Page 71 of Cosmic Captain

When they left, Teddy hung back. His hands were buried in his pockets, and his eyes were looking anywhere beside me. He asked, “Are you okay?”

“No,” I said, finally being somewhat honest.

He came to my side and bumped my arm with his. “Want to talk about it?”

I closed my eyes, then glanced around the cafeteria. There were a few people, but no one close by, but their presence was enough to have me nodding toward the door. We stepped outside, and I turned toward the elevator. After the door closed, I didn’t ask NAID to send the elevator to a floor. I leaned back against the vines covering the walls. There was literally no escape from the plants, but I didn’t mind it. Not really.

Teddy didn’t talk either. He rested against the wall and simply breathed with me. It was… soothing.

“It was a lot, huh?” I finally broke the silence.

“What?”

“Xome.”

He nodded and confessed, “I have nightmares.”

“Me too.”

“I see them,” Teddy whispered.

“Who?” I looked at him, but he was staring at the floor, shoulders shaking.

“Everyone I killed. All of the people I locked in that damn incinerator. Their ghosts haunt me.”

Fighting through any unease I had about touching, I snagged Teddy and hauled him into my arms. “It was not your fault,” I growled. “Do you hear me, Bartholomew? What happened on Xome wasn’t your fault.”

“I locked the door.”

“And I didn’t fight.”

Teddy backed up. “What? I didn’t give you a choice.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.” I sank to the floor, and Teddy was right behind me. I drew my knees to my chest and said, “I was sold to a brothel after you were abducted.”

“Fuck.”

“Yep.”

“That’s why you want to go home,” Teddy said baldly, and I chuckled. He always shot straight to the heart of the matter.

“Yep,” I repeated.

“Fuck,” he repeated as well and pushed his fingers through the short amount of black hair he had. “I’m sorry I was an ass about you going home.”

“You didn’t know.”

“And you didn’t tell me.”

I looked at him. “I couldn’t get the words out.”

“That, I understand.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” I said, resting my head on his shoulder.

“It wasn't yours either.”

Tears welled in my eyes, and I fought them, but they slipped out. Teddy didn’t say anything, letting me weep, and I wasn’t alone. He cried silently, his tears dripping onto me.

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