///Chapter 18\\\
Tyler's POV
I watched jealously as Luna ran into Kiko’s arms. I had finally accepted the fact that I was jealous of any other guy who made her happy. It tore at my heart as she smiled and hugged him tightly before pulling away and laughing. Barely two weeks I had known her and she still had this effect on me.
“You forgot about me didn’t you?” Kiko teases lightly and Luna drops her head.
“Yes, but can you blame me? I’ve had such a hectic last few weeks.”
“So I’ve heard and now seen.” He says, looking up at me. Luna followed his gaze until it landed on me. I gave her a small smile and her face dropped in an ‘o’ before she quickly stepped away from him and gestured for me to come closer.
“So, my little sister, the future Queen?” He questions and my step falters a little. How could I have forgotten Luna had a brother? I had gone through her family history and I had seen his name there but at the time it hadn’t been important.
“Shut up Kik.” Luna says hitting him on the chest as I came to stand beside her. I wrapped my arm around her waist and watched as Kiko’s eyes followed my movements.
“He’s possessive, and jealous.” Kiko laughs and I want to hurt him but Luna does it for me, punching him in the shoulder. “Ow Lun that hurt.” He complains rubbing his shoulder. I wanted to laugh but knew I would get the evil eye from Luna if I did.
“Be nice.” She scolds and this time I do laugh.
“I’m Kiko, in case you missed that. Luna’s brother.” He says, holding out his hand. We shake once firmly before we both pull away.
“Tyler.” I say. “Luna’s fr-“ I begin to say but Luna’s next words stun me into silence
“Boyfriend.” She finishes, smiling up at me. I cast her a confused look but went with it. If that’s how she wanted to introduce me to her brother then that was her choice
“Really Luna? You hate the Royal’s.” Kiko points out.
“So I was wrong.” She shrugs and I squeeze her waist in what I hoped was a signal of appreciation and support.
“I suppose you also didn’t have much of a choice?” He asks, looking at me accusingly. I smile instantly, knowing which Sign Land he’s from.
“Gemini?” I ask and he nods.
“How’d you know?”
“Firstly your name, twin letters. Secondly your doubt and the protective look you have in your eyes whenever you look at m.?”
“And you?”
“The same.”
“How so?”
“Tyler, Ty, Tw, twins.” I say and he nods.
“Ok, now that you two are done comparing yourselves to each other…” Luna trails and Kiko and I both laugh. “Would you mind if I dance with Kiko Tyler?” I nod but not before Kiko scoffs.
“It’s not his decision to make.”
“I’m aware of that.” Luna snaps.
“Then why do you let him make it?”
“I’m not arguing with you about this Kiko.” Luna says frustrated.
“I think I’m going to find Ariel and cut in.” I say before Kiko can say anything more. I disappear into the crowd and soon come across Ariel and Fin who were dancing a little closer then they should be in my opinion.
“Mind if I cut in?” I ask Fin. He nods smiling and I notice the glare Ariel’s giving me.
“Why aren’t you with Luna?” She demands, obviously frustrated that I took away her time with Fin.
“She’s dancing with her brother.” I shrug taking her hands in mine.
“Luna has a brother?” She asks surprised and I nod.
“I was just as surprised as you even though I already knew.”
“I can’t believe you forgot she had a brother. You were probably jealous weren’t you?” Ariel teases and I glare at her but nod. She gasps and I look at her funny.
“What?”
“You just admitted to being jealous?!” She says and I nod slowly, confused by the sudden gasp. “I was right. Luna is a miracle worker.” She states. I’m about to ask her what she means when a collective gasp is heard behind me.
“MOM!” I hear Luna scream and immediately abandon Ariel, pushing my way through the quickly thickening crowd.
Everyone was in a circle around Luna, being restrained by her brother, tears streaming down her face, and her mom and dad. Her dad looked panicked and as I finally burst through the remainder of the crowd I realized why.
