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'...after she had stretched her other wing out and began to wrap the bandage around her; securing her broken wing to her back.'
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Nellie stood from where she sat on the step outside the Ghost Train as she saw Emma, Victor, Jake and Enoch walking towards them; her eyes scanned them over for any injury but quickly came up with none. The girl sighed when she saw the heartbreak on Emma's face, knowing that it was time to leave Jake behind so he could grow here in his century while they continued to live on in theirs.
'We need to go. The loop is closing,' Rosie said softly as she too noticed the look on Emma's face.
'Yeah. Those of us who are leaving,' Emma mumbled from where she stood.
The Ambros twins shared a look before Nellie looked up at Victor who was standing behind her, shaking her head softly as she took his hand and walked up to the back of the line as the Twins hugged the blue eyed boy. Jake looked down at them sadly as he placed a hand on each of their backs, before they walked off into the loop. Bronwyn and Claire took a step forward looking up at the boy with an arm wrapped around each other, before they looked away and entered the loop.
Hugh patted Jake's back as he placed a hand on his shoulder, before Fiona nodded sadly up at him and walked away with her bee covered best friend. Horace shook his hand politely, and Millard hugged him tight; both walking through the loop directly after. Jake's expression only seemed to get sadder and sadder with each child, Olive hugging him tight before waiting on the deck for her boyfriend as he shook the boy's hand. It was then Nellie took a step forward with Rosie, the pair hugging him tight as he placed an arm around each of them.
As they released him Nellie spoke, 'Thank you for everything Jake, without you I would've lost my whole family. That is a debt I'll never be able to repay.'
'Thank you for saving my sister, this is not a afterlife I want for her when she has so much to live for,' Rosie smiled softly before she grabs her sister's hand and moved them onto the deck.
Nellie smiles as Victor shakes Jake's hand and walks up to stand with them, the girl paused for a moment longer before she followed after her two favourite people in the world. Though as she went to pass through the loop, she looked back over her shoulder and stepped through but didn't go all the way out knowing Emma was going to need a hug after she finished talking to Jake.
'You guys go on, I'll be out in a moment,' She told Rosie and Victor who nodded in reply.
Nellie stood in the light so she wouldn't scare Emma when she came through and waited silently, her eyes never leave the hall in front of her. On the other side of the loop, Emma stepped in front of Jake; making no move to hug him or touch him. She looked up at him and smiled sadly, before looking away in the fear that she might cry.
'Emma-' Jake started before she cut him off.
'You love your grandfather. There's nothing more to explain,' She stated quickly.
'No, I promised Miss Peregrine that I'd look after you all. And with her injured and you without a loop-'
'She'll recover and until then we'll be in 1943. We'll only age one day at a time. Like normal people. Which can be no bad thing.'
'And what about the Hollows? As long as they are out there, you are not safe.'
'We don't need you to make us feel safe, Jake. Because you made us feel brave. And that's even better.'
Emma smiled and stepped forward as did Jake, the pair wrapping each other in a tight hug; neither wanting to let go because that meant leaving. But they eventually did, very reluctantly they stepped away from each other and shared one last smile before Emma walked through the loop; tears falling down her face. As she stepped back into her time, she walked straight into Nellie's arms; crying into her shoulder as the girl rubbed her back soothingly.
The eldest Ambros sister rocked herself slowly from side to side, bringing Emma with her until she stopped crying. She let her go and wiped the tears from her cheeks and gave her a sad smile, taking a step back before opening her mouth to say something. But she never got the chance to as Millard ran back into the building, running around them excitedly.
'Come on guys, let's go!' He cheered before he disappeared out the door.
Nellie sighed and turned to the girl beside her, 'I know I wasn't there for you when Abe left or after Rosie died. But I'm here for you now and I always will be, for everyone.'
'Thank you Nellie,' Emma replied.
The girls left the dark room then, exiting out into the ghost filled pier to which only Nellie and Rosie could see them. But as they saw the children gathered around Rosie with tears in their eyes, Nellie knew what was about to come. She let Emma walk ahead to join the group as she stood at the back, smiling softly at everyone.
'Rosie, do you have to go?' Fiona cried.
'Yeh, stay forever,' Claire cheered.
'Oh, little ones,' Rosie cooed as she leant down to pick Claire up; 'I'm not leaving entirely. I'll still be around, but you simply will not be able to see me and when you need me I'll appear. Though it shan't be for long. Besides you always have Nellie.'
'But we want you too.'
