“Why?” was the first thing Skylar demanded once they were alone that night.
“What?”
“Why do you keep doing this?” she repeated, her face filled with anger and pain. “Why do you keep throwing yourself into danger?”
“I’m not-” Luke started, but Skylar cut him off. Just like when they had first met.
“Yes, you are,” she argued, her eyebrows knitted together, “First, you give me your cloak, and end up feverish and dying, pick up a sword when you can barely stand, and you keep hiding your feelings.”
Luke opened his mouth to say something, but she continued her rant.
“Then, you stand there waiting for an avalanche to hit you, and now, you jump in front of everybody as soldiers storm a camp? What is going on, Luke? Why do you keep doing this?” her voice was breaking, and he noticed she was biting the inside of her lip to keep herself from crying.
“I just…want to make sure everyone is okay,” he tried, but Skylar shook her head.
“This-this isn’t helping, Luke,” Skylar protested, “Killing yourself isn’t helping. Something else is going on. What aren’t you telling me?”
But he couldn’t offer an answer. He couldn’t. He just didn’t want to hurt her anymore right now.
Growing angrier in the silence, Skylar seemed to finally break. “Fine. Do you want to know what’s happening in my horrible life that you haven’t heard about?”
Oh, no. She was really breaking now. Luke didn’t know why it had to come to this.
“I keep seeing the ghost of my dead father, I met another boy when I was gone and accidentally got his father killed, and now I can’t seem to talk to anyone about my problems because I’m too afraid to ask for help!” She shouted, tears beginning to run down her face.
“I get anxious from everything, I don’t feel safe anywhere, and I have to keep the front of being a tough warrior, so people don’t see how weak I am!”
“Meanwhile, I have a boyfriend who’s busy trying to get himself killed because he’s too hellbent on protecting myself and others that I’m afraid he’s going to leave me!”
“Leave me alone like everyone else in my life! Everyone tells me how much my mother is such an amazing person, especially my dead father, but no one seems to want to tell me who she is, where she is, or-or why she left me…”
Each thing she listed sent daggers to Luke’s heart, making him feel guiltier and guiltier each second.
“So, there you go! Now, why don’t you tell me what’s making you so dangerous to be around!” Skylar’s anger had left her now, and she looked deflated like she had nothing left in her.
Luke sighed. He might as well tell her now.
“Skye, I-I’m not sure what’s going on with me,” her breathing had already begun to slow, so at least she wasn’t as mad at him anymore. “All I know is, I keep trying to protect people. Especially the ones I love. Like you.”
She avoided his eyes, refusing to answer him.
“I guess I just…I guess I just don’t want to lose you, as much as I don’t want to lose my family,” at this, Skylar’s expression softened a bit, “I just…need to keep everyone safe. I need to make sure everyone’s okay, especially before myself. It’s just…who I am, I guess.”
“But I can work on it,” Luke held her hand, “I promise. Just tell me what I need to do.”
She scoffed. “Well, you can start by not trying to kill yourself, first.”
“Okay,” Luke smiled.
“And just…please don’t try and protect me all the time,” she added, “For all of us, actually.”
Her voice began to break again. “I…I can’t have you dying trying to protect me. I couldn’t live with myself.”
“I guess I’m just trying to return the favor,” Luke’s eyes were downcast, “For what you did for me.”
“I didn’t have much choice for that.”
“But you could have let me help you,” he protested, “I could have reached you, you just had to hold on a little longer.”
Skylar shook her head. “No. No, I would’ve just brought you down with me, and then we’d both be at the bottom of the Waters of Abdomes.”
“At least I’d be with you,” Luke kissed her hand, “And you survived, anyway.”
“I’m not sure if you would survive as well,” Skylar’s brow was furrowed again. “I don’t know, but something…weird happened before I broke the surface of the water. It was like at the beginning of the quest, when Boromir stabbed me.”
“Someone must be looking out for you,” Luke joked, his smile returning. “And, ooh boy, am I glad we don’t have Boromir chasing us anymore. I can die happy not having to see his face again.”
Once again, his jokes were making Skylar smile. It was good to see her smile.
“Promise me something, Luke.”
“Hmm?”
Her face had become serious again. “Promise me that you won’t put yourself in danger again. Promise me you won’t sacrifice yourself and end up captured or…worse. Promise me, Luke. Promise me.”
He took a deep breath.
“Okay,” he nodded in defeat, “Okay, I promise.”
But even as he made that promise, Luke knew it wasn’t true. He knew he was lying. He would break that promise, one way or another.
He just hoped Skylar would be as forgiving as she had been...
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