A Peculiar Time in 1944 - A Millard Fanfic (Miss Peregrine's Home) #wattys2020

Chapter 27

Emma woke up that night to screaming, she sat up in bed and saw Aurora kicking in her sleep, her face was scrunched like she was in pain and every now and then she'd let out a small scream. Emma threw off her covers and ran over to wake up Aurora. She roughly shook the girls shoulder and called her name. Aurora woke with a jolt and it took her a minute to take in her surroundings and realize whatever horror she had seen in her dreams hadn't been real. Miss Peregrine rushed in as Aurora started crying and Emma tried to calm her down.

"What happened?" the headmistress asked wrapped in a floor length dark blue robe.

"I think she had a nightmare." Emma answered as Aurora brought her knees to her chest and sobbed. She was shaking like a leaf and Emma didn't have to ask what her nightmare had been about. Miss Peregrine started rubbing her back but her shaking didn't stop.

"Millard." She whispered.

"Can you fetch him Emma?" Miss Peregrine asked from beside Aurora. Emma nodded and rushed off into the hall. A moment later she came back accompanied by the invisible boy. He was wearing white pajama bottoms with blue stripes and an open white cotton button down. He rushed over to Aurora and Miss Peregrine stood, offering him her place. They both knew that even though things had been rocky between the pair they still shared a deep bond, and Aurora needed that comfort now. He sat beside her and Aurora practically launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and crying into his shoulder. Millard was stiff and seemed surprised for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her and started running his fingers through her hair while he whispered soothing words to her.

"Will you stay?" she asked between sobs and Millard turned to Miss Peregrine. The Bird nodded, usually she wouldn't allow something as scandalous as a boy and a girl sharing a bed but seeing Aurora in such a state was heartbreaking, especially for the headmistress who had come to care for each of the children as her own.

"Of course I'll stay." Millard replied and Aurora was visibly much calmer at that news. Miss Peregrine left the room as Emma returned to her bed. Millard climbed under the covers with Aurora and wrapped his arms around her as she nestled her head in his chest, letting the sound of his heartbeat lull her to sleep.

MILLARD P.O.V.

Millard hated waking up that next morning, as he opened his eyes and saw the sun shining brightly outside the window he realized that all the problems that still laid between Aurora and him had also risen with the sun. He sighed, he would give anything to let that night continue on, to simply lay in that warm bed with Aurora in his arms knowing that out of everyone in that house he was the one she found comfort with. She had turned in the night and now was lying on her back while he was laying on his left side, his right arm still slung over her waist.

He lifted his head and saw that Emma had already woken up, made her bed and left the room to start her day. He turned back to Aurora and just looked at her as the minutes passed and the room grew brighter exposing more of her features. He didn't know how long they stayed like that or at what point Aurora had woken up.

"You're staring, Millard." Was the first thing she said and Millard felt hope rise in his chest, the only way Aurora could know he was staring at her was if they were still just as in tune with each other as they had been twenty years ago.

"I'm gazing." He corrected as she turned onto her right side to face him resting her head in her palm.

"What's the difference?"

"Staring is creepy. Gazing is romantic."

She gave a heavy sigh and sat up, "Thank you for coming last night."

"Of course."

"But it doesn't change what I said yesterday."

Millard felt his heart sink at her words but that small voice in his head reminded him that he did have a lot to make up for, of course it wouldn't be resolved in one night.