Chapter nine

New recruits

Kyle tossed and turned, but no matter how hard he tried to leave his mind blank and go to sleep, he couldn't. His bruise kept pulsating, reminding him of the day's events. That he'd almost died. And even if he believed that almost dying didn't change anything, it did put things into perspective. For everyone. For Sam who'd confessed his feelings for Christine, for Jimmy who'd thrown caution to the winds and hooked up with Alice.

The only one as immune as ever was Jerry. He'd somehow hoped his brother would start talking to him again, even if just to nag, but no such luck.

Unfortunately, it had put things into perspective for him, too. As soon as they got out of that jungle and sorted that agency crap out, he planned on making good on his threat. He was leaving Chicago, but not going back to Texas. He was still pissed at Max for lying to him to get him home.

No, he was going to finally track Kay down and find her. Because Jimmy was right. He was stupidly miserable when he hadn't done everything in his power to fix things. Sure, he had no idea where Kay was. Before he'd gotten to Chicago and managed to call, she'd disappeared. But he would find her again.

Over the past year, he'd tried to move on. Pathetic, halfass attempts. Because he didn't want to move on.

Finally giving up on trying to sleep, he left his sleeping bag and searched the side pocket of his rucksack. Jerry and Sam didn't even stir. Kyle pulled out a silver necklace with a heart-shaped stone amulet. It shone reddish in the low light coming from the camp fire. He'd found this three months ago and picked it up as if he was sure he'd see Kay again and give it to her.

I will see her again. He should kick himself for thinking it was hopeless for so long, for not trying harder. I broke through a wall. Finding a girl should be easy.

Kyle pulled out a head lamp and left the tent. Carlos sat beside the camp fire, his sombrero pulled over his face. He looked at Kyle from under the large brim, but didn't say a word, waiting to be engaged in conversation.

"How's it going?" Kyle whispered heading over to him.

"Where are you going, senor?" Carlos asked nodding toward the head lamp.

Kyle shrugged and sat cross legged in front of the guide. "To look around a bit. And stop calling me senor. It's a title I've done nothing to deserve."

Carlos smiled. "You should take weapon."

Kyle pulled out the pistol from the holder at the back of his belt. "Unlike most people around here, I actually carry a gun at all times." Another reason Jerry kept scowling at him. Kyle could almost hear him thinking how dangerous that was.

"Good." Carlos pulled his hat back over his face. "The jungle is dangerous at night."

"The jungle in dangerous all the time." He wasn't scared of animals and plants. He was more afraid of his own traitorous thoughts. "Carlos, you ever been married?"

"Si. Mi Alma and I have a daughter and two beautiful grandchildren."

Kyle frowned. Carlos didn't look old enough to have grandchildren, but who was he to judge. "Then why do you risk your life in the jungle?"

Carlos squinted at Kyle and reached out his hand. "Give me your hand, miho."

Kyle hesitated, but the guide's affectionate tone convinced him to play along. Carlos took his right hand and looked into his palm as though trying to read something there.

"You long for a family, miho."

"I have a family," Kyle answered mechanically. He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder at the tent Jerry and Sam slept in for good measure.

"Yes, but you long for a family of your own. For a wife and children."

"I'm a little young for that."

"Not in here." Carlos poked him in the chest. He frowned and looked at his hand again. "You have a hard life ahead of you. Never settle for the path of least resistance."

Okay, this was getting creepy. Kyle pulled his hand away even if he didn't believe in palmistry.

"Life is a series of choices, nothing else," Carlos continued. "Choose what makes you happy. Choose what is right for you and for the people you love even if it may not be the easiest choice."

Kyle nodded automatically. Life was a series of choices. His crappy year home was the result of his own crappy decisions. But that was about to change. "Thanks."

The guide smiled but said nothing else. Kyle stood, put the head lamp on and made his way through the trees, looking to clear his head. Unfortunately thoughts of Kay and Jerry were all that came to mind and he didn't know which he dreaded more.

Stop thinking about it. You'll find Kay soon, so there's no point thinking about her right now. And Jerry won't be a problem much longer. Only that maybe he wouldn't find Kay. And not seeing Jerry anymore was not how he wanted to fix the problem.

And even if he found Kay, maybe she wouldn't be as glad to see him, maybe she'd gotten over him, maybe she had someone else... That prick, Danny.

"Oh, shut up," he mumbled to himself.

He could hear a low trickling sound, as though there was water flowing nearby, so he headed that way, mapping the area inside his head. He hadn't been wrong. He walked down a hill and saw a stream flowing. He knelt next to it and sank his hands into it.

As much as he hated to admit it, the small voice inside this head was right. She was most probably over him. Okay, maybe he should actually think about Jerry.