“Get an ambulance here now!” I scream and a few people rush to do as I say. I knelt besides Luna’s mother and looked to her father. “Is there a pulse?” I ask and he shakes his head. I shrug off my jacket and lay it beside her.
“I need to do CPR but I don’t want to offend you so I need you to plug her nose and breathe in when I tell you to alright?” I say and he nods, moving into a position that’s out of my way but at a good angle for him.
I began to push on her chest counting in my head. One, two, three.
“Breathe.” I tell him and he does. I notice her stomach inflate rather than her lungs. “Tilt her head back further.” I tell him as I continue to push on her chest. He does so quickly and by the time I say breathe again he’s back in position. I could here Luna’s desperate cries behind me and I pushed on her chest harder.
I didn’t have to wait long before a doctor came and Bella was quickly lifted onto a stretcher, the doctor taking over my position.
“How long has she been down?”
“Two minutes.” Kiko calls and I nod, thanking him. I didn’t know how long it had been but I knew she didn’t have much longer either way.
“Go with them.” I tell Benn, nodding towards the doctors. His gaze flickers to Luna and Kiko and I shake my head. “I’ll get them there I promise. We won’t be far behind.” I say and he nods before taking off in the direction of the doctors.
I picked my jacket up from the ground and dusted it off. As I looked up at Luna my heart tore again. She had finally faced away from the scene and was crying into Kiko’s shoulder while he murmured comforting words. That should have been me but instead I was on the outside.
“Ty?” I heard Ariel’s soft call from the outside and I gave her a smile even though I knew my eyes looked pained.
“I’m fine.” I say and move to get the carriage ready but another voice stops me.
“Tyler.” Kiko calls. I turn to look at him questioningly and he motions for me to come close. I did as he wished and he slowly moved Luna into my arms. I gave him another questioning look, glad for the switch but confused by it.
“Because she’s going to need someone she loves, and who loves her, close to her for the next while.” He says and I look at him shocked. Luna had never admitted it but maybe she did. It was obvious I did, especially to him I was sure but it had never crossed my mind that maybe Luna finally felt the same.
“Let’s go.” I say, picking Luna up. She was still sobbing and I doubt she had even noticed the shift in people.
I carried her all the way to the carriage, annoyed at the pitying looks we were getting from people. Her mom could still be alive but even in the depths of my stomach I knew that wasn’t true. She should have responded after the first few breaths but she hadn’t and I knew that if she hadn’t responded with in the next minute of being the doctors it wouldn’t matter because she would have brain damage.
“Thanks Tyler.” Luna whispers and I look down to see her red eyes looking up at me.
“It’s what I do.” I shrug and swear I see a small smile form on her face before she buries her head in my chest.
Luna didn’t utter another sound until the carriage came to a stop outside the hospital.
“I don’t want to know.” She says quietly
“You wouldn’t want to know if she’s alive?” I ask and she shakes her head.
“I know she’s not. I can feel it. I just don’t want the confirmation.”
“Come on Luna she’s our mom.” Kiko says and slowly Luna nods.
We walked slowly into the hospital and I knew the news as soon as I saw her dad. It wasn’t good. His hair was a mess and you could tell he’d been crying, after all his wife had just died.
“Daddy?” Luna asks from beside me. He turned his head towards us and I felt Luna stop in place. “No.” She whispers. Her eyes are wide in fright and she looks ready to bolt so I place my arms around her.
“I’m so sorry Luna.” I whisper in her ear but she just pushes my arms off of her and runs to her dad.
“It’s going to be fine.” Her dad cooed in her ear as Luna sobbed into his shoulder. Slowly Kiko walked over to them as well and began to rub Luna’s back softly. He wasn’t crying but I could tell he hurt, he was just stronger. Eventually Luna’s tears faded and she fell asleep.
“We should go.” Kiko says standing. I nod and move to take Luna from her father’s arms. He hands her to me gently and I shift her until she’s lying comfortably in my arms.
