E L E C T R A|COMPLETED|

Chapter Twenty Two~Drowning

~Electra~

    "I--I uh guess I'm gonna go inside and try to get some sleep," I heard Braden say from across the pool.
    "Goodnight," I replied and continued to swim aimlessly through the pool. I heard the water shift then drip onto the outside of the pool as Braden climbed out.
     "Goodnight," Braden replied and wandered back inside. The pool fell silent once again and I found that I didn't like the silent solitude I had grown to love. It felt lonely. I felt lonely.
    I swam lazily around the pool a few rounds then swam to the middle of the pool. I looked up at the blanket of stars in the sky along with the moon. The moon had so many stars in the sky, but it was still completely and utterly alone...just as I was. So many people and I was alone. I deserved it. I deserved every bad thing that happened to me.
    I slowly drifted my eyes closed and raised my arms above my head as I stopped swimming. I pulled my legs up to my chest and lowered my arms as I began to sink into the water. I felt the water spill past my head consuming me within its depths.
    My body sank further and further into the pool until I settled at the bottom of the pool. It was so quiet and still down at the bottom of the pool...and alone. I did this many times when I wanted to be completely alone, even alone from my thoughts.
    The need for oxygen tugged at my mind draining any thoughts of anything else but the most simplest need to keep my body going. Everyone was running around worrying about things that didn't truly matter instead of realizing the things they truly need to live until they lose it.
    Everyone needs air to live, yet they forget that simple fact. Down here, I know and feel how fragile life is. The weight of the water was causing my head to grow light as well as the lack of oxygen. Still, I didn't swim up and rise from the water to take that breath that would ensure my continuation of life. If you didn't test yourself, you would never know how far you could go.
   My lungs were now burning for the need of oxygen and my mind was screaming for me to swim to the surface. Still, I remained in a ball at the bottom of the pool with my eyes closed.
    Above, something stirred and I felt the faintest of movements. Fingertips brushed against my arm before taking a firm hold of it and hoisting me up. My eyes opened as I was tugged above the surface of the water and I drew in a much needed breath while blinking back water droplets that had accumulated on my lashes.
    A strong, sleek arm wrapped around my bare waist sending warmth through my body. I looked up to find myself tucked in Braden's hold as he swam to the edge of the pool. He lifted me up by my thighs and placed me on the edge of the pool before he lifted himself out and shook the water from his shaggy hair.
    I sat and steadily regained my breath and pushed the dripping hair from my face. Braden's eyes fell upon me and they narrowed angrily.
    "What the hell were you doing? You could have killed yourself! ARE YOU INSANE?!" He said with building anger.
    "I was just sitting at the bottom of the pool until your big ass decided to pull me out. That was rude by the way," I said in a carefree manner. He gave me a shocked look then scoffed and ran a hand through his dripping hair.
    "You really don't care if you live or die, do you?" He asked while turning to look at me again. "Were you trying to kill yourself?" I rolled my eyes at his questions.
    "I wasn't trying to kill myself. I was planning on surfacing for air...eventually," I explained as we sat at the edge of the pool both dripping wet.
    "Eventually?" Braden emphasized the word.
    "Yes. I do this all the time," I justified,"it helps clear my head." He gives me a look that says he doesn't understand. I didn't expect him to. No one understood me and I excepted that hard truth years ago.
    "You're really messed up," Braden said with a shake of his head.
    "Yes," I said with a proud grin,"yes I am. But, aren't we all?"
    "You're a special kind of crazy, Electra," he sighed.
    "Were you worried about me, Agent Cross?" I asked with a sly smile pulling at the corner of my lips. I watched his body grow rigid and shoulders stiffen. I loved making him nervous.
    "Were you spying on me, Agent Cross?" I pressed and leaned closer. A look of alarm flashed in his eyes. He was. He was to both questions. I wasn't entirely insane.
    "No," he lied,"I just had a feeling I should check on you so I did."
    "Aww," I teased and brought up a finger to trace down his nose and along his jawline,"you're so sweet!" He took hold of my wrist stopping my movements then lowered my hand.
    My playful, sly smile faded away when our eyes wouldn't waver from each other. He stared intently at me as I did him while he held my wrist in his warm hand.
