Laura Thompson's POV (Present Year: 2023)

Log Entry: T-364 Days (One day less than a full Earth year!)

I'm gonna start this off by saying this;

My life is a mess.

Just when I think things are going good and everything is stable, of course things have to start falling apart.

Thanks to some anonymous posters on Twitter, as well as Jessica Morrison, Vivian's Instructor, my relationship with Elon is now plastered all over every Social Media wall imaginable.

The Media has already been here to talk to us, which we agreed to, figuring they'd just want answers about the Starship and Mars 2024 Program, but nah, they just wanted us to make our relationship with each other clear.

That; we did not do.

Not yet anyway.

We've agreed that once things hopefully calm down around here, we can make our relationship 'official,' I guess.

And to think; all of this came to be because some crazy woman with extreme feminist issues posted on Twitter; well, technically threatened via Twitter.

I shake my head with a sigh, staring out the window of my bedroom absentmindedly before focusing once more on the small notebook in front of me.

E and I reported Jessica to the Head of Employment, a man by the name of Mr. Murphy.

I asked that he let me, or both of us, know what they plan on doing with the woman, but either of us still have yet to hear a reply.

I sigh heavily once more, my grip around the pen tightening.

It's not like I fear Jessica.

I don't fear her physically.

She's not a physical threat to me; I could take her down in a few seconds if had to.

It's her mentality that I fear.

She's just not all with it.

I mean, who just throws around threats and acts all creepy?

I fear her mind - her instability.

Who knows what type of threat she could throw at us next!

But, NASA will deal with their own.

I just want to see to it that she's actually done and gone with my own two eyes.

I sigh heavily once more, my grip around the pen going slack as my eyes wander once more from the inked paper to the window.

The Complex outside is coming to life for the day.

People walking by, chatting while sipping on hot beverages, binders and papers in hand.

Others are bustling around on Forklifts, carrying large crates of equipment and supplies to and fro.

An odd sense of calm washes over me momentarily.

It's almost like I'm back in Hawthorne, just working a normal day at SpaceX HQ...

However, my eased state is interrupted as my thoughts begin to churn once more.

Right... The rumors...

So much has changed since I was last at SpaceX HQ... So much.

Tapping my writing utensil against the table beneath me, I begin to scribble against the paper yet again.

Once Jessica is dealt with and that is all wrapped up... There's gonna be another issue needing solving.

Well, more like, disarming.

See, there are quite a few rumors floating around the Web, about Elon and I.

Some are focused on me, claiming I'm simply in the relationship for the benefits of being with someone of such high social and monetary status...

Others are focused on him, claiming that he's been... abusive and rather distant from his past Partners.

I heave yet another sigh as my head begins to spin, my hand simply running on autopilot, jotting my thoughts down on paper.

Elon would never hurt me intentionally.

And it's not like I have to worry about not seeing him often.

He makes the time work.

Plus, I understand how dedicated he is to his work, just like I am.

We'll make things work; together.

That's what we've done since day one, and we'll keep working at it.

One day at a time.

But enough about that stuff.

We've all got work to do now that we're just one day less than a full Earth year till our potential Launch date.

In fact, I think I overheard Mark and Elon chatting about the full-sized Starship cockpit sim he and the other Technicians and Engineers have been working on during his Training.

By the sounds of it, that Sim is pretty much done.

Other than a few minor software adjustments for the Simulator itself, everything should be good to go for our training that starts in the next few days and will continue right up until about a month prior to Launch.

It's just so crazy how time flies.

Especially with so much going on around here lately.

Abruptly, a sharp yet intelligent sounding knock on my door sounds through my quiet room, earning a slight gasp from my now startled form.

"You up yet, sleepyhead?" A familiarly warm masculine voice from the opposite side of my door sounds as a smile tugs at my lips.

"Yep!" I reply, closing my notebook and shoving it aside as Elon strides into my room, a worn out smirk on his own features.

"You look tired today," I hum, pushing myself up and away from my office chair, wrapping him in a tight embrace.

He just sighs heavily, wrapping his own arms around me and pulling me closer, his chin finding a resting place on the top of my head.

