Hey guys! This chapter is gonna be a bit...heated? Plus a bit heartbreaking. Actually I am tryna keep that a little bit slow but well, what can we say. It's totally gonna be one nice chapter, in my view. Y'all please comment upon the part you loved the most as well as hated the most. Plus you can always message me and I will be more than happy to reply to every single one of you. Don't forget to comment and vote. We have to reach 65 on this chapter. And oh! btw I did a writer's POV in this one. I could do either Wanda's or Fidelio's but nah! I don't wanna see things from one of their views alone. And there are gonna be a lot of dialogues in this chapter.

Enjoy!

Standing in front of the huge white and cream manor, She felt her heart beat fasten ever so slightly, making her eyes widen, being shocked by the fact that how can a person still be alive even when their heartbeat is as fast as this. She could practically hear her heart burst out any moment now.

No, if her heart burst now she wouldn't be able to tell Fidelio how much she regretted what she did. So gathering up what little was left of her already little confidence, Wanda moved forward, the rain from the night sky dripping upon her water drenched figure. Feeling herself stride near the grand metal gate, which she remembered from more than 2 years ago, before they had to go to France.

She looked inside the gate from between the thick bars. Being suddenly hit my sharp light, Wanda moved her tear-soaked eyes in that direction. It happened to be coming from a torch held by a houseguard who held an umbrella in the other hand, keeping himself from getting wet under the hard pounding rain. He looked at her suspiciously, not recognizing her from 2 years back. How could he? Her whole look was practically unrecognizable, hair clinging to her face, body looking thinner than usual.

''Who are you? what are you doing here at this time. The rain is getting worst.'' The guard who's name Wanda happened to remember as Cody Crew, said.

''Is Fidelio here?'' Wanda found herself speaking rather too low that she thought Cody wouldn't hear her. Utter devastation coated her voice.

''What do you want with him lady? He doesn't wanna see anyone!'' Cody exclaimed in a serious tone.

''So he is here...'' She muttered to no one in particular, walking up to the square device near the gate. She then pressed some buttons before speaking, ''Hey Lilly, tell Del to come pick up the microphone from the intercom connection in his room''

''You are uh...Miss Wanda...yeah definitely. Okay I will'' Lilly said as she closed the line. Deep silence followed afterwards as Cody's voice spoke next.

''Miss...Miss Wanda...I...I am sorry I didn't recognize you...come inside, I will open the gates.''

''No Cody. I want to talk to Del from here'' Wanda replied monotoned.

''But Miss...'' He started.

''No'' Wanda replied quickly.

The only thing that remained was silence and the voice of falling rain. Wanda held the microphone from this side of the intercom because she refused to wipe the constant tears as rain kept on soaking into her, Having no idea that on the other side, Del was holding tight to it too, But having no energy to pick it up and say something, anything. He had seen her in the house CCTV cameras, tears easily consuming his eyes. Many moments passed like this, Just holding onto the phone...Waiting for the other to break the deafening silence.

Sometimes it felt weird, yet it felt the right thing as well. A man, let alone the fact that a man like Fidelio, could so easily cry. He was maybe a hardcore, focused, stern businessman you met on a business meeting, but from the inside he was a complete softy. Jumping from joy in the most tiniest of things and the same goes for crying. Heck! He would even cry if he heard someone's dog died.

And there's no blame to him on that.

''Go away...'' Del's quite, broken, damaged voice sounded after what felt like hours but were mere seconds.

''Del...please '' Wanda found herself breaking into more tears as his voice reached her ears. Feeling her knees wobbly, she held onto the gate.

''No...lea...leave...me a-alone...please'' His voice kept breaking from the huge lump in his throat.

''Y-You are crying. I am so sorry...Del'' Wanda wept openly, not caring if Cody could overhear their conversation.

''I know you don't care. Stop acting like you do...and did you forget that my name is Mr Florez. At least for you, that is. And don't worry about me crying...actually, don't worry about me at all. Go live your life. You need a resignation letter? that will reach your door. No, I will make sure they reach your hands. Now leave. You're free. '' His voice came out angrier than he even thought that it could. His words were like thorns to her heart, sharp and poisonous. Just like how her words must have been. Nevertheless, she refused to budge from her decision.

''K-keep speaking, keep s...scolding me. I know I deserve that. Heck! even if you kill me today, know that I d-deserve that too. But I want you...No...I need you Del... I know I said I don't l-l-love you...Guess what? I was wrong. How can I not love someone who I cannot even think of living a life without ?'' Wanda stopped, shaking from what felt like exhaustion. Maybe even panic.

''Please...Leave...'' Fidelio managed to get out without breaking down completely.

''I will keep standing here even if a storm comes. I will keep standing here all my life if you don't come out to talk to me. I will stay here forever...if that proves my feelings for you.'' Wanda's voice begged. She found her hand moving to massage her temples, feeling sharp pain going through them.

''Don't say things you don't know the meaning of...'' His rasped voice could be heard from the intercom.

''I love you Del...and I mean it.'' she said which such surety, it made his heart clench up from both joy and pain.

''You don't even know what the words you just spoke really are'' He accused her even though the tight feeling clearly contradicted his words.

''I may not...but you do. I am ready to find their meaning...if you'd be the one teaching me those-'' Wanda said almost immediately as she quickly held the gate's bar, feeling her visions darkening and herself wobbly.

''Wan-'' Del started furrowing his brows as he saw her figure moving unusually then suddenly falling, hitting the wet concrete below.

