My eyes widen at the mention of her. She’s here; I don’t want her to see me like this, but at least she can see that I am alive. Warren wraps his arm around my waist, I’m wobbly on my feet, and he’s supporting nearly all my weight, as I climb out of the van. With his help, I stumble towards where I think I can make out two figures, I can only assume it’s Kinsley and Tanner standing near my car. It has to be them, no one else knows we are out here.

I suck in a breath, almost gasping for air. The pressure of Warren’s hand has left the wound, instead using it now to help me stand, but the crushing weight I feel on my chest remains the same, making it hard to breathe. With each breath, I struggle and my eyes are growing heavy, somehow through the haze I see them; her honey-coloured eyes.

I think she’s calling my name, but all their voices sound so far away. Warren sits me down in the backseat of Tanner’s car, and I feel my body slump against the cool leather. Before too long, my head is propped up and I feel the warmth and comfort of lying in someone’s lap. Berries and Lou-loo? “Mea—dow?”

“It’s me, Jesse. I’m here — Stay with me.” She strokes my head and pain shoots through me as she applies pressure to my chest.

“Y-your dad,” I cough. “He’s alive.”

“Shh, Jess. Dad’s here — Thank you for finding him, just hold on okay.”

All the noise drowns out around me and my eyes fall shut. I try to listen as everything begins to fade further away. No bright light is welcoming me, only darkness pulling me under.

For a brief moment, I hear Kinsley’s sweet voice whispering in my ear, “I love you, Jesse — every piece of you;all those pieces of yourself that you lost putting me back together — I’ll hold onto them. I’ll never let them go. You will forever be with me.”

I want to hold her. I want to tell her that I would do it again. Over and over again. I would lose every piece of myself to her if that meant living and breathing in a world with her. I don’t know if she is able to make out the words that attempt to leave my lips, but I know what I’m trying to say.

“You. Are. The. Reason.” I can’t open my eyes, I can no longer speak. She strokes my hair and her lips press a soft kiss to my forehead as the darkness pulls me under.

Chapter Forty-Two

Kinsley