Stared at her. At the certainty in her golden-brown stare. At the woman who’d seen me at my worst, broken, mute, dying, and hadn’t walked away.
“I choose you.” The words came clear despite my damaged throat. Certain despite the chaos in my head.
Clare’s breath caught. “Xavier...”
“I love you, Clare.” Cupped her jaw with both palms, making sure she heard every word. “Not because you saved me. Not because of amnesia or conditioning or anything else.”
Tears welled. She tried to speak. Couldn’t.
“You saw me at my worst. Broken. Mute. Dying. You could have walked away. You didn’t. You fought for me when I couldn’t fight for myself.”
“I love you too.” Her words cracked. “God, Xavier. I love you too.”
Kissed her. Gentle. Desperate. Sealing the promise with touch because words had failed us both too many times.
When we pulled apart, both our breathing was uneven. Clare’s forehead rested against mine.
“You need to rest. You’ve been through hell.”
“I’m okay. Better than I’d been in weeks.”
Clare stood reluctantly. “I should tell Hellhound and Havoc you’re awake. They’ve been worried. I’ll get you more water too.”
Caught her wrist before she could step away. “Five minutes.”
She smiled. Small. Real. “Okay. Five minutes.”
Watched her walk to the door. Light on her feet despite the exhaustion shadowing her features. Relieved. Happy.
For the first time I saw hope in the way she moved.
She grabbed the empty water bottle from me, turned back to give me one more smile, then slipped into the hallway.
The door closed softly behind her.
Lay back against the pillows. Exhausted but peaceful.
The recollections were still there. All of them. Heavy. Real.
But Clare knew now. All of it. And she’d looked at me like I mattered anyway.
Like I was worth loving despite the ghosts.
Maybe Hellhound was right. Maybe I could accept all of it, soldier, weapon, man, and choose what came next.
Maybe I could build something new from the wreckage.
Closed my lids. For a moment. To rest.
The weight on my ribs felt lighter than it had in months.
A future with Clare.
A future where I found Maeve. Explained everything. Tried to rebuild what Oblivion had destroyed.
A future where I was more than the sum of Dresner’s programming.
A few more minutes of rest. Then I’d get up. Face Hellhound and Havoc. Start planning whatever came next.
