Slowly I followed them, still being embarrassed about the situation. Alan gently rubbed my hand and I suddenly noticed that I've grabbed it.
Caro turned around to us, giving us ambiguous glances until Alan suddenly let go my hand and started sprinting.
I barely noticed the blue string which had popped up between them and I could imagine why Alan was now chasing the smaller girl, which turned around laughing and started running with a unreal agility and speed.
A bit surprised I bumped into Kyrre who was waiting for me, while Alan still was chasing Caro through the forrest.
"Sorry.." I muttered, looking up to him and kept walking. Kyrre just chuckled and looked at me. "I never saw him so happy like that since I know him... You're good for him ... and you're really cute together!"
My eyes widened. "We're not a couple!" I protested, glancing at him. But there was a quiet voice in my head, saying that I was feeling the opposite. Kyrre chuckled softly wrapping a arm around me, while I was looking out for Alan, but the two we're out of sight already.
"Well... This looked a bit different a few moments ago..." He chuckled, widely grinning and I blushed extremely.
"We.. I.. uhm.." Kyrre interrupted me. "I don't wanna know why he was carrying you, but I'm just repeating what I said: you two would be a really cute couple!"
He took his arm away from me and it suddenly turned quiet. Someone hugged me from behind and I immediately recognised the smell of pine trees and stopped walking, just closing my eyes.
"Have you missed me?" Alan asked me quietly, his head resting on my shoulder, which strokes goosebumps down my back.
I saw Kyrre walking away awkwardly slowly and blushed as he gave me a amused glance. "Yes.." I whispered truthfully and quietly and Alan let me go, walking next to me and grabbed my hand.
"I hope you didn't killed Caro or what she was called after that what she told you!" I chuckled looking at him, following the path, still blushed.
"Nah, she's faster than me even with the speed code... I just saw her taking the elevator down to the center than I came back again!" He chuckled. I gave him a confused glare. "How can she be faster than you with the speed code? I mean you're hitting I don't know how much kilometres per hour with that code!"
Alan laughed. "She's the inventor of the speed code, of course she's faster than me then!" I blinked confused, not knowing what to encounter. "Yeah okay that makes sense.." I stammered and was glad as we arrived the gigantic oak and seeing Kyrre holding the doors of the elevator open, so we could get in too.
I nodded thankfully towards him, opening my hand and got into the metallic cabin, scratching my neck. Alan leaned against the wall looking at the floor.
I suppressed a yawn and gave both boys a apologizing glance. "Sorry I'm just tired..."
Kyrre chuckled and ran with his hand through his brown hair, his blue greenish eyes lightened up in amusement.
"We're only having 6:38pm in the evening and you're tired like we're having 12pm!" He laughed and the doors opened at level C again.
We went out, walking into the busy corridor, filled with several Walkers heading into one direction.
I laughed. "Dinner time?" Alan just nodded smiling. "You're hungry?" He added worried, but I shook my head.
"No, surprisingly not, just tired like hell!" Alan wrapped his arm around me, looking at Kyrre. "But you are aren't you?"
Kyrre just nodded laughing. "You're correct bro!" Alan chuckled. "Well, I'll join you later I..." He looked at me and Kyrre ended his sentence laughing. "First you're making sure that she comes back to her room safely I understood!"
I saw Alan blushing a bit and chuckled. "Well, enjoy your meal and see you tomorrow!" Smiling I hugged him and turned around to Alan again.
Kyrre waved at us, before he turned around and disappeared in the Walkers on their way to the cafeteria.
Smiling I looked up to Alan and pulled him over to the other direction, against the crowd to the sleeping rooms.
As soon as we entered the actual sleeping room part, we were able to walk without getting pushed from every side.
We walked arm in arm to Ingrids and mine sleeping room and stopped in front of the door again. "So.. yeah.." I muttered, lookin up into his blue eyes.
"Thanks for the beautiful day Chrissy..." Alan interrupted me and hugged me tight. "That means a lot to me, seriously..." He added muttering into my ear.
Goosebumps ran over my back and I hugged him back tightly. "Thank you too.." I muttered quiet as him. Alan chuckled. "When I'll see you tomorrow?" He asked, having his hands on my shoulders.
"Uhm.." I thought. "How about 10am in the cafeteria?" I smiled at him and tiled my head slightly.
Alan's eyes lightened up a bit again and he nodded. "Well then, until tomorrow!" He smiled widely and I hugged him for another time.
He gave me a little kiss on forehead again and I blushed a bit.
"Until tomorrow!" I answered quietly, opening the door and entering the flat, giving Alan a last wave until the good closed.
I sighed happily and entered the sleeping room, just switching my clothes and falling down on the bed.
Almost immediately I closed my eyes and fell asleep, not caring about the light still being on or the door still being open.
I heard a few voices through the darkness of sleep, not minding them seriously.
"Alan you can't do that!" A female voice was complaining.
"I have to! If she can't remember the name I have to have a look..." A male voice encountered emphatically.
"And if she's hiding it so it won't hurt anyone...?" The first voice asked quietly.
"Why should she do that?!" The male voice asked, slightly angry.
The first voice wasn't answering anymore and I turned around groaning.
"Think about it Alan, I know I can't stop you anymore... But think about it."