"It's because I am," He mumbles as I step away from his strong frame, my now concerned gaze meeting his rather sheepish one.

"What kept you up?" I whisper, my fingers gently tracing his jawline as he leans into my touch.

"Thoughts," Comes the reply, short and simple.

I raise an eyebrow questioningly as the man in front of me sighs once again.

"Usually, I don't let the Media get in my head, but for some reason, this time around, they seem to be really getting to me," Elon explains, a tone of pure exhaustion laced in his voice as he takes a seat on the end of my bed.

"E..." I trail off, sitting across from him in my office chair, meeting his gaze yet again. "Don't listen to them. They don't know the ins and outs of everything like you do. They don't have the full story!"

"I know, I know," He murmurs, voice cracking slightly. "It's just... I've had nightmares, Laura. The image of everything... just bursting into flames on the Pad, right as we were about to board..."

I go silent, hanging my head as my boyfriend continues.

"And the Media's speculation and rumors only make it worse... Their latest headline; 'Musk's Major Mishap,' along with an entire article explaining why Starship is a complete failure and that we'll never succeed in actually getting to Mars itself..." He pauses momentarily, taking a shaky breath. "I just... I can't help but feel that maybe doing all of this was indeed a major mistake."

I'm speechless.

There's no way that Elon Musk, the man behind SpaceX, the company that was founded on the belief that we need to make life multiplanetary, is giving up!

There's no way!

"Elon," I start, voice rather tough yet brittle at the same time.

He slowly raises his head to meet my gaze.

"You don't give up. Ever."

At this, he begins to laugh halfheartedly, sounding worn out and defeated.

"Maybe I've just had enough of all this," He sighs, running a hand through his hair before gasping my own.

"Don't say that, E," I murmur, squeezing his hand reassuringly, desperately watching his eyes to see that familiar blaze of optimism spark within them. "I believe in you. Mark and Vivian believe in you. The entire world believes in you... Don't listen to the critics, the scoffers. They're just angry because you're actually doing something you love to be doing; something you believe in. You have to realize that..."

A silence settles between us as we sit there, foreheads almost touching, hand in hand.

"Y-you're right," He stammers, suddenly sitting up straighter while pulling me from my own chair and into his arms. "I-I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me there."

I allow a small smile to spread across my lips as I bury my head into his chest, cherishing the moment.

"It's okay," I sigh, snaking my arm around his torso before beginning to softly rub small circles on his back. "I'm just glad I was here to help you through it."

"Me too."

The air goes slack once more as we stay there, Elon sitting on the end of my bed with my much smaller form practically hidden away by his arms, my head resting in the crook of his neck while my hand continues it's comforting movements.

It suddenly dawns on me how much we've relied on each other since the very beginning of all this.

Astronaut training is no easy feat, but when you have someone else to share a laugh with, share your time with, it makes the days practically blur by.

It seems like we were just starting all this yesterday.

But, it's not.

And there's solid evidence to prove that fact.

Our night under the stars...

The feeling of his rough, yet soft, lips on mine...

A shiver of pleasure runs down my spine at that thought as my mind continues to wander.

Then the Twitter posts...

The threats...

The speculation...

The Media...

The rumors...

So many things have happened as time moved on... And the events of the future continue to loom on the horizon.

Gently, I manage to untangle myself from my boyfriend's arms, flopping back into the Office chair behind me.

The man across from me passes me a small smile, though he raises an eyebrow questioningly while eyeing me over.

"Something's on your mind, isn't it?" He hums, his smile now replaced with a slight frown.

"Elon... Have you heard the rumors?" I muse aloud, drumming my fingers against my knee as I watch Elon shift rather uncomfortably.

He nods silently, gaze lowering from mine to the floor, shaking his head.

"The ones about me or the ones about you?"

"Both."

My Partner sits up straighter once more, gaze finding mine yet again.

"Mine are false," He states firmly, a glimmer of honesty shining in his eyes. "One of my Exes... We ended on what I thought to be decently stable terms, however, I'm apparently not the best judge of those so called 'terms...'"

I can't help but laugh.

"I can understand that," I murmur, urging him to continue.

