30_kisses fic (part 3 of 3)
Title: The Long Road Home
AuthorS: mariusgirl and lttledvl
Fandom: Power Rangers SPD
Rating: T
Summary: It was time to start trusting again.
Prompt: Invincible
Additional Notes: This last installment of the Bridge/Z saga. It's been a lot of fun and we hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed writing it!. Also, muchos gracias to scifislasher for the beta!
Z cursed silently as she forced herself to move across the small walkway, gripping both railings tightly as she tried to get her leg to cooperate. The doctors had done all they could, now it was up to her to rebuild it. But it was an agonizingly slow and painstaking process. Somedays, all she wanted to do was to crawl into her bed and cry, wishing that the beast who had done this to her had just killed her instead.
It seemed as if it wasn’t enough that he had tortured her for those few short days; her torture continued as she tried to push her body back to a normal healthy state. After the long day of grueling physical therapy, she’d fall into a fitful slumber, only to be seized by nightmares in the middle of night. They held her captive, reminding her of the agony she’d experienced and there was nothing she could do to fend them off.
She wanted to scream; wanted to cry; wanted to lash out at everyone and everything, anything that would give her some measure of relief. As a result, her mood would change at the drop of a hat, growing worse as time dragged on. They had gotten pretty terrible and she knew it because she’d seen less and less of her friends. Deep down, she knew they still had their duties to attend to, but it still felt like she was being abandoned. And that only increased her frustration.
Struggling to reach the last few feet and trying to make herself go faster, her leg suddenly gave out, sending her crashing painfully to the ground. She pounded her fist in rage on the walkway, choking back angry tears as she fought to get herself upright. Z was so lost in her personal battle that she didn’t hear the person approach her from behind until she felt gentle hands begin to lift her up.
“Get off me!”
Bridge didn’t let go however, until she was back on her feet and she turned to glare at him. “I’m just trying to help you, Z,” he spoke quietly.
“I don’t need help,” she replied crisply.
Bridge said nothing but remained watching over her as she made it to the end, collapsing none-too-gracefully into the wheelchair. He waited until she arranged herself before approaching. “Want me to take you back to your room?”
“No!” she snarled, “I can do it myself.”
He remained silent as he followed her back to her hospital room. She hated this room; it was as much of a prison as the one she’d been held in. Saying nothing, she expertly turned the chair to the side of the bed and began to lever herself across, but once again her weakened body betrayed her and she slipped, nearly crashing onto the floor. But Bridge was there once more; he rushed forward and caught her, gently placing her in a sitting position on the edge of the bed. She angrily pushed him away once she was settled.
His face fell as he calmly moved the wheelchair out of her way, but not too far, so that she could easily reach it if she needed to. He sat down in a nearby armchair, glancing out the window and sighing.
Z smoldered in anger. She hated this. Cooped in the hospital for days on end, doing nothing but rounds of physical therapy and staring at a boring TV set when she wasn’t doing that. She maneuvered herself into a reclining position on the bed and flipped on the TV, randomly flipping through the channels until she finally turned it off in disgust.
“Why is there never anything good on?” she muttered in contempt.
“I could bring you some movies,” Bridge replied hopefully.
“No thanks,” she snapped.
She heard him sigh and looked over at him. He’d gone back to staring out the window, his chin resting in his palm. She just watched him for several long moments, the sunlight making a pale halo around his hair. She knew she was being unfairly harsh to him, but for some strange reason, he never said anything and he kept coming back. A prospect that both angered and pleased her.
“Why?” she asked suddenly.
Bridge turned to look at her, blinking in confusion. “Why what?”
“Why do you keep coming back here?”
“Because you’re my friend,” he said softly.
She turned away, not willing to face the look he wore. Z knew he was still her friend, the fact that he was here at all was proof of that, but lately she hadn’t been acting like much a friend; to him or anybody else. A sudden wave of guilt washed over her. Just because she was suffering, she was making everyone around her suffer as well. And that wasn’t fair to them.
“Leave.”
Bridge stared at her aghast, “But why? I only want to help...”
“I don’t want your help!” she yelled, turning back to glare at him. “I don’t need it and I don’t want it! Just go away!”
Bridge sighed and got up, slowly making his way across the room, but instead of heading for the door, he stopped directly at her bedside.
“I said leave.”
“I heard you. But I’m not going anywhere.”
Her eyes glittered in anger. “Get lost.”
