A BEAUTIFUL MORNING

Erika (p.o.v)

"Don't worry dear there's a basement in my house, you both can hide there... if those thugs get inside I will deal with them" he said rushing me to where Mr.Stone was sleeping.

"But..what about you?? what if they hurt you??" I asked him worried to which he smiled "I am not that old yet dear.. I can defend myself now please hurry before they see you both," he said helping me lift Mr.Stone from the bed...

we three entered the basement and thankfully there was a bed over there, we both immediately laid down Mr.Stone on the bed carefully...

we heard the sound of someone knocking loudly startling us, I looked at Mr.billiards worried he patted my shoulder "You will be ok...don't worry I will go and deal with them, you just stay here and don't make any sound ok!!" he said assuring me and I nodded wiping the sweat on my head.

With that, he went upstairs and I waited nervously for some time, I sat beside Mr.Stone staring at his sleeping form, and held his hand because for some odd reason I felt safe when I'm with him, "if they are going to harm you ... I will try my best to defend you, Mr.Stone" I told him with tears in my eyes...

To my surprise, he held my hand in return and opened his eyes slowly"How are you going to defend me with your tiny form huh.." he said with a weak smile...

"Mr.Stone..you..you are awake..I was so..so scared ...please don't do this again.." I said wiping the tears that were falling uncontrollably, I know that I should not cry but I couldn't hold it in, he slowly got up with my support and hugged me tightly...

I was both surprised and happy so I hugged him back still crying like a baby" don't cry Eri... it's all over now, I won't let you deal with anything alone again" he said patting my head, for a moment he kinda reminded me of dad at that moment I felt like he was another person who was far different from the angry Christopher stone...

We both heard someone coughing alerting us and I immediately left Mr.Stone and turned to Mr.Billiard who was smiling," Mr.Stone... I see that you are up..how are you feeling??" he asked approaching us.

"I am feeling ok...Thank you so much for treating me and taking care of Erika.." Mr.Stone said sincerely to which Mr.Billiards nodded and checked Mr.Stone's temperature...

"You still have fever, Mr.Stone, I am afraid you have to take rest for 3 more days, you shouldn't move or travel otherwise the wound might get infected," he said seriously to which Mr.Stone shook his head"I have to head back to research center there is a lot of work, I can't stay in bed for 3 days...let me call Richard," he said trying to get up but I held him back making him lay back on the bed...

"Mr.Stone... Abraham's thugs are still searching for you in the village, just now I have dealt with a few of them but I am not sure that they will leave the village easily so its better if you stay back and rest, its not safe for both of you if you go outside now" he said making some sense to which I agreed...

Mr.Stone stared at me for a few seconds like he was thinking something seriously and nodded in understanding"Alright then...but I will have to make a phone call to inform my team" he told Mr.Billiards to which he handed him his phone...

Later we helped Mr.Stone move to the bedroom upstairs and he made some calls informing our team of our situation and telling them that we will be back in 2 to 3 days...

Meanwhile, I prepared some soup for Mr.Stone and took it into his room, he was staring out the window thinking something serious, looks like he is back to his angry mode I thought "umm..sir..have some soup, you need to take medicine" I told him placing the soup on the side table...

While I was placing the soup on the table he was staring at me intensely making me more nervous than I already was, after placing the soup I just stood fidgeting my fingers and looking down, "how do you expect me to drink the soup with my wounded arm" he asked showing his bandaged arm...

"Ohh..sorry would you mind if I feed you??" I asked nervously to which he smiled and shook his head...he scooted a little giving me space to sit beside him, I sat beside him nervously and fed him the soup carefully not letting it spill on him...

While having the soup he was staring at me continuously and my hands were shaking uncontrollably, oh god is this a kind of punishment or what I thought and finished feeding him without looking at him but solely concentrating on the soup...

Later I gave him the herbal medicine that Mr.Billiards prepared for him which he drank with a distasteful face and I smiled a little, he might be mighty Christopher stone the genius scientist but sometimes he is also a normal person like all of us I guess...

He dozed off after drinking the medicine and I went back to the kitchen to help Mr.Billiards with the dishes, Mr.Billiards was sitting at the dining table and taking some notes examining some plants, I didn't want to disturb him so I went to the kitchen and cleaned the dishes...

By the time I have finished with the kitchen cleaning Mr.Billiards was still working, he has been working so hard since we had both arrived, how can a person be so selfless I thought remembering him facing the thugs earlier alone for us...

I poured some warm milk into a glass and took it to him, he looked up from his book and smiled at me taking the milk from my hands "Go and sleep dear, you have gone through a lot today..." he said removing his spectacles to which I nodded "Mr.Billiards you too have been working hard for us...please rest early" I told him and left him with his work...

I went back to the room he showed me earlier which was his daughter's room I guess and laid on the bed to sleep but couldn't sleep remembering Mr. Billiards' words earlier regarding Mr.Stone being in danger...I was still worried about him, what if they barge in while we are sleeping and killed him?? I thought worriedly closing my eyes tightly...

I don't know when I fell asleep but I woke up around 2 am feeling thirsty, I went to the kitchen and drank some water, I wanted to check on Mr.stone and went to his room, but to my horror, he was shivering with cold, I immediately went and checked his temperature, he was burning with fever, I didn't understand what to do so I ran to Mr. billiards' room but he was sleeping deeply, I didn't feel like disturbing him after what he has gone through today because of us...so i ran back to Mr.Stone's room...

I covered him with two thick blankets but he was still shivering, I searched for a heater in the house but I didn't find any, it's a very old model house so there isn't any modern equipment available, I looked here and there not knowing what to do and went back to Mr.Stone's room...