“The doctors say they’ll hold the funeral in three days time. I’m going to go home and start dividing her things for the two of you.” Benn says, looking from Kiko to Luna.
“You should rest dad.” Kiko says but Benn shakes his head.
“I’m not going to sleep anyway, there’s just no chance. I’m just going to keep busy, hopefully I’ll just collapse.” Benn says and I want to tell him that it’s not good for him to work like that but I can see his mind is set.
“We’ll come by soon.” I say and he nods and looks to Kiko.
“I’ll be by in the morning. I don’t care what people say, she was my mom after all.” Kiko says and looks at me with a questioning look and I realize that he still doesn’t want to get caught or thrown in jail.
“Everything strange that happens goes through me first.” I say and he nods.
“I’ll see you soon Kiko.” Benn says then looks lovingly down at Luna. He kisses her forehead quickly before straightening back up. “Remember what I said Tyler, stick close.” He tells me and I nod before he turns around and heads down a hallway going who knows where.
Kiko and I walked silently back to the carriage and I told the driver to bring us back to Kiko’s residence. Kiko gave him the number and we were soon on our way. I smiled as we began to pass more and more familiar buildings. I had grown up for two years in the Sign Land so I would know what it’s like and I still remembered the majority of it.
I felt my eyes droop and I looked away from the window to keep from falling asleep. I rested them on the bench that Kiko was sitting on, as sleeping Luna was taking up the remainder of our bench, and noticed the ring on his finger for the first time.
“You’re married?” I ask and he nods.
“For only a month now. I was actually about to tell Luna when all this happened.” He says, looking at her sadly. “I’m sure Luna would love her and they would have met tonight had it not been for everything. I suppose we could wake her to introduce her.”
“No.” I say forcefully and he looks at me both annoyed and confused. “She gets these nightmares that make her thrash wildly and I’m afraid they’re going to start again soon.” I tell him and he nods his head understandingly though I don’t think he fully gets it. We didn’t say anything until the carriage stopped outside his house and we were standing outside the carriage.
“Where were you?” A lady, I’m assuming Kiko’s wife, says, running out of the house.
“Relax Lilac. I was at the hospital with my dad and Luna.” He says, taking her hands in his.
“I know that, everyone knows already but I thought something more had happened. You were there a long time.”
“She’s dead Lilac.” Kiko says and her stern expression dropped immediately.
“I’m so sorry.” She says hugging him and I realize it’s time to go.
“I’ll see you around some time Kiko.” I say and immediately Lilac backs away from him her eyes wide.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t recognize you your Majesty.” She says and was going to curtsey but Kiko’s hold on her waist stops her.
“Kiko.” She scolds.
“I don’t mind. Goodnight Lilac, Kiko.” I say and they both nod their heads before turning around and speaking quietly to each other as they walk back to the house. I sighed and watched them until Luna’s whimpers snapped my attention to her.
“No, please, mom.” She says as I enter the carriage
“Luna.” I whisper softly but she doesn’t respond. I tried to move her so I could hold her but she just fought me off.
I sat defeated on the opposite bench and watched as she whimpered and tossed in her sleep. She wasn’t speaking which I took as a good sign but hearing her in such pain tore at me. By the time we arrived back home she had stopped whimpering and she wasn’t moving anymore and when I tried to carry her she let me.
I carried her up the stairs, much easier this time then I did last time, and lay her down in my bed, not even bothering with moving her to hers. I was afraid of what she might do when she woke and I couldn’t risk her running. So instead she was staying by me until we had talked.
When I woke the next morning I was met with Luna staring directly at me. A flurry of emotions ran through her eyes. Hurt, anger, sadness, caring, and confusion.
“Is it true?” She asks me and I nod. She closed her eyes but tears still spilled over.
“I’m sorry L-“
“Don’t. I don’t want to hear how you’re sorry just save it.” She snaps and I look at her sadly but understand. I was about to let her go, my arms wrapped around her tight, when her dads words rang in my head.
“We need to talk about this.” I say sternly.
