Her fingers curled in against his, holding to them tightly as they ascended the stairs one by one. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, a frantic rhythm that had nothing to do with physical exertion. But she did her best to keep pace along side him, though by the time they reached the ninth floor, she was breathing hard, sharp, shallow breaths that gave her no relief. Her hand gripped his hard, her skin cool and clammy to the touch, and she gave his fingers a little tug, looking up at him with eyes that were welling with tears.
"You won't... leave me alone. Right?" she asked, nearly tripping over the words, them coming out in a stutter that was barely controlled.