The last guardian of humanity

Chapter 1| Playing Santa

"The negotiation at the moment felt more than nice, what could earth lose in a thousand years? it was more than a fair option it was stupid," Nana stopped with a theatrical flair that made Kimberly chuckle from the doorpost where she stood and watch the huddled doe-eyed children, hungry for every word Nana had to utter.

"Yes, so also is the repeated story that you have told more than a million times, with no facts to back it up, no collaboration with reality," she struts in knowing that Nana will be watching her take her time to unstrap her boot heels, slide her coat from her body and dump it on the couch.

The children took the cue already aware that storytime will be continued next time when grumpy Kimberly is gone.

Nana stood up. She smiled at her grandmother, the only woman she had ever had as a mother figure. Her mom had died during childbirth and her dad never existed.

"You know your eyes used to brighten up once upon a time when I say such stupid words," Nana smiled back at her then frowning picked her jacket off the couch.

"Let's just say I grew up. Besides, my occupation doesn't give room for fantasies. It is all about real facts and how much you can prove with that." She shook her head, not able to control herself from plunging into an argument she has had millions of times with her Nana, "There should at least be something, a fact that collaborates with the most popular myth in the world."

"The story says that it happens every millennium, I ain't sure any human has a lifespan more than a 100,000 so they can give you the facts you need."

Kimberly shook her brunette hair loose from the tight bun it was in. "Remember documentation is eternal. Something so big, a girl leaving her house and siblings to go live with some hideous creature should have made the papers." She threw her hands up in the air.

"Why are you beating yourself up for just a little harmless myth?" Nana's lips quirked with a little knowing smile, "Are you trying to prove to me or yourself, that the underworld doesn't exist."

Kimberly huffed in disbelief, "forget I even brought this up, who cares about the underworld?" Then she heaved sprawling her tired body on a couch, "Besides, this human needs food and is thoroughly drained."

Nana gave her a tender look, her gaze softening, "Rough day huh?"

She nodded.

"Baby, I know we have been through this more than once but you need to take it easy on yourself__"

"Nana, I'll be fine besides I have walked down the cabal and Dominic legal service firm for as long as I can remember with a wistful smile and hope that one day I'll be inside that building, wearing a big frown on my face for no reason and sauntering down the hallway with my lawyer's wig," Kimberley smiled at Her, " I worked so hard for this. interview after interview, test after test__"

"The more reason why you need to take it easy on yourself. You don't need to overstress yourself or exhaust yourself, you falling ill is the last thing you want, trust me."

"I'll be just fine, trust me, Nana."

She chuckled to herself a little as Nana made her way upstairs, Kimberly's coat draped on her arm while mumbling under her breath something she knew was the same old stuff, how she was stubborn and didn't hear a word she said.

She shook her head, as her gaze took in the cozy house that Nana had made so many memories in for her, it became a home. Nana playing Santa every year even till she turned 18 was one of her favorites. At least, in the end, they both agreed that she overgrew that phase immediately she saw her first menstrual cycle and knew that boys didn't have cooties.

Even though Nana doesn't believe she ever did enough, Kimberly knew she had more than enough and she was thankful for the life she had. A family, the love of her life, a good-paying job. She wouldn't trade how perfect her life was going for the world.

Her phone rang inside her handbag interrupting her train of thoughts. She emptied the contents of the bag on the floor, too tired to search for anything.

Seeing the caller's ID a big goofy grin was plastered on her face. "Hello, Ugly."

She could almost imagine him, his nerdy glasses on, his Raven black hair ruffled because of how many times he must have raked his hands over it, a cute mannerism he exhibits whenever he reads his blue eyes shining aglow as the little lamplight he keeps on his study table illuminating his face.

She had known Bryan for as long as forever was, he was her high school sweetheart. The perfect A list couple that was recognized by the whole school and was awwned and fawned over throughout college but what nobody ever thought possible was that they will last this long.

"Hi, gorgeous."

That has been their regular greeting pattern ever since they met each other at the detention room that had forged their relationship.