"She managed to flag down some Media Corporations to share her 'horror story' of being alongside me... She made those claims, all of which I can assure you with pure honesty are one hundred percent false." Elon explains as I simply nod, holding his gaze while my thoughts move a mile a minute. "They then spread around like wildfire... Now that I'm with 'another woman', as those Journalist folks put it, those same false claims are surfacing once more."

Makes sense.

"That was certainly a jerk thing to do," I chuckle as my boyfriend rolls his eyes, nodding in agreeance before quickly turning serious.

"What about you?" He inquires, the firmness in his tone suddenly gone entirely, replaced by a trace of anguish as he crosses his arms, gaze suddenly cold and distant.

I'm taken aback.

"W-what do you mean?" I stammer, rolling the chair back against the desk behind me, trying to put some distance between the now stern man in front of me.

"The rumors about you," He states, form tensing up. "Are they true?"

Does he really think I'm just in this for the money?!

"N-no!" I protest, holding my hands up as if to surrender. "Why would you think that?"

My Partner's gaze drops from mine yet again.

"Everyone else just sees me as that stuck up billionaire that doesn't care about anyone or anything..." Elon murmurs, his voice cracking.

"We both know that is nowhere close to the truth."

I shimmy forward in my seat, grasping his hand in mine before he raises his head, our gazes locking.

"You're right," He nods, clearly pushing his emotion aside for the time being as a broken smile appears on his features. "We should probably get going for the day, hm?"

I allow myself to nod slowly, my head not quite wrapping around the swift shift of emotions that all just occurred throughout our conversation.

Gently, the man I've come to know so well over the past while pulls me to my feet, guiding us towards the door.

I silently grab my lanyard before lacing up my boots, slipping out of my room after my Partner.

Our heavy, booted footsteps echo in the quiet hallway.

It's a rather comforting sound.

As we make our way through the Crew Quarters and out into the brilliant sunshine of Houston, Texas, I can't help but allow my thoughts to wander over everything.

Today...

Hopefully Mr. Murphy will call either of us to let us know the situation with the whole Jessica ordeal...

In the meantime, we've got Training to do.

"We're supposed to be going over basic botany skills later this afternoon, right?" I muse aloud, nodding and smiling at a NASA employee who passes by us.

"That's what the schedule said," Comes the reply, sounding rather distant once more.

There's obviously more on his mind, then.

I nearly scold myself out loud.

Of course there's lots on his mind!

He is Elon Musk, Head and Founder of numerous companies, Mission Commander of this entire thing and, in a sense, a Celebrity with the Paparazzi on his tail!

He's bound to break down at some point...

We all have our breaking points...

Hopefully I'll be nearby to help him out...

"Yep..." I hum, twirling a loose strand of my hair that had fallen from the loose bun I'd haphazardly tossed up this morning.

I hope today moves fast...

It just seems like things are going downhill...

Fast.

****

I step into the large, whitewashed Laboratory, screwing my face up in disgust.

"It smells awfully," I pause, interrupted by a cough as in inhale the scent of very potent cleaning agents. "Clean in here."

From beside me, Vivian Chang just laughs, handing me a pair of safety glasses.

"It's not that bad," She counters, a smirk on her features.

"Says you! You've been in a lab studying rocks and soil for months on end! You're used to it!"

"Fair enough, but hey, at least I haven't been stuck in a simulator all day."

I can't help but roll my eyes as the much older woman in an all white lab coat who had greeted us at the door leads us through the room, guiding our group into another, much smaller, room lined with shelves of boxes, all with various labels.

Some read 'Potatoes.'

Others read 'Lettuce' and 'Carrots.'

They're all vegetables...

"Now, this area here is to familiarize you all with the equipment similar to be what will be available on your vehicle's Hydroponics deck," Our Guide explains, gesturing to the tall stacks of boxes willed with soil and seeds. "By the end of your training here, everyone will be familiar with the procedure to prepare, plant and harvest while on the surface."

I nod in understanding, my gaze quickly darting towards Elon's rather stiff form before darting back to the older lady in front of me.

He looks so distracted...

Almost bothered?

A pang of worry pulses through me, uncertainty filling my headspace.

"Vivi," I whisper, tapping my friend's shoulder as we're broken off into pairs on either side of the room.

