Chapter thirty five

Christiana 

Christiana lay comfortably in her silk sheets with a warm body wrapped around her. She opened her eyes slowly, a true moment of contentment resonating within her. She was happy. She nuzzled into the arms she knew so well and they wrapped themselves protectively around her. 

Once again the memories flooded back and the contentment disappeared. She took in her surroundings and realised she was back in the stupidly over priced room that people were insisting was hers. She groaned and went to make a move. Her head felt like lead. Two days of solid drinking did not agree with her at all.

Connor’s arms wrapped even tighter around her.

“No.” He growled.

“What?” Christiana asked.

“You’re not going to torture yourself with further psychological damage today. You’re done.”

Christiana manoeuvred herself around in his arms so that she was facing him. 

“And who says that?” She asked.

“I do.” Connor replied. “I should have done it yesterday when you insisted on staying in that stupid room.”

Christiana sighed, “I have to, Connor.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s important to make sure that I understand.”

“Understand what?”

“Why they had to die and not me.”

Connor let out a soft chuckle. “And you thought watching a bunch of people die would give you the answer to that?”

“No,” Christiana said. “But maybe if I made sure their death meant something then I could justify why it is that I get to live.”

“You don’t think you deserved to be picked?”

It was Christiana’s turn to laugh. She rolled her eyes, “It’s not like I’m asking for a pity party or deciding that I hate myself or anything, but do I qualify as one of the top 1,000 people in this country? Somehow, I don’t think so.

“Except you obviously do qualify, otherwise you wouldn’t be here.”

Christiana sighed. This was what she questioned more than anything else. She looked at Connor staring at her, concern on his face, and decided she might as well just say it before anyone else started to.

“That or Kelly pulled some strings to make sure her housemate and brother’s girlfriend got a free ride.”

“Well, from the sounds of it, you were picked for this place before I even met you as I only knew you because Kelly assigned me to you and I would even go as far as to say that the only reason Kelly was interested in flat sharing with you in the first place was because you were a person of interest back then.”

Christiana looked at him confused.

“I’m not following.” She said.

“The people who designed this future for us have known that this was going to happen for four years, right?” Connor explained.

“Right.” Christiana confirmed.

“How long have you and Kelly shared a flat?”

“Three and a half years.”

“Coincidence?” Connor asked. “I think not. My sister loves her own space, she lived in a flat above the garage from the age of 13 because she thought the house was too crowded. When she first told me that she was moving in with you, I was ready to start checking for entry points on her body to see how the aliens had gotten in and taken over. This makes a lot more sense.”

Christiana thought about that for a while. Kelly had been particularly clingy to her in the first six months, she remembered because it had pissed her right off. But once she had calmed down, they had got on really well.

“But couldn’t the fact that she got on well with me have clouded her judgment?”

“Of course it could have, but is that a bad thing?” Connor asked. “True, this place needs the brains and muscle to keep it running and safe but maybe it also needs decent people as well to make sure that the morals don’t get too clouded the longer we stay here. Maybe that’s why you’re here.”

Christiana couldn’t deny that Connor made sense, although the thought of being the person that was here to make sure that everyone behaved themselves terrified her. She was in no rush to become the nagger of the group, not to mention she despaired of the future situation they would be in if she had been picked as the most law abiding.

“Also,” Connor added. “Pretty much everyone in here has just lost everyone they’ve ever known. There is going to be a lot of mental health treatment needed in the coming future.”

“Now that I believe.” Christiana said.

Her mind began to wander back to the bubble, she wondered if there were any more survivors. She made a move to get up but Connor’s arms were still held tight around her.

 “Where do you think you’re going?” Connor asked.

“I just wanted to see if there was anyone left alive out there.”

Connor moved so that he was laying on top of her, his legs and torso pinning her down whilst he supported his upper body with his arms.

“You’re not going anywhere near that room.”

Christiana raised an eyebrow.

“What are you going to do? Threaten to shag me into resistance?”

Connor grinned. “I’m prepared to make that sacrifice if I have to.”

Christiana rolled her eyes and wriggled underneath him, trying to find a way free. Connor just simply leaned down and placed his mouth firmly on hers, his lips parted and his tongue found hers. Up until that point, Christiana really hadn’t thought about being this way with Connor since she had realised what had happened. She had been too pre-occupied, and even up to the seconds prior to his lips reaching hers, she had had no desire for anything other than making sure she was back in that bubble room.

However, the moment their lips met, it was like every emotion exploded in her at once and she could do nothing but be as close to Connor as she possibly could. She opened her mouth willingly to his and her hands went from pushing at his chest to wrapping themselves tightly around his face. Connor sat up and pulled Christiana up with him, pulling her onto his lap. She wrapped her legs around his torso and pushed herself closer to him, desperate to be in as much contact as was humanly possible. She suddenly found that she needed this. She had to be with him like this right now. She needed to feel wanted, to feel loved and accepted and not alone. She seemed to be begging for it in every kiss and every touch and Connor eagerly responded, giving her all the interaction and contact that she craved, his eagerness evident and as strong as hers. They lost themselves in each other. Nothing else appeared more important than where they were and what they were doing. 

Afterwards, Christiana held Connor tight, his arms interweaved in hers and his front pressed into her back. She had no desire to move anymore. She couldn’t. She was spent. All she wanted to do was lie there with the one person left on the Earth who she truly loved. After a few moments, she eased into a peaceful sleep, safe in the knowledge that she was protected and safe for the first time in two days.