Both Claire and Gabriel ran and made it to the hotel. By the time they rushed inside and into their hotel room, the sound of the explosions from the bombs had stopped.
All that was heard now was the sound of the thunder and the rain that fell harder with each passing second.
Only when they entered their room and when Gabriel locked the door behind them did they both let out a loud sigh.
And after that, immediately, Claire went and sat on her bed. She thought over everything that has just happened.
"Claire? Are you okay?" Gabriel asked as he approached her.
For a second, she looked up at him, into his eyes. And then, against her own will, her eyes filled up with tears.
She hitched for a breath before she dug her head into her hands and broke down into tears.
Not expecting such a reaction, Gabriel looked at her for a second, listened to the hurtful sobs she let out. The sobs that too caused him pain. And then, he sat beside her. "Claire?..." he called out quietly. But she didn't respond.
Instead, her sobs quietened a bit.
And with that, he knew that he just had to let her be. 'The war is slowly but surely getting to her...' he thought to himself, the thought itself causing him even more distress.
He looked at his twiddling thumbs as Claire's choked sobs filled the room. Moments later, he looked back at her, who now had her forehead resting against the palm of her hand.
She stopped crying, but tears kept on streaming down her face.
She seemed a bit calmer. Even if it was by a tiny bit, it was still something.
And then, deliberately, Gabriel put a hand on Claire's right shoulder. And from there, he gave her rubs on assurance. He wanted her to know that he was there for her.
The thoughts of him being her Captain left his head when he was alone with Claire. He felt such sympathy, such pain. Empathy. That for him, it seemed a bit too harsh to keep such standards when he was around her.
Then, when he went out of his trance. When his gaze returned to Claire, he saw that she felt the smallest piece of his actions when she broke down into more tears.
From there, she turned around before she gave him a hug. "I am sorry, Gabriel. I know this doesn't seem really all that professional, but I just need a hug.".
He was surprised by her actions, but her words made him feel something. Something in his chest. He felt his heart thump before it skipped a beat.
Maybe it was the fact that he was the person from who she sought reassurance so he felt that way.
He didn't reply to her words, instead, he too wrapped his arms around her small body. Pulling her that bit closer to him.
She rested her head inside the crease on his neck, right by his collarbone, as he laid his head against hers.
"Why are you crying?" he asked her, his tone sounding softer than he intended it to be.
He heard her take in a deep breath. "The fact that I am away from home. Memories..." she spoke. "All those people. They seemed so happy, they reminded me of my childhood.". A pause, she allowed herself to be that bit calmer. "I remembered being younger when I went to places similar to that with my mother, father and brother... I remember we were as happy as them. Smiling, laughing. And then when the bomb dropped... when I heard all those screams, shouts for help...". She was forced to pause for a brief moment as even more tears rolled down her face. She hitched a breath before finding the power to continue. "They were innocent people, Gabriel. Innocent people got killed. Somebody's mother... brother. Father... sister. A loved one got killed out there, Gabriel.". And at those words, she couldn't help but dig her head into him, sobbing into his clothes.
Her words affected Gabriel too.
As he held her in her hands, his eyes too welled with tears. He felt the pain in her voice. It hurt his soul.
She was right. Someone's loved one died just there.
"What hurts me, even more, is that..." Claire began as she calmed down a bit. "They all left their houses, their loved ones, not even thinking that today will be their last day. They didn't get to say a proper goodbye... it pains me to know that because I know all too well that... that could be me anytime now.".
Then, the words he dreaded hearing the most left her mouth. He picked his head up off of her, closing his eyes shut.
And despite not wanting to, tears fell from his eyes and down his face.
"Don't say that..." he spoke through the tight feeling in his throat. He swallowed whatever was in his mouth in the hope to tame the lump that was in his throat. He looked down at Claire. "Don't say that because I will do everything I can to keep you safe. By my side, no one will hurt you. I will not let them hurt you...".
The words he spoke caused Claire to freeze for a brief moment. They caused that familiar feeling to accumulate in her chest, a feeling she couldn't quite put her finger on. But with it, there came sadness too. 'He has his own life to look after... and here he is, telling me how he is going to keep me safe too.'.
