Enid’s eyes fluttered open partially at the sound of birds chirping outside of the window. She pulled the covers back over her with an incoherent mumble, closing her eyes and turning slightly as she did so. Instantly, she was dragged backward and almost abruptly pulled against a bare chest. The impact brought her even more to a state of consciousness. She sighed as her eyes opened fully for the first time that morning. Her eyes fell on her lamp and the metal figures surrounding it. One hand came back to rest against the arm that was draped across her stomach, almost instantly remembering what happened the night before.

A pleasant smile curved upon her full lips as she rolled over carefully, making sure that she didn’t wake Alden up, despite him doing exactly that to her. As soon as she was face to face with him, her soft smile grew to a full grin for a moment, reaching up to gently run her fingers through his hair as he slept. She kept the motion with her hand, remembering how she fell asleep against his chest, but woke up a few hours later...a nightmare, the usual...and found herself wrapped up in his arms with his face buried in the crook of her neck, one hand completely holding hers as if it were intentional...and she had no doubt in her mind that it was.

She trailed her fingers down from resting on his shoulder, brushing along his arm as she traced his skin almost reverently as if she were trying to memorize the curves of his muscles all the way down to the line where his forearm was significantly tanner than the upper part of his arm; one of those endearing little quirks Enid thought of a lot that made her smile. The way his arms looked wrapped around her from behind in the bathroom while she pulled her hair up for the day...leaving her arms conveniently too busy to fight back...usually resulting in her being picked up over his shoulder, much to her feigned protest, and thrown onto the bed and either attacked by a pillow or his lips...depending on the day. This ‘disturbance’ to her morning often left her several minutes late to her medical rounds, but it was nothing she couldn’t blame on a spill, a missing shoe, or a missing stethoscope that was hanging around her neck the entire time (because that did happen often, much to Alden’s chagrin).

Enid’s hand came to a stop on his forearm, right on that aforementioned line and she debated on reaching up to give him a nudge. This usually resulted in him slowly coming to his senses, an almost overdramatic ‘Enid, stop…’, that was groggily dragged out as he buried his face in the pillow, and then a short stare down that she’d often win with a bright smile and a ‘hey’. There were some days that their days didn’t start until a little later. On those days, she’d scoot back into his hold and try to regain some of the warmth that she’d lost during the night. They’d wake up a little later, lay in each other’s arms and just talk...just as they did before they fell asleep...and then go about their normal morning. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case today, but as opposed to the harsh nudge, Enid reached over and placed her hand on his side. Her fingers brushed against his skin a little quicker than on his arm, and she leaned over and kissed his forehead gently.

“Hey...guess what time it is?” she spoke gently, keeping up the motion with her hand, but scooting in a little closer to him. She got tugged in closer again, his head burying this time into the soft fabric of the flannel covering her pale skin.

“Eniiiidddd…”

There it was. She giggled, leaning over to kiss his forehead again and then his cheek. Part of her found it endearing that the man would gladly spend all day in bed, laying against her, either asleep or talking if given the chance. However, the realistic side of her that was so deeply rooted in her bones knew that if Alden didn’t get up soon, they’d both be behind today.

She gently patted his side, “Alright, you, time to get up.” She giggled again, unable to stop the soft sounds from pouring from her lips. He just made her feel that way; so light and so happy. Enid scooted upward, or at least she started before she was pulled back down with a muffled noise that sounded like a mutter of “but Mom, I don’t feel so good”. More giggles.

She wrapped both arms around Alden and hugged him close to her. Within seconds, he had his arms around her, squeezing her back. “We can sleep in tomorrow…” Enid reassured him, leaning down to kiss the top of his head. It was then that Alden released his grip and then propped himself up, hovering over her. “Morning, beautiful…” he smiled, “I know you said that shirt would look better on the floor than on me, but I think it looks way better on you.” He smirked, reaching up to tug the collar gently.

Enid smiled a full, warm smile, reaching up to place her hand on his face. Her thumb brushed his skin softly. Her chest tightened and that familiar fluttery feeling that started in her stomach and crept up to right in her heart built up gradually, yet all at once. Say it. Just like last time. Just say it.