"Hm?" She murmurs in response, passing me a small pouch of seeds and a container of water soluble nutrients.

I grasp them in my hands tightly, my thoughts still racing.

I guess we never really did get a chance to finish our conversation from this morning about the Media's rumors... That's probably what's still bugging him.

But what if it isn't?

"Have you noticed anything... I don't know... Off? With Elon today?" I muse softly as we make our way over to the lab table, supplies in hand.

The woman beside me just chuckles.

"Geez, Lori!" She smirks, setting down the items in her hands before practically slapping me on the back in a friendly fashion, lowering her voice. "And you told me your relationship with him is just platonic."

Almost instantly, I feel the heat rise to my cheeks.

I wasn't expecting this type of answer.

"I-It is!" I protest, stammering over my words as I quickly distance myself from her, moving to the opposite side of the table.

Vivian just raises her eyebrow questioningly, smirk still evident.

I scowl at her, getting down to business.

The task is simple, really.

Mix the nutrients in with clean, safe leveled pH, water, drop the seeds into the netted pot which is sitting in the nutrified water and then wait 3-5 days for the seeds to germinate and sprout.

That's all there is to it.

"To answer your question though," My friend across the table from me hums aloud, working away on her own task. "Yes, I have noticed he's been not quite all with it today."

She stops momentarily, gaze wandering to mine, a frown tugging at her features.

"Is everything alright between you two?"

All I can really do is nod.

Is everything actually alright between us?

I mean, I think so.

"I heard about the Press showing up yesterday," Vivi continues, resuming her work, an air of knowing in her tone.

"Yeah, yeah, go ahead and say it," I laugh lightly, shaking my head.

"I told ya so!"

"You certainly did."

Vivian leans forward slightly, propping her elbows up on the table in front of her.

"But for real though, Laura, you two are a thing, right?"

Once more, I feel the blush rise to my cheeks, though I push it aside.

I've kept her in the dark for so long now...

She deserves to know.

I allow a smile to tug at my lips as I slowly nod.

At this, her hand flies over her mouth in surprise, eyes widening.

"I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" She squeals in a hushed tone of excitement, swiftly rounding the table and pulling me into a massive hug, which completely catches me off guard.

Thankfully, I hadn't had anything important in my hands.

"What are you guys doing over there?" Mark pipes up from the opposite side of the room, bewilderment evident in his voice and on his features.

"Oh! We just had a realization, that's all!" I chuckle loudly, stepping away from Vivian and re-focusing on the task at hand.

"Ah. I see," The youngest Crew member smirks, elbowing Elon lightly.

He just glares back at him in response.

Well, it seems that everyone within our immediate circle now knows about us...

I softly let out a sigh I didn't even realize I'd been holding back.

That eliminates some stress.

The room falls silent as the four of us continue to work away on our Hydroponic seedlings, a shared air of concentration and determination floating around.

"That's the last of those carrot seeds," I inform my Lab Partner, tossing the small pouch into the recycling bin next to me.

"And that's the last of the lettuce," She smiles, marking off the two items on the list we'd been given earlier.

"Well done Ms. Thompson, Ms. Chang," The older woman smiles warmly at us.

"Thanks!" Vivian bubbles, picking up the various items off the table. "I'll clean up."

I nod in agreeance as the older woman in the lab coat nears me, a look of urgency on her features.

"Mr. Murphy, Head of Employment, called. Asked for both you and Mr. Musk," She whispers, gesturing to the exit. "I suggest you hurry. Your Partner is well on his way already."

I slight chorus of concern flashes through me as I thank the lady and leave the Lab behind, following in Elon's apparent footsteps.

Why would he have left without me?

He usually waits for me to catch up, at least.

I eye the small foyer of the building over before leaving it completely behind, heading in the direction of the Main Office building.

Maybe we aren't alright after all.

It's an odd feeling.

Not having anyone beside me as I walk along, my heavy footsteps echoing back lonely.

I hug myself as an unusual cool gust of wind brushes by me, sending a cold shiver dancing down my spine.

I'm almost there, then I'll be out of the wind.

With a sigh, I approach the large double glass doors.

