Authors: Veronica Melan
Dell turned his head and smiled.
“What were you doing by the gate? You weren’t waiting for us, were you?”
Hulk grunted.
“You were the last thing I was expecting to see there,” he paused, thinking about the last few days when he was planning his escape, and then about this morning (now yesterday’s morning) - it felt like it was ages ago. “I was going to escape. I got fed up with being in that prison. If only I’d known how everything will turn out.”
Hulk went quiet, and his friends didn’t interrupt his thoughts, knowing that it will take him some time to let all those painful memories go, get over them and move on.
“There was a point I stopped caring about the consequences it might cause. It was harder to stay there than to break another damn order.”
They knew what he was talking about. And who.
The silence deepened and became heavy and viscous. Only Chaser, who knew a little more than everyone else, remained calm and serene.
“Do you know that because of me, you broke the law?” Hulk didn’t want to ask that question, but could not help himself.
“We know.” snapped Dell seriously, “and we’ll sort it out one way or another. If Drake wants to punish us, he’ll have to fire half of the team.”
Mac was silent.
Hulk rubbed his chin and asked him, “Where did she get your phone number from?”
“Soon you can ask her.” the driver smiled; his eyes sparkled in the mirror, but Hulk didn’t return his smile.
“I may not have the time.” he thought that he can be captured at any moment now.
“You will.” Chaser said confidently, “You will have time for everything.”
And looking at the road, he smiled mysteriously again, but Hulk didn’t see it in the darkness.
*****
His arms were embracing and giving out so much warmth that it seemed like despite the autumn outside, summer suddenly blossomed in my heart. I still couldn’t believe that he was here; such a familiar smell and the gentle touch of his fingers, running through my hair. It felt like if he squeezes me a little tighter, my bones would snap, but I loved it. My chin, pressed against his shirt, was trembling and my eyes were full of tears.
Hulk was here, in my hallway. It was as unreal as it was incredible.
Yes, I saw the cars arriving on the driveway; I saw how they stopped by the entrance, because I had been standing by the window for a good few hours now, as if pinned to the floor, having neither the ability nor the desire to move, as if I was afraid that as soon as I walked away then something good might never happen. That happiness will fly off without noticing me behind the window pane.
Was I worried? Probably more than ever. No other life woes could make me wobble inside as much as I was during these long minutes full of anticipation of the upcoming meeting. It felt like it would take years to untie all the knots formed in my stomach.
I knew they were going to come back with Hulk, but yet I wasn’t ready to see him in the door of my apartment, no matter how hard I tried to stay calm and pretend that everything that was happening wasn’t such a big deal.
His arms were almost strangling me for some time now, but I wanted this moment to last forever. Then his fingers gently lifted my chin, and I got lost in the molten silver of his eyes full of adoration and affection. Another second, and his lips covered mine and his tongue penetrated inside so demandingly and eagerly as if its owner couldn’t survive in this world another moment. Hulk was drinking my love with this kiss, absorbing it and returning it back mixed with his passion and despair. Didn’t he believe that he’d ever see me again?
“I can’t believe you're here...” I whispered, trying not to sob.
He slowly rubbed his nose against my cheek, enjoying every centimetre of my skin, soaking up the knowledge that he is here at last.
Hulk didn’t speak, but his deep stare was saying everything louder than any words.
He was examining my face: forehead, eyebrows, eyes, lips; he was slowly touching them with his fingertips, and then kissing me - very gently or hot and demanding, as if proving something to himself. His fingers were pulling my hair almost painfully, but I was melting from his love. He was here, with me.
“Tell me you love me. Say it! I want to hear...” was the first thing he finally uttered hoarsely.
His thrust pushed me to the wall, my back pressed against the cool plaster, but I only felt the heat of his body.
“Of course, I love you! More than anything in this world. I’ve been waiting for you for so long...”
My fingers were squeezing and stretching the fabric of his shirt, wanting to touch his skin and caress his soul, to soothe his doubts, to make him believe my words.
After my confession, Hulk exhaled noisily, pressed his forehead to mine and closed his eyes. He was slowly relaxing, though something was still tormenting him. I gently stroked his unshaved cheek.
Did Chaser tell him or not? About Drake, about the freedom... Why did it feel like something was still oppressing him? I had to check and make sure.
“Hulk, I...”
He smiled softly, with his eyes closed, and pressed his finger to my lips.
“Later. Don’t worry about anything, you did everything right.”
After these words, I realised that Mac kept quiet. For some reason, he gave me the chance to confess everything myself. Maybe, he understood how important it was for me or maybe he didn’t have enough time. Although I doubted the latter. Either way, Chaser presented me with the opportunity to see that Hulk’s love, despite his "oblivion" about the conversation with Drake, didn’t decrease.
I saw it and the wave of tenderness filled my whole body - never ever I’ll leave this guy. I loved him before now and I will always love him thereafter.
“Aren’t you angry with me that I called your friends?”
Hulk opened his eyes - grey, deep, serious and very warm.
“Angry? I couldn’t live without you for another day.” he smiled and said confidently, “No matter what happens next, we will make it. We will, trust me.”