'And oh how I wish I could stay, but I can't and you'll see me again soon. I promise.'
One by one all the children hugged Rosie's ghost, some of them crying even as they did so. Nellie knew when Rosie had disappeared by the looks on everyone's faces, but she could see her as she walked towards her; wrapping her in a hug. Rosie kissed Nel's cheek and disappeared into thin air without so much as a goodbye, but the eldest twin knew why. She could see Rose whenever she wanted to, whereas the children couldn't.
'Alright everyone, we have to go,' Nellie said before she began ushering them onto gangway.
They all chatted loudly as they made their way onto the ship, each going their separate ways and as Nellie went to head up stairs a hand grabbed her upper arm. She almost let out a scream but as she turned around she found Victor grinning at her, before he pulled her softly to the same room where they had shared their first kiss. But she knew that wasn't why they were there as Victor began to search through the first aid box again. She cleared her throat and pulled the rolled bandage from her pocket, throwing it at her boyfriend as he turned.
Nellie took a step back as Victor stepped forward, she smiled coyly as she repeated the movement again; creating a little game for herself. The girl squealed as Victor ran after her, eventually cornering her; a hand placed either side of her head as he leant on the wall. He grinned widely down at her as she pouted and crossed her arms, acting cross with him but as he began showering her face with kisses she smiled.
'I'll give you a kiss if you let me do it,' He compromised.
The blonde girl tapped her chin as she pretended to think, 'Hm. I suppose that will do.'
Victor chuckled and held the bandage to her side after she had stretched her other wing out and began to wrap the bandage around her; securing her broken wing to her back. He apologised quietly every time Nellie hissed in pain, but finished quickly before placed his hands on her hips. The blonde girl tucked her other wing away onto her back and looked up at the gorgeous boy in front of her, drinking in his features.
Slowly he leant down and placed his forehead against hers, teasing her for a few seconds before capturing her lips in his as he kissed her; Nel's hands threaded through his hair at the nape of his neck. He swore every time he kissed her, it always gave him butterflies and made his heart stutter; and he knew it would continue to do that for a long time yet.
As they moved apart, the couple couldn't get the smiles off their faces as they rested their foreheads together. Nellie played with Victor's hair as he rubbed soft circles into her waist, simply enjoying the moment. She soon placed her head against his chest, holding him tight as they stood in silence. It wasn't an awkward silence, instead it was comfortable and something they both needed after the last day of madness.
'Do you want to leave this place with me?' Victor asked softly, causing Nel to pull her head off his chest to look up at him.
'Pardon me?' She stated.
'Not now, but in a couple of years. We could see the world Angel, move in together one day. Hell, we could even go see Abe. I don't want to stay here Nellie. I can't be locked in another loop, not again.'
'What about the children?'
'We can still visit, Nel. It's not like I'm going to keep you away from them, besides I've still got to look after Bronwyn.'
There was a moment of silence before the Ambros girl spoke, 'Alright. Let's do it.'
'Really?' Victor smiled.
'Of course, anything for you. And it sounds like a lot of fun.'
Nellie squealed in delight as Victor lifted her from the ground and spun her around with ease, his loud laugh echoed through the room along with her own. As he placed her down, she grabbed his hand and dragged him through the corridors of the ship. They went up stairs and through small hatches until they reached the door that led to one of the top decks.
The couple were in awe as they saw the sunset in front of them, the ocean rolling softly as the sun disappeared behind the horizon. Suddenly they heard a very familiar voice from down below and Nellie couldn't believe who she saw standing on the deck below with Emma; Jacob Portman. She grinned widely as the blue eye boy spoke quickly to Emma, explaining how he got there before Emma cut him off by placing her lips on his.
Victor and Nellie looked away quickly then, not wanting to intrude on the pairs moment and looked back out at the sea. The girl leant against the railing as Victor stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist, looking down at her as she looked out at the sea. When she finally noticed Victors gaze she looked up at him and pecked his lips quickly, before looking back out at the ocean as the ship began to move. A bird call from above caught her attention, she looked up to see Miss Peregrine in bird form with her sister right beside her.
It was then Nellie knew that wherever Victor was, and as long as she was with him, she'd be happy. And that's all she wanted in life, because that's what she deserved after the horrible start in life she had been given. This part of her life and until the day she died, she would be happy because nothing could bring her down for she had everything she needed; her best friend who had become her boyfriend, her sister's ghost, the family she had found in the children she grew up with, the loving mother she never had and her Angel Wings.
THE END