Laughter cracked through the crowded room in joyous waves. Even stoney-faced Jacin, and solem Kinney let out small chuckles at Kai's well told joke. It almost felt as if they weren't at a hospital after the most traumatizing event of all of their lives. They could have all been normal kids, if not for their past and current circumstances.
It had been ten days since the "Battle of Luna Hospital" as Thorne had named it. The ten who had been there against Dr. Erland were all now crowded within Cinder's small room, huddled around her bed. It was the first time since the ordeal that all of them had been together, and it could have been considered overwhelming. Scarlet loved it.
After everything that had happened to her, from her grandmother dying, to listening to her best friend get beaten to near death, to getting her pinky chopped off, she was forever grateful for her wonderful friends. It was amazing sitting there with all of them. It was cute watching Kai sit next to Cinder, clutching her hand. Winter and Jacin were adorable in their small, innocent ways. Iko and Kinney fought with each other playfully, even while separated by multiple bodies. For once, Thorne listened and tried to help someone other than himself.
Scarlet sat beside Wolf, though there was no contact between them. They had spoken to each other after the events of the "battle" and had talked things out. Wolf had been immensely sorry, and Scarlet forgave him. They had hugged after telling each other everything, promising that no more secrets would be kept. Scarlet had only had one condition to their friendship; they would only be friends. The only problem was that she still couldn't even look at the guy.
At one point, Scarlet would have definitely admitted that she had deeper feelings for Wolf than friendship. She liked him in a way she had rarely ever liked anyone. It had been exciting, and the two had even come up for a code name for each other. Scarlet could have been perfectly happy with her forbidden romance with a certain alpha, but now she didn't know what to think.
Wolf, of course, had agreed to the whole friend thing. They had not spoken since that conversation. It had been over a week.
Almost all of the physical injuries from the nightmare of Luna Hospital were gone, except for a few scars. Only Cinder remained in the hospital, but even she would be permitted to leave within the following weeks. The only real injuries that remained were mental. Scarlet could tell that they were all suffering, but there was someone that she was worried about more than all the others.
"Hey, Cress," Scarlet looked across the room to where Cress sat. Her hair had been cut into a choppy, but cute bob. She looked the most nervous in the group setting, even with a blank-eyed Thorne beside her. Her hands almost visibly shook where they were clasped in her lap, and the look of fear on her face made Scarlet sad. She knew what it was like to have an abusive and manipulative father. She knew that about half the people in the room could relate to her in that department.
"Scarlet-" Thorne cut in, his voice warning. Cress touched his arm whispering something to him so quietly that no one else could hear. For once, Thorne shut up. Cress looked back to Scarlet and nodded her head in ascent.
Squirming in her chair, and looking at her bandaged hand, Scarlet continued. "I know that you have a home and everything, and that it's really nice. I also know that Thorne has a sketchy garage and Kai is your best friend and has a nice house as well, but..." Scarlet paused, unsure of how to place her words. She didn't want to scare the girl, but also knew that she needed someone whom she could rely on and have a steady, safe life. Cress needed Scarlet just as much as Scarlet needed her. "I was wondering if you'd like to come live with me?"
Silence filled the air. Cress stared at Scarlet, dumbstruck. Her mouth opened into an "O" before she closed it and bit her lip. Cress looked wary, but Scarlet waited for her to respond. "Scarlet, I appreciate it, I really do." Tears began to shimmer in Cress's eyes and she began to fidget with her hands. "But my father is the reason your grandmother is dead. He's the reason why you lost your finger. He almost killed you."
Everyone else in the room froze. Cress's entire body began to quiver, and fat tears slid down her face. She turned to Kai. "My father killed your father. I was with you the day he exposed him to letumosis. I knew, and I never told you."
Kai stared at her, speechless. Cress turned to Winter. "My father tried to kill your cousin repeatedly." Cress stared at Kinney. "My father killed your little sister." Another blow was dealt, and Cress glanced at Iko. "My father almost killed you, and now you'll never be able to breathe the same again." The list continued, and Cress couldn't even look at Thorne as she announced yet another crime. "My father cut off your fingers and had you and Scarlet suffer through mental torture."
Sobs began to overtake Cress; no one comforted her. "My father took you away from your family when you were only a child. He turned you and your brother into monsters." Cress cried to Wolf. Her wails permeated the air. Everyone was waiting for the final strike. Cress shook with her emotions and couldn't even look at Cinder.
"Cinder... I-" Cress let out another round of sobs. "I can't even begin to-"
"Stop." Cinder spoke low, dangerous. Her voice was still coming back from all of her awful screaming, but everyone heard her. "Please, stop, Cress."
