"You can say that again," Rae seethed. "I took care of her, don't even worry about that." Before she'd climbed down from the roof, Rae had taken the woman out in the window. She wasn't going to let her get away with what she'd done. She studied his expression, confused but still deep in thought, and she wanted to just answer all the questions he could ask, but she didn't want to overwhelm him. And right at the moment, she couldn't really think of anything but how glad she was that he was alive.
He was alive, and she still couldn't stop herself from wanting to cry. It was stupid. She blinked back the tears and gave him a weak smile.
The more he talked, the more he wanted to cry. I almost did, he'd said. She blinked hard, but a few tears leaked out in spite of the action. "I know," she said, her voice shaky as she spoke. "I was so scared," she explained. "I thought..." she turned her head, trying to push the tears away, but it wasn't easy. "The more you slept, the more I thought that you weren't going to..." She couldn't even finish that sentence. She thought that her curse had stricken again. "But you're not. You didn't. You're..." she met his eyes. "You came back to me."
At his explanation of his dream, she tilted her head in surprise. "The whole time?" she asked, sliding her thumb over the top of his hand and swallowing back more emotion, more tears. "I read once that dreaming about mazes means that you're indecisive about something while you're awake," she explained, though now, she was worried that it was her that he was indecisive about.
Rae went quiet when he called her out. She looked down and nodded her head. "I was," she admitted. "I am," she amended. "I mean... you're awake, but..." But what would happen now? "It's just so... the whole thing was terrifying." Having to watch and not being able to do anything to stop it... "I wish I'd been down there. I'd have taken the shot instead. Then no one would have really been hurt." She felt a tear gliding down her cheek. "It's okay, though. I'm going to take care of you," she promised. "While you're recovering. Anything you need, okay? Anything. Just ask me. I'll do anything." She was repeating herself now, sure, but she couldn't help but insist.
When he pulled on her hand, it was all the coaxing she needed. She made sure she was standing on the non-injured side, and stood up, leaning in to hug him gently. "I'm so glad you're awake," she whispered. "If I'd lost you... if you'd left me... I don't think..." she could barely even get the sentence out coherently.