Time to put an end to these threats.

****

I stroll into Mr. Murphy's office with intent.

My stance is rigid, eyes ablaze with determination.

I simply nod at Elon as I stride in.

He nods in reply.

"You called?" I joke, smiling towards the older man behind the desk, who makes his way to his feet.

"Indeed," He nods, meeting me halfway in a firm handshake.

"So? What's the rundown?" I inquire, taking a seat in the chair beside my Partner, who shifts away from me slightly.

Now he's avoiding me like the plague?

What is going on here?

"Ms. Morrison is currently in the lab attached to this building. We want you to confront her. See if she'll confess to your incident in the NBL."

"You want me," I start, surprise running through me. "To confront her. The same person who threatened me?"

Murphy just nods.

"If she confesses to tampering with your suit seal, it's a whole other realm of things. But, we have to know for certain first."

"Which is where I come in."

"Correct."

I glance at the man sitting silently beside me, his features void of all emotion.

Sighing and shaking my head, I smile once more Murphy's way.

"Let's go then."

****

The small Laboratory wing attached to this building is quiet, dead quiet.

Just walk in there, ask her the question and then state your business.

Taking a deep breath, I throw one last look over my shoulder at Mr. Murphy and Elon, along with two other Security personnel.

"Here goes nothing," I mutter, summing up my courage as I enter the whitewashed room, the sound of my heavy footsteps the only real thing that tells me I'm actually moving forward.

Jessica is working in the middle of the room, unpacking various samples and supplies by the looks of it.

Her back is to me.

"Hello, Laura Thompson," She greets without turning around as I stop in my tracks, alarmed.

How did she?

"I have a question for you," I start, my voice echoing in the room, ringing back at me as sounding rather confident.

"Fire away," Comes the reply as she turns to face me slowly, a sly smirk tugging at her features. "But wait, it's about your accident in the NBL, isn't it?"

My eyes widen in shock.

That's twice she's managed to pull real conclusions from thin air!

"You did my final suit check on that day," I state, swallowing the lump of nerves rising in my throat. "And it just so happened I nearly drowned because of a faulty seal in my wrist cuff. So, I demand to know; did you purposely sabotage my suit?"

The woman in front of me begins to cackle manically.

"Why would you think that?" She wheezes out in between fits of obnoxious laughter. "Oh wait! I made it glaringly obvious, didn't I?"

I nod my head in response, going along with her craziness.

She confirmed it.

"Okay, well, I just figured I should ask," I chuckle, backing up towards the door while keeping a close eye on Jessica. "Thanks for your answer, it'll really help when I report you to Employment."

The woman in front of me pales, nearly dropping the sample she's holding.

"When you what?!" She roars, stepping closer to me before regaining her composure, sneering. "You really think they'll believe you? You're just a regular civilian playing Astronaut."

Stepping backward once more, I reach the door behind me, backing into the opening mechanism and stepping out into the hallway where the two Security guards are waiting.

"This was a setup!" She hisses as one of the Guards hold her back from pouncing on me while the other restrains her with a pair of handcuffs.

"It was," I nod, nearing Jessica's now slightly calmer form still in the Security guard's grip. "And I'm sorry it had to be this way. I'm hoping some time off might help clear your head."

"And time off you will receive," Mr. Murphy announces, rounding the corner and coming into my view. "Thank you, Ms. Thompson."

"You're welcome, I'm glad I could be of assistance," I reply as I brush past him before stopping once more. "Did Elon already leave?"

Murphy simply nods.

"He said he had some phone calls to make. I'm assuming he went back to his Quarters for the evening."

Another pang of worry pulses through me as I thank the Head of Employment once more before heading back towards the Crew Quarter's building.

I've gotta find him.

****

Dinner rolled around.

I called Elon.

No answer.

The three of us figured we play some cards.

Mark tries to get a hold to our Commander.

Still no luck.

With a heavy sigh, I toss the hand of cards I had been holding onto the coffee table in front of me.

"Don't feel bad, Lau," Mark assures, slinging his arm over my shoulder in a brotherly fashion. "I'm sure he's just busy with work, that's all."

"Yeah," Vivian adds, tossing me a weary smile. "And we all have our bad days sometimes."

