Heart of Steel Turned Gold

Chapter 6: Safety

Esmeralda:

"You let this happen to me."

Nate was in front of me with that head wound bleeding out.

"I couldn't do anything, baby, please let me out."

"You. You let this happen to me. Our son is gone because of you. You are here because of me. Me."

I began crying.

"Nate please let me out, it wasn't my fault."

He raised Kellogg's pistol.

"Looks like they won't have their backup after all."

The shot rang out.

I woke up in tears. I nuzzled my head into Arthur's bare chest, hoping I wouldn't wake him up but I was shaking too much.

"Hey. Hey, shh shh shh are you... sweet pea, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Sweet pea. This man was a fucking angel.

"I... nightmare..."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want."

He held me closer, kissing my forehead, kissing my tears, kissing my lips. Being here was the safest place in the world, it felt like. I didn't want to leave any time soon.

"Don't let go of me, okay?" I choked out.

"Never. I'm not leaving you and I'm not letting go. You're safe here, I promise."

This man.

"Ok-ay" my voice cracked.

"Shh it's okay, just try and get some sleep okay?"

I responded placing a kiss on his collar bone, directly in front of me. He sighed contently and rubbed my hair down with his thumb repeatedly.

We dozed off.

I woke up happy for once.

Arthur wasn't up yet so I tried waking him up by kissing his nose. His eyes flinched a little.

I kissed his forehead. He shifted a little in bed.

I kissed his cheek. His eyes fluttered open.

I kissed his lips. He kissed me back.

His grip on my waist tightened slightly.

"Morning sweet pea."

"Morning handsome."

It was 6:30 AM. He kissed my neck lightly.

"I don't want to get up. This is utopia."

"Utopia. Thomas More, right?"

"I wasn't referring to the book, but wait, you read it?"

"Sure did. I read lots of the classics."

He rubbed his eyes and turned on his back.

"What's you're favourite book?" He sounded excited.

"I don't know! I like a lot. You?"

"I like To Kill a Mockingbird. I had a copy but it's probably garbage on the side of some road in New California now." He sounded sober.

I was super excited now. I had a copy in very good condition along with a few other books Codsworth (bless his robotic soul) saved for me. I didn't read much now, but I think I just found my book a new owner.

He got up and nodded at the bathroom.

"I'm going to shower, care to join me?"

My heart skipped a beat.