I'll Protect You (Original Version)

ADHD dreams of dragons and monsters.

Logan

There was an sharp brightness glowing from the darkness within Logan's eyelids. Out of irritation, they fluttered open. Everything was blurry, and it took quiet some time before his vision focused and Logan figured out where he was.

He was still in the private music wing. The grand piano now glowed with a morning light that was heating his back. Last night, the circular room had been lighted by the chandelier dangling overhead, and now, the sun was shining through the glass wall. He realized that he had slept the entire night with his back up against the clear glass walls with Sparrow nesting in his arms.

Park.

She was curled up in his arms, her fists grippiing at his-tshirt. But all he could really see was the incredibly wavy hair that laid against his chest. Last night, Logan had undid her ponytail while he--

Kissed her.

Shit! No, no, no! He shouldn't have done that! Not only did he make it impossible for him to move on from his infuriating feelings for her, he had made it worse for her, especially with her predicament. He just kissed a betrothed girl!

Reckless, stupid, irrational, impulsive didn't even begin to cover his actions. Logan shouldn't have even listened to her when she asked him to stay. That way, he wouldn't have to know about that dreadful upcoming engagement.

In his defense, it was all her fault. It should be outlawed that a girl could look so pretty. Back at the academy, and occasionally at the agency as well, he'd overhear conversations where the girls would complain about looking bad in sweats, their make-up off, and their hair tied up.

Sparrow had been breath-taking at the wedding, looking like a princess spirited out of her story book castle and into the real world. Then he stumbled on her sitting on the piano bench, wearing something the Paradise, Montana Park Sparrow would wear, her curly hair into the messiest ponytail he had ever seen a girl have.

She had looked downright irresistible.

So he couldn't help but lean in and kiss her. She had been freaking out, ranting on about something that he couldn't remember. Because the entire time she spoke, he gazed at her lips, unable to keep his mind from straying towards that area. If Sparrow woke up and blamed the kiss on him, he'd pin it on her. It was all her damn fault for looking so....

For looking like she could never be his.

Logan murmured a small groan as he realized how much sleeping against a glass window hurt. He couldn't get up though. Scratch that--he didn't want to. A part of him was yelling at him to stand up and leave, a silent gesture to Sparrow that this....whatever it was would stop. But a darker part of him whispered to stay, even though it'll hurt them both in the end.

Sparrow stirred, but instead of sitting up, she curled up in even more against him, most of her face pressed into his gray t-shirt. Her gracile fingers were clutching at his shirt, and a pang tweaked his heart.

Looks like neither of them wanted to let go.

But he had to, didn't he? She wanted to go through with the betrothal because it would do her kingdom good. And after several long months of listening to her preposterous stories, he noticed a pattern. There was a duty to a kingdom that the hero would always carry through. Sparrow was that hero (or heroine, as a matter of fact), and she would do anything to protect her people.

He couldn't ask her to do this for him. That was a selfish move, and unkind to the girl he cared for. So, with panther-like grace, he slid away from her, his hands acting like a pillow as he laid her against a ground, hoping that the marble flooring would feel like his t-shirt for a while.

Logan stood up and smoothed his wrinkled clothes. His gaze flickered over to Sparrow lay, no longer curled up into a tiny ball, but straight, her right arm sprawled across her stomach with her knees slightly up in the air, tilted a bit to the side.

No, leaving her here would be an asshole move. Sighing, Logan bent down and picked Sparrow up, her limp body cuddled in his arms. Despite her height and the strong I'm-Better-Than-You smirk she always wore, she seemed extremely light and weak in his arms, vulnerable almost.

Logan tried hard not to rock her as he carried them out of the music wing and downstairs to the fifth floor. His door was closed, just as he remembered, while hers was wide open.

Logan was tempted to shake his head out of sheer vexation. She was a princess. How the hell did she find such comfort that she left the doors to the most private spot in the whole world wide open?

Quietly, Logan stepped in, his bare feet making swishing sounds against the honey-colored floorboards. And, with much care as if he was handling an armful of delcate glass vases instead of a human person that was his age, he set her down on her sheets.

Instantly, and almost comically, Sparrow curled back into a ball, moaning something that sounded like, "Go away."

Hesitation spelled Logan as he tried to turn away. He casted one final look at her, every bone in his body screaming at him to stay. Logan fought with all of his strength, but his impulses controlled his hands to stroke the side of her cold face.

She was always cold. The first time he had grasped her skin, some time back at the academy, he had been scared by the iciness of her flesh. A couple of weeks ago, when he asked her what the deal with her and her body temperature was, it turned out she was a vampire.

Great; Logan Cross fell for a vampire princess. He should write a story about this.

He made to turn away (for good) when Sparrow just had to stir, and she just had to mutter, "Logan."

"Dammit, Sparrow," he moaned, collapsing on the bed beside her. He knew she was still dreaming. And he was willing to bet his life that the dream was about dragons and monsters, a wizard and a dark knight fighting along side each oher for the sake of their quest. Hopefully, 

The last time that she had dreamed about him, they were enemies at sea, and Logan had been a swash-buckling pirate lord that Sparrow had to drown. What was he this time, a toad?

Sparrow rolled over again, and Logan rolled his eyes. This girl couldn't keep still, could she? Did her ADHD show even in her sleep?

"I can't believe I fell for a girl like you," he whispered almost silently. "I wish I could have you, but I can't. I'm so sorry, Sparrow.. I'm the worst bodyguard ever, aren't I?"

She didn't reply, obviously. But a frown overtook her previously confused, lopsided smirk.Logan stroked a stray piece of hair out of her face, his hand lingering on her cheek. He leaned in, not believing what he was about to say. This was his only chance though. He couldn't say it to her behind her back. He couldn't not say it to her. But she wasn't allowed to hear it.

He pressed his lips to hers once more, a short goodbye. Sparks sizzled on his lips, travelling all over his body, and his heart sped up. Gosh, she wasn't even awake and she could sitll make him feel this way.

"I love you."

And like a flash of lightning, Logan got up from the bed and disappeared from the room, unable to give her a second glance.

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You guys hate me, I know you do.

I'm sorry for the long update as well, winter break was up and finals are next week, so I gotta study. Plus, I got a new book and I'm really concentrated on reading, not writing. Especially since if I do both, I'll have to switch my minds from Shadowhunters and demons to princesses and academies.

Not a good switch.

It's a really short chapter, I know, but I couldn't add anything on without ruining this oh-so-tragic moment. Please keep reading and voting, and I promise I'll try and upload by next week!

Yours truly,

orangechicken