Silver Lining - The Host fanfiction

Chapter 105 The Solitary

On the surface of the ocean,

Men wage war and destroy each other.

But down here, just a few feet beneath the surface,

There is a calm and peace

Unmolested by man.

-Jules Verne

Emma

Things are finally falling into place and I'm starting to feel something like normalcy again. I let myself get talked into offering guitar lessons. Logan offered to assist and I gladly accepted. I mean, I can play a little, but I'm no expert.

Still, it gives us something to do aside from the usual games of chess and cards. We can have dance nights now. Or at least something like it.

I sigh and lean my head back against the wall while looking up. It's a cloudy day today, but it won't rain. The air smells too dry.

I come here often when I want a break from being around other people. The small crevice Blake has shown me all those weeks ago has become something like a sanctuary.

I've never been the most social person. It's nice to be alone every once in a while.

Only Blake and Burns know to find me here. Here, I can almost pretend the world is still a normal place.

But in a normal world, there would be no Burns. And I would be a different person.

Some pebbles clatter against the floor somewhere down the tunnel, but I don't look up. I want to hold on to this little sanctuary a moment longer.

"Emma?" Burns' voice is hesitant as if he is afraid his presence will disturb me somehow.

I turn my head and offer him a small smile. "Hey."

"Should I go?" he asks, but I shake my head.

"No. Come." I make room for him and he sits down next to me. I lean my head on his shoulder and I can feel his surprise.

"Is everything alright?" he asks.

"I'm fine," I answer, "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Life."

"Are you sure everything is alright, Emma?" There's concern in his voice now.

"It's just... don't you think it's ironic that the world had to end for us to find each other?"

His arm comes around my shoulder and tightens. "The world didn't end, Emma," he says, "it only changed." He sighs. "Do you still miss your family?"

"Sometimes," I admit. I don't think that will ever go away, because I know my parents, or what used to be my parents, are somewhere out there looking for me, or their concept of me.

Burns' voice is strained when he speaks again. "You know I would do anything if I could bring them back to you, don't you? If you want me to look for them, I will."

I sit up and stare at him. I have no doubt he means it. It has just never crossed my mind. Do I even want him to look for them? They are my parents. I love them. I miss them. But do I want them here?

I imagine my mother in these tunnels, judging me, judging Burns. She would despise him, I know it already. She would nag at me to 'find a better candidate' or whatever. And my father, as much as I love him, would he even understand?

A shiver runs down my spine. I am a horrible daughter, but if we ever did find them, I wouldn't want them here.

"Emma?" Burns' voice pulls me out of my thoughts and I look into his beautiful silver rimmed eyes.

"I don't know," I whisper.

Burns brushes the hair out of my face and tugs it behind my ear. "Okay," he says softly, "it's okay to not know. But... if you do know... just tell me."

I nod and place my head back on his shoulder. "Thank you," I whisper.

We sit in silence for a while. I like the way we don't need words to feel comfortable around each other.

The silence doesn't last though. A loud rumble comes from Burns' stomach and his cheeks heat up. A giggle escapes me and I slap a hand over my mouth. Burns gives me a sheepish smile and I smile back.

"We should probably head back to the others," I say.

"You sure you don't want to stay here?" he asks.

"No," I bite my lip to hide a smile, "but that stomach of yours might cause the tunnel to collapse on us."

He gives me an unimpressed look. "It was not that loud."

I smile and stand up, towing him with me. "Just come. It will be dark soon anyway." We carefully make our way back to the main tunnel.

Since the others have decided to trust Burns, we've been eating well. We still grow a lot of products ourselves, but there's a variety of food to choose from. Today it's spaghetti with a rich sauce. I can already smell it. I hope they serve meatballs with it. It's been a while since we've had those.

My stomach starts to growl too. I've been away longer than I thought. No wonder Burns came to look for me.

I glance at him. We've been together for a long time now. It must be close to a year, perhaps even longer. I think back on how repulsed I was at first. Now, all I want is to be close to him, but this place doesn't offer much privacy. There are always others around.

"A penny for your thoughts," Burns says softly. There's amusement in his voice.

I blush. He definitely would not want to know my thoughts right now. "Just thinking about dinner," I lie, though I'm sure he knows better.

He doesn't press on it, but merely smiles. "We should hurry then," he says, "or it won't be my stomach that will bring down the tunnel."

I slap his stomach playfully and he smirks. We have both changed so much in the time we've known each other.

Others pass us in the tunnel, laughing together, smiling at us. The most unlikely group of people, thrown together by fate. We are a world inside a world, like that story about the center of the Earth.

We are the land that time forgot.

On days like this it's hard to imagine mankind has fallen.

"And where have you two been all day?" Logan smirks as he walks up to us and slaps Burns' shoulder, "no sneaking away now."

Burns' face turns red and I feel my cheeks heat up too.

Logan laughs loudly. "You should see your faces. It's priceless."

"Very funny," I say and I cross my arms. I try to glare at him, but I'm too embarrassed.

"Lighten up, Emma," Logan grins, "it's just a joke." His grin widens, "Though you did make us wonder." He winks and disappears into the kitchen.

I grit my teeth. Sometimes these guys can be so juvenile.