My restless fingers kept on groping his shoulders, stroking his back, arms, neck... I almost forgot how big he was - and he was mine. Completely. I was besotted with this feeling. And of course, I trusted him - even if I’d never met Drake, I’d still trust Hulk wholly - if he says “we’ll make it”, I’d never doubt his words for a second.
But yet, it was necessary to tell him about the meeting with his boss as soon as possible. After all, I’d seen everything I wanted to see, and it was unfair and cruel to keep him in the dark.
As I was about to open my mouth, looking forward to one of the best moments of my life, that, one day will become a priceless memory, but before I could say a word Hulk’s mobile went off.
“Yes, I’m on my way.” He said shortly and I tensed.
I forgot everything I wanted to say, and the only nasty thought that raced through my mind was “He is going to leave now”.
I swallowed. Please, not like that... What if he just goes, says something like “Alright, I have to run, I’ll call you tomorrow” or even worse “see you next weekend” and disappears?
My mind, my logic, even my bum knew that it shouldn’t happen, but yet I felt shocked by this untimely image. Do beautiful stories ever end in such a banal way? Does it ever happen that once the prince overcomes all the obstacles on the way to the Princess Tower, suddenly decides that the princess isn’t actually that nice as he’d thought all this time, and that a stop at a nearby bar wouldn’t hurt? After all, since this lady has been waiting by the window for decades, why couldn’t she wait a little longer?
Real life is not a fairy tale and a beautiful ending is never guaranteed. Reality may be very different: cruel, stupid or pointless and the logic of one person may not always be understood by the logic of another.
I held my breath, waiting for what was to come next.
Please, don’t tell me that you ought to go.
And while my brain was running this horror movie, Hulk was looking at me, smiling gently and knowingly. Then he shook his head reproachfully.
And I, silly me, forgot that he is the Sensor...
“Do you really think I could leave you now? Why would I rush here, ask the guys to drop me off at your place first? Because I wanted to see the most important person in my life, not because I wanted to leave after a short “hello”.”
A feeling of relief swept over me and immediately washed all my worries. I didn’t answer, just hugged him tighter. How could I explain that sometimes I’m not as smart as I’d like to be, and that sometimes I am afraid for no reason? That all I want is to get lost in his embrace, feeling safe, loved and protected?
“Let’s go, I’ll have to chat with the guys first and then we’ll go home.”
“Home?” I asked in awe, feeling that my heart suddenly filled with an inexplicable hope. Hope for something good and bright that I never had in my life before.
“Yes, home.” Hulk nodded and gently touched my cheek with his lips, “Do you want to see our new home?”
I froze for a moment, stunned, filled with happiness, and then nodded with such enthusiasm that Hulk laughed.
“Then let’s go, sweetheart.” He kissed the tip of my nose and the corners of my lips. Then he intertwined his fingers with mine, and we headed to the door.
Again, there were too many men for one room, instead of four there were five of them now. And the atmosphere had changed greatly - they were discussing something, happily and excitedly, sharing their impressions - inconsistent, fragmentary, and impacted by a long, eventful and intense night. It was clear that it would take more than one meeting, somewhere in a cosy bar with whiskey, snacks, sharing their experiences they’d had in that time they were separated; building new plans, calm down from all the excitement; absorbing the feeling that they are together again, and this time as the whole team again.
It was pure bliss to watch these men, who like tired from play-time puppies, were gesticulating, showing something to each other, tapping each other on the backs and laughing. They were still full of energy, while I was sleepy, affected by the recent worries and long anticipation. Now that I knew everything was alright with Hulk, and all of them were back home alive, I could relax. Nobody was looking at me, so I yawned, nestled my head on a soft pillow in the corner of the sofa and immediately nodded off. Somewhere in the back of my mind there was a thought that it would be worthwhile to stay awake for a little longer, talk about Drake and dot the I’s and cross the T’s, but I couldn’t find the strength to do that. My eyes closed, and no man's voice could stop me from sleeping peacefully in the middle of the room.
Next time I woke up I was in a car.
I only briefly opened my eyes to see a dark cabin, to feel a warm shoulder, and tender hands hugging me. I moved and Hulk gently stroked my head and whispered, “We are going home. Everything is fine, sleep.”
And I fell asleep again.
Hulk’s thoughts went back to the conversation that happened soon after Mac noticed Shereen sleeping on the couch. In fact, Dell was the one who discovered her first, patted Mac on the shoulder, and then they all turned to look at the girl who was comfortably curled up in the corner of the couch.
The voices in the room immediately quietened down.
Hulk smiled tenderly - she looked so cute, so vulnerable with her brown curls tossed around her head.
“Is she your other half?” asked Chaser.
Hulk nodded.
“That’s what I thought. Otherwise why would she go through water and fire for you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Didn’t she tell you?” he seemed surprised, and all the other men in the room looked at him with a hint of interest, “I’m sure she wanted to tell you herself, but probably, she didn’t get the chance. Anyway, you ought to hear something.”
Mac chuckled.
“It was before we came after you; I was taking Shereen home and you know what she’d confessed to me?”
Hulk became serious and focused - what does his friend mean? He wouldn’t have started this conversation with no purpose, and everything related to Shereen, was related to him, therefore every detail was important.