Wildlands (rskde & BurningWillows)

[Risky]

He bites the bottom of his lip, opening his mouth and closing it again, as if unable to form words for what she was saying. He takes the notepad and tiredly starts to write words on it.

'We were close? Tell me more.'

He pushes the notepad towards her.

 

[BurningWillows]

She smiled at the words scrawled on the paper, nodding to him. She sat further back on the bed, letting Max rest his head in her lap as she pet him gently.

"When I came out of my coma I was in the medbay and so were you. You had extensive wounds from gunfire, and I had several broken ribs causing in a major surgery -which was why you rushed me to the hospital in the first place. Oh, we spent months in that medbay, our beds side by side as we talked. I know when you were young your mother always made pecan pie in the summers and you loved it. And I told you about when I was a kid I went to summer camp one year and cried and cried, because I thought my parents had left me there forever. I was so sure of it, I thought they hated me and I cried until they came back, looking so confused because it was me who begged to go in the first place."

She smiled and let out a small giggle, the memory a fond one.

"We were in that medbay for weeks, you and I. By the time we were both cleared it was christmas. You..." she looked down at her hands, "You asked me out to the little Christmas dinner the team was having. I never told you then, but it was the first time someone had asked me out. I've had one boyfriend before, and it was his friend who asked me out for him, so not as special.

That night we were playing spin the bottle and I had to kill another teammate, who was all too eager. You got so...so jealous. It was rather cute."

She stopped talking, realizing she was rambling on.

"Sorry Kyle. You probably don't want to hear me rant on about how cute I thought you were..."

 

[Risky]

He listens intently to the entire story, shaking his head at the last part and motioning for her to keep going, almost as if a parent was telling a child a story.

 

[BurningWillows]

"The next parts get romantic though," she warns, seeing he was still interested.

"Well you did steal a kiss that night on Christmas. After that things happened and we grew closer. A lot closer. Eventually we moved to this abandoned mall and you and I spent the day exploring. We went into a pet store for Max, who loves his balls. And then we found a theater and you kept picking scary movies, knowing that I hate them because of how scared I got."

The idea struck her that maybe that would help, showing him some of the movies he had said he liked. She held onto that idea, storing it for later use.

"There was, erm," she blushed, "more kissing there, and we made it offical we were dating that day. I felt on top of the world, finally falling in..."

the word stuck to her tongue, her throat constricting as she stared into those eyes that had once held the love she wanted to speak of within. It almost made her want to cry, knowing it was gone now.

"Nevermind," she murmured, "Uh, anyways after that we found a music store and I tried teaching you piano. It was one of the few days in Bolivia we weren't constantly on edge. Shortly after that Narcos died and we came back here and we got a couple normal weeks together. It felt amazing. Until I found out you were leaving me for the marines."

Tears flooded her eyes and she looked away, trying to hide them, "I...I begged you not to go, I was so scared you'd get hurt or die and you promised you wouldn't. I Guess...guess that promise got broken. I was so scared of losing you..."

"...and now I have," she whispered to herself, rubbing away the tears streaking her cheeks.

 

[Risky]

He just watches her, unsure of what to do.. He doesn't know her.. Or, apparently he does.. He feels a headache coming on, all of these thoughts rushing through his head make his brain throb in conflict, unsure of what to believe at this point.

He moves forward and pulls her into a hug, more of a friendly hug if anything, only just to comfort her as it appears she's in distress. He can't match up any of her stories to memory, it's almost as if they had never even happened.

 

[BurningWillows]

She's surprised by the hug, but it only makes the tears worse, feeling the tension in his body, knowing this isn't the embrace she came to know.

"Why did you leave me?" she whimpered out, hiding her head in her hands, wrapping in his arms as Max watched, "Why couldn't you stay? You'd be my Kyle if you had stayed."

Arya couldn't even look at his face, sure that she would see only blank confusion. He wasn't her Kyle anymore. He was a man who had no memory of his life, a man that reminded her of everything she felt slipping through her fingers like sand.

"I'm sorry," she sniffled, knowing she was well out of line, "You just got back and there's a girl in your room crying. I should leave."