She felt like breaking down into tears again.
"I'll do everything I can to help you and everyone else out, Gabriel..." she spoke under her breath.
Gabriel let out a silent chuckle. "I know you will...". And with those words, he rested his head back against Claire's as he directed his eyes towards the pane of glass that was their window.
Then, a moment of much-needed silence came among them both. The muteness was filled in by the sound of the thunder and the rain on the other side of the glass.
"Thank you... thank you, Gabriel..." she spoke under her breath, breaking the silence and from there, against him, she allowed herself to cry that bit more.
---
A few days passed before they all got ready and headed out towards the Veursau Port. Their bus parked outside the port, amongst many other busses, in the late evening. With that, they all disembarked the vehicle, each person handling their own baggage.
Sometime later, they all began boarding a big ship.
Both Claire and Gabriel walked on the tarmac of the port, towards the vessel with numerous people surrounding them. All walking towards the big boat.
"This is it. This beauty will take us to Leilesse..." he spoke as they approached the wooden platforms that rose from the ground, up to each opening on the left side of the boat.
"Captain?" a voice boomed from behind them both. Claire and Gabriel turned around only to see a youthful soldier approach them both. Just like many of the other soldiers she came across, he seemed no older than she did.
Behind him followed an older man who, just like Gabriel, wore a uniform.
Quickly retracing her gaze back to Gabriel, she saw the way he smiled every so slightly. Then, as if he felt her gaze on him, he looked back at Claire. Coincidentally right into her eyes.
"Claire, you go and board the ship, okay?".
Claire gave him a nod as a small, sheepish smile appeared on her lips. "Yes, Captain.".
She looked away, her gaze dropping down to the ground, as she did what Gabriel told her. With her luggage in her right hand, she began her way to board the vessel that awaited them.
Reaching the very edge of the port ground, she took a moment to look behind her. There, where she left Gabriel behind, her eyes managed to find his, still conversing with the two men.
From there, she walked up to the wooden platform that lead towards the entrance of the ship. And as she was walking, she had and kept her gaze on the boat.
Her eyes picked up all the movement that occurred on the other side of the fence abroad the ship. People walking about, going places. Finding their rooms, or getting familiar with what the boat had to offer for the few days they were due to be out on the water.
Walking up the platform and onto the ship, she was greeted by a kind woman. "What's your name, Miss?".
Claire was astounded by her politeness, so much so that, for a brief second, she forgot how to speak. "E-erm... Claire. Claire Emerson.".
With another smile, the kind woman nodded before she looked into her notepad. Page by page, she scanned through all the names.
And when she managed to find hers, she looked back at Claire. "Your room is on level 2, number 14.". And with that, she handed Claire a brochure. On it was any important details that needed to be known, along with a few acts that will take place aboard the sail.
All in all, it was information that meant nothing to Claire.
Folding the pamphlet and placing it into a pocket of hers, she walked past the woman and to a staircase that was to her right. Ascending up the steps, she reached the second floor and there, she began to navigate her way to her room.
Surprised by the sturdiness of the ship, she still proceeded on walking wearily as she followed the signs above her head.
Within minutes, she managed to find her room. Room 14.
Placing her hand on the doorknob and twisting it gently, she pulled the door, opening it. Behind the wooden door, she got her first glance as to what her room looked like.
It was flooded with colour. She didn't mind that at all.
Taking another step into her room, a figure caught her attention. Almost immediately, she looked to her left.
There she saw a woman, laying on one of the bunk beds, reading a book.
It was as if she felt Claire's eyes on her, the woman dropped her book onto her chest, before looking at Claire.
She showed her acknowledgement to Claire's presence by smiling at her. With that, she placed her book aside before she rose herself to sit on the bed, mindful of the bed above her. "You must be my roommate then..." she spoke up. Finding it was easier for her to stand up, she did just that.
"Yes..." Claire replied, a smile growing on her lips too. She let her eyes glance up at down her body discretely before they returned to looking into the woman's eyes.
"My name is Claire.".
The smile on the woman's face grew that bit more before she offered her hand out for a handshake.
"It's a pleasure meeting you. I'm Gina.".