“Is that what you really want, Z? To drive everyone away? To be stuck here by yourself all the time? You need help and I...”
“For the last time, I don’t need help,” she snarled.
Despite the look of anger she shot at him, Bridge sat down on the edge of her bed. “I’m not talking about physically, Z. You need someone to talk to. To help you get over...”
“No!” Before she knew what she was doing, she was pushing at him, angrily hitting his arm with her fists. “I don’t want to talk to you! I don’t want to talk about it! I don’t want help! I...” Her anger burned itself out in a flash, only to be replaced by misery. She dropped her head into her hands and silently wept.
She felt arms wrap themselves about her and her first instinct was to try to shove them away. But she was too weak and feeble from her earlier exertions to do so. Bridge just held her closer as she let out her pain, her sorrow and her guilt. She cried until she had no more tears left within her to cry. She remained leaning against him for several long moments after her storm had ended; taking some comfort in the warm, soothing embrace that surrounded her like a blanket.
“I’m so sorry,” she croaked, her throat raw and gritty.
“It’s okay,” he replied quietly, “Everything’s going to be alright.”
She shook her head sadly, “I don’t know if that’s true or not. I can’t do this, Bridge.”
He gently cupped her chin and raised her head up so that she was forced to meet his gaze. “Yes, you can. I’ll help you.”
“But why? I’ve been so cruel to you. Trying to shove you away. Why would you keep coming back to that?”
He smiled softly. “Because, I’m your friend. And I want to help you. If you’ll let me that is. Will you?”
“I...don’t know. I can’t stand it, Bridge. Being stuck in here all the time...” she sniffled slightly, “it’s like I’m trapped all over again.”
“Then you should go out,” he replied with a hint of enthusiasm.
“Wha...” she blinked in confusion, “I can’t go out!”
“Why not?”
“Like this?” She waved her hand across her body in a gesture of self-loathing. “I’m a total wreck. I can’t walk, I can’t hardly stand by myself on a good day, I can’t...”
“Too many cant’s and not enough cans,” he interrupted gently.
She just stared at him for a long moment. “But I...” she stopped herself before she said ‘can’t’ once more.
“Do you want to get out of here, Z?”
She nodded; and in the next instant, before she even knew what was happening, Bridge had scooped her up in his arms and was carrying her down the hall. “What...Bridge! What are you doing?”
“Taking you out,” he replied matter-of-factly.
“But how can I do anything like this? You didn’t even bring the wheelchair.”
“Don’t need it.” He stopped in the middle of the hall, “Do you trust me?”
“I...” she paused and gazed deeply into twin pools of shimmering blue. “Yes.”
“Then no more arguments. You’re coming with me.”
Bridge resumed his flight, Z making no more protests as he carried her out of the hospital and outside to the parking lot. “What on Earth are you doing?” she asked in confusion.
“Shh, just be patient.”
She groaned slightly but said nothing else as Bridge approached the parked patrol jeep. “Um...can you open the door? My arms are a little full.”
She chuckled slightly as she leaned over and opened the door. Bridge placed her on the seat and closed the door, then scurried around and hopped into the driver’s seat. He grinned foolishly at her before starting the engine and driving off.
“Where are we going?”
“Does it matter? We’re just going out. We’ll follow the road til it runs out. What do you say?”
She gave him a faint smile, the first smile she’d worn in a very long time. Her eyes glittered slightly and she wore an expression that he couldn’t quite read; “Sounds okay to me.”
-------------------------
Bridge pulled onto the highway and pointed the Jeep at the horizon. He didn’t really know where they were going, but anywhere was better than here. Smirking, he glanced over at Z as she slumped in the passenger seat, her eyes glued to the scenery as it flew by. Once in a while he heard her sigh, but so far he had avoided pushing her for conversation. A dozen different thoughts jumbled together in his mind; questions that he wanted answered, but for the time being, he was contented just to let her enjoy the countryside.
About an hour into their drive, he finally grew bored with the silence and decided to try and strike up some sort of friendly conversation.
“It’s really pretty out here,” he observed, nodding to the rocky coastline as they passed along the winding road.
Z nodded in thoughtful contemplation but did not reply. Resting her head on the door of the Jeep, she was lost in the warmth of the day and savoring the fresh air. Her eyes still held a cold contempt whenever he caught her staring at him out of the corner of his eye, but there was also a hint of happiness hidden beneath those dark lashes. He wanted to reach out and put his arm around her shoulders, but he restrained himself, thinking that her anger might flare up at the smallest hint of affection. Her temper was on a very short fuse these days and she tended to go off over the smallest things.
