The Eleventh Hour (FINISHED)

49 - Confession

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked her.

"Away from you," she told him, still fighting down sobs. "And Luna wants to stay with you, so..." she wiped her eyes, "take care of her."

She brushed past him, but he caught her arm.

"Meadow," he said, "you're not leaving."

She glared at him despite the pain coiling inside her. "You have no say."

"You're going to get yourself killed."

"I don't care," she responded. "I called my mom, she's not answering. My sister wants to stay with you, and my dad hates me and everyone other than vodka. I'd rather die."

Ash's grip tightened on her wrist. "Do you hear yourself right now? What the hell is wrong with you? You're willing to leave me-your sister, brothers and cousins-because of a little argument we had?"

She sighed. "It's not you, Ash."

He gave her a confused look.

"My mom's probably dead right now... My father's going to die of liver cancer any day now, and he's an ass. People already want me dead, so what the hell? Why can't I just end it now? I'm going to die anyway, you know."

"Meadow," he whispered, "please stop."

Tears slipped from her eyes, and she tried to shake them away, but only more fell.

"What are you thinking...?" he asked her. "What's going through your head?"

"I don't know how to fix this!" she cried, making him flinch. "I'm the one they're after and they're taking everyone related to me! What am I supposed to do? Let them DIE and keep hiding?"

"We'll fix this," he told her. "Together."

"I don't want you to die!" she sobbed. "I LOVE YOU!"

He froze, eyeing her carefully and she covered her face in her hands, clearly stunned that she said it and tried to hide her eyes from his.

Goddamn it.

She promised to herself she'd never say that.

After a moment, he spoke:

"I love you, too. I've loved you this whole time. I've loved you my entire life, and nothing could ever change that."

She threw her head down, breathing shallowly. "What about... those other girls?"

He was silent. "I... I wasn't in love with them. I just... never could fulfill that hole in my heart that formed when I left you. I tried to move on, but never could."

She sniffled. "Are you lying?"

He shook his head, brushing some tears away with his thumbs.

She was silent for a moment. "Luna...."

"Yes?" she whispered from behind them.

"Is he lying?"

She was quiet for a moment as she scanned his thoughts. "No, he isn't."

Meadow gazed up at him, studying his grim expression.

Ash pulled his arms up then. "You wanna hug?"

She numbly walked into his grasp and snuggled her face into his shoulder, tears sliding into the sleeves of his T-shirt as he wrapped his arms around her.

"See?" he said to her as she clutched the fabric into a fist. "Isn't this so much better than fighting?"

She nodded, sniffling.