Turns out, being a badass heroine who rescues herself was a lot more difficult than I first thought. For one, trying to escape your ex-friend's creepy dungeon lair in the middle of nowhere is hard enough. Add in several injuries and weeks of being kept inside, and you've got yourself a pretty shitty time.
I limp slowly down the track I've managed to spot. Obviously Fundy uses this route, and hopefully it'll lead me back home, or at least somewhere I recognise. The danger with this however, is running into him on the way, which would probably result in either my immediate execution, or a slow painful crushing of the last of my will to live. Either way, I just hope he doesn't come back soon. Or that Dream kills him.
I clutch my injured hand, which is swelling at an alarming rate and steadily turning a shade of deep purple. At best, it's fractured, and at worst it's completely shattered to pieces. My tailbone is excruciating, sending sharp pain up my spine, as I hobble through the forest. I'm praying that it's just very badly bruised, because I cannot handle it being broken right now.
I manage to slowly make my way through the forest, as the sun casts it's rich golden afternoon glow over the unfamiliar trees. I lean against one, breathing hard from the effort required to even just walk. I don't stay for long though, even though my eyelids grow heavy in the late afternoon peace of the woods. I painfully push myself upright with my uninjured left arm, whimpering at the pain in my tailbone. I follow the track, shuffling unsteadily into the forest.
The first thing I see is the roof. The faintest outlines of wood peaking up over the tree line, stark brown against the pale blue that now fills the sky. I stand on the hill, marvelling at the sight, and I could almost cry.
Home. Beautiful, safe, home.
The sky marbles with peachy pinks and oranges, rippled by soft purples and that static like grey-blue that seems to turn the sky into a calm void. The bright white light of the sun peeks just above the horizon, casting a final warmth over the land. Clutching the rough marred trunks of trees, I climb back down the hill, and start walking in the direction of my house.
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He hated having meetings here. Everything just reminded him of her, the stone bench top of the organised kitchen where he kissed her on the cheek, the smooth oak dining table that he taunted Tommy over, while she glared at him. He can feel his throat tighten as the kitten he gave her mewls from the couch seat. He wants to throw something, or break something, or just fucking scream.
"Surely the easiest thing is to just grant L'manburg independence." Wilbur says, face in his hands, elbows resting on the dining table. Dream stands stiffly behind the couch.
"I don't trust him. You know what he told me today, Rosie could be anywhere and he might not be so keen to give that leverage up." He grits out.
"We don't have a choice. He doesn't want to negotiate, he doesn't even want to talk to me, and this is the only thing he says he wants." Wilbur argues.
"Dream's right, we don't know if we can trust him. But at the same time, we really don't have a choice, who knows what he's going to do to her if we don't give in. A least we can avoid giving him a reason to hurt her." Niki says, walking into the room. She's wearing a set of dark denim overalls, over a large green top that falls to her elbows, icy blonde hair pulled back. She looks tired, but they all do, and Dream can't help but feel a pang of jealously at how normal she can make herself look.
He looks like he's been dragged through hell and back, and then again.
He nods appreciatively at her. He readjusts his mask on his face. They've all seen his face now, when they were camped in l'manburg together, and he had stopped caring. He'd stopped caring about anything at all really, except finding Rosie. But even then, there was an understanding that whatever happened during that time remained there, so he makes sure to carefully fix the mask over his face at all times.
There's a tiny knock on the door.
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I lower my hand, shifting slightly so my tailbone doesn't hurt quite so much. The sheer relief of seeing the solid wooden door, and the familiar walls is enough though, and I can feel the horrific weight of my imprisonment start to lift from the shoulders.
The door opens to reveal Niki in the door way. I can feel a lump in my throat start to form, and the faint stinging in my eyes that always preludes a tsunami of tears. She freezes in shock, eyes scanning hurriedly over my face.
"Who is it?" I hear Wilbur call from inside.
Niki lets out a choking sound, halfway between a laugh and a sob, then launches forwards, hugging me tightly. I yelp in pain as she collides with me, and she lets go quickly, instead wrapping her arms over my head and pulling me into her chest. I circle my arms around her waist, and it's like the flood gates open, tears falling uncontrollably as we both sob.
