Broken || h.s. AU (Special Edition)

Chapter 50 - Rainbows

"Diana was like a sun. She was warm and she was inviting. Nobody could live without her and she always brought another reason to smile into your life."

I swallow back the tears that want to come, forcing myself to continue.

"Diana once told me, 'Some people are like a rain cloud, and some people are like the sun. But you need both to make a rainbow."

I can't stop the smile now, biting my lip as I stare down at the small paper in my hands.

"Now in this case, I think it's pretty obvious who the stormy rain cloud was..."

I can't help but smile to myself, biting my lip before I continue to read.

"But that's alright... Because if there's anything that Diana taught me, it's that there will always be a rainbow after rain. There will always be a view above the tall mountain climb. She helped me find the happiness in my life. She helped me to grow to be who I used to be. And I... can't ever repay her for that."

The chapel remains in silence, everyone holding their breath in fear to break the reverence.

A lump rises in my throat, tears brimming at the edge of my vision. I can't speak for a few moments as I struggle to keep myself together. But nobody minds. They all wait quietly and patiently. But no wait is long enough and my voice still comes out as a hoarse whisper.

"She saved me... In... so many ways, so many times. I owe my life to her..."

And suddenly, I find strength within me and I redirect it to my voice.

I wad up the paper, clenching it in my fist.

"It doesn't really matter how she brought light to my life... It doesn't really matter how her smile seemed to bring the presence of heaven... It doesn't really matter that she looked at me and I'd see an angel. All that's important is saying her name could sustain me from hell. Her name could erase my demons. Her name could bring me to the light. She was good. And she made me good..."

Nobody dares make a sound. You could hear a pin drop at the back of the room. I don't bother to try and stop myself now when a tear drops onto the smooth wood of the pulpit.

"I was broken, and she fixed me..."

The church is filled with a hushed silence.

I can't meet anyone's eyes as I'm stepping away from the pulpit.

I feel everyone's gaze on me as I walk straight out of the building.

But I'm not greeted by rain.

I'm greeted by warm sunlight.

The breeze drifts through my hair and I could swear I heard her. I could swear that with the soft breeze, I hear a ghost of her laugh. A smile grows on my face as I look up at the sky. The clouds begin to part and I see it.

A rainbow.

The faded colors paint the sky, and I can feel my hand being held, but I know nobody is there. The sun glints into my eyes and for a moment I only see white.

But then the memories flood into my mind.

-

I walk down the hall, mentally acknowledging each familiar face, when I see something new. A small blonde girl cowering into her locker.

-

Her dark eyes flicker over me before they shyly meet mine. Her soft voice comes out as what I'm sure was meant to be brave. "Diana."