing her throat while forcing her tears back. "I'm not blindsiding anyone... I swear." I promise, holding onto her tightly for the first time in a long time.