Coming Home- Scarlett Johansson

Part 25

Scarlett's POV

Ok, so I was wrong. There was still a tiny part of my heart that wasn't broken. 

Don't worry though because, after Archer's speech, I am pretty sure there is just dust where my heart should be, that is how completely shattered I feel after listening to her. I mean honestly, how can she be strong enough to get up and say all that today in front of everyone? She is outstandingly strong, and while I normally admire that, today, it makes me just want to grab her and shake her. She is ten. She is allowed to be crying right now and telling everyone to go to hell. Instead, she is acting like an adult and seems to be doing everything she can to help others out.

I was a little annoyed when Tony, which just so happens to be L.C. Sheilds's first name only took me a week to find that out, insisted I come with the cast and sit at the back. I mean I understand where he is coming from but at the same time, it frustrated me to no end that he wanted her to endure today alone. She rode in the hearse alone. She walked to the cemetery alone. She stood alone. She did her speech alone. She was doing everything alone and I hate that. I hate that she thinks she is alone now. 

There's been a few times this week that I wanted to tell her that we leave back for Atlanta next week. That as of yesterday I am her legal guardian, Tony had all the paperwork sorted so that we could leave first thing tomorrow morning. I figured she wouldn't want to stick around here and after her speech, I think I understand why. If she put together what I think she has I am guessing she knows Oscar didn't want her to live this life.

When Archer walked off into the cemetery I didn't even need to think as I followed her, grateful Tony had told me to stand near the end at the back. I am starting to think that man always has a master plan. I know she knows I am behind her, so I don't bother calling out to her as she walks through the rows of fallen soldiers. I pause when I watch her sit down on the sidewalk though, finally out of the graveyard, unsure if she wants any company right now or now. Although that thought disappears when she turns around with tears in her eyes.

Never, in what feels like a lifetime with her, have I seen her look this desperate, this fragile, this broken. The sight had me fighting my own tears as I moved to sit beside her as quickly as humanly possible. The moment I sat next to her, the tears started to fall. Her body shaking with sobs, that she tried to muffle with her fist, as she fell apart. I didn't know what to do. I mean what could I do? Nothing could ease the type of pain she is in. There is nothing I could say or do to make this all better. But surely I have to try because I can't stand watching her like this.

"Archer, baby, can I hug you?" I asked softly, not sure if she wanted to be touched right now, but also painfully aware of her breathing, which was becoming more and more laboured as she slipped into a pain attack. The second her little head nodded I scooped her up off of the path and pulled her into me. "Archer I know this is hard but I need you to breathe with me, you think you can do that?" I try and soothe her, her breath falling against my neck choppily, which just added to my worry. When she didn't reply but instead started to pant harder I knew I had to change tactics or she is going to pass out, that worry only increasing when she managed to choke out a panic-filled "ca-can't br-breath, Sc-Sc-Scarly" I have never heard her sound so scared in my life and it made my heart twinge painfully. 

Pulling her out of my neck, which got a disgruntled groan from Archer, I held her head level to mine, searching her eyes desperately to see if she is still there. Thank God I managed to find her in there or this was going to be a lot harder. Smiling at her softly I cupped her cheeks, letting my thumbs rub on them softly "Archer, do you think you can blow on my nose baby?" I ask, hoping this will work because her breathing is not getting better and I am honestly terrified she is about to pass out. I can see the fear in her eyes as she shakes her head frantically, making me frown. "That's ok, we can do it together. Watch, Archer, just copy me baby" I try, blowing softly on her nose, which has it twitching slightly. Normally that would be adorable but given our current state, I couldn't exactly focus on that. I blew on her face another three times before asking her to try again. She managed to kinda pant, which had me hopeful.