Suddenly, she straightened up in the seat and the tiniest grin flitted across her features. “There’s a road up there,” she said pointing. “Take it.”
Bridge followed the tip of her finger until he spotted a small, out of the way dirt road. “Where does it lead?” he asked.
Z just crossed her arms and sunk back into the seat. “You’ll see.”
Bridge sighed and turned right onto the small road. He glanced back into his rearview mirror until the highway faded away and they were enveloped by the serenity of a beautiful, quiet forest. A few miles along, Bridge began to wonder if the road led to the middle of nowhere, but as he rounded a bend he saw something glittery materializing in the midday sun, just beyond the horizon.
“What is that?” he asked, curiosity overpowering his fears of being lost.
His companion did not answer; she merely stared at the small glittering spot as it grew ever bigger in the windshield until Bridge realized with sudden clarity that it was a huge lake. They drove on in silence until the lake loomed larger than life in front of them.
As he pulled to a stop and threw the Jeep into park, Bridge was suddenly seized with an irresistible urge to walk down to the lake’s edge. He walked calmly over to Z’s side and opened the door.
“What are you doing?” she asked in alarm.
“You said you trusted me,” he replied as he picked her up and slammed the door shut with his foot. “So just relax and trust me.”
He found himself gazing into her eyes, twin pools of brown beauty, but he forced himself to look away and concentrate on the path ahead of him. Z had instinctively thrown her arms around his neck and was holding on a bit tighter than was required, but he couldn’t blame her for being overly cautious. He was sure that were their positions reversed, he’d be a bit weary of trusting his friends and letting them do for him the things that he couldn’t do on his own.
Once he had reached the bottom of the rocky path he walked over to the water’s edge and gently placed Z on her feet. She clung to him for support, her arms too tight around his neck.
“Z...” he whined, prying her arms loose so that he could breathe properly.
“Sorry,” she said, the red coloring her face stemming more from anger than embarrassment.
Bridge shook his head, “No, it’s okay. So how did you know this was here?”
Z ignored him and tried to stand on her own but her leg wouldn’t support her in the soft sand. She sighed in frustration and annoyance that transcended beyond her busted leg. She hated having to rely on someone, even Bridge, to help her do the most menial tasks such as walking, yet here she was; clinging to Bridge like he was her only anchor to Earth. She felt disgusted with herself and aggravated that she couldn’t even stand on her own two feet. She pushed away from him and staggered a few feet, but the sand was too much for her and she tumbled forward. Just before she hit the ground she felt strong arms catch her from behind and her mind instantly hurled her back in time to the scene earlier in the hospital. Once again, Bridge was her saving grace, keeping her from hurting herself more than she already had. And he took all of her abuse too, as she lashed out at him, more out of anger at herself, but she used him as her excuse, as her outlet.
She glanced up at him through tear filled eyes and saw him gazing right back. His smile was friendly and warm and for the first time she let him help her into a sitting position without lashing out at him. Warm tears were cascading down her cheeks as her body was racked with silent sobs.
Bridge, unable to stand it any longer, reached out and pulled her into his arms. He was surprised when she offered up no resistance to his touch and she laid her head on his chest as he stroked her hair and whispered soft, soothing things into her ears. Kissing her hair over and over and telling her that everything was going to be okay. He felt his own tears threatening to fall as his heart ached for Z, but he forced them away, knowing that he had to be strong for the shattered woman in his arms.
After what seemed like an eternity, Z’s sobs finally subsided and she turned her tear stained face up to him. His eyes met hers and he knew that something had changed inside of her. He gave her a warm smile and wiped away her tears with the sleeve of his jacket.
“I’ll never let anyone hurt you ever again,” he promised her, giving her a chaste kiss on the forehead.
She sniffled and swiped at her nose. “I’m so sorry,” she said, a pleading look in her eyes, beseeching him to understand her plight.
Bridge shook his head, wanting nothing more than to assure her that she was safe in his arms. But he didn’t know quite how to convey that message to her and words seemed grossly inadequate. As he stared into her puffy red eyes, he steadied himself as the realization that he loved her washed over him. It wasn’t the kind of young love that fades and fizzles out with time, it was real love, the kind that grows and lasts forever. He wanted her to know that, too. That he would always be there for her...because, more than anything, he loved her.