She still has to work around that picture or try to tune it to her liking when telling her grandchildren how they met but for now, the original story was that Bryan was given detention for the first time because used to sticking to the rules, that was on his bucket list. While detention was not a foreign land to her as a result of her argumentative streak which was so passionate and her teachers didn't seem to appreciate it.

She would love to tell her grandchildren that blinds dropped, pencils rolled, they stared at each other's eyes and knew they were soulmates but nothing of the sort happened. It had turned out to be the scariest day of her life as she could remember holding his hand at the back of the ambulance with an oxygen mask over his face.

He was asthmatic, had an attack right in detention but had forgotten his inhaler.

The nickname ugly came from how pale he had looked when she came to see him the next day, then a healthy friendship had blossomed and one day, she realized she'd like to kiss him and he felt the same way. Viola!

"I've been thinking about you all day, so I decided to call."

"Wow!" Her mouth closed with a dramatic audible pop, "So you still have time to think about me in your book clustered mind, my encyclopedia," there was silence at the other side and Kimberly could almost see him readjusting his wiry spectacles on his oval handsome face.

"I think about you all the time, Kim." His words were a soft whisper but it sent a flutter down her spine. "During every surgical procedure, every time I wear those damn scrubs, every time I lift another nerdy book, even while I'm on my lunch break, your thoughts never take a break," she chuckled lightly.

"Your thoughts always hover at the back of my mind somehow and my mind always remembers how insanely in love I am with you."

"Better, we won't want those hot nurses of yours getting any idea now, would we?" His soft chuckle felt like music to her ears.

"None of them come close to how hot you are. You won prom queen twice in a row, had many opportunities and agencies willing to take you on for modeling, which you vehemently rejected believing__"

"Modelling is for dumb bimbos." They both said in unison.

"Do I say it that much?"

"Trust me, you won't like the answer."

"But I want to be out there banging out the truth, solving the toughest cases, cracking the biggest mystery, always on the adrenaline knowing that someone's freedom relies greatly on what I can prove, not some faceless body showing off an outfit."

"And you are finally having the opportunity to do that, you work for the biggest firm in Los Angeles and I am super proud of you," he paused, an indication he was looking for an appropriate set of words to switch into a topic he knew she won't appreciate, "About work can you please lay it down a notch. You are always up perusing files, looking up a client, past cases of rival lawyers and it doesn't help that you are always up at the crack of dawn heading for work."

"Nana reported you to me," She groaned, "As usual."

"Something tells me if we were dating when I was 7, she would have also told you I didn't want to floss."

He gasped playfully, a side to him that only she saw, "that is bad Kim, bad girl, bad."

They both chuckled.

"But honestly though Nana had a hand__"

"Not news, she always has both hands and legs."

"But" he enunciated, "I notice the sleeping bags underneath your eyes, how overworked you look, and with the rate you are going, you will end up getting sick. Please try to slow down a bit."

She tsked, idly drumming her fingers on the couch armchair, "For someone who made the youngest successful surgeon in the New York's time newspaper you sound like a hypocrite, let's not forget that you work in your dad's hospital and don't have a workload cut out for you, to prove yourself as I do."

Bryan's father owned one of the biggest hospitals in the country and it was more like a family legacy she had heard more than once. His grandfather was in the medical field, he was a neurologist, his dad a doctor, his mom a doctor, and him a neurosurgeon.

They always look so cool in their white scrubs working hand in hand whenever she drops by to see Bryan, she could almost smell the headline if a picture of that moment is being taken, "Power family"

"You are the best lawyer that I know of. You are so confident, sometimes it gets you into trouble, damn intelligent, efficient, hardworking, professional, passionate about arguing," he sighed, "which sometimes gives me an ache in both my head and heart, but they should be happy to have you. You don't need to prove anything to anybody."

"Try telling that to my sullen, ugly looking boss who looks down on me because of my age,"

His voice reduced conspiratorially, "Why don't we show him what we are made of then, make him swallow his depreciating thoughts he hasn't even voiced out."

"That is why I'm staying up and doing my best__" she chirped in excitement at the thought he was finally on her side.

"And getting sick won't do that." He deadpanned.

"You should be awarded most unsupportive boyfriend of the year and then handed a shining trophy that reminds you how you couldn't even side with your girlfriend even once and picked sides with Nana instead."

