Stealing Kisses

Chapter 30

Tim POV: 

Faith went upstairs a few minutes ago, while I've remained downstairs. I stare at a blank page in my notebook, before deciding to use it for something other than songwriting. I draw a line down the middle of the page, creating a pro and con list. 

Con, she's legally married to her manager, who could uproot her career and life if he wanted to. Con, she's raising said manager's kid. Con, said manager also threatened to send a firing squad out on me if I ever went close to his wife again. Con, she's drunk. 

Pro...

I stare at the lopsided list, glancing toward the stairs once more. I sigh, before placing my pen against the paper. 

Pro, she loves me. 

I look at the last three words, struggling to process them. What does that even mean for us? Does that really even change things? I stand up, tossing the notebook down before walking upstairs. I walk all the way to my bedroom, where she lies under the comforters. I walk to the other side of the bed, climb in and lie down beside her. She watches me with the comforters pulled up to her chin. 

"Five years ago, Dan came up to me at an award show and told me how terrified you were because of what I did." I let out, as her eyes study me. "He told me about how you cried for days, and how you didn't know how to handle your anger, because you were so confused by it... He said that you would flinch when he'd go to push your hair behind your ear. He said that you hated me, but you still refused to press charges, for whatever reason." I continue, reaching out and brushing her hair out of her face. She doesn't flinch the slightest bit. "I hated what I did to you." I admit, as her eyes well up. "When I saw you that day... when you came to my dressing room... When I saw your eyes, I couldn't live with myself. The way you looked at me was just... heartbreaking. You couldn't stand within ten feet of me." I recall, as she nests her head in the pillow. 

"I was just scared." She croaks out, as I continue to run my fingers through her hair, watching it ease her nerves. 

"I know." I reply, before clearing my throat. "I remember seeing your fear and knowing what I had to do." I confess, as her eyes watch me carefully. "I went home that night and I found rope in the garage. I downed a bottle of whiskey, and then I hung myself in the garage." I admit, her eyes growing moist. "I just wanted to stop this cycle that we keep going through." I add, as she rests her hand on my cheek, running her thumb under my eye slowly. "Rob found me an hour later. The paramedics said I was grey, and that I hadn't been breathing for half an hour. How I survived, I don't know, but I was so angry. I didn't want to be saved, and I lashed out. I drank more than before, and I went home with random women just to feel something... anything..." I continue, as she slides in closer. "All the while, I was seeing memories of us together, raising kids and falling in love. It taunted me for the longest time." I let out, feeling her rest her forehead against mine. "I kept telling myself time and time again that you were married and happy. God, I thought you were happy, Faith." I release as she forces a sad smile. 

"I was embarrassed. I was really embarrassed, and I kept thinking about what you said about me being to scared to give us a chance. I kept thinking about how I should've just jumped in head first, and I was honestly ashamed." She lets out, looking into my eyes a moment. "I shouldn't have doubted you." She whispers, her hands resting on my neck now. 

"So, how have things been going around here?" Gracie asks, causing me to sigh, before growing silent, picking up on the tense air in the car. Faith leans her head back against the headrest, looking out the side window for an escape. The silence is deafening, before I feel the car begin to hydroplane. We head toward a guardrail, but something hits us before that. 

An eighteen wheeler strikes Faith and Gracie's side, causing the car to roll side over side. I see Faith's head smash into the passenger window, before she starts to slip out of her seatbelt. I reach over and grab her arm, keeping her in the car as we roll for what feels like an eternity. Gracie screams, before coming to a rest upside down. The sound of engine brakes blares in our ears as I cling to Faith still. 

She's limp, dangling from her seatbelt, and slowly slipping out. My seatbelt digs into my throat, making it damn near impossible to breathe. The longer I hold onto Faith to keep her from falling on her head, the longer my seatbelt strangles me. I hear myself start to gasp for air, as my chest inflates awkwardly. I try to slowly lower her, before my seatbelt slides, applying it's full weight on my neck. I feel my hand slip off hers, as I try to pry it away from my neck. I fight against it, feeling my lips go numb, as I try to squirm out of it's grasp. 

"Dad?" Gracie pipes out, hearing me choking. She scrambles to get out of the car, crawling through a shattered window. She rushes to my side. trying to pry the door open but it won't budge. "Dad, it won't open." She panics, frantically prying at it. She grows desperate, and kicks my cracked window in, before trying to crawl through as I start to lose consciousness. 

"Babe, wake up..." Faith lets out, blood running down the side of her head. Her eyes hang low, she cradles my head in her lap. I wheeze loudly, making her wince. "Just breathe..." She says, resting her hands on each side of my head. My eyes start to roll back once more, causing her to grow frantic. "No, Tim!" She pipes out, causing me to force my eyes open once more. "Stay with me baby... stay with me..." She says, clinging to me. My vision grows grey, fading out. 

"Clear!" Someone shouts, before chaos ensues. I gasp, my eyes launching open, before someone jams a needle into my chest. I look down to see it's not just a needle, but an entire tube, draining blood out of my chest. "Clear!" They shout again, but not near me. I look around but they force me to remain still. "Damnit...." An EMT releases. "Clear!" They try once more. My eyes land on a woman lying on the pavement beside me. One of the medics moves, revealing Faith. Gracie stands back, watching in terror as medics try desperately to save her parents. 

Faith pulls her hand back, staring at my lips before shutting her eyes. I curl up closer to her, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her close. She rests her head on my chest, physically shaking.