I never realised how much I fucking missed her, missed home, how much I missed everyone.
Another pair of arms wrap around us, and I can feel someone's cheek pressing into the top of my head. The person sniffles, wet teardrops hitting my hair, but I don't care.
"You're back." Wilbur mumbles, pulling us both even closer.
"Rosie?" I hear Dream's voice, soft and unsure. Wilbur and Niki pull back and I take a shaky step forward, trying to wipe the tears that are cascading down my cheeks. He's standing in the door way, mask no where to be seen, face full of so much hope and terror, like he's afraid that it's not going to be me.
And all I want is for him to pull me into his arms and kiss me, and make everything okay again.
I fly into him, not caring how much it hurts, curling my arms over his neck and wrapping my legs tightly around his waist. He instantly wraps his arms around my lower back, burying his face into the side of my neck. I can feel him crying too, and it makes me weep even more as I press my face into his shoulder.
"You're ok? You're ok. You're ok." He whispers, grip deathly tight around me, as if he's afraid that if he lets go, he's going to lose me forever. I know he's just trying to reassure himself, and I lift my head, grabbing his face in my hands and dotting the side of his head with frenzied kisses.
"I'm ok." I reassure, pressing my lips in between his brows. I turn over my shoulder to see Wilbur holding Niki, both of their heads bowed together, ecstatic, delirious relief and happiness on their faces, tears still flowing. I don't think any of us are going to stop crying for a while.
I melt into Dream's warm touch, leaning heavily against him. It's finally over. Everything that was propelling me forwards, keeping me on me feet finally bursts, and the toll of everything hits me like a truck in Dream's arms. I can feel the pain of my hand and my tailbone and my arms, the complete exhaustion that drags me down, and the nausea that ripples in my stomach. I want to curl up next to him and never open my eyes again.
He sets me down, and instantly notices the agony that's etched onto my face.
"Are you hurt?" He asks, sliding his palm over my cheek.
I nod, gritting my teeth. "My hand's broken, I think my tailbone might be too."
His arm goes to the backs of my thighs, the other snug at the ends of my ribcage, and he scoops me up gently, I wince, clenching my jaw to avoid crying out, but it beats walking. He lays me down on the couch, then heads off, presumably in search of a med kit. Wilbur and Niki sit on the floor beside me.
Wilbur grabs my uninjured hand tightly, face red and tear stained, just like Niki's. His beanie has been knocked off, and his curly hair is wild. Niki leans her forehead against my stomach and I gingerly rest my broken hand on top of her head. I can feel my lips start to tremble as my eyes well up again. Instead, I close my eyes and inhale gently, letting myself feel safe and loved again.
I can feel it flood through my veins, warm and pure, making its way to my heart, which feels like a fragile shard of ice, shaved away day by day as I stayed locked in that room. Wilbur's fingers brush softly up the winding lines on my arms.
"I'm so sorry Rose." He chokes out, voice strangled by emotion. "I'm so sorry."
I shoot him a half smile. "It's not your fault Wilbur." I say kindly. He shakes his head, fingers curling back around my palm, but he doesn't say anything else. I don't think he actually can. Niki pulls her head away from my stomach, tucking her knees into her chest as she smiles at me, tears still leaking from her eyes.
Everything is slowly becoming fuzzy, Niki's sniffles becoming muted and dizziness swirls in my head. Dream comes back, strong hands firmly tightening over my face. I look at him through my dazed eyes, and I can feel sleep pull me further.
As I fade away, I can feel the feather light touch of his lips against mine, and I know everything is finally okay.
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A/N Yay reunion time! Hopefully this was written well enough! Whenever I write super emotion heavy chapters I always get frustrated because I can't articulate exactly what's in my head properly, so I always worry that it's too stilted and unrealistic. Anyway, I really do hope it lives up to expectations!
I've decided to give you all at least the next chapter (and potentially the one after) for some cute fluff and angst relief, but oh boy there is some angst heading our way very soon. So uh, poor Rosie.
Thank you all so much for your support, and please remember to vote and comment, I truly do appreciate it and it means a lot!
I really hope you enjoyed,
Oopsies x