"Nana gives me grilled chicken and her infamous lasagna. Her chocolate cookies are amazing, let's not even discuss her desserts that are responsible for my sweet tooth. But what do you give me?" He drawled the last part, "You can't even toast a pancake to save your life."

Her eyes widened in incredulity as he brought up one of their "never to discuss list". Her inability to cook was one of the things she never liked to discuss. Nana had always cooked for her and cared for her generally so she never felt the need to do most things herself, cooking was one of them.

"We agreed we'll never talk about that!"

"I couldn't resist." His words were laced with amusement while she rolled her eyes not believing he found anything about her inability to cook amusing, "I think it is really sweet, how you exclaim and get mad. I know millions of girls who can't cook and that doesn't make you less special to me or less human besides I cook real good. I'll gladly be your chef."

She had butterflies fluttering down her tummy, "You don't even know more than 50 people." She taunted, reminding him of how much of an introverted and reserved person he was. "your colleagues and family members are inclusive."

"I don't need more than 10 people when I have you in my life. You are more than enough."

Chapter 2| No Substitute

The waves lapping together, hinting at an Ethereal symbol of peace made her sigh, even as she stood feets away watching the sight.

"Your love with water is one of the mysterious things I love about you," Bryan cocked his head to the side studying her as she stared out of his window, watching the sea that was one of the reasons he had bought the house. He knew she'd love the view and he had wanted her to feel like she could turn it into a home.

He stands up, encircling his arms around her waist and hugs her from behind. She giggled, turning away from the view and craning her neck to look into his eyes. She was petite and was 5'2 feet tall which was a disadvantage to her when she wanted to kiss Bryan and he teases her, or he holds an object out of her reach which was his all-time favorite. It was also among their "Never to discuss list"

"The view is beautiful," she complimented her eyes on his as she fought the urge to mess up his perfectly cropped hair, Making him look less attractive but she knew that never helps because she had done that.

Bryan had the typical next door hot neighbor package, goofy grin check, dimples check, towering height check, magic in the kitchen check, funny personality check but amidst all this he just wanted her, regardless of all the numbers she was aware many of his co-workers or those devilish nurses in their short uniforms must be slipping into his briefcases, scrubs or the most desperate ones might just fuck all the consequences and ask him for it but somehow he was doting on her, has always been doting on her like he had no other option. Like it was either her or her. No substitute, no other option.

"I only wanted the view, so I could see someone even more beautiful," he leaned in, gazing momentarily at her lips, "You."

Then he covered the distance between their lips. It was a short brush of their lips, then he smiled at her while she stifled her need to whine and call him a tease, knowing that'll only give him something to laugh about.

"All good things come to all those who wait."

She rolled her eyes at him, leaving the room to grab her laptop she had abandoned in the sitting room, where he had clasped his hands over her face to unveil the surprise he had for her and oh boy, was it so worth it, so much more she had forgotten work for more than two hours as she had just stared, soaked in the view and marveled at its perfection.

***

"Hope you'd love my new apartment though?" They both worked in silence, their heads both on their laptops, boxed away by a comfortable silence as the clack clack of their keypad was the only sound heard in the sitting room they had turned into a makeshift workplace until Bryan had interrupted the silence.

"It has a view of the sea. You should know I'll be biased, so ask someone that isn't obsessed," she said casually while glossing over the files her intern had turned in very late at night that could help the new case she was working on. It was a popular case, the media's attention was on it since it was between an assaulted minor and a Vice-chancellor and the last thing she needed was a mistake.

"You could be as biased as you want," He smiled at her, Because it is going to be your home soon, he thought to himself. "I just want your opinion."

"It's perfect then." She took a sip of the chocolate latte she had stolen from Bryan's snacking stash, nodding in approval at how nice the liquid was as it glides down her throat, its flavor added in very accurate proportions.

Bryan remembered the Tiffany box he had been holding onto for a month now, wondering when he could muster the courage to ask Kimberly to be his wife, Yes they have spent midnights just in each other's arms discussing the names of their children, had talked and agreed on godparents but discussing the ideas was not the same as involving practicality.