She didn't move though, unable to deny herself the small comfort of his hug, even though it wasn't as warm and embracing as before.

 

[Risky]

His mind clicks for a moment, only a brief moment to allow him to utter a single word. "Stay." He whispers, his voice is hoarse from not being used for awhile, but the significance of him speaking is still there.

 

[BurningWillows]

Her head whips up to look at him, a blend of confusion and hopefulness in her eyes, and pure love and adoration showing across her face.

"Did you just speak?" she asked, forgetting her place again and lifting her hand to touch his cheek.

She blinks a few times and stops before she touches him, letting herself soak in the face she was getting a hug and then asked to stay. She continued crying, letting all the built up pain out while she was only with the two people she trusted the most. As her tears began to dry up she rested her head on his chest, knowing it was a bold move, but sleep seemed to be tugging at him as well as at her, the effort taken to speak one word exhausting him, and her crying exhausting her.

"I'll stay till you ask me to leave," she whispered, her eyes closing, sleep befalling her swiftly.

 

[Risky]

He feels her head rest on his chest, his arms still around her as he drifts off, his head against his pillow as he falls asleep, the actions from today had completely drained him of any energy he had left.

 

[BurningWillows]

Hours later she wakes, and for a brief second she is tossed back to the hotel, when she woke every morning to Kyle's safe arms around her and Max at their feet. Then that second dies away and Arya stiffens, remembering that Kyle no longer knew her, and that this had been a fluke.

Still, a selfish part of her refused to let go of the feeling of his skin touching hers, of her muscular arms wrapping around her as he breathed softly, asleep. That selfish part kept her frozen, wanting to make the moment last as long as possible before reality struck.

 

[Risky]

Kyle sighs in his sleep, as if he was having a peaceful dream, a piece of paper sticks out of his uniform, it seems like a note or something of the sorts, the U.S. Marine Corps symbol evident on the paper.

 

[BurningWillows]

Her head turned up, smiling softly at how peaceful he looked. How familiar he looked. She knew when he woke it would be those eyes that had changed the most about them. The energetic spark in them were gone. The love she was used to seeing in his eyes was no longer evident.

Her eyes roamed down his body, taking every inch of him in selfishly while she could. Her gaze stuck the the paper sticking out of his pocket though, her curiosity knowing no bounds.

Should I? He is still asleep. Just...one peek. Maybe it's instructions that could help him. Help me help him.

Tenderly she pulled out the paper, making sure not to wake him at all as she unfolded and looked down at it...

 

[Risky]

'Lance Corporal Kyle Wetsworth, when you have been cleared by doctoral examination you will be returning to the Afghanistan area, we need dog patrols out in the desert, you have done so much to save lives. We are also offering you a position in MARSOC, which will keep you on a nine month rotation on deployments each year, think about your choice carefully, we're counting on you.'

 

[BurningWillows]

Her breath caught, and she slipped the note back before he would notice. Trying to keep from making any noise she slipped out of his arms and snuck out of the room, Max watching her leave, looking confused. Arya snuck into her room and closed the door, trying her hardest not to let her mind spiral as a thousand thoughts swirled all together. It was like some cruel cosmic joke. Take him away, erase his memories, then send him back to let me fall in love with him all over, only to take him away once more...

She dressed in her scrubs, left a note for Kevin telling him that work called her in and Kyle was sleeping, then headed out. Sure, work hadn't called, but they could always use her. And some time in the emergency ward running around would keep her mind off the fact that Arya wasn't entirely sure she wanted to fix Kyle. That perhaps he was better off not remembering, so that he could focus on his job. And she...Arya wasn't sure what she would do.

 

[Risky]

His eyes open and he looks around, something felt.. Different, he suddenly realizes that Arya wasn't with him.. Was that her name? Faint memories strike his head before fading back into the darkness, causing his brain to pulse in pain and confusion.

He lays back and puts his hand over his forehead, breathing heavily as he tries to remember.

 

[BurningWillows]

Work needed her more than she expected. No one asked why she was back, they just brought her into the fold, her pager buzzing left and right. Her work took her well through the day and into the night. At midnight she got a fifteen minute break and called the house, wanting to update them that she was pulling a triple shift into the next day.

