As soon as Delia was in the water, her mind focused on saving Devian. All the worry and fear was gone and she saw towards him against the strong current. Her arms ached, her heart thudded with panic and her eyes kept watering but she swam towards him. 

With great difficulty she pulled him out, her weak muscles ripping in pain as she carefully dragged a now unconscious Devian. All through the near-drowning experience she cried her way out and tried the CPR she learned in school health classes.

After three attempts, Devian coughed out water and his eyes slowly opened.

Delia felt her whole body go weak with relief as she literally fell on her butt and sobbed hard letting the stress out.

It took a moment for Devian to realize what happened and where he was when he saw Delia crying right in front of him soaked in water. He processed what happened, feeling the burn in his lungs and when everything fell into place he got up too fast causing him to wince in pain as his head hurt.

"Delia, tell me did you jump in the water?" He asked feeling agitated and angry, but somewhat hopeful.

She nodded in the most adorable way possible and Devian sighed deeply at her immediate loss of anger. Devian looked at her with awe and worry, awe because she jumped in the water to save him even though she herself feared it and worry because she didn't care for herself too much.

"I thought the water was one of your fears."

"It is- it's- it's just I just wanted to save you." She said like that is all that mattered.

Devian moved closer to her and pulled her in for a hug. Even in this cold night, warm waves flowed in his body at her touch. They sat there like this for a few minutes as gradually Delia calmed down and stopped sobbing. 

"Let's go. I will take you to the doctor." Devian said helping Delia to stand up.

He noticed the little scratches from sharp rocks here and there and mentally winced at those injuries feeling guilty and helpless. He wanted to scold her and tell her never to put anyone before herself or that never to risk her life for someone like him but he couldn't bring himself to say anything as he just felt immense gratitude and surprise as to how far she went for him while she didn't even know all his schemes.

"You almost drown Devian, I am fine." She said her voice still heavy after all that crying.

Devian called Paulo asking him to pick them up and waited in the car for him to arrive since Delia wouldn't let Devian him drive after almost drowning.

He couldn't help but worry about Delia in soaking wet clothes and that she might get sick after this so he turned the heat up and tried not to think about it too much.

"Why did you jump Delia?" Devian asked looking straight ahead instead of looking at her.

She sighed and after a moment's silence she said, "It was terrifying."

"What was? The water?" He asked sharply because it was more reason to not jump.

"The idea of losing you." And she looked away outside the window embarrassed at herself for saying this out loud.

Devian stopped breathing and turned towards her sharply. What did she just say? 

If he was losing before, he was crushed to defeat right now. She found the idea of him losing so terrifying that she jumped in the water to save him even after she fears it.

Sudden tears formed in his eyes and he tiled his head back to not let them fall and show how much her words mattered to him.

His hands gripped the steering wheel too tightly as he realized how miserably he succeeded with the plan and how amazing he lost himself in it. He was supposed to make her fall in love and break her heart but right now his heart was breaking because as soon as the darkness fills him, only one of them could survive.

He should have left when he had the option.

~*~

The doctor looked at both of them suspiciously as to why they would drown this late at night and worried that they might be suicidal but didn't other a word as he treated minor injuries on the girl's hand after checking up on the male with her who was very rigid and conscious when it came to getting checkup.

"Your heart is very unstable even now," Doctor muttered.

"Is she okay?" Devian asked in an authoritative tone.

"Her body might have gone in a state of shock. She took a big risk." The doctor said going along with their version of the story where he slipped in the water and she saved him from the area which closes this time at night.

Devian inhaled sharply and looked at Delia for being reckless but she was tactfully avoiding him.

After getting the necessary treatment and medicine, Devian decided that Delia needed to come home with him. For the moment he didn't want her out of her site.

"Can you please drop me at my dorm?" She asked interrupting his thoughts.

He felt conflicted now since outright inviting her to his house would be weird.

"Will you be okay alone?" He asked subtly.

"I will be more comfortable in my room. And I have classes tomorrow so it will be better if I stayed at the dorm." She said knowing full well that he was intending to take her home with him.

"Okay, but please call me anytime you need me." The words came out of his mouth even though he didn't plan to say it out loud.

But her smile made it better as she nodded.

"I will see you tomorrow." She said it more like a question than a statement.

And he looked at the hope in those shining blue eyes, "For sure."

~*~

It was three at night when Devian woke up yelling out his sister's name. His embedded scars were reopened tonight and he felt unable to breathe just like he did in the water. And as he did, he saw a black smog rising around his body and veins on his hands and feet getting darker. 