Every moment felt like it was not right, first, they had gotten out of college with good grades and had entered the labor market. It had been a smooth sail for him because he had a vacant position waiting but he couldn't say the same for Kimberly who had to write a series of tests, go on hundreds of interviews to get employed as a lawyer in her dream firm but it had been a 6 months contract so it was more like a trial, so it had not felt right.

And now, she was fully employed. She was even busier, more stressed out, more engrossed with work, Making him wonder Every Time he thinks he has mustered enough courage over the past month to pop the question, he was faced with the same old question, was this the right time?

"Bryan," he snapped out of his thought, glancing at Kimberly whose coffee brown eyes were peering into his face worriedly.

"Are you okay? You have been zoning out so regularly all day."

He managed a smile, "Just wondering what I was thinking, introducing work into a weekend getaway that was aimed at making you get away from work." He mumbled.

"You were thinking that You will be such a hypocrite to act like you are not the worst workaholic like myself, But trust me," she muttered lifting her cup of chocolate latte, "This is so soothing to my taste buds, and makes the process easy offering so much enriched blend of ingredients that are like a lipgasm."

He shook his head, moved by her enthusiastic description and her made-up words which were amongst other long piles of words which were found by her, Kimberly advanced weirdoes who don't think the normal dictionary is nearly enough for all the vocabularies they feel like should be a word.

The name was still a work in progress though, Bryan thought but the point was that she did have a dictionary.

"If that is good, then you'll be hyped about all the fun places we'll be visiting this weekend," he gave her a little smile, "I have a lot mapped out already."

"So no sweat pants and working my butts off?"

He nodded.

"Why do I feel like this is a setup and an arrangement made between Nana and yourself."

"More like an intervention from your job is swallowing you whole crisis but moreover why do I feel like your brain is screaming for a break but your mind can't process it?"

She tried to fight off the little incoming grin, but it was too late. He saw it and gave her one of his knee-weakening ones, flashing her his irresistible dimples.

He never played fair! She noted as she found herself agreeing to his plan.

"Okay, just this weekend. I'll allow you to indulge me in this beautiful romantic universe then on Sunday evening I'll go back to the world where I have colleagues with bad surgeries who pile their frustration on anyone unfortunate to cross their paths, let's not forget their stuck up attitude."

He kissed her on her forehead, "I love you, Berly"

It was a nickname he had made from the other part of her name because he thought Kim to be used by almost everybody and wanted something special. He didn't call her the name regularly but whenever he did call her, it was accompanied by the sincere light in his eyes, the brutal honesty, the unwavering sincerity that did things she couldn't possibly use a word to quantify how giddy she felt, almost like she walked on clouds, or how her knees buckled like she had traveled a thousand miles or how beautiful the sensation travels around her body leaving her breathless, excited and dreamy.

"I love you too, Bryan." She smiled as he cupped her jaw, "You have no idea," then his lips were meeting hers in a soft searching caressing clash as gentle as their love yet as in-depth as the strong emotion that rolls over them.

Chapter 3| Lunch dates and 1000 ways to kill Bryan

Red bold lipstick replaced her normal tinted lip balm. She had also gone with a smokey eye makeover, stretched her hair flat, and now, was trying to immerse herself in the moment of having a VIP table reservation on the top floor in a five-star hotel.

When Bryan had said he had plans to take her to a fun place, she had never known he had meant to go all the way out but oh boy did he surpass her imaginations.

They stole glances at each other as she found herself losing interest in her chocolate fudge dessert as she stared at her boyfriend in his dress shirt, navy blue blazers, and his hair that fell in loose curls to the side of his face who looked more delicious.

As spoons clattered against china wares, Kimberly couldn't help but realize how much she had missed this. Though it wasn't a five-star restaurant at high school but a cafeteria and college they bought take-outs which they ate in Bryan's house, discussed any and everything then watched a marathon of Games of Thrones for the eighteenth time.

She missed the glances, profession of love, cuddles. Everything that growing up had taken away from them and she was glad he was the reason why she was able to relive such beautiful memories, such a mosaic of Happy thoughts.

"Thank you," he looked up at her in confusion, "For reminding me just how much I have always had."