“Bridge?”
All of his thought processes went out the window as his gaze locked with hers once more. She was staring up at him in curiosity and concern, but the overpowering emotion that he saw written in her eyes was remorse.
“Don’t be sorry,” he said, not really understanding why. He just let the words flow, hoping that they were the right ones in the end. After all, how could it be wrong if it came from his heart? “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“But I treated you so horribly and I hit you and I...”
“It doesn’t matter anymore. None of it matters,” he said with a conviction that startled himself. “All that matters is that you get better.”
Z shook her head and a piece of her brown hair fell into her face. She wasn’t angry any more, finally facing the truth and accepting the fact that she couldn’t make it on her own. The long drive and the fresh air had done her a world of good, and she had Bridge to thank for it. After scores of endless days painted by remorse and anger, she was finally thinking clearly, and as much as she hated to be dependent on anyone, well, she could think of worse people to be stuck with. But in that moment as she was staring up into Bridge’s intense gaze, it didn’t matter if she had to lean on him for the rest of her life - that was true friendship. Through it all, he hadn’t abandoned her. That was what mattered most.
A lifetime lived on the streets had made her tough and afraid to get too close. She was afraid of the ultimate let down, the moment her friends would disappear, leaving her alone when she needed them the most. That time had come and gone, but Bridge had not abandoned her. And that; that had made all the difference in her eyes.
She wasn’t sure what made her do it; all she knew was that she was through being blinded by immaturity. The last shred of her childishness fell away as she embraced a brighter future, one that included her allowing others to help her.
She had taken the first step and placed her faith and trust in Bridge. It excited and scared her to death at the same time. Trust takes a long time to build, but it can be shattered in an instant. To place it wholeheartedly in another person, another human being with faults and flaws of his own…it scared her beyond belief.
But it was time. Time to start trusting again.
“This isn’t going to be easy,” muttered Z.
“I know,” replied Bridge, “but nothing worth anything ever is. That’s the beauty of it.”
Bridge smiled again and gently pulled her to him. They shared everything in that first kiss by the lake. Hope, pain, desire, fear.
Z’s healing process had only just begun. It was a long road home, but with Bridge by her side, she was convinced that she could make it through anything.
AuthorS: mariusgirl and lttledvl
Fandom: Power Rangers SPD
Rating: T
Summary: It was time to start trusting again.
Prompt: Invincible
Additional Notes: This last installment of the Bridge/Z saga. It's been a lot of fun and we hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed writing it!. Also, muchos gracias to scifislasher for the beta!
Z cursed silently as she forced herself to move across the small walkway, gripping both railings tightly as she tried to get her leg to cooperate. The doctors had done all they could, now it was up to her to rebuild it. But it was an agonizingly slow and painstaking process. Somedays, all she wanted to do was to crawl into her bed and cry, wishing that the beast who had done this to her had just killed her instead.
It seemed as if it wasn’t enough that he had tortured her for those few short days; her torture continued as she tried to push her body back to a normal healthy state. After the long day of grueling physical therapy, she’d fall into a fitful slumber, only to be seized by nightmares in the middle of night. They held her captive, reminding her of the agony she’d experienced and there was nothing she could do to fend them off.
She wanted to scream; wanted to cry; wanted to lash out at everyone and everything, anything that would give her some measure of relief. As a result, her mood would change at the drop of a hat, growing worse as time dragged on. They had gotten pretty terrible and she knew it because she’d seen less and less of her friends. Deep down, she knew they still had their duties to attend to, but it still felt like she was being abandoned. And that only increased her frustration.
Struggling to reach the last few feet and trying to make herself go faster, her leg suddenly gave out, sending her crashing painfully to the ground. She pounded her fist in rage on the walkway, choking back angry tears as she fought to get herself upright. Z was so lost in her personal battle that she didn’t hear the person approach her from behind until she felt gentle hands begin to lift her up.
“Get off me!”
Bridge didn’t let go however, until she was back on her feet and she turned to glare at him. “I’m just trying to help you, Z,” he spoke quietly.
“I don’t need help,” she replied crisply.
Bridge said nothing but remained watching over her as she made it to the end, collapsing none-too-gracefully into the wheelchair. He waited until she arranged herself before approaching. “Want me to take you back to your room?”
“No!” she snarled, “I can do it myself.”
