*Chapter 5: The Weight of Truth*
Aria's mind was still reeling as she stumbled away from the clock tower, J's words echoing in her mind like a mantra. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of memories, of emotions that weren't hers, of a love that spanned centuries.
J followed her, his eyes never leaving hers, his presence a comforting warmth in the midst of the chaos. "Aria, stop," he said, his voice low and gentle. "Let me help you."
Aria shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs. "I don't understand," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "How can this be true?"
J took a deep breath, his eyes locked onto hers. "It's a lot to take in, I know. But I promise you, Aria, I'm telling you the truth. We're meant to be together, you and I."
Aria laughed, the sound bitter and harsh. "Meant to be together?" she repeated. "That's just a myth, a fairy tale. Life doesn't work that way."
J's eyes burned with intensity, his face etched with determination. "It does, Aria. And I'm living proof of it. I've lived multiple lives, just like you. And in every one of them, I've found you."
Aria's heart skipped a beat as J's words sank in. She felt a flutter in her chest, a sense of hope that she hadn't felt in years.
But she was scared, too. Scared of the truth, scared of the memories, scared of the love that threatened to consume her.
"Why?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why are we being punished like this?"
J's face softened, his eyes filling with compassion. "We're not being punished, Aria. We're being given a gift. A chance to be together, to love each other, to make things right."
Aria's eyes met J's, and she saw the truth there, the love and the pain and the longing.
And she knew that she couldn't resist any longer.
She took a step closer to J, her heart pounding in her chest. "Tell me more," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
J's face lit up with a smile, his eyes shining with tears. "I'll tell you everything, Aria," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I'll tell you everything, and we'll face it together."
As they stood there, wrapped in the silence of the night, Aria felt a sense of peace wash over her. She knew that she was exactly where she was meant to be.
In J's arms, where she would always be.