Here to Help

Chapter 20

"Let's not get carried away now," Amity laughed as she shook her head. Taking in the sights around her, Amity began to recognize where the path they were on was heading. Shortly before them, the green haired girl recalled an empty field just outside the forrest - a field she would visit after particularly bad days at home. She recalled wishing she would disappear as she lay in the middle of it, staring up at the vastness of the sky as she tried to tell herself that by comparison, her small world was insignificant. Melancholy washing over her, Amity felt her stomach slightly twist as the thought of seeing the field once more. I wonder if she knows, Amity thought to herself as she glanced over at Luz. No on in her life to her knowledge knew of her trips to the field; there was no way Luz could know, Amity reckoned.

"Luz, I..." Amity started, feeling nerves work her way into her chest before her girlfriend interjected.

"It's just a little further up now, Amity," Luz said as she came to a halt as she met the anxious eyes of her lover. "Are you okay, love?" Luz asked, sincerity lining her voice as she took the girl's hands in her own.

"I..." Amity began, thinking for a moment before settling on an answer. "Yeah, I'm okay, just a little anxious for what's to come," the green haired girl smiled opting to push her fear aside. Perhaps returning to this place was a sign, she thought, and perhaps it was a point of healing. Maybe after all this time, in making new memories she could reclaim the space she once felt lost in; maybe this was an opportunity to finally feel found.

"Okay," Luz said, a slight frown of disbelief on her face as she studied the girl in front of her. "But if you weren't okay, you'd tell me right?" Luz asked apprehensively.

"Of course, love," Amity smiled weakly, giving Luz's hands a squeeze before releasing them to cup the human's face as she pulled her in for a kiss. "Should we continue on then?" Amity asked as she stared into Luz's eyes.

"Yeah," Luz nodded, offering a gentle smile in return before a mischievous grin crossed her face, "but under one condition!"

"And what might that be?" Amity remarked both bewildered and amused.

"You have to close your eyes until we get there!" Luz chimed.

"But how exactly will i get there if I can't see?" Amity chuckled.

"Put your hand on my shoulder and I will lead you," Luz explained.

"But Luz..."

"Trust me, Amity, it will be okay. I won't let you fall," Luz smiled.

"Alright then," Amity groaned through a smile at the human before closing her eyes and placing her hand on the human's shoulder.

"Perfect! Then lets go," Luz hummed as she carefully resumed walking. As the pair made their way forward, Luz felt the butterflies in her stomach grow more and more impatient as apprehension set in. I really hope she likes this, Luz thought to herself, as the neared the path's end, wanting above everything else for today to continue to go perfectly. "Okay Amity," Luz smiled as she took in the sights in front of her, the pair slowing to a stop. "We're here! You can open your eyes now," Luz spoke as she turned to observe her girlfriend's reaction.

"Okay," Amity laughed nervously, squeezing her eyes shut tighter before releasing a breath as she prepared to face the field. Slowly opening her eyes, the green haired girl blinked several times as her eyes adjusted to the light outside of the forrest; light that illuminated thousands of sunflowers in the field before her. "Luz this..." Amity choked, as she studied the land she once knew to be barren, now filled with the very flower that filled her with hope.

"I know sunflowers are your favorite," Luz smiled as she watched her girlfriend's eyes fill with tears. "You know, I came across this field shortly after I arrived in the Boiling Isles. Compared to how busy everything seems here, how empty and untouched the field was seemed surreal to me," Luz explained. "I know I mentioned this before but back home, I didn't really have friends and so when I got here and met Eda and Willow and Gus, I had a really hard time being open with them when I needed someone. Because of that, anytime I felt sad or frustrated or angry, I found myself coming here just to be alone under the sky. It gave me space to think but in a lot of ways, it also made me sad. It made me feel small and insignificant," Luz spoke as Amity stared in disbelief at what she was hearing, Luz's story so similar to her own. Turning to face the field, Luz continued, "After I got settled in and started to get to know people a little bit more, I found myself more and more willing to be open and as a result, I found myself feeling less alone. I didn't come to the field as much because I had people I could come to instead - people like Eda, and Willow and Gus and your siblings and you..." Turning back to Amity to take her hands once more, Luz offered the girl a loving smile. "I'm grateful for you all because where I felt small and alone, I now feel full and whole. I wanted the same thing for this place, Amity. It held me when I felt like I had no one else; it took on my sadness and well, I didn't want this place to have feel that way anymore," Luz said as she gave Amity a knowing look and her hands a squeeze. "And I hope you don't have to feel that way anymore too... And so..."