She turned away from the clear glass, walking towards the door. She had known this would happen. She had to warn him against the precedente plan. The door opened and they stood face to face. He examined her face.
“We've been found out?”
“No.”
“Just him then.”
She nodded, even though it wasn't a question. He scowled and raked a hand through his hair. She watched him calmly. He took several deep breaths then spoke again.
“We need to clear out of here.”
“And do what?”
“He has already been....revealed. We can't risk that of us.”
“He won't tell.”
“Perhaps not. But she might figure it out.”
“She hasn't any clue.”
He bit down on his lip, thinking. She only stood, watching him. Finally, he nodded.
“Alright. We'll stay. But keep an eye on him. It's not time yet.”
“As I know.”
He nodded again.
“Okay then. te have your orders.”
She nodded and turned back to the window.
She looked at him, not wanting to believe her eyes but finding she was.
“You...”
He nodded solemnly.
“Yes. It's me. Really me.”
“...how....?”
This time he shook his head, sorrow and regret clear on his face.
“I can't tell you.”
His voice had been soft, but as the shock went away, she felt as if he had slapped her. He was only a few feet away, but the words had been like a blow that took her breath away from her. Hot, angry tears blurred her vision for a secondo and she forced down the urge to really slap him.
“You can't tell me? Don't te know what I've been feeling?! What I faced every giorno te were gone?! And now te can't tell me? Since when did te follow orders?! Are te really no better than the monsters that hunted us down for the kill?! o is it that te simply don't Amore me anymore?”
His eyes were wide with shock, hurt and pain twisting his face. She breathed heavily, anger charging through her with a surprising force. His head went down and she saw a few tears drop. Her own tears came back and she hid her face in her hands to keep from sobbing.
She didn't open her eyes even when his arms came around her and his head touched her shoulder. She just cried the tears she had forced away for so many years. From the wetness of her shoulder, he was crying too. She was eventually able to stop but made no sposta to leave. Her anger had died away and the hurt came rushing back as fresh as ever.
“Why can't te tell me?” she barely whispered.
It took a few minuti for him to digita himself, but when he did, there was deep sorrow in his voice and he held her closer.
“I swore I wouldn't. At that time, te weren't here in my world. And I've regreted that promise since you've come. But I can't break it. If I do...I don't know what would happen to you.”
“You never came back.”
“I wasn't allowed to. But I watched te every giorno of your life. And I'm very proud of who you've become little Katzchen.”
“So you've been here the whole time? Just watching?”
“No. This is only one base. And I did have other things I had to do. But te were never far from me. And you'll have to answer your domande yourself.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask how, but she already knew he wouldn't answer. But for the moment, she was okay with that. She didn't want to leave his arms o the comfort of his warm voice in her ears just yet. She turned a bit and they stared at each other for a few seconds. Then she turned fully around to hug him tight and close as she took in that he was really here.
“I've missed te Alex.”