He smiled briefly at her, then dropped his spoon, his gaze so intense, it sucked her breath away, he took her hand, "I want you to know that I'm forever yours. Irreversibly, without a choice, hopelessly till the end. So you'll always have me at your beck and call, forever."

She wondered if words could affect one's sugar level because if it could with the number of sweet words he was supplying her in a wide range she feared she just might become diabetic.

"I'm also here for you too."

He gave her a little smile as his fork dug into his lasagne which was still very much plenty on his plate making her flush, embarrassed she was already in the dessert course of her meal when he wasn't even done with his first course. But in her defense she reasoned, she didn't have breakfast.

"You don't seem hungry," she commented.

He chuckled lightly, his displayed dimples making her tummy flutter "No, I am not filled but not all of us have a superpower of assaulting and attacking foods."

She rolled her eyes, "I don't eat that much."

"If not for how great your metabolism is and how fast it works you won't probably fit into the door of this restaurant." He taunted, a teasing smile on his face making her frown.

"At least you should be happy that I am here to make sure the overpriced meals you bought don't go to waste."

"Having a glutton around should make one happy? That is a new one," her eyes widened at his word glutton as she searched for the right retort to come up with.

"I'm not__" he had a tender smile on his face as he fitted her hand perfectly into his.

"But I love that about you, I love your smile, the argumentative fire in your voice, your shrill horrible singing voice and other things I can't probably mention now, else this will change from a romantic word to an essay," they both laughed. "But I love the entire package that comes with Kimberly Clarkson, everything that makes her the woman that had held my breath for all these years and still does even in her ratty sweatpants and SpongeBob horrible shorts."

She smiled, not believing the mushy lovey feeling that enveloped her, even though he had made fun of her great Shorts which held such a sentimental place in her heart. She had worn the shorts the first day, she had started a debate on why Nonna needed to allow her to keep a pet.

It was a debating body of just a man and though her request was not heeded to, she had formed a strong revolutionary body, something that Bryan couldn't possibly understand no matter how hard she tried.

His phone screen lit up making him frown. A frown that increased with every second that passed with his eyes on the damn device.

He quickly stood up, "Babe I'm so so sorry. The hospital needs me urgently. I know this was supposed to be just about us but I'll make it up to you."

He glanced at her unfinished plate of dessert, " Will you rather finish up here or just head back home?"

She was already ordering an Uber since he was her ride to the restaurant and he was going to be going to the hospital with his car.

"I'll make it up to you okay?"

She nodded, smiling for his benefit, "it's fine."

"Movie night, tonight. Just like old times. You can pick the movie but please babe I don't want to watch the notebook for like, I have even lost count of how many times we've watched the rom-com."

Then he was briskly walking out, leaving her to trail behind him.

***

Pristine white floor, shelves as walls, moghany pieces of furniture and comfy loveseats in the sitting room, one of them she was sitting on as she waited expectantly for the screeching of Bryan's tires, blaring of horns while staring into space, her laptop on her knee which she had given up trying to get work done with since it was no use as her mind was unavoidably redirected back to Bryan.

She yawned betraying how hungry and tired she was, but that was secondary as her patience was growing thin as she tried to remind herself again and again that they were trying to climb up the corporate ladder, make their impact in the business class world but yet it seemed not to be working.

Deciding she needed to take her mind off Bryan's lateness, she walked into the room deciding to stare at the water body. Dark grey clouds hung over the roaring sea and then she saw the silhouette of a man submerged into the water but had his eyes on the house like he could tell someone was staring at him. She blinked and there was nothing. What loneliness could cause to a soul.

She walked out of the room since it was now giving off an eerie creepy feeling she didn't like, going back to the sitting room. She grabbed a book, one of Bryan's medical articles but didn't make it past a page.

She stared at the clock, realizing it was past 11, so much for movie night she thought as she pushed the bucket of popcorn she had microwaved five hours ago, all excited about their night together.

But remembering how squeaky neat Bryan likes his stuff to be, she found herself vacuuming the mess she had made in her fit.

And as she sat down in his sitting room thinking of 1000 ways to kill Bryan without being suspected including him having visiting and calling privileges she drifted into a tired induced sleep.