He remained silent as he followed her back to her hospital room. She hated this room; it was as much of a prison as the one she’d been held in. Saying nothing, she expertly turned the chair to the side of the bed and began to lever herself across, but once again her weakened body betrayed her and she slipped, nearly crashing onto the floor. But Bridge was there once more; he rushed forward and caught her, gently placing her in a sitting position on the edge of the bed. She angrily pushed him away once she was settled.
His face fell as he calmly moved the wheelchair out of her way, but not too far, so that she could easily reach it if she needed to. He sat down in a nearby armchair, glancing out the window and sighing.
Z smoldered in anger. She hated this. Cooped in the hospital for days on end, doing nothing but rounds of physical therapy and staring at a boring TV set when she wasn’t doing that. She maneuvered herself into a reclining position on the bed and flipped on the TV, randomly flipping through the channels until she finally turned it off in disgust.
“Why is there never anything good on?” she muttered in contempt.
“I could bring you some movies,” Bridge replied hopefully.
“No thanks,” she snapped.
She heard him sigh and looked over at him. He’d gone back to staring out the window, his chin resting in his palm. She just watched him for several long moments, the sunlight making a pale halo around his hair. She knew she was being unfairly harsh to him, but for some strange reason, he never said anything and he kept coming back. A prospect that both angered and pleased her.
“Why?” she asked suddenly.
Bridge turned to look at her, blinking in confusion. “Why what?”
“Why do you keep coming back here?”
“Because you’re my friend,” he said softly.
She turned away, not willing to face the look he wore. Z knew he was still her friend, the fact that he was here at all was proof of that, but lately she hadn’t been acting like much a friend; to him or anybody else. A sudden wave of guilt washed over her. Just because she was suffering, she was making everyone around her suffer as well. And that wasn’t fair to them.
“Leave.”
Bridge stared at her aghast, “But why? I only want to help...”
“I don’t want your help!” she yelled, turning back to glare at him. “I don’t need it and I don’t want it! Just go away!”
Bridge sighed and got up, slowly making his way across the room, but instead of heading for the door, he stopped directly at her bedside.
“I said leave.”
“I heard you. But I’m not going anywhere.”
Her eyes glittered in anger. “Get lost.”
“Is that what you really want, Z? To drive everyone away? To be stuck here by yourself all the time? You need help and I...”
“For the last time, I don’t need help,” she snarled.
Despite the look of anger she shot at him, Bridge sat down on the edge of her bed. “I’m not talking about physically, Z. You need someone to talk to. To help you get over...”
“No!” Before she knew what she was doing, she was pushing at him, angrily hitting his arm with her fists. “I don’t want to talk to you! I don’t want to talk about it! I don’t want help! I...” Her anger burned itself out in a flash, only to be replaced by misery. She dropped her head into her hands and silently wept.
She felt arms wrap themselves about her and her first instinct was to try to shove them away. But she was too weak and feeble from her earlier exertions to do so. Bridge just held her closer as she let out her pain, her sorrow and her guilt. She cried until she had no more tears left within her to cry. She remained leaning against him for several long moments after her storm had ended; taking some comfort in the warm, soothing embrace that surrounded her like a blanket.
“I’m so sorry,” she croaked, her throat raw and gritty.
“It’s okay,” he replied quietly, “Everything’s going to be alright.”
She shook her head sadly, “I don’t know if that’s true or not. I can’t do this, Bridge.”
He gently cupped her chin and raised her head up so that she was forced to meet his gaze. “Yes, you can. I’ll help you.”
“But why? I’ve been so cruel to you. Trying to shove you away. Why would you keep coming back to that?”
He smiled softly. “Because, I’m your friend. And I want to help you. If you’ll let me that is. Will you?”
“I...don’t know. I can’t stand it, Bridge. Being stuck in here all the time...” she sniffled slightly, “it’s like I’m trapped all over again.”
“Then you should go out,” he replied with a hint of enthusiasm.
“Wha...” she blinked in confusion, “I can’t go out!”
“Why not?”
“Like this?” She waved her hand across her body in a gesture of self-loathing. “I’m a total wreck. I can’t walk, I can’t hardly stand by myself on a good day, I can’t...”
“Too many cant’s and not enough cans,” he interrupted gently.
She just stared at him for a long moment. “But I...” she stopped herself before she said ‘can’t’ once more.
“Do you want to get out of here, Z?”