He rushed to the mirror and the shock made him stumble backward as the veins on his neck were even blacker.

Fear gripped his body and anger rushed through his blood. Grabbing the nearest vase on his hand he smashed the mirror in front of him. Cry built in his throat as he looked at himself and realized there was no hope, no saving him. All he could see was blood on closing his eyes, absolute rage and choke someone to death. The idea was so overwhelming that he had to gasp to let air in.

Angry tears rolled down his eyes as he trashed everything around him hurting himself in the process but the blackness only grew causing him to yell out in exasperation. Scared of himself he opened the alcohol cabinet in his room to drown the pain, the fear of losing himself and fear of all the bad memories that had the power to hold him and break him at the same time.

Taking the bottle he chugged in a large quantity of alcohol not caring about the burning throat. He wanted to drown the pain and hopelessness he was feeling at the moment. No matter how hard he was trying he had rage and violent thoughts in his head. Or he can see his sister drowning and dying. The water triggered all these memories or maybe it's just his stubbornness to stay in town and put everyone here in danger.

Drunkness took over him slowly and he started getting dizzy. But the darkness remained and so did the pain.

Just then he heard the doorbell ring.

Not sure what time it was he stumbled down the stairs, "Paulo." He yelled out hoping that his secretary would open the door like always.

But the doorbell rang again and in anger, he threw the bottle he held in his hand. Gripping the objects near for support he reached the door and opened it with intention of strangling whoever it was, accept Paulo.

"I hope this helps." Paulo stood at the door with tears in his eyes and moved aside to bring Delia in view.

Devian gasped sharply as multiple emotions hit him ranging from anger, guilt, disappointment in himself, fear and surprise.

"Why Paulo?" He yelled at this secretary.

But he was already leaving as Delia walked in looking concerned and tired, also, like she cried but besides that not scared to be at his place at this time.

She came. What did Paulo say?

Devian in his drunken stupor realized how the darkness was evident in him and he turned away horrified at what the girl will say. Hate bubbled inside him her face reminding him about the Queen.

But the next moment it vanished as she clutched his hand without hesitance or fear and pulled him along to the couch in the living room. But he felt angry at her for being like this being too good for his extreme bad and snatched his hand away from her hold. She just sighed not even mildly offended.

"You think you can walk in here and out a mother Teresa act with me," He yelled hatefully trying to make her realize that he was not the Knight in shining armor.

The alcohol, the pain, the darkness all reminded him that it was because of her all this happened. She doesn't even know this but all he could feel is hate towards her with his vision getting blurry again and again.

"Devian, sit down first." She said in a small tone staring at him with those blue eyes that somehow made him less angry.

And he sat down.

"I need more drink." He slurred gripping her hands too tightly.

She winced but didn't move.

She poured water in a glass and gave it to Devian to drink but he glared at her in absolute anger and threw the glass on the floor.  This time she flinched at the sound of glass shattering and he laughed out loud.

He gripped her upper arm painfully tightly and said in a threatening tone, "Scared now, aren't you?"

Delia stared at him wide-eyed and that was making him lose focus.

"You don't even know me, Delia, I am not even minutely good." He said in a dangerous tone.

Delia's eyes rested on the dark veins on his neck and on his arms gripping her tightly. He was drunk and even though he believed that he was bad, his eyes were brimming with pain. Something about today's accident made him like she woke up crying from a nightmare where she was drowning and couldn't save Devian.

But right now he was sitting in front of her and even though she was surprised and slightly scared to see him like this for someone as good as him to act like this, he must have gone through some hardship. And someone needed to him for him like he had been there for her every single time.

"Devian, look at me." She said gathering her courage, in a weak tone.

And he did. The anger in them made her falter but she inhaled sharply and tried to do what her heart told her to do. Putting her hands to his cheek she leaned in and saw his anger fade and eyes widen in utter disbelief.

Taking this as an encouragement, she kissed him with all the feelings she could muster putting her wariness aside.

Everything inside Devian shattered as her touch, her kiss defeated him. His shoulders slumped and he kissed her back sighing at just the wonderful feeling of this.

~*~*~*~

He saw his sister dying all over again and the darkness is overwhelming but seems like Delia is a lot stronger than she looks :D

Thoughts about the chapter?

And Pandora is scheming as well...poor luck for these two people :(

But I hope you had fun reading!

NEXT UPDATE: SATURDAY