Cress hiccuped, but didn't stop. "No, Cinder, you don't understand. My father killed your family. He watched as you burned alive. H-he tore you away from everything. He tried to kill you on multiple occasions. He tortured you to the brink of death. He tortured the only people you had left right in front of you as you laid defenseless. He stabbed you. He killed you! He-"
"Stop!" Cinder almost yelled, and the blonde girl fell silent. "Please, stop." Cinder whispered. She looked on the brink of impossible tears. Kai wrapped his other hand around hers, covering the burn scars and squeezing it.
"If you're going to blame yourself for things your father has done, then I have plenty of blame to take from my aunt." All of the energy left Cinder's voice, and Scarlet wanted to hug her friend. She hated seeing any of the people she loved in such a horrible state. Why had she brought the stupid subject up? They would still be joking around, filling the room with giggling if it weren't for Scarlet's dumb question.
"Cinder-" Kai tries to stop her, but she silences him with a glance.
"My aunt is the reason your mother died. My aunt is the reason your father went crazy. My Aunt is the one who inspired the creation of the Wolf Mutants, so that means I'm responsible for Wolf, Iko, Kinney, Scarlet, and Thorne. Are you seeing the pattern yet?" Cinder's voice held no venom, but fear. She felt just as much guilt as Cress, though she had hidden it from them all.
"Every single thing that you can consider yourself responsible for because of your father, I could do the same thing with my aunt. Do you blame me for these things, Cress?" Cinder asks the question and her face is a mask. She doesn't want to be found guilty, but is willing to accept the consequences.
The quietude of the room is like a heavy blanket. The dectet not daring to look at one another as they wait for a single member to respond. Cress gapes at Cinder, but no noise escapes the small girl. Thorne turns to her, staring with his large blank eyes.
"No." Cress sighs, a single tear escaping from under her lashes.
Cinder visibly sags in relief, and Scarlet can see her hands regain color as she unclenches them.
"Scar?" Cress smiles, but it's forced. Scarlet would have to work on that. "I would love to come live with you."
***
"Can I talk to you, Scarlet?" Wolf practically cornered Scarlet as she and the rest of the gang- besides Kai- walk out of Cinder's room. The mood of cheer never returned, and the discussion had been far too serious. Arrangements for places to stay had commenced, different people moving to different places.
Scarlet had offered for Cinder to live with her, but Winter already laid a claim. It made sense, seeing how they were cousins. Cress would stay with Scarlet. Wolf would room with Kai. Everything was set.
"You just did." Scarlet replied coolly. She still wasn't entirely sure on her feelings for Wolf. Half of her wanted to hit him. The other half wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him. Quite a contrast. Quite a conflict.
Wolf glanced at her, her face slightly exasperated. "I don't want to do this. Not with you."
"What do you mean?" Scarlet asks, her voice genuine.
"I don't want us to agree to be friends, only to ignore each other. I don't even know why we're doing it." Wolf pulls his shoulders around his neck like a shield. It's almost comical seeing him scared like a child. Almost.
"I'm not ignoring you," Scarlet mumbles, lying to herself. She had seen Wolf look at her trying to start a conversation. She would always turn the other way and talk to someone else, or look through old emails on her phone.
"Yes, you are." Wolf doesn't touch her, but somehow brings her eyes to his. "You're my alph-"
"Don't." Scarlet scorns him, and his head drops. He looks like a scolded puppy.
"You're my friend, and I don't want to lose you. You're the first friend I ever had, and I can't bear the thought of you hating me." Scarlet feels ashamed of herself as she listens to Wolf's proclamation. Here she was, thinking that he was some jerk that betrayed her when he was really just a boy who never knew what friendship was.
Her grandmother would be ashamed of her if she saw Scarlet now. "I-" Scarlet choked. The memory of her grandmother hitting her like a truck. She had managed to shove all the emotions down until the end of every day when she was alone, but she couldn't hold it in any more. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that I-"
Wolf hugged her, and Scarlet didn't push him away. She was grateful for the sensation, needing a good hug as she broke down into hysterical sobs. Wolf cupped the back of her head with one hand, stroking her hair. His other hand swung protectively around her shoulders, clutching her tightly to him.
"Why, Wolf? Why did they take her? Why didn't I get to say goodbye?" Scarlet let out a moan, but Wolf continued to hold her.
"I don't know." Wolf muttered. He answered her the same way with every single question she asked. He just held her, letting her cry on him as he whispered: "I don't know."
After a few minutes of crying, Scarlet pushed herself back from Wolf, wiping her eyes."Uh, thanks, Wolf." Scarlet croaked. It was only the two of them in the hallway, and Wolf looked more awkward than usual.
Wolf smiled sadly. "That's what friends are for."
Scarlet almost sighed at his words. Friends, because that was all that they could be. She was grateful for Wolf, and to have someone who seemed to care so deeply for her. She wouldn't trade it for the world. But maybe, someday, that word would change.