Page 71 of Keeping Freya
He looked at me. “You are my Zarra; nothing is too much. Go strap in. I will be there shortly.”
I take the offer he’s giving me, too chicken to witness the goodbyes he’s giving to his friends and climb on board the ship. There are two pilot seats, and I strap myself into one. T’Rak takes the other chair and wordlessly maneuvers us out of and on our way.
He rises when we are well on our way and firmly into hyperdrive. “Come, it is timefor Cryosleep.”
I follow him, too choked up to speak. There’s a hallway to the left where four Cryo-chambers are situated.
“So, this is it?” I swallow, and my throat suddenly feels dry.
“Yes,” T’Rak grunts, and I feel myself tearing up again. My beautiful, strong mate. He showed me what it’s like to have someone in your corner who lifts you up and lets you grow and find your strength. I never thought it would be easy to leave him, but at least I thought it would be doable.
“I guess this is goodbye then.”
He gives me the most T’Rak-like grunt and opens the stasis pod.
“T’Rak…” I begin, but he interrupts me.
“It is okay, my Zarra. You will always be the only one for me. I promised you I would do anything for you, so if this is what you need, I will give it to you.” He pauses to help me enter the pod, and I lie down. He bends down and places a soft kiss on my lips. “I love you, Fr’Ya.” His expression is sad as he straightens and pushes the button to close the pod. “I only wish it was enough.”
Tears are streaming down my face as he walks away. Asshole, to deliver me this blow before I go into stasis for years and never see him again.
The pod’s fully closed by now, and gas starts seeping in. Suddenly, it hits me. I will never see T’Rak again. I will be asleep for years. I have been away for years. My family and friends will have aged years, if they’re even still alive. I have heard it all. They tried to tell me, but somehow, it didn’t land until now.
And now, it’s too late. It’s too fucking late.
“NO!” I scream and pound on the glass as I start to feel sleepy, no, no, this can’t be happening. My head trashes and suddenly I see an orange button next to my head. The panic button. With my last efforts, I smash it, just as I go under.
I feel drowsy when I wake up. After a quick look around, I realize I am still in the pod. It’s open, and the gas has stopped sizzling. I bulge upright. I have no clue how much time has passed, but I need to stop T’Rak before he puts himself under.
Clumsily, I get out of the pod and start running and screaming his name. I run through the hallway, stumbling against the walls, still drowsy from the gas.
“T’Rak! T’Rak!!!” I scream at the top of my lungs, and suddenly hear him reply.
“Fr’Ya?”
I sniff. “T’Rak, I can’t find you.”
“Fr’Ya, stars, I can hear you in my mind.”
“In my mind?”I echo. I feel surprise and joy; suddenly, something snaps inside me, and I feel him.
“Where are you?”he asks.
“Hallway.”
“Stay put, I will come get you.”
I slump down and cry. I am not too late, I can tell him I love him.
I feel his presence before he rounds the corner. “Fr’Ya!” He cries out before he pulls me into his arms.
We hug, and I cry, and I cry some more.
“I love you,” I croak. Relief flushes through me, and I realize it’s his emotion I am feeling.
“I can’t live without, I’m sorry, you were right. There’s probably nothing left for me on Earth, and you were going to take me there anyway because that’s who you are. And even if there was, you wouldn’t be there.”
A sob leaves my body. “I choose you, T’Rak. I will always choose you.”