    "You should go to sleep, Agent Cross," I felt myself saying in a far off voice as I continued to stare into his eyes.
     "I tried. I can't sleep; it's impossible," he said as he stared into my eyes as if he were searching for something.
    "You won't, so get used to it. I can't remember the last time I slept all night long," I replied with my voice fading into a softer tone. "You'll just have to find things to do that will keep you occupied through the long nights." It irritated me to no end in the beginning when I wasn't able to sleep, yet somehow I pushed past it and managed.
    "How do you do it?" He asked quietly as we continued to look into each others eyes.
    "Do what?" I asked in an almost whisper.
    "Go on day after day knowing that you're not normal...knowing that you're a monster," he explained and I adjusted my hand to wrap it into his taking him by suprise.
    "Oh darling,"I said with a sad smile,"no one is normal. And, if you turn the lights off you'll be surprised to find that you can't tell the difference between people and the monsters." I stood from the edge of the pool finally breaking the intense eye contact with Braden's large hand still wrapped in my own.
    "Come on," I said and gave his hand a slight tug with the small smile still painted on my face,"let's see if we can't get you some sleep." Braden looked at me with a hint of unsureness in his eyes, but I felt his hand tighten in my own then helped him stand up when he moved to rise from the edge of the pool.
    My hand fell from his when we began walking towards the entrance and I cursed myself when I found myself longing for the warmth his hand had provided. I was growing too soft. I was growing too attached to him. What was most shocking was the reality that I didn't care.
    I walked back into my room and went to my drawer to sift out some underwear, sweater, and shorts before walking over to my closet.
    "You can change in the bathroom," I suggested as I ventured into my closest to change.
     I bunched up my bikini in my hand and walked back into my room to find that Braden had changed into a pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt that conformed to his chiseled chest. I dropped my damp bikini into the clothes hamper in the corner of the room then walked back to the bed and took hold of Braden's arm.
    A look of suprise crossed his face when I tugged him back and practically dragged him up the bed. I wordlessly lifted the soft covers of the bed and tugged them over him while he stared at me with shock evident on his face.
    "What are you doing?" He finally asked when I pulled back the covers on the other side of the bed and slipped my body underneath its plush warmth.
    "Trying to help you sleep," I stated as if he asked a foolish question. Pure shock swept across his face causing me to roll my eyes.
    "I'm not going to rape you," I said incredulously,"just try to go to sleep." I flicked off the lamp casting the room into darkness and settled my head against the pillow. When my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room and were able to watch the dancing shadows against the wall did he finally settle into the bed.
    The bed shifted and I heard him let out a heavy breath. He turned, then turned again, and again trying to get comfortable. My gods, this man was worse than me. At least I lay still and attempted to find sleep.
    He tossed and turned a few more times while I stared blankly at the wall. He turned one more time with a restless sigh and that was when I had had enough. I sat up amd tugged on his arm pulling him closer to me before laying against his chest ensuring that he would no longer turn.
    "Um, what are you doing?" He asked slowly.
    "Saving your life. If you turn or sigh one more time I will paralyze you in ways you couldn't even imagine," I stated and adjusted my head on his chest. I stared at the curtained windows and watched the shifting shadows as I felt the steady rhythm of Braden's chest rise up and down. His heartbeat begin to slow down and grow more steady letting me know he was calming down and getting comfortable.
    Slowly, I felt his arm shift and lay across my waist taking me by suprise. When I heard his breathing and heartbeats steady even more I knew that he was finally asleep. I went to move so that I could rise from the bed and leave the room, however his arm tightened around me anchoring me in place.
    I tried one more time to pull out of his hold and watched as he turned and pulled me close to his chest. I stared blankly at his muscular, shirt clad chest and blinked in shock a few times. If this was how he was able to sleep, than I suppose I could manage. I didn't have anything important to do anyway. I suppose I could just lie here until he let me go and then I could leave. Yes, that sounded easy enough...

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