Jerry who couldn't even appreciate that he did his best to save them all from certain death. He thought it would be easy to live without his brother's constant nagging, but he now realized that he found comfort in the nagging. It showed that Jerry cared. Whereas now, there was no trace of that left. And it annoyed him greatly to realize that he cared about what Jerry had to say, about what he thought of him.

A sudden crunching sound thankfully pulled him out of his thoughts. Kyle frowned, listening carefully. The sound came again, as though someone was stepping cautiously over dead vegetation. Kyle turned off the head lamp and pulled his gun out slowly. The footsteps were coming closer, but suddenly stopped. Whoever it was had the brains to move around without a source of light.

For what seemed like years, neither of them moved. Kyle cursed mentally. He was still in a crouching position and his legs were starting to fall asleep. If that guy didn't move already so he could tell where he was, he'd fall on his ass soon.

Another crunch indicated the position of the intruder. Close enough. Kyle launched himself in the direction of the noise, tackling the man to the ground. Only it wasn't a man. The girl screamed when he made contact with her and, out of reflex, he did his best to break her fall and not lean all his weight on her.

Kyle got on his knees, still straddling the girl. Before his hand could reach the head lamp to turn it on, he felt the cold barrel of a gun under his chin. Shit! That wasn't supposed to happen.

"Don't. Move."

He flinched. The gun slipped between his fingers, but it didn't matter anymore. He'd let her blow his brains out before he did anything to hurt her.

"Get off me," she ordered.

"Make me." His mouth should really learn when it was appropriate to get smart. Not when he was threatened with a gun by someone who might just not remember his voice. Fortunately, Kay had never disappointed him.

"Kyle?" She turned on her own head lamp.

Kyle covered his eyes which was a real bummer. Every second in which he didn't see her face was a total waste. Finally, the little white sparks disappeared from his vision and he could focus on her golden hair, falling in loose waves over her shoulders, on her forget-me-not blue eyes glistening with tears, on her hopeful smile.

And in that moment, it was as if someone turned on a switch and brought him back to life. He was aware of his beating heart, of his breathing, of her body under his. Energy flowed through him, so much and so fast that it made him dizzy.

"Holy shit, it is you!" And why was he talking instead of doing what he really wanted?

Kay opened her mouth to probably give him some unnecessary confirmation, but he didn't let her. Before the words were out, he covered his mouth with his. She tasted divine. A giant light turned on inside him, throwing out all the darkness drowning him before. Life was beautiful, she was beautiful, and kissing her made everything perfect. It was as if they'd never fallen apart, as if only yesterday they'd been wrestling for dominance on a worn out couch. Electricity surged through his body and honey poured through his veins. He'd completely forgotten what it felt like to be happy.

Kay moaned, wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her, kissing him back with an intensity that had his head spinning. Suddenly, she let him go and broke the kiss. Kyle frowned, but stifled a laugh as he watched her wave an arm around, trying to shake off a bug. He flicked it off her elbow.

"We should probably get off the ground," she mumbled.

Kyle rolled off her and helped her up, trying to keep a stupid grin off his face. She brushed her jeans, getting the dead plants off her, but avoided his gaze. He frowned wondering what had happened. She'd seemed so glad to see him seconds ago, but now she put her arms around herself and turned away, taking the light with her.

"We shouldn't be doing this." Her voice trembled and she sounded on the verge of tears. "I... It's been so long and... You probably have someone else by now..." Her voice cracked and she turned to face him, eyes misty.

Kyle stared at her stunned, unable to understand what she was talking about. Had he imagined that they'd just kissed? Nope, he still felt her sweetness. Was she serious?

"Are you crazy?" He marched to her and turned her to face him. "I meant what I said 11 months and 20 days ago. I love you. And no amount of time we spend apart is ever going to change that. Play for keeps, remember? Or is this some messed up way of telling me I shouldn't kiss you before asking?"

Kay laughed. "You should always kiss me without asking, in the most inappropriate moments." She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest like she used to. "I was so afraid you'd gotten over me. I'm so sorry I disappeared."

Sorry was the understatement of the century. And he finally asked her what he'd been dying to know for almost a year. "Where'd you go?"

"Arizona. The moment you left, my parents marched in with Danny. They took my phone away and we moved away that very day. They didn't let me talk to anyone."

Figures. Her parents hated his guts. "I shouldn't have left. Damn Max for lying to me."

She looked up at him and put her hands on his face. "It doesn't matter anymore. You still love me." She smiled when he nodded. "I'm playing for keeps, too. Just in case it wasn't clear." And right before she kissed him, she whispered, "I love you."

And everything was right in the world.

💠💠💠

So, we get to dive inside Kyle's head. How did you feel about it? Does he seem different from his POV? Do you feel like this explains his sulkiness?

For readers of RIFOY: squee! Kay is finally here! How was the reunion? Did it make you fuzzy?

Thanks so much for reading and don't forget to vote and comment!