“No, we don’t.” She says, trying to wiggle out of my grasp.
“Yes we do.”
“Let go of me.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.” I say back and she glares at me but stops trying to get free.
“Let me go.” She says, annunciating every word clearly.
“Talk to me first.”
“I’ve said what I want.” She says and I inhale a deep breath frustrated.
“I’m not letting you go until we talk about your mom.” I say and she tenses in my arms.
“There’s nothing to talk about. She’s dead, it’s over. I can’t change the past.” She says through gritted teeth. “Now are we done, your Majesty.” She spits and in my shock I let go of her. She quickly moved up from the bed and out the door, not uttering a sound.
She had resorted to treating me like a Royal. She didn’t like that part about me and she would say it teasingly if she was faking upset about something I had said but she meant it this time. She wasn’t going to get over this any time soon.
I got up quickly and raced after her. I knew she could run fast but I didn’t know where she would have gone. I ran down hall after hall but couldn’t find her. I sighed as I passed her room. I had gone in a complete circle. I sighed and slid down the wall beside her door, only to have it opened seconds later by Ariel.
I expected her to be angry but instead she was calm.
“Come with me.” She says and I get up, following her down to her room.
“She’s very shaken up.” She says, sitting on her bed. I nod my head and she exhales slowly. “I know you’re only trying to help but she needs time alone. Just leave her be for the next little while, let it sink in then try.”
“How long do you figure?” I ask, sighing and running my fingers through my hair. I didn’t want to just leave her, I knew she was capable of running away and getting far but I was going to trust Ariel on this, no matter how much I didn’t want to.
“Give it a few hours.” She says and I groan.
“Fine, I’ll do it.” I say, getting up and leaving the room. I’m giving her three hours before I’m going in there.
I walked slowly back to my room, realizing it would be a long three hours. I could go read for a bit but it would be better if I was in my room. I’d be able to hear if something was going completely wrong. I decided to just re-read one of the books in my room.
I had read for what I guessed was about two hours when I finally heard something from Luna. She sounded like she was shuffling around near the wall that connected our rooms then a second later the door swung open. Luna stood, changed from her dress in just simple clothes, her eyes red and her hair a mess but I knew she could care less.
“I need you to take me home.” She says and I nod vigorously, getting up from the bed.
“We’ll leave immediately.” I say and she nods, walking to the door that leads out into the hall. I followed close behind her, not saying a word. I figured it would be best if she spoke first although it didn’t seem she was going to any time soon.
We rode in silence in the carriage but before Luna could get out I stopped her.
“Can I ask what we’re doing here?”
“I just need to get something.” She says and I nod before getting out myself and attempting to help Luna but when I offered my hand to her she just ignored it and climbed out herself
“I didn’t expect you so soon.” Benn says from the door. He’s smiling but I can tell he’s concerned and it’s forced.
“Hi Dad.” Luna says, pushing past him. He gave me a confused look and I just shrugged.
“How’s it going?”
“She’s being stubborn. I’m trying but she refuses to talk about it.” I say frustrated and he nods.
“Just keep trying, she’ll come around.” He says before Luna pushes out past him with a scared look on her face.
“Daddy, have you gone through my room at all since I left?” She asks, hugging him.
“No, why do you ask?”
“I’m just missing something and I thought it might be here.” She says, then lets go and walks towards me.
“We can go now.” She says to me and moves into the carriage. I sigh and gave Benn a small smile before turning and heading into the carriage. Luna was sitting quietly, fingering the hem or her shirt sleeve.
“Did you get what you were hoping to?” I ask and she shakes her head.
I gave up on trying to talk to her and just sat and wondered what she had been hoping to find. She suddenly sat bolt upright, scaring me.
“We need to turn around.”
***
Ok so I finally posted. I know it’s been a while but I just couldn’t figure anything out. I realize this isn’t the greatest place to stop but it’s where I did because I don’t really want to continue writing at the moment but I feel bad for not posting for so long.
Kiss me in the rain,
Dana