Fight, Flight, or Freeze: The Healer's Story
Chapter 114: Secrets Revealed

Chapter 114: Secrets Revealed

The kiss started off tentative, almost hesitant, like Rip was expecting me to pull back or push him away. Instead, I stood up on my toes and pulled his head down toward me, wrapping my arms around the back of his neck.

I let out a contented sigh when he brought me even closer to him and deepened the kiss. It was like he was trying to push himself into every corner of my body and mind, and I welcomed him.

I never wanted it to stop.

However, after what seemed like a lifetime, he slowly pulled back, his eyes searching my face as if looking for confirmation that I was okay with what had just happened.

"You are perfect," he whispered, placing another kiss on my forehead.

Letting go of his neck so he could stand up straight, I rested my head against his chest. How I wish this were all real...

"It is," he assured me, seemingly reading my mind. "It is as real as it can get, and it will never change."

I nodded, still not fully willing to believe him. Everyone left, and one day, he would leave, too.

"Did I ever tell you that I am not from this world?" he asked like it was no big deal, his arms clasped behind my back.

"No," I answered cocking my head to the side.

"I was born in a place called London, England... one day, I was... working... and got a bullet to my head for my troubles. When I woke up, I was here, living in the exact same house, working in the exact same job... everything was the same. And yet, no one had ever heard of the Muffin Man."

I stiffened in his arms. He wasn’t from here? He was like me? Only I didn’t come here to the exact same life; mine was flipped upside down and backward. But still... it was nice to know that I wasn’t the only one.

"I was shot in the head and woke up in the body of a six-year-old," I chuckled, resting even more weight against his body. The relief I felt finally telling someone my secret was astronomical. It was like I could finally breathe for the first time since I woke up.

However, it was his turn to stiffen, and he placed a bent finger under my chin and forced me to look up at him.

"Excuse me? You want to try that again?" he practically snarled.

I laughed at his response, not at all intimidated by this Hulk of a man holding me like I was made of glass. "I was a doctor in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. One day, this guy came in with his leg pretty much separated from the rest of his body. When I told him that I suggested we just removed it, he got pissed and, instead of asking for a second opinion, took out a gun and shot me." I shrugged like it wasn’t that big of a deal, but I still remember waking up to nightmares as a kid.

"If you so happen to see him in this world, feel free to point him out," smiled Rip like he was going to invite the guy over for tea or coffee, but something told me that was the farthest thing from the truth.

"I am sure he is back in whatever counts as Canada in this world," I answered, rolling my eyes.

I laid my cheek back down on his chest and closed my eyes. "Maybe coming to this world wasn’t as bad as I originally thought. But after almost four weeks of being in this contact, I think it is either going to fuse to my eye or my eye is going to fall out."

I let out a low laugh, but I was pushing my monthly disposable lens.

"You are wearing contacts?" asked Rip, pulling back so he could look me in the eyes. "What do you need?"

"Ideally, more brown contacts, but I really don’t know where I can find them now that I am living in a dog cage," I chuckled. Was this even a secret worth keeping at this point?

"I’ll see what I can do for you," growled Rip, and I could see the thoughts running through his head as he tried to figure out how he could get me brown contacts. Really, they were being played on one of the mirrors behind the man.

But they all involved him going back out into the world and trying to find a store that would have them.

My breathing started to get faster and faster until I was practically panting in his arms, my head swimming with the idea of Rip leaving me to go find something as stupid as a contact lens so people don’t tease me for my heterochromia.

"No!" I panted, gripping onto the front of his shirt like it was a lifeline. And to me, it was. "Stay here. It is bad enough when you leave during the day, I can’t... you can’t leave for a whole day or more."

I scoffed inside of my head, not believing the words coming out of my mouth. Since when I was this weak woman who couldn’t stand the idea of Rip leaving me for hours. The guys left for weeks at a time before the end of the world, and I was just fine.

"Shh," he whispered as his hand started stroking my head. "I won’t leave."

I nodded my head but didn’t say anything. I wanted to tell him that I would be fine if he wasn’t there, but I knew that was bullshit. I wouldn’t be fine. I needed him, and that was okay.

"You need to get back into your own body. You have healed me enough for tonight," murmured Rip once my breathing got back under control and I was no longer gripping him so hard.

Once again, I nodded my head, but I refused to step back and leave the warmth of his embrace.

"Come on, Little Bird, I will still be there when you open your eyes. And I want to see what this contact is hiding."

"It’s dark; you won’t be able to see anything," I replied, my lips turning down into a pout.

"I’ll be able to see, I promise. And someone is coming. I need you to wake up." Suddenly, there was a hint of urgency in his tone, and I knew what was happening. The first fight must be over.

Grumbling, I let go of his suit jacket and smoothed down the wrinkles my hands caused.

I closed my eyes after taking one more look at Rip and let myself drift back into my battered body.