''Huhhnn-'' Wanda's slow gasp reached him through the intercom as he shot running downstairs to the gate. As soon as he opened the double doors to the outside, cool breezes hit his whole body, making him shiver. He ran up to the gate, ignoring the fast rain falling on him. His tears mixed with rainwater, blurred his eyesight. Cody luckily opened the gate quickly before Del had reached it so that when he did he ran to her motionless body and picked it up swiftly before running back to the house.

Getting quickly inside, he burst into the nearest room, placing her on the bed. Turning on the Air conditioner and turning it to full warm, He then went to grab the towel from the bathroom and quickly came by her side. In an attempt to dry her body, he moved near her. But then stopped. Will Wanda be comfortable if he dried her? Uh...

Scratching his head, he touched her forehead with his fingers. It was burning hot. She had a high fever. What the fuck was she doing out in the freaking rain if she had a damn fever? He shook his head and then took hold of the towel again, finally deciding to dry her. Better let her be angry than have her health compromised. Wiping off her face, head and arms, he moved onto her legs, only noticing then that she was wearing shorts. Great! she stood in the rain even though she had fever and then she was wearing shorts.

''I am in love with a dumbhead who has some weird fetish for death.'' Fidelio muttered to himself.

In a few minutes, almost all her body was dried.

''But her torso...ughgh'' Del groaned as he tried to pick her up and keep her in a sitting position while trying to keep her shirt up with the same hand which he was using to keep her from falling. Wiping her body as quickly as he could, all while facing the other direction.

It was harder than he thought.

Her body kept tipping to either the left or the right, then he tried holding her differently. Now she started falling backwards and forwards. He gasped as her body fell forwards and onto his chest. He stilled. Barely breathing. Her face right near his ear and her partially wet hair onto his cheeks. He sat there like that until sometime later when it occurred to him that steadying her body onto his would make it easier for him because her body wouldn't be swaying here and there. He then easily accomplished the task of wiping her torso too, although he did at times mistakenly touched her bra sides, flinching his hand away just as he did that. He didn't wanted to do anything like that. Specially without her permission. And right now, he was more focused on keeping this woman okay rather than what her body was like.

Then he put the towel away as he turned the AC's warmth a bit low. Then placed the blanket on top of her. He quickly fetched the bowl filled with cold water and got a cloth. Soaking the cloth into the cool water, he put it on her forehead. Trying to get rid of some of her temperature. It took some hours, before finally her fever had eased but he still kept doing the task with the damp cloth.

It was then when Wanda's eyes fluttered open, eyelashes sweeping onto her dark skin before she glanced at him, seeing his face inches away from her's. His one hand in the middle of adjusting the pillow beneath her head. Such that his face and right hand was caging her body underneath his. Now both of them still in their actions, not noticing that the other wasn't breathing either. Eyes round from something both couldn't exactly put a finger on.

They were flustered.

''I-I-I'' Fidelio stuttered.

''Yeah...uh...'' Wanda started.

Del quickly straightened his posture then running a hand through his hair, in an unsuccessful attempt to hide the color rising onto his face. Wanda too tried to clear her throat with the same aim, and alas, she failed as well. Fidelio was quick to notice her cheeks going reddish shade of pink and somehow Wanda noticed his face mirroring her color as a smile tugged at her lips.

Talk about understanding.

''Stop smiling!'' Del growled angrily, but his voice had more worry than anger to it. ''You had a fever Wanda. A fucking fever! And it's not like I care okay! but why the hell stand out like some stubborn kid deciding that oh! let's faint in front of the man's house who will surely immediately get panicked if something happens to you!''

''Did you panic because of my condition?'' Wanda asked lowly, being amused at the fact this man couldn't hide his true feelings.

''No I didn't! I don't care about you!'' Fidelio pursed his lips together and formed his brows in angry line which was of course artificial.

''The way you scold me contradicts your every statement saying you don't care about me...'' Wanda spoke looking at him in the eyes. He looked at her gobsmacked, taken by surprise at how easily his true self shone through his made up sentences. He didn't just cared about her. But she was all he had ever cared about!

''I am sorry...'' Her whisper echoed heavily in the now quiet room. The air seemed to be so dense, so filled with tension that even breathing without the clear sounds of inhale and exhale was difficult. Fidelio sighed, rubbing his upper arm with his other hand before he met her teary eyes. A low sound escaped his lips, difficult to define what message it held behind itself, Wanda stayed there sitting silently. Building up her courage again to speak up the words,

''I love you Del...'' She said getting off of the bed and coming near him. Fidelio didn't even move a limb. ''I love you like you loved me.'' She pulled him in a hug, her head on his hard chest. Del stood there wide eyed, before he blinked several times, as he found himself wrapping his arms around her.

''Take the 'ed' back'' He muttered monotoned.

''Huh?'' Wanda raised her head in confusion as a heartwarming smile came upon Fidelio's lips.

''Take the 'ed' back from 'loved' and say you love me like I love you!'' He finished as he leaned down until his lips met her's in a tender kiss. He couldn't stop the smile from coming onto his face because Wanda's smile wasn't exactly helping. A low moan of bliss excaped him.

Gosh! he had been waiting for this moment from such a long time...

''Never knew that it could mean so much...'' He stated smiling the most stunning smiles of all.

''Love Me Like You Do?'' Wanda asked furrowing her brows adorably as she moved her head back to look up at him.

''I am more than willing to do so'' And with that he planted a small yet meaningful kiss on her forehead.

******

Hey!!!! how have y'all been? It took me so long to write this one. But I guess it was worth it. Because seriously, don't tell me you didn't see this coming. Because well, I sure did. And btw, how did you like their little moment?

Bye bye beautiful readers!

Till next time!

Wania Ejaz Abbasi