My heart clenched seeing him suffering like that, I just wanted him to be okay so at that moment I did something which I would never do in my right senses, I slipped inside his blanket and held him tightly to stop him from shivering, after a few minutes he stopped shivering much to my relief...

Nervously I looked up at him wondering if he was awake, he was not awake much to my relief but he looked so weak and pale because of the blood loss, Whatever he did to those drug dealers was for the welfare of teenagers on this island but it made him end up in danger, why can't he stay away from such dangerous people I thought selfishly caressing his rough beard...I just wanted him to be safe and happy but if he gives in to those thugs threats he won't be Christopher stone I guess...

After some time I tried to get out of the blanket but he held me tightly not letting me go...I tried to get out of his grip but I couldn't he was so strong even in this state, after struggling for some time I gave up with a sigh and stayed still...

I guess I have to stay still until he turns to the other side I guess I will leave once he turns to the other side I thought but to my surprise ...a few seconds later he laid his head on my chest while hugging me tightly by my waist, I gulped and felt breathless for some reason, his hot breath was blowing over my neck making the hair on my neck raise, my heart started beating so fast with some unknown feeling which I am experiencing for the first time, am I enjoying this feeling?? is it right to feel this for someone else's boyfriend??? I wondered...

I felt so wrong remembering caroline and immediately held his hand which was on my waist and tried to get out of his grip but he tightened his grip more to stop me from wriggling under him, now almost all his body was above me pinning me to the bed, "Don't leave me ..." he said in a sleepy deep voice, I stared at his sleeping form nervously, even though he is a large guy he looked weak and pale and my heart melted looking at him like that and I gave up struggling with a sigh...

Why am I so weak?? what's wrong with my heart?? why does my heart clench seeing him in pain?? I wondered while holding his large hand with my small one, I caressed his head with my other hand, for some reason I felt like he was all alone in this world with so many enemies around him and he was fighting all alone, a lone tear fell unknowingly from my eye...

The next day I woke up to some heavy weight on my chest... when I opened my eyes Mr.Stone was still sleeping in the same position holding me tightly and almost crushing me under him, i looked around and it was still early, I have to wake up before he finds me here I thought and struggled so hard to get out of the bed without waking him...

Angels heard my prayers and I finally managed to get out of his grip without waking him"huh...thank god that was close" I told myself releasing a sigh of relief and running back to my room without making any sound...

Christopher(p.o.v)

I woke up to an amazing scent and a soft pillow underneath me, I opened my eyes and saw Erika sleeping peacefully under me, the sun was still rising on the horizon filling the room with a beautiful reddish-yellow hue, and a light breeze was flowing through the windows blowing the white curtains, the fragrance of the wildflowers outside filled the air intoxicating my senses...

I remembered last night when I was shivering she held me to help me but I didn't let go of her wantedly...

I observed Erika closely and admired the beauty of the sleeping angel in my arms, her beautiful long eyelashes, her pouty red lips, her long wavy hair, her pink cheeks she looked like a fairy descended on the earth, her slender figure fitted perfectly into my arms, I felt like kissing her everywhere and not letting her go anywhere but that's not the right thing to do I guess...

Yesterday when I opened my eyes I saw her beautiful face filled with worry and I heard what she said before I opened my eyes, she was ready to protect me with her tiny form, it was both funny and adorable at the same time, but when she cried like a kid after I woke up I couldn't stop myself from hugging her, I understood how delicate and sensitive she was yet she stayed strong for me...I felt so guilty for being harsh with her earlier...

When she was crying I hugged her and assured her that I would never let her suffer alone again...at that moment I just wanted her to be safe and I wanted to take her away from this place but Mr.Billiards stopped me and reminded me that I would not only put my life at risk but also Erika's life too if I leave this place now...

once I recover I will find out who played this kidnap trick on me and teach them a lesson for messing with me and putting Erika's life in danger i thought...

I remembered the events earlier and how Erika held on to me even when I told her to leave and save her life, she risked her life in the process of saving me, I can't help but admire her strong will and determination.

I understood something about Erika very clearly after this incident that she might she look delicate and meek but she cab be so strong when the situation arises... she could have left me and run away but she didn't leave me ...

I looked at her cute sleeping form "My cute little assistant...where were you all these days?? why didn't you appear in my life before" I said tracing her beautiful lips and giving a small kiss on her forehead, is it selfish of me if I want to wake up to this beautiful sight every day??... I wondered with a small smile...

after some time I noticed her moving under me, I understood that she woke up and trying to get out of my grip...but I didn't open my eyes and held back a smile while she was struggling like a cute cat

But eventually, I let her go still pretending to be asleep because I know that she would be embarrassed if I wakeup now knowing her shy nature...i saw her running out of my room and smiled at her cute antics...how I wish I could wake up every day next to her...I thought and went back to sleep with her beautiful smile in my mind..

When I woke up later it was around 10 pm, I felt a lot better than yesterday I don't know if it's because of the medicine or Erika, slowly I got up and brushed my teeth, changed my dress, I looked inside the house but didn't see anyone ...for a minute i got worried not seeing anywhere...

So I went to check the back garden and saw something beautiful which I would always keep in my heart...

I saw Erika laughing heartily at something Mr.Billiards was saying, she was wearing a simple white dress with long sleeves, her long brown hair was flowing with the air, she was holding some flowers and arranging them in a vase sitting beside Mr.Billiards in the back yard, she looked so lively and cheerful unlike the nervous one when she is with me...what should I do to make her laugh like that when she is with me I wondered...

I immediately went back inside in search of my bag, I took my camera out and clicked the pictures of Erika with my unharmed hand..

Suddenly she turned around and looked in my direction...oh no did she see that I was taking her pictures without her permission??