Highstone Hospital 

ELLISSE ZERINA 

I tried to move my hand when my eyes slowly opened. I felt the pain in my left arm dahilan nang mapangiwi ako. D*mn it! I suddenly remember why I ended up here. Ano na kayang nangyari sa iba? I tried to move again but halted when I gazed at my left. Hawak ni Renzo ang kamay ko habang ginawang unan ang hospital bed na kinahihigaan ko. He looks tired, yet he's here beside me, waiting for me to wake up. 

I stayed laying on the bed habang pinagmamasdan siyang matulog. Medyo kumikirot pa ang naka-bendang braso ko, pero sinubukan kong igalaw ito para abutin ang ulo niya. I gave his hair a soft touch combing it the gently way. "Thank you, Commander." I whispered. Hindi ko na halos namalayan ang pamumuo ng luha sa mga mata ko hanggang sa tumulo nalang 'to ng kusa. 

Bumalik na naman sa isip ko ang nangyari kanina. I was so scared. Scared that I was going to lose our child. It was too d*mn close. Just one pull of the trigger, and we're both dead. Hindi ko maipaliwanag ang sobra-sobrang kabang naramdaman ko kanina at pakiramdam ko nga ay may after shock pa ako. Napabuntong-hininga nalang ako bago marahang hinaplos ang tiyan ko. I promise to protect you no matter what, baby. 

"H-hey, you're awake." I looked at Renzo when he woke up. Medyo magulo ang buhok niya at halata sa mga mata niyang nakatulog siya. "Are you okay? How's your wound? Does it still hurts? I'm going to call the Doc----" Hinawakan ko ang kamay niya dahil sa sunod-sunod niyang tanong. I smiled at him, "I'm all good, Renzo. Kumikirot lang 'yong braso ko, pero kaya ko naman. This would heal soon...Can you help me up?"  

Nakikita ko parin sa mga mata niya ang labis na pag-aalala habang tinutulungan akong makaupo mula sa pagkaka-higa. "We'll ask Doctor Naomi for a quick check on your pregnancy. You might still be in shock."

I sighed. This man's too caring, isn't he? "Okay, we'll do that...But seriously, ayos lang talaga ako, Renzo. You don't have to worry." 

Bumuntong hininga siya at naupo sa tabi ng kama paharap sa akin. He held my hand and kissed it. "I'm sorry, hon. I only tried to take a nap and then I...I didn't know I overslept...I'm sorry." 

"You need rest too, Renzo." Bakit ba napaka-selfless masyado ng taong 'to sa akin? 

Napakunot ako nang matagal siyang hindi sumagot. He's just there, looking at me straightly in the eye. He doesn't look fine...He looks...I don't know. Ito yata ang unang pagkakataon na makita ko siya sa ganitong hindi ko matansiyang emosyon. 

Bumitaw ako sa pagkakahawak niya sa kamay ko to cupped his cheeks, "What's wrong? Are----" 

Nagulat ako nang bigla nalang niya akong kinulong sa braso niya. Isinandal niya ang noo niya sa balikat ko, "I thought I'd lose you there..." And the next thing, naririnig ko nalang ang mahina niyang pag-singhot. D*mn! Mikael Lorenzo, are you crying? 

"I thought I'd lose you both. I don't know anymore...if that really happened...I was...I was so f*cking scared that I was going to witness your ruthless death...right...right in my sight. I don't know if I could still hold my f*cking gun and dare to kill...I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry if I was a f*cking useless sh*t when I badly wanted to f*cking pull the trigger just to protect you and our child...F*CK!" Ramdam ko ang paghapit niya nang mahigpit sa akin at mas lalong idiniin ang noo sa balikat ko. "I F*CKING CAN'T." Ramdam ko ang matinding emosyong nararamdaman niya sa higpit ng yakap niya sa akin. Kung gaano ako natakot, hindi ko inasahan na mas pa ang naramdamang takot at pag-aalala ni Renzo. 

I held his nape while my left caressed his back. Hinaplos ko ang likod ng ulo niya and let him talk. "I was born with this kind of life...It always makes me feel secure every time I eliminate a group of badasses. That was before...Before I got to know you...You know what makes me secure now?" He tilted his head a little facing my neck. "This. Having you beside me, Zerina...So seeing you at risk, watching you fight between f*cking life and death makes me so vulnerable that I almost feel like dying too...And now, it makes me regret even more, that I was born this way...with this life...A f*cking bullsh*t life where risk is everywhere, where anytime, death could take you away from me. How could I f*cking provide you with a better life?" 

I moved my head a little to see him. I wiped his tears from his cheek. "You don't have to regret your life, Renzo. Lumaki ka sa mundong 'to, and up until now, you're doing your best to live it. You're doing great to protect me and your people. There's no reason for you to believe na sa tuwing nalalagay sa alanganin ang buhay ko ay dahil sa kapabayaan mo. You're right, risk is everywhere and death could take us anytime in this kind of life, but I don't mind if it means, being with the best man I want to be with for the rest of my life. Masaya ako dahil kasama kita palagi. Masayang-masaya ako dahil sa lahat ng pagkakataon pinaramdam mo sa akin na ang pusong inakala kong hindi na mabubuo ay pwede pa palang magmahal ulit. I'm glad that you trapped me in your world. Your world where I found love, justice, and above all...my home..." 

I held his face, helping him to face me. Diretso ko siyang tiningnan sa mga mata niya. "Your life is not bullsh*t, Mikael Lorenzo. You already provided me with everything, so how could you still ask yourself how are you going to give me a better life when you already did? Hindi man ako lumaki sa mundong 'to, pipiliin ko parin araw-araw na makasama ka sa kaligayahan at sa bakbakan..." We both smiled. "I wasn't born with a gun in my hand, but I will grow old with you today, tomorrow, and to eternity with or without it. Kasama mo ako palagi, Renzo. We're always here beside you, Commander. Kami ng anak mo."

He smiled at me and gave me a deep forehead kiss matapos ay sinalubong niya ulit ang mga mata ko sa paraang puno ng pagmamahal. "I love you, Ellisse Zerina. Te amo. I f*cking love you so much that no pen could ever write on paper how much I do...Remember our clan's motto?" 

I smiled almost teary-eyed, remembering the words. "Deathless. No matter how many times we cease to exist, our power never dies." I recited. 

"And just like us. Our love is deathless. No matter how many times we cease to exist in different lifetimes, this love between us will never die." He went on.

We're like sharing vows. Hindi ko maiwasang hindi maluha. This moment made me realize again how lucky I am to have him in my life. This time made me think of our old days. Ang mga panahon noon na halos isumpa ko ang Serpent kay kamatayan. Funny how everything turned out this way. I think it's right to say that true love will find its way to you, and you will always be found in a very unexpected time and place.

Just like us. 

We unexpectedly fell so deeply in love. Who knows that true love would still be possible to grow between us after all the rules he had against me—which I thought were heartless. I won't regret invading those rules and I am beyond grateful that in reciprocate, he trapped me in his world.