Last time, it was boyfriend. She called him her boyfriend, questioning if that’s what he was to her. This time, it was different...shorter. Three words were hanging onto her lips, four if you count his name. Alden moved one of his hands and placed it on her arm, trailing his fingers up and down idly as if he were waiting...as if he knew she had something to say to him. She finally glanced back up at him and met his eyes, hers going slightly wider as a nervous expression crossed her face.

“I love you, Alden.”

It was there. It was out in the open. There was no going back. The last person she said these words to passed away not too long after. She considered it a death wish, but considering all of the death that had been surrounding them lately and the funeral for the ten people that became reminders that this was the start of an even greater war than anything that they’d faced before, she also felt that it was better safe than sorry.

Alden was smiling back at her and before she could speak up and ask if he heard her, his lips were on hers. She immediately smiled against his lips, causing his lips to turn against hers as well. One of his arms slid up behind her back and his other hand came to rest on her hip to bring her in as close as possible. Her arms wound around his neck as her hands came up and started playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. When the kiss broke, it was only seconds later that Alden let out a breathless statement with a smile on his face.

“I love you too, Enid.”

“Really?”

Alden chuckled, “Yes, really. Don’t believe me?”

The brunette shook her head, looking away for a moment before looking back at him, propping herself up to kiss his lips again softly. “I just...wanted to make sure...that’s all.”

“Well, you’ve got nothing to worry about.” he assured, leaning down to kiss her forehead, “I waited for you. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Me either. I love you...Really, I mean it.”

The sound of the door coming open broke both of their focus, but almost suddenly Alden found himself sprawled out on a couch, one arm dangling off, grazing the floor. His eyes were focused on the table in the middle of the room until he looked up and saw Earl coming inside, looking at him with a raised eyebrow, Adam positioned on his hip.

“Are you coming back, Alden?” he questioned, looking rather confused by the other man’s current state.

Alden rolled over onto his back and put his hands over his face. It was a dream. It was yet another dream that felt so real and so beautiful. Waking up next to her, being held by her, burying his face in her hair, kissing her, touching her...feeling her heartbeat and seeing her eyes lit up and beautiful as opposed to the foggy haze he saw when he closed her eyes before putting her into the box to place what was left of her in the ground. His chest began to rise and fall rapidly and his throat tightened with soreness that he’d become too familiar with at this point. Oh god, he couldn’t lose it again, not in front of Earl.

Earl broke the silence, “Did you see her again?”

Alden nodded, taking a sharp breath as hot tears began to fall down his cheeks, his hands still up over his face. His voice became broken, small, “Y-Yeah...it’s like, it’s like she’s here. She’s here and then she’s gone...and I have to wake up...and I lose her all over again.”

“As much as I’d like to tell you it’s gonna get better, son...I still see Tammy Rose all the time. I see her when I close my eyes, just like how you see Enid...but I see her in little things...and every time I look at Adam. The dead never really leave us. She’s with you...never forget her, and don’t let them get away with what they did. Don’t forget it either.”

Alden finally moved his hands and sat up, letting out a deep breath he didn’t realize he was holding in. His hand came up to wrap around the large chunk of wood that he had tied to a metal chain...one of the few pieces of the tiny brunette that he still had with him physically. He gave it a squeeze.

“Sometimes…” he spoke, standing up, his hand still on the necklace. His voice was still shaky and unstable as if he could break again at any moment, “Sometimes, I just...wish it’d been me. She had so much to live for...she’d made it so far and gotten through so much. All she ever wanted was to survive. The communities needed her as a Doctor, and as a fighter. She’d just gotten to the point where she wanted to live. She wanted to be happy…”

“And you gave it to her.” Earl stated plainly, “You made her last days happy, and you gave her that taste of living that she wanted. I can’t speak for her, but I can bet she’s probably glad you did and would want you to do the same. It’s easier said than done, of course.”

Alden nodded as Earl clapped his hand onto his shoulder, “This was what I meant when I told you...never forget. Don’t forget her. Don’t forget them.”

“I don’t think I could if I tried.”