Us.

Chapter 16: I can't

Claire's P.O.V. (Continued)

"That doesn't hurt you?" he asks looking at his hands.

"You can't hurt me." I whisper as I look in his eyes.

"I love you so much, you have no idea how much you mean to me. I would do anything for you, I love you, so much. So much." He says, and when he finishes a tear runs down his cheek and he drops his head. He's breaking down. He's kept a straight face through everything that's happened, he stopped blaming himself, but there's something else he's not telling me. A small, small, sob escapes his lips, and that's when my heart breaks.

"Hey, come here." I say, and I pull him to me. He hunches over and rests his head on my shoulder and I hug him while rubbing his back with my thumb. He lets out another sob, and his body racks with more sobs. "Oh, Braden. I love you, so much." I say as he sobs.

"I-I-I-I thought I-I-I-I was going to lose you, a-a-an-and I-I-I-I don't know what I would have d-don-done." He says through sobs.

"You will never lose me. Don't worry about that, it won't happen. Keep every thought of losing me out of your head, it won't happen." I say, still rubbing his upper back. That's what he wasn't telling me. He was so scared about losing me that he blamed himself, I have no idea I mean that much to someone. Braden lets out a few more quiet sobs, and I can tell he's still holding it in. "Braden." I say, about to break down myself. "Oh, Braden." I say rubbing his back as he sobs into my shoulder. This is the first time I've seen him like this, he's always been strong and closed off, now he's weak and vulnerable.

He lifts his head off of my shoulder and looks into my eyes. But I can't really see his, they're clouded with tears.

"You are the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me, you're always there for me, you're always willing to do anything for me. It's my turn to show you that I'm here for you. Don't ever think that you'll lose me, okay? Because you won't. I love you, so much. And I'm not going anywhere, and neither are you." I say, with my arms by my side. The tears spill over and run down his stained cheeks, I catch one with my thumb, and wipe it away.

"You a-are m-my everything, you are the only good thing that's ever b-been in my life." He says through sobs again. Seeing him like this breaks my heart. I know he's had a hard time, I mean his parents beat him for Pete's sake.

"Come on." I say pulling him to his bed with me. I sit back against his headboard and he sits next to me, I take the pillow from behind me and lay it on my lap. Braden gives me the slightest smile and lays his head down, his face towards me. I run my fingers through his hair as he looks at me. His blinking becomes slower, and his eyes stay closed longer. Right before he falls asleep I whisper, "I love you." Then he closes his eyes, and I continue to run my fingers through his hair.

His face is tear stained and red, along with puffy eyes. I can't believe my Braden, my strong, caring Braden, just broke down. He has always been-

"Oh my, he's still not up?" Cindy asks opening the door without knocking. Doesn't she knock? I mean, we could have been going at it, right on the bed, and she just walked right in.

"He did, but um, he's just having a hard time right now." I whisper, still running my fingers through his hair.

"What do you mean 'he's having a hard time'?" she asks in a normal voice, which is loud, and I don't want her to wake him up.

"I apologize if this is rude, but can you talk quieter? I want him to rest." I whisper.

"Do you think we could talk, outside?" she whispers. I really don't want to leave Braden, and I really don't want to talk to Cindy. But I was taught to never be rude to those older to me.