A Quiet Embrace

Chapter 6 : Settling In

Neo's POV

I awake the next morning and Damien was already up, looking outside the window. I started rubbing my eyes and he looked over at me and smirked.

"Good morning." He said.

Hey...how long have you been up?

"All night."

What? Why?

"I couldn't sleep. So I just stayed up and made sure that we were safe." Damien said as he began rubbing his eyes. I could tell he was exhausted which worries me a lot. He needs to rest.

Damien, you need to rest. Here, if it makes you feel better, I'll stay up and you can sleep.

"No. I'll be okay. You get some sleep. I'm used to this."

We're safe now. You don't need to be paranoid anymore.

"Bad things follow me like the plague no matter where I go. I don't want anyone to get the jump on me... especially with you here."

I can handle myself you know.

"You can yes, but they're very dangerous people. If they get the jump on us as a group, then we've pretty much lost. I'm strong as are you, but we can't take them all on at once."

Damien, what's on your mind?

"I'm just worried."

Well I'm here to talk you know.

"I know but I don't want to worry you. I have never been the greatest at talking about my problems." Damien said as I sat up in bed and looked at him.

Well you can start getting better at it now by talking to me and I'm not taking no for an answer here.

Damien let out a sigh before sitting on the other end of the bed.

"Neo, have you ever felt like no matter how hard you try, or how hard you work to make sure you have a better future, that all of your efforts are futile?"

I know that feeling all too well.

"Well that's all I've been feeling for a bit. Ever since we left. I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't scared. I don't want to get you hurt." Damien said.

I chose to come along with you. I chose to accompany you on this path for the time being so stop acting like you forced me to join you.

"Neo, I refuse to let anything happen to you too. I won't let myself go through that pain again. I've lost my old team, countless family members, Khloe..."

Damien...

"If you got taken out too, I don't know how I'd be able to handle it." Damien said as I could tell it was really beginning to bother him. His facial expressions, the shift in his mannerisms, his entire personality right now just screamed sadness and despair. Not only that, but the extreme amount of worry and panic was obviously painted all over his face. I placed a hand on his shoulder and he looked at me and sighed.

You don't need to worry about me. I'll be fine. YOU need to rest. You need to relax. Now lay down.

Damien slowly nodded and proceeded to lay back in bed and closed his eyes. I laid back down as well and as more time passed, it seemed as if he still couldn't fall asleep. I began to get frustrated and I slapped his arm, causing him to quickly open his eyes and look at me, not with his normal look, but with anger. His grey eyes seemed as if they were piercing a hole into my eyes.

"It's not as easy as you'd like to think Neo. Just sitting here and hoping for it to happen won't make it happen. Just simply wishing for something doesn't mean that wish will come true." Damien said as he jumped up and began slowly pacing around the room.