The Next Reminder

Chapter XV || "Aurora, wait!"

*Henry's POV*

Jessica looks over at me, a concerned look on her face. "Why did they just leave you there? Knowing William, he'd want something to do with you." Jessica says, and I look over at her.

"I thought he did want something to do with me...I was horrified..." I hold my head with both of my hands now, ruffling up my hair.

"Are you alright, Henry?" Clay looks at me in the mirror, and Jessica puts a hand on my shoulder, though I can't feel her touch.

"I think I'm..." I mumble as I lose consciousness. "...losing consciousness again.."

"Oh, good! I was scared Elizabeth killed you, she threw that book hard." William lifts his cane up to my chin, forcing me to lift my chin up. I stare him down as he looks at me, a mischievous grin on his face. "For how old we're getting, your features never fail to amaze me. You are stunning, Henry." He compliments me, holding onto the table in the middle of the room for support.

"What do you want from me now, Afton?" I ask, as he lifts my chin again, an uncomfortable position for me. "It must be more than your heart calling after me, if you keep trying to capture me. What is it that you really want, Afton?"

"Things can all go back to normal..you know? We could just forget about all of this, run away and start new lives..." William smiles, letting his cane hit the floor. "I miss our friendship, Henry." He turns around, going toward the cabinet.

I struggle, the tight knots giving me rope burn, knowing what he was about to do. "You know, you'd be the one hiding in shadows this time.." I joked, "We wouldn't get any business if you were the head of the show, I mean—look at you!" William cocks his head toward me, an angry look on his face.

"I know, I look horrible. Nobody would want to see this, I'm basically a walking corpse." William says, and I smile. I immediately stop, noticing myself smiling and returning to my serious expression.

"I hate you." I spit at him, and he stands over me now, holding a syringe full of the remnant. "Don't inject me with that shit, it's already made enough of an impact on me."

"I love you." William smiles, putting the syringe gently up to my arm, and I can feel the liquid flowing into my body. "We can be immortal together, isn't that everything you've ever dreamed?"

I feel my head move, facing the floor, but I cannot move. I see William's feet move out of my sight, and I stop fighting the remnant.

Someone holds me close in their arms, and I take a deep breath in. The smell of my wife's perfume hits my nose, and I open my eyes, releasing the hug. Her blonde hair is perfectly styled, but she would always complain about how it never looked exactly perfect—but to me, it did. Her clothes, her lips, her eyes, her hair, her face, her personality—everything about her was all I ever wanted. She was perfect.

"Henry, dear, what's wrong?" She asks me, reaching out to wipe a tear off my cheek, "You're crying..."

"I'm just so happy to be here with you..." I say, holding her face. She kisses my cheek, leaving a lipstick stain like she always did. I never wiped them away, even if I had to go to work. William would comment on how we 'got busy' and I would just roll my eyes and shake my head. Luckily enough for me, the customers never saw me like that.

Crying sounds out through the house, and my wife smiles, "Must be Sammy again...that cold is hitting him hard—I'll go take care of him, you need to rest from work." She offers, and I offer to come with her, but she closes the door on me.

"Aurora, wait!" I say, putting my hands on the doorknob and shaking it, but the door is locked. "Honey, the door must be locked..." I chuckle nervously, still trying to unlock it. I sit down on my bed, waiting for my wife to come back to me.

"Henry, you didn't have to make all of that fuss, the door was unlocked!" She chuckles, sitting down beside me on the bed. "I love you so much...and the kids do, too." She lays her head on my shoulder, her legs lying in my lap.

"I love you so much more." I smile, leaning in and pushing her hair back behind her ear, trailing my hand to the back of her neck.

She leans into me, and the vision fades, showing my room from just today. Pictures scattered on the floor, books lying open. The place just a complete mess. I stand up, completely alone this time. Now I actually want to cry. I think, my mindfloating to the thought of my wife again. I try to bury my memory of her in the back of my head, but now all of my healing just went back a whole decade.

"Leave me alone, William!" I shout through my sobs, "I hope you and your dumbass fur-suit burn in the darkest pits of hell!" I ball up my fist and shout at nothing, collapsing to the floor, covering my hands with my face as I continue to sob.

"Oh dear...must of had a sad dream, hm, Henry?" William says as I regain my consciousness.

"I curse you, I curse you, William Afton!" My voice rasps, and I feel tears roll down my cheeks. "Why do you have to do this to me?" I take in gasps of breath, trying to calm down after everything that happened in my dream. I look down, my lip quivering, "Just leave me alone...that's all I want. I promise I'll even get out of contact with Clay—and everyone, if that's really what you want."

"Oh, Henry..." William giggles, "You know exactly what I want, and that isn't it." William bends down to undo the knots, and I stretch, finally freed. I turn around, grinning. Taking this as my opportunity to get away.

"I know, exactly what you want, William." I lower my voice, placing a hand on his chest as I back him up into the wall. My face lingers around William's neck, and I want to throw up at the foul stench. I hear William's heart beating fast. "Gosh, I was too much of a coward in college, but I am so in love with you..." I look into William eyes, and he's looking at me as if he just saw a bee eat a cow. I let my hand rest on the back of his neck, and I lean closer to him, trying not to breathe in through my nose. I lift my foot off of the ground, kneeing him right in the balls. He moans in pain, hitting the ground, and I make a run for it. I don't stop running for my escape, crawling through the vent.

I fall onto the grass, clutching it gratefully in my hands. Realizing I need to keep moving, I sprint out of the abandoned lot, going to the closest place I can think of that could possibly offer me shelter. The Burke House.