Private Finished I'ma try to swim from something bigger than me

Staring up at Broen, Zora met his gaze with graveness and uncertainty but said nothing as he spoke, just quietly taking in what he said and feeling sort of relieved that he didn't think she was the monster she thought she was.

"Thank you for saying that. I have hated Tomas for so very long and felt so awful about it too. Especially when everyone would tell me I shouldn't say things like that, and that he was my brother... my family." she told him, barely disguising the disgust she felt still at the memories.

"After a while, I simply kept what I thought to myself," she told him as she leaned into in him again, and closed her eyes.

"He was an awful person and nobody believed me, Broen. Nobody. My dad thought I was lying, so did my grandfather until he came here. And I think he still doesn't want to believe Tomas was that bad." she said feeling tired.

"In a way, I wish that you had," she admitted truthfully, "except that then you may have ended up in jail, and Tomas was never worth ruining anyone's life over."

Putting a hand over his when he caressed her cheek, Zora leant into his hand, "I am lucky to have you, you know... " she told him as she looked at him softly, trying not to become emotional or anything but just grateful that he was who he was. "You don't pussyfoot around me or just try to appease me, and I'm grateful for that, especially right now."

For some reason, it surprised her a little to know that he thought himself lucky to have her in his life. Maybe because Zora had never considered things from his point of view before now, or maybe it finally hit her the consequences of what she been considering, and how she would have hurt him if she had. Something that caused her great dismay.

"Then we are both lucky," she said quietly as she laid her head on his chest and could hear and feel his heart beating, finding the sound strangely comforting. "I want to get away from this all for a bit," she told him with a sigh. "Just for a few days," she explained to him, knowing she needed to get some help or something but needing time away from it all first to clear her mind.

"Would you come with me? Or can you come with me?" she asked him, remembering he had school.

For the first time in twenty plus hours, Zora actually smiled. It was a grateful and slightly tired smile, but it was a smile nonetheless, and with it she felt a smidgen better. Or at least, not like the world was crashing around her.

"I'd like to go somewhere that isn't here. Somewhere without magic, somewhere where nobody knows me or you or us," she said quickly slashing over half the potential places they could go and opting for someplace secluded and semi-touristy, and because she could afford it and she rarely flexed her muscle economically - at least not with Broen, she took the opportunity to do it.

"There's a private island in Fiji called Wakaya island. I have never been there before, but I hear it's beautiful and I know it's a world away from here," she told him seriously.

"Of course," Zora said with a tiny agreeable sigh, leaning into Broen when he kissed her forehead. "I will book everything tonight, we can discuss everything then," she agreed, smiling at the comment of the two of them naked on the beach.

"I guess a bathing suit is one less thing I need to pack," she laughed as she looked at Broen smiling, grateful for his ability to lighten things, and nodding when he suggested they get off the ledge, his arm wrapped protectively around her waist.

"Yes, let's go. And food sounds really good right now," she admitted, realising now that she hadn't eaten in almost twenty-four hours and feeling suddenly very hungry. "There's a place down by the beach that we could check out," Zora suggested as she stayed next to him, his presence and slight possessiveness making her feel safe and reassured.