She nodded; and in the next instant, before she even knew what was happening, Bridge had scooped her up in his arms and was carrying her down the hall. “What...Bridge! What are you doing?”
“Taking you out,” he replied matter-of-factly.
“But how can I do anything like this? You didn’t even bring the wheelchair.”
“Don’t need it.” He stopped in the middle of the hall, “Do you trust me?”
“I...” she paused and gazed deeply into twin pools of shimmering blue. “Yes.”
“Then no more arguments. You’re coming with me.”
Bridge resumed his flight, Z making no more protests as he carried her out of the hospital and outside to the parking lot. “What on Earth are you doing?” she asked in confusion.
“Shh, just be patient.”
She groaned slightly but said nothing else as Bridge approached the parked patrol jeep. “Um...can you open the door? My arms are a little full.”
She chuckled slightly as she leaned over and opened the door. Bridge placed her on the seat and closed the door, then scurried around and hopped into the driver’s seat. He grinned foolishly at her before starting the engine and driving off.
“Where are we going?”
“Does it matter? We’re just going out. We’ll follow the road til it runs out. What do you say?”
She gave him a faint smile, the first smile she’d worn in a very long time. Her eyes glittered slightly and she wore an expression that he couldn’t quite read; “Sounds okay to me.”
-------------------------
Bridge pulled onto the highway and pointed the Jeep at the horizon. He didn’t really know where they were going, but anywhere was better than here. Smirking, he glanced over at Z as she slumped in the passenger seat, her eyes glued to the scenery as it flew by. Once in a while he heard her sigh, but so far he had avoided pushing her for conversation. A dozen different thoughts jumbled together in his mind; questions that he wanted answered, but for the time being, he was contented just to let her enjoy the countryside.
About an hour into their drive, he finally grew bored with the silence and decided to try and strike up some sort of friendly conversation.
“It’s really pretty out here,” he observed, nodding to the rocky coastline as they passed along the winding road.
Z nodded in thoughtful contemplation but did not reply. Resting her head on the door of the Jeep, she was lost in the warmth of the day and savoring the fresh air. Her eyes still held a cold contempt whenever he caught her staring at him out of the corner of his eye, but there was also a hint of happiness hidden beneath those dark lashes. He wanted to reach out and put his arm around her shoulders, but he restrained himself, thinking that her anger might flare up at the smallest hint of affection. Her temper was on a very short fuse these days and she tended to go off over the smallest things.
Suddenly, she straightened up in the seat and the tiniest grin flitted across her features. “There’s a road up there,” she said pointing. “Take it.”
Bridge followed the tip of her finger until he spotted a small, out of the way dirt road. “Where does it lead?” he asked.
Z just crossed her arms and sunk back into the seat. “You’ll see.”
Bridge sighed and turned right onto the small road. He glanced back into his rearview mirror until the highway faded away and they were enveloped by the serenity of a beautiful, quiet forest. A few miles along, Bridge began to wonder if the road led to the middle of nowhere, but as he rounded a bend he saw something glittery materializing in the midday sun, just beyond the horizon.
“What is that?” he asked, curiosity overpowering his fears of being lost.
His companion did not answer; she merely stared at the small glittering spot as it grew ever bigger in the windshield until Bridge realized with sudden clarity that it was a huge lake. They drove on in silence until the lake loomed larger than life in front of them.
As he pulled to a stop and threw the Jeep into park, Bridge was suddenly seized with an irresistible urge to walk down to the lake’s edge. He walked calmly over to Z’s side and opened the door.
“What are you doing?” she asked in alarm.
“You said you trusted me,” he replied as he picked her up and slammed the door shut with his foot. “So just relax and trust me.”
He found himself gazing into her eyes, twin pools of brown beauty, but he forced himself to look away and concentrate on the path ahead of him. Z had instinctively thrown her arms around his neck and was holding on a bit tighter than was required, but he couldn’t blame her for being overly cautious. He was sure that were their positions reversed, he’d be a bit weary of trusting his friends and letting them do for him the things that he couldn’t do on his own.
Once he had reached the bottom of the rocky path he walked over to the water’s edge and gently placed Z on her feet. She clung to him for support, her arms too tight around his neck.
“Z...” he whined, prying her arms loose so that he could breathe properly.
“Sorry,” she said, the red coloring her face stemming more from anger than embarrassment.
Bridge shook his head, “No, it’s okay. So how did you know this was here?”
