CHAPTER 112: CONFESSIONS AND CONNECTIONS

Marcus woke up in Irene's apartment parking lot to the sound of someone throwing trash into a nearby dumpster. His neck ached from sleeping in an uncomfortable position near the trash can, and for a moment he couldn't remember why he was outside instead of in his own bed.

Then everything came flooding back. The confrontation at Pressley Guns, Alex's malicious video, getting fired, and his decision to help Irene despite having lost everything else in his real world existence.

Marcus waited outside Irene's apartment building, unsure of what exactly he hoped to accomplish. When she finally appeared around midmorning, she looked terrible. Her eyes were red rimmed, her clothes were wrinkled like she'd slept in them, and she moved with the uncertain steps of someone still under the influence.

"Marcus? What are you doing here?" Irene asked when she spotted him near the entrance.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay after yesterday."

Irene's expression shifted between embarrassment and defensiveness. "I am sorry you got fired, but I can't give your job back. And you need to stop this knight in shining armor act. Leave me alone."

But she was a mess, completely relapsed and obviously hadn't been seen by anyone from her family or friends. The isolation was making everything worse.

"I'm not here for my job," Marcus said calmly. "I finished my project there, and if I wanted to become a businessman, you don't know what I am capable of. But I am here because I care about you."

Irene's voice carried pain and self loathing. "Then why are you pulled back? Is it because I am an addict, right? A trash. Scum of the earth."

"No, that's not it," Marcus replied firmly.

"What is it then?"

Marcus took a deep breath, knowing he was about to cross a line he'd never crossed before. "I care about you. But I won't play savior because I gave up on this life. Because I have another life."

Irene looked around with confusion and growing concern. "What does that even mean?"

"Come with me. I'll tell you all about it. Screw work. You can't work in this state, and you don't have to please your father. Come to the coffee shop. I'll tell you everything."

Despite her obvious skepticism, Irene followed Marcus to a nearby café where they found a quiet corner booth. Marcus ordered coffee for both of them and tried to organize thoughts he'd never spoken aloud to anyone in the real world.

"Irene, what I'm about to tell you will sound completely insane. But I'm going to tell you anyway because I can't keep pretending anymore."

"Marcus, if you're having some kind of breakdown..."

"Just listen. Please."

Marcus began explaining about his dual world existence, about Valdris and the medieval fantasy kingdom where he lived another life. He told her about Malachar, the approaching siege, his business partnerships with Sara and Aldric, his family relationships with Tom and his parents.

"Every time I sleep, I switch between worlds. Here and there. When I'm unconscious in one world, I'm awake and active in the other."

Irene listened with growing amazement and concern. "Marcus, I am crazy, but not that crazy. If you don't like me, you don't like me. You don't need to make up elaborate fantasies."

But Marcus couldn't stop anymore. The words poured out as he described the textile manufacturing, the mushroom cultivation, the weapons development, the portal magic, and his upcoming mission to infiltrate Malachar's facility.

"I know how it sounds. But Irene, in that world I have a second family that depends on me. A city in siege. I have to raid a dark lord's place to steal alien technology that could save thousands of worlds."

"Marcus..." Irene started to interrupt.

Marcus reached across the table and kissed her, stopping her protests with sudden intensity. The physical connection felt like the only way to bridge the gap between impossible truth and normal reality.

When they broke apart, Marcus looked directly into her eyes. "I like you, and I won't find anymore excuses. I can make it work in both lives."

"Marcus... I... I like you too," Irene said quietly. "Let's be crazy together."

The acceptance in her voice was unexpected and overwhelming. Marcus felt like someone had just offered him something he'd thought was impossible.

"From now on, I will be there for you. I'll help you care about your life. You help me care about my life."

At that moment, Irene's phone started ringing. She looked at the caller ID and grimaced. "My dad. He's called me twenty times since yesterday."

"Are you going to answer?"

"I was actually feeling too weak today. I was thinking about getting some more stuff from my dealer before going to work." Irene's honesty was painful but refreshing. "But now that you are here for me, I won't go."

Marcus felt a surge of relief and responsibility. "It's okay. Let me make you some soup. You just rest."

They went back to Irene's apartment, where Marcus found basic ingredients to make something simple and nourishing. As he worked in her small kitchen, Marcus felt the strange experience of caring for someone in his real world while knowing that tomorrow he might die in Valdris.

Irene curled up on her couch, obviously going through withdrawal symptoms but trying to fight through them. Marcus brought her soup and sat beside her, offering whatever comfort he could provide.

"Thank you for caring about me in this world too, this life too," she whispered as they held each other.

Marcus stroked her hair gently. "Maybe tomorrow I'll die in Valdris, and I had to care about my real world life too," he thought to himself.

The dual world existence that had felt like a burden for so long suddenly felt like a gift. Having someone who cared about his real world self, even if she didn't fully understand the cosmic responsibilities he carried, made everything feel more balanced.

"Irene, I know what I told you sounds impossible. But whether you believe it or not, I need you to know that you matter to me in ways that have nothing to do with fantasy or escape."

"I believe you care about me," she said simply. "The rest... maybe I'll understand better when you're ready to explain more."

They spent the rest of the day together, talking about everything except the approaching crisis in Valdris. Marcus told Irene about his childhood, his relationship with his parents, his friendship with Tyler, and his struggles with feeling like he didn't belong anywhere.

"I've felt like I was living half a life for so long," Marcus admitted. "Like I couldn't be completely present in either world because I was always thinking about the other one."

"And now?"

"Now I think maybe I can be fully present wherever I am. Maybe caring about both lives makes each one more real, not less."

Irene rested her head against Marcus's shoulder. "I don't understand everything you told me about other worlds and dark wizards. But I understand feeling like you're living half a life. That's what addiction does. It makes everything else feel distant and unreal."

"We can help each other be more present," Marcus suggested.

"I'd like that."

As evening approached, Marcus felt the familiar pull toward sleep that would take him back to Valdris. But for the first time in months, he didn't feel like he was abandoning one life to live another.

The dual world existence that had seemed like a curse might actually be the key to becoming the person both worlds needed him to be.

The approaching crisis would test that theory soon enough, but for now, Marcus allowed himself to feel hopeful about possibilities he'd thought were lost forever.

Both worlds were worth fighting for, and having connections in each one made the fight feel winnable.