Too Good To Be True?

Chapter 17 Ⅰ

I carefully bandaged her feet which were bloody from running on asphalt and I could feel her watching me work. I wanted to make conversation but I was far too nervous. I know that she kissed me and all, but I was still having a hard time believing that this was real. It had been so long without her, so long being beaten down by her words that stung with truth, that I had accepted that she could never be in my life again. This almost felt like a cruel joke, like happiness was being dangled in front of me and if I took the bait my heart would be ripped out completely. I could not go through all this again, I just couldn't.

I finally finished wrapping her feet, clipping the bandages in place and hesitantly sitting next to her on the couch. We'd had some great times on this couch, playing video games, taking naps, having hot and heavy make out sessions. As I studied her eyes which were tracing the lines in the carpet, I couldn't tell if she remembered all that or not.

She glanced up at me, feeling my gaze on her and I wanted to look away to be polite but I got trapped by her gorgeous blue eyes, her long eyelashes which still sparkled with tears. "Is something wrong...?" she asked gently, her hands fidgeting in her lap, hoping for something to hold onto.

I shook my head and gave her a smile that I hoped didn't look too pained. "No, no of course not. I'm finally here with you, I..." my voice cracked and I had to look away, taking a moment to stabilize my emotions which wanted to burst out of every crevice of my body. "I couldn't be happier. This is all that I've wanted for months..."

"I know, you just seem..." her soft fingers wrapped around my hand and I stared down at them in shock as she finished, "on edge."

I slowly upturned my hand, allowing her fingers to slip between mine, the magical feeling of her touch paralysing me. "I'm sorry, I just..." I cleared my throat, getting choked up as her thumb rubbed over my knuckles. "I don't know what all you remember, so I... I don't want to, you know... overstep..."

I bit my quivering lip as she set a hand on my cheek, guiding my eyes back to her. "It's okay, David," she murmured, looking ten times more beautiful than any of my daydreams could ever muster. My eyes drank her in, tracing her jawline, twirling around the curls in her hair, studying the pigments of her eyeshadow. She got this dressed up just to go see Cam? That wasn't like her.

She slowly leaned in, placing a kiss on my cheek and sending chills down my spine as she whispered in my ear, "You don't have to be scared, Charming. I remember."

Hearing my nickname on her lips was all it took for my resolve to crumble. I quickly took her in my arms, hugging her delicate form against me and she squeezed me tightly, like she was afraid I would disappear if she let go. I buried my face in her neck, the smell of her perfume overwhelming me. It wasn't a bad smell but it caught me off guard; she'd never worn perfume before, she knew that I loved her natural scent. I quickly forgot about the aroma as my hands felt the skin on her back, my cheeks heating up as I realized her sweater was open-backed. She never used to wear revealing stuff like this, unless she was purposely trying to tease me.

I took a few moments to document all these subtle changes since we'd last been together, wondering where all this had come from. I came to the realization that without me in her life, she must've turned to other influences, trying to replicate what she saw other girls wearing, trying to fit in. I could almost see Mindy dragging her through the mall, giddily painting on the blank canvas that was Angel's amnesia. I was curious to see if now that her memories were back if she would revert to her old style or keep these other influences. I knew that I wouldn't care either way, I loved her for what was on the inside, not what she wore.

I kissed the top of her head as she started to pull away, looking up at me shyly. "Thank you for not giving up on me," she whispered. "I'm so sorry I put you through all that..." She lowered her eyes and it broke my heart to see her so ashamed.

I gently squeezed her shoulder, trying to reassure her. "None of this was your fault, Angel. The universe was testing us and we passed." I tilted her chin up and whispered, "If we could get through all of that heartache, we can get through anything."

Her smile warmed my heart, her eyes twinkling with a million stars. "I love you, Charming..." she breathed, sending my heart into a frenzy. Those words had been burning at my lips all day, nearly slipping out so many times, but I had restrained myself, unsure of how long it would take to rebuild our relationship. To know that she was already comfortable enough to say she loved me... it convinced me that she wouldn't be snatched away from me again and a huge weight was lifted off my chest.

"I love you, too..." I murmured, my voice trembling. "More than anything..."

She slipped her eyes shut and I allowed mine to do the same, leaning in and relishing the moment our lips touched, sealing our love. The kiss was so soft and sweet, so full of compassion, understanding, and forgiveness. It would be a long time before I could fully forgive myself for all this, but this was a good place to start. The kiss didn't last long but it was one I knew I would never forget.

She yawned and snuggled up against me, laying her head on my shoulder, her hand resting on my chest. We were both exhausted, physically and especially mentally. I wrapped her in my embrace and settled back into the soft cushions, our breathing falling in sync as we drifted off to sleep, the first time without nightmares in months.