The Ring

Chapter 38 (Part 2)

     Dill immediately throws his tiny arms around my waist and his grip is so tight that he unintentionally pulls at my skin enough for me to feel a stretch on my back. I bite my lip and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to stop the scream boiling out of me, but I end up grunting in pain and then whimpering. Dill is puled back by the rest of the Boys, who all start freaking out. Dill starts to cry and my heart breaks. I open my eyes again and look at him.

     "Dilly, sweetie, it's ok. I'm fine." I try to calm him down, biting back my own tears. "It wasn't your fault."

     "BOYS! What's going on in here?" Nosh is suddenly behind them. I look up at his face and notice how tired he looks. He's always looked old, but he seems to have aged years since I last saw him. He feels his eyes on me and when we make eye contact, he gasps.

     "Boys, out now! Someone go get Peter!"

     All of them scurry out of the tent with Dill still crying. Nosh quickly kneels beside me and I finally let the few tears I was holding back fall free. 

     "What is it, Aashi? What happened?" He asks gently, noticing the tears.

     "Dill was just giving me a hug, but he tuged too hard. My back is on fire again." I say in a pathetic little whine, so sick of being in pain. "Nosh, what happened? What's going on? Is Hook really dead?"

     "Addie-" 

     "ADDIE!" Peter soars into the tent, landing on the other side of me. "Oh Addie, you're awake! Thank god!" 

     I'm shocked when Peter sarts to cry softly. I stare up at him with wide eyes and an open mouth. It takes me a second to find my voice again. 

     "Please. Please Peter, don't cry." I beg him quietly, unable to handle him crying too. It was selfish of me to think this, but I really need him to comfort me right now, and I hated seeing him like this.

     He takes a deep breath before leaning down to kiss me, not caring that Nosh was barely three feet away. It was one of the most passionate kisses we've ever shared. For that moment, my pain disappears, my memories disappear. It's just me and Peter. I literally feel fireworks go off in my stomach and I want to wrap my arms around him and pull him closer, but I couldn't quite move them.

     Peter breaks the kiss and looks into my eyes with the saddest little smile I've ever seen. "I'm sorry baby. I just thought I lost you."

     I open my mouth to say something along the lines of how it's not that easy to get rid of me, that I'm not going anywhere, but I stop myself and close my mouth again. It hadn't been easy, but it had happened. Hook killed me. Peter lost me. Tears pricked my eyes again, I couldn't help it. 

     "I can't believe you found me, Peter." I cry out. "I was so scared." I admit as he wraps his arms around me, but only under my sholders, carefully avoiding my lower back.

     "I know, Addie. I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry. I never should have left you. I should've been there." Peter says as he kisses my hair. 

     I bury my face into his shoulder and take a deep, shaky breath. That day he left me in the woods seemed like an eternity ago. And as much as I hated it, the pain of abandonment he lad left me with was still there. While it was not his fault I got kidnapped, I will never blame him for that, I was still upset that he had just left me alone like that.

     I was never going to admit that to him, but I swear he can read my mind at times. He pulls back and gently lays me down again. I look over and realize Nosh had left the tent at some point.