Chapter 75: Always

"I've done my research." Lewis leaned back in his chair, clearly pleased with himself. He was the only one who dove head deep into thinking of a way to find Janet. I knew I should probably be doing the same; but if I was scared before, then right now I was utterly terrified. Newton was a Stinger, so he knew a thing or two (or maybe more) about fighting. Unlike Caspian, he had completed his training; and was from what I had heard from Lewis, he seemed to have been one of the best fighters they had. This only made Mission Impossible a million times more impossible.

"And?" Rosalind enquired, sinking down deeper into the air mattress, trying to find a comfortable spot. She eventually realised the mattress was a lost cause, and came to stand next to me instead.

"Well, it's safe to say," Lewis began, "Janet is targeting the less fortunate first."

I wasn't sure what Lewis was hoping to achieve by stating the obvious, but I nodded anyway, since it seemed he was waiting for confirmation before he went on.

"I've looked up all the homeless shelters in Manhattan," he told us. "There's two major ones left, with a few smaller ones on the side."

"Well, that's convenient," Caspian added, pursing his lips.

"Rosalind and I will take the one on Fourth Avenue, and you and Maddie the one on Broadway," Lewis suggested to Caspian.

"I'd rather go alone," Caspian replied.

"What?" I asked. I was sure I had heard him right, but his words made no sense, no matter how many times I ran them over in my head.

"You'd just be a thorn in the side." Caspian shook his head, careful not to let emotion leak into his monotonous voice. "It will be easier if I went myself."

"But you need me." His words had hurt me, and I was aware of the fact that my voice sounded whiny and childish. "Please."

"I'm not taking you with me," Caspian said slowly, as if enunciating each word would make me agree with him.

"I don't believe this," I fumed. "I have more reason to go than any of you, she killed my brother." I took a deep breath, before adding. "I'm going with, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!" Tears stung my eyes, but I didn't allow them to surface.

"Maddie," Caspian spoke gently and put both his hands on my shoulders.

"Don't touch me," I screeched, pulling away from him. "We've come so far and now you just want me to stand back, because..."

Caspian didn't allow me to finish. "Because I love you." He sighed, as if he hadn't wanted to speak those words out loud, but I had driven him to it.

I heard the sound of a door closing. They had attempted to leave discretely and had managed for the most part. Caspian and I were alone in this room and his eyes were pained, looking defeated now that he had replaced his lie with the truth. I could understand why he had lied. He knew if I thought it was better for everyone if I stayed back, then I'd probably agree.

"I have to come with." I took one of his hands in mine and placed my lips on his palm. "We've had this conversation before," I added. "Twice."

"I had to try one more time." Caspian smoothed out a crease in his blue T-shirt.

"I love you too." I stood on my tiptoes and got lost in the maze of his eyes.

"I know," Caspian replied with a hint of cockiness in his voice. "It's a bit hard not to love me."

"Wow," I pouted. "So modest."

"Always," he laughed, but his face suddenly became grave again. "I will always love you, Maddie."

"Always is a long time," I replied, deep in thought about how not many people actually married their high-school sweetheart. But Caspian and I weren't like other people.

"Always is hardly long enough," Caspian disagreed, with a sad smile.

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