Z ignored him and tried to stand on her own but her leg wouldn’t support her in the soft sand. She sighed in frustration and annoyance that transcended beyond her busted leg. She hated having to rely on someone, even Bridge, to help her do the most menial tasks such as walking, yet here she was; clinging to Bridge like he was her only anchor to Earth. She felt disgusted with herself and aggravated that she couldn’t even stand on her own two feet. She pushed away from him and staggered a few feet, but the sand was too much for her and she tumbled forward. Just before she hit the ground she felt strong arms catch her from behind and her mind instantly hurled her back in time to the scene earlier in the hospital. Once again, Bridge was her saving grace, keeping her from hurting herself more than she already had. And he took all of her abuse too, as she lashed out at him, more out of anger at herself, but she used him as her excuse, as her outlet.
She glanced up at him through tear filled eyes and saw him gazing right back. His smile was friendly and warm and for the first time she let him help her into a sitting position without lashing out at him. Warm tears were cascading down her cheeks as her body was racked with silent sobs.
Bridge, unable to stand it any longer, reached out and pulled her into his arms. He was surprised when she offered up no resistance to his touch and she laid her head on his chest as he stroked her hair and whispered soft, soothing things into her ears. Kissing her hair over and over and telling her that everything was going to be okay. He felt his own tears threatening to fall as his heart ached for Z, but he forced them away, knowing that he had to be strong for the shattered woman in his arms.
After what seemed like an eternity, Z’s sobs finally subsided and she turned her tear stained face up to him. His eyes met hers and he knew that something had changed inside of her. He gave her a warm smile and wiped away her tears with the sleeve of his jacket.
“I’ll never let anyone hurt you ever again,” he promised her, giving her a chaste kiss on the forehead.
She sniffled and swiped at her nose. “I’m so sorry,” she said, a pleading look in her eyes, beseeching him to understand her plight.
Bridge shook his head, wanting nothing more than to assure her that she was safe in his arms. But he didn’t know quite how to convey that message to her and words seemed grossly inadequate. As he stared into her puffy red eyes, he steadied himself as the realization that he loved her washed over him. It wasn’t the kind of young love that fades and fizzles out with time, it was real love, the kind that grows and lasts forever. He wanted her to know that, too. That he would always be there for her...because, more than anything, he loved her.
“Bridge?”
All of his thought processes went out the window as his gaze locked with hers once more. She was staring up at him in curiosity and concern, but the overpowering emotion that he saw written in her eyes was remorse.
“Don’t be sorry,” he said, not really understanding why. He just let the words flow, hoping that they were the right ones in the end. After all, how could it be wrong if it came from his heart? “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“But I treated you so horribly and I hit you and I...”
“It doesn’t matter anymore. None of it matters,” he said with a conviction that startled himself. “All that matters is that you get better.”
Z shook her head and a piece of her brown hair fell into her face. She wasn’t angry any more, finally facing the truth and accepting the fact that she couldn’t make it on her own. The long drive and the fresh air had done her a world of good, and she had Bridge to thank for it. After scores of endless days painted by remorse and anger, she was finally thinking clearly, and as much as she hated to be dependent on anyone, well, she could think of worse people to be stuck with. But in that moment as she was staring up into Bridge’s intense gaze, it didn’t matter if she had to lean on him for the rest of her life - that was true friendship. Through it all, he hadn’t abandoned her. That was what mattered most.
A lifetime lived on the streets had made her tough and afraid to get too close. She was afraid of the ultimate let down, the moment her friends would disappear, leaving her alone when she needed them the most. That time had come and gone, but Bridge had not abandoned her. And that; that had made all the difference in her eyes.
She wasn’t sure what made her do it; all she knew was that she was through being blinded by immaturity. The last shred of her childishness fell away as she embraced a brighter future, one that included her allowing others to help her.
She had taken the first step and placed her faith and trust in Bridge. It excited and scared her to death at the same time. Trust takes a long time to build, but it can be shattered in an instant. To place it wholeheartedly in another person, another human being with faults and flaws of his own…it scared her beyond belief.
But it was time. Time to start trusting again.
“This isn’t going to be easy,” muttered Z.
“I know,” replied Bridge, “but nothing worth anything ever is. That’s the beauty of it.”
Bridge smiled again and gently pulled her to him. They shared everything in that first kiss by the lake. Hope, pain, desire, fear.
Z’s healing process had only just begun. It was a long road home, but with Bridge by her side, she was convinced that she could make it through anything.