Silently, I bow my head, allowing yet another wave of every negative emotion I know to wash over me.

He's definitely not okay.

He wasn't okay this morning, and now this has just spiraled out of control.

"I'm gonna go to bed, guys," I whisper, slowly making my way to my feet and heading towards the door. "Night."

The younger duo both pass me small smiles of encouragement as I sharply turn on my heel and stagger down the hallway towards my room.

What if he's done something... something he'll regret.

What if he's just cancelled the entire Starship program? All it would take is one phone call!

What if, what if, what if.

My head loops that continuous mantra as I come to a stop outside my door.

The sound of Elon's rather stern sounding tone reaches me.

And, though distant and slightly muted, his voice still manages to bring a slight comfort to me.

Well, he's still in the land of the living.

Letting out a sigh of relief, I slip into my room.

I shed my Flightsuit and boots before slipping into a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved shirt, flopping down on my bed and staring at the ceiling.

Maybe I should go talk to him?

Try and comfort him maybe?

But he sounds busy.

I shouldn't interrupt him...

Slowly but surely, the hum of the air conditioner as well as the muted one-way conversation from next door, begins to lull me to sleep.

I'll talk to him in the morning...

****

I awake with a start.

So much so, the fact that I'm awake frightens me.

Rolling onto my side, I glance at the small digital clock.

12:27 AM

"Geez," I mutter, rubbing my eyes with a yawn.

I wonder why I'm awake.

As I sit there, in a foggy realm of reality, a distant cry of misery reaches me.

That sharpens my senses real quick.

Who would be up at this hour, though?

Mark likes his sleep...

Maybe Vivian is up reading still?

Realization falls onto me like a bucket of ice water as I bolt to my feet.

"Elon," I breathe, grabbing my lanyard and slipping out into the silent hallway, banging heavily on my boyfriend's locked door.

A few moments pass.

The slight sound of movement on the opposite side fills my ears and seconds later, the door in front of me is slowly opened to reveal an exhausted and broken looking Elon.

"E-"

My sentence is cut short as he gently but firmly grabs my hand and drags me inside, the door shutting behind us with it's usual soft click.

Before I can even try and speak again, or even take a seat somewhere, the man holding my hand wraps me in a bone-crushing embrace.

"W-w-why?" I hear him sob into my shoulder as I instinctively hug back, confusion clouding my thoughts.

Why what, E?

Gently, I feel him let go as he sinks back onto the end of his bed, looking at me with tear-filled eyes.

I swiftly eye him over as despair washes through me.

Hair ruffled every which way, eyes bloodshot, his grey t-shirt stained with tears...

He's been like this for awhile, then.

"Why me?" He croaks, leaning forward slightly, fresh tears shining in his eyes.

"Why am I, of everyone else in this world, the one to always be seen as a fool? A moron? A dreamer with no hope of ever reaching my own dreams?" He continues, his voice cracking along with my own heart.

"Oh, E..." I smile softly, my own eyes beginning to water. "Don't listen to them. They don't know you like we do, like I do."

A thick silence fills the room, the only sound other than our breathing and sniffles is the A/C, humming quietly.

"But what if they're right?" Elon whispers, lowering his head into his hands. "What if none of this works? What if Starship just blows up on the Pad, us along with it?"

His head snaps up, his eyes suddenly alight with flames of uncertain anger as he leaves the bed behind, making his way over to me.

"Then what? What was it all for?" He pauses, inches in front of my face, waiting for an answer, his entire form shaking with this newfound rage.

I, however, give no reply.

Nothing...

My thoughts echo that word, though I push them aside.

"Exactly," Elon snarls, his usual accent suddenly thicker as he steps away from me slightly. "Nothing."

I abruptly pull myself to my feet, my own anger suddenly surfacing.

"That's not-"

He cuts me off, grabbing my shoulders roughly.

"No, Laura! They're right! I should've never dreamed up this ludicrous idea of leaving this already damned planet behind! It's just been a waste of time, resources, energy and money!" He rants, shaking me rather roughly as he does so, his grip suddenly excruciatingly tight on me.