She dialed the house phone, still unsure why they even had one, but knowing it was the best chance to get Kevin or Kyle to answer. Although she kind of hoped Kevin would pick up, not sure what she would say if Kyle answered.

 

[Risky]

Kyle walks over to the phone and picks it up, speaking quickly and quietly. "Hello?" He asks as he waits for a response, he rubs the top of his head gently as the memories flood in, still giving him a massive headache from the amount of brain power it takes to process all of them at once.

 

[BurningWillows]

She was more than surprised to hear his voice, especially since he hadn't been able to talk this morning.

"Kyle?" her voice shook, showing the sudden nervousness she had, "Uh hey. Don't...don't push yourself to speak alright? I was just calling to, uh, to say I'll be working overnight. It's a triple shift. Started at two, I'll be working till two tomorrow."

There was exhaustion in her voice, she was still recovering from her week of no sleep and little food. She hadn't even eaten yet, and she was already dead on her feet, but there was people to save.

"Sorry," she murmured when she realized she hadn't spoken for thirty seconds, "I'm running on an empty stomach and that...that nap earlier. I'll um, I'll see you tomorrow okay?"

 

[Risky]

Confusion ripples through him before he just shakes it off, knowing she'll explain later. "Okay.." He says before hanging up, placing the phone back down on the charger. He makes himself breakfeast before sitting down at the table and eating it, satisfying his hunger.

 

[BurningWillows]

As she hung up her pager buzzed and that was the end of her break, being needed in emergency care. Rubbing her face she jumped back into it, her thoughts circling Kyle.

 

[Risky]

Alex had been watching Serena over the last couple of days, memorizing her schedule, when she was being watched, when she wasn't. He slips by doctors and other medical personel when he knows she has a break from the therapy and all.

He slips into her room and silently closes the door, it closes with a tiny click, not even noticeable to the human ear. He walks next to her and sits down on her bed, placing a hand on her shoulder and smiling at her. "Hey beautiful." He says to her quietly.

 

[BurningWillows]

Serena woke to a voice she'd been dreaming about for days now, the only good dream amongst her nightmares. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up abruptly, ignoring the groan of her healing hip as her arms flung around his neck. She wore only her hospital sweat pants and a white tank top, her feet covered in socks but no shoes and her hair a wild mess around her face. Lying softly on her chest is the bullet shell still attached to the chain, Serena refusing to ever let it leave her neck.

"Alex!" she squealed, her head pressing into his shoulder as he squeezed him harder than ever, "Oh, I've missed you!"

 

[Risky]

He hugs her back tightly before taking her chin with his hand, pressing his lips to hers passionately, closing his eyes as he does so, he had missed the feeling of her lips agaisnt his.

Kyle decides to surprise Arya, he quickly makes her a lunch, knowing that she'll be working very hard, plus he has nothing better to do.

When he finishes he finds the address of her hospital before walking down, opening the doors and finding her office, he places the lunch down with a small note attached to it.

'Figured you could use some food, enjoy.' -Kyle

 

[BurningWillows]

A shiver runs through her, and she presses back in earnest. It was the first good thing she'd felt all week, like everything else had been grey and dull, and he was the sun. Heat engulfed her, her arms pulling him closer, just to get a few more seconds of his lips smothering hers.

Arya is heading back to her office to catch up on the overwhelming pile of paperwork on her desk, her sixth coffee in her hand. It's been close to eighteen hours of steady work, with all of two fifteens that have both been cut short, and Arya feels dead. As she turns down the hall to her office she sees someone heading out of it, and frowns.

"Hey!" she calls, "You can't be in there!"

 

[Risky]

Kyle turns when he hears her, he approaches her. "Sorry." He simply says to her, seeming to only using one word sentences whenever he speaks. "Lunch." He says, trying to explain what he was doing in her office.

He breaks away from her, his forehead leaning against hers. "I can't wait for you to come home.." He says to her softly. "You gotta heal quick, once your hip heals we can move and settle down, fuck all day if you want." He says with a chuckle.

"On a more serious note, we can get jobs and work towards building a.. Family, I guess." He explains to her, as if he had dreamt about it.