"Elon!" I snap, my voice breaking as I pull myself away from him, tears streaming down my cheeks while I gently rub my shoulder where his harsh grip had been moments ago.

He... He... Hurt me...

Maybe some of those stories from his Ex were true after all...

My sudden cry of pain and anger echoes in the now silent room, Elon's aggression-filled demeanor instantly breaking as he watches me cradle my burning shoulder.

"Lori, I-" He whispers, any previous anger in his tone dissolving.

He hurt me.

My brain continues to loop that as I sink to the floor, heart broken and trust cracked.

"Y... You..." I sob as Elon hurriedly joins me on the floor, his expression mirroring my own.

"I know... I know..." He chokes out, struggling to not burst into another sobbing fit.

"You hurt me, Elon. Both emotionally and physically," I sigh heavily, wiping my tears away with the sleeve of my long-sleeved shirt, slowly regaining any small bits of my composure back.

Without a word, Elon slowly moves towards me, asking permission with his eyes, obviously not trusting his voice to say anymore.

I silently nod, my own voice suddenly drying up in my throat.

Gentler than ever now, he cautiously raises his hand towards my injured area, pushing aside the fabric blocking his view.

"Damn it," Elon curses under his breath, his eyes widening at the sight before him.

"It's bad?" I whimper, already knowing the likely answer.

It hurts like hell.

He simply nods, setting my shirt back in its proper place before backing himself away, not meeting my gaze.

"You should leave."

I quickly shake my head.

I can't leave him like this.

Not like everyone else has.

"I can't leave you like this."

Elon raises his hands once more, examining them over under his watery stare.

"I hurt you, Laura... Any progress I had made in gaining your trust is gone now..." He murmurs, running a shaky hand through his hair, his gaze still avoiding mine. "Just go."

"E, I'm not leaving you," I declare softly, mind made up as I shift myself closer to him. "Yes, my trust is cracked, but it's not shattered. We can work at this..."

Elon slowly lifts his gaze to meet mine where I've stopped, halfway to him.

"You're too optimistic."

I can't help but roll my eyes.

"We can do this. Just like everything else we've been working on... We can do this, together."

The man in front of me chuckles lightly, shaking his head, his gaze lowered once more.

"Well?" I press, desperate for an answer.

Once more, he lifts his eyes and they meet mine, a sudden wave of emotions cascading down on both of us.

"What did I do to deserve you?" Elon muses aloud as he swiftly picks me up off the floor and gently sits me on the edge of the bed, being mindful of my shoulder.

"Even after all of this..." He trails off, sitting down beside me, our watery gazes still locked.

His eyes begin to dart to my lips, then back to my eyes.

Lips, eyes, lips, eyes.

I can't help but smirk as the man in front of me battles his indecision.

"Are you gonna kiss me or not?" I finally ask, breaking the rather heavy, heated, silence that had fallen between us.

Now it's Elon's turn to smirk as his gaze meets mine once more.

"Is that my permission to do so?"

I simply smile and nod as he slowly inches towards me, cupping my face gently as he nears.

"You are just so-" He starts, though he cuts himself off as his lips attack mine, a sudden explosion of sparks erupting within my mind.

I allow my eyes to flutter closed as the kiss deepens.

No wanting, no need... Just a desire, a gratefulness, at a second chance.

A thankfulness for each other.

My head begins to spin, my thoughts slowing, the sensations throughout my entire being just taking over.

The feeling of his small bit of stubble against my face, the faint smell of his cologne...

Reality drifts back to me as we break apart, my eyes flying wide as I struggle to remember how to breathe again.

"Thank you," Elon murmurs, brushing away a stray tear from my cheek that I didn't even realize had fallen with his thumb. "Thank you for being so good to me... Even after everything."

I smile slightly, my energy slowly diminishing as I lay back on the bed, my head resting on the pillows.

"You're welcome..." I yawn, turning onto my uninjured side as fatigue begins to sweep through me, clouding my senses.

At some point in time, I feel the mattress sink behind me, and, a while later, a gentle hand tracing circles on my back.

"I love you..." A distant voice whispers as sleep overtakes me.

"I love you, too..."

No matter how many times you mess up, I'll always be here, waiting for you.