A door opened and steps came closer. Someone grabbed my hand but I didn't mind it.
I was back at the hospital room, seeing that guy with the hidden face coming into the room. Something forced me to go towards the blood bag and as soon as he switched the bags I stepped back shocked.
My vision turned again and suddenly I found myself being in a small cell. I screamed quietly as I saw a body hanging in the chains at the wall and ran over to the red haired guy.
He looked up, his blue eyes sparkling. "I knew you would come..." His voice trembled and was quiet.
"Listen... Our time together is short... But..." The boy coughed. "But.. I'm.. alive.. you..." His body was shaken by a coughing fit. "You have to bring me out here... I'm in.." A cold voice interrupted him.
"Who are you talking at alien?!" Before I was able to turn around, I was thrown out of the vision and I opened my eyes quickly, staring into Ingrid's worried green eyes and Alan's not less worried blue eyes.
I twitched back and gasped, staring at the two persons standing next to my bed.
"A..Alan?" I whispered confused. Suddenly it hit me like cold water as I remembered my dream.
My eyes widened and I glanced at Alan shocked.
"Why the fuck didn't you tell me, Christine?"
His voice was quiet, hurt and suspicious.
His eyes were darker than usual and I jumped out of my bed staring at him.
"You checked my mind..." I whispered, hurt like he was. "You didn't trusted me so you checked my memory..." I added quietly.
"Why Christine?! Why you didn't tell me that!" He yelled a vein coming out of his neck and he turned red a bit, clenching his hands into fist.
"Why?! I thought we're trusting eachother!" Alan added yelling, Ingrid just looked at him shocked.
My face got drained of all it's colour. I knew what he was talking about.
"You know what Fynn was meaning to me! You know what you are meaning to me!" Alan came closer and I knew that he was angry, his eyes sparkled with different emotions.
"Why Christine? Tell me one good reason why you didn't told me all the time that my name was on the blood bag!" He added screaming, grabbing my shoulders and looking at me a bit insanely.
I just glared up to him, shocked and not knowing what to say. He shook me and I saw the tears in his eyes, in the corner of my eyes I saw Ingrid flinching into the corner.
"Why?!" He yelled again grabbing my shoulders tighter.
"I..." I started stammering. "I wasn't sure if he is alive..." I whispered fearfully, feared by his behaviour.
"I.. I just saw that vision the first time..." Frozen I looked up into his eyes, which were filled with a storm of emotions.
"You're lying..." He whispered, his eyes filled with tears.
"You lied to me all the time!" He screamed suddenly and I wanted to step back shocked but he was still holding my shoulders.
"Alan..." Ingrid tried to intervene, touching Alan's shoulder. "I told you..." She added carefully.
"Shut up Ingrid!" Alan screamed pushing her back a bit, so she fell down on the ground again.
I glanced at him, shivering a bit. "Alan listen... I.. I didn't know... How you would.. react..." I stammered stepping back, cause Alan took down his hands.
"And.. is that the reaction you hoped for after telling it me one day?" His voice was cold and I noticed that he stared at me with no emotions.
I lowered my head. "Alan please... I... Didn't know how to tell you..." I whispered, staring at the floor.
"I thought you're trusting me! I told you everything and that's your thank?!" He screamed again, pushing me back, so I almost fell down.
I had never seen Alan this angry. He wasn't even this angry when he burnt the WV chip.
"Enough..." I heard someone whispering.
"I said shut up Ingrid!" Alan screamed, still staring at me angrily.
"Answer me!" Alan raised his voice to the point that I saw Ingrid shift in her seat.
"And I say it's enough!" I heard her screaming back with such a anger that I looked up surprised.
To my surprise, she leapt up quickly. I expected her to leave the room, but instead, she leapt in between Alan and I and pushed her hands out towards us from both sides. As soon as her fingers made contact with me, my body flew back against the concrete wall. Pain blossomed from my back, and when I opened my eyes, I couldn't see Alan. The lights in the room had gone out.
Where Alan stood before was a hole in the door. He was slouched against the next wall, eyes closed, but chest slowly rising and falling. The light from the next room fell onto Ingrid's crying body, her short blue hair wet with tears. My eyes widened as I watched her hair slowly grow longer, then shorten again. Confused, I blinked my eyes and made sure I wasn't seeing things.
I didn't have the heart to tell her what damage she had done, quietly I heard Alan groaning and was glad as he suddenly got up, his eyes flashing angrily.
Ingrid opened her eyes suddenly and she stared at Alan shocked. "Oh.. oh shit... I.. I didn't meant.. to do that!" She stammered fearfully stepping back until she touched the wall with her back, tears running down her cheeks.
Alan was still moaning and got up a bit, but fell on the ground again. I still was glaring at Ingrid, shocked about what she had done.
She looked at me, still crying. "I..I didn't wanted it to happen..." She stammered, her voice quiet and fearfull.
Another door opened loudly and I saw Ryan running into the room. He stopped as he saw the broken door on the ground and Alan, who was still trying to get on his legs again.
Ryan's eyes widened. "What happened here.." He stammered looking at me nervously.
"We.. Alan...Ingrid she pushed him back..." I stammered, standing in the corridor.
"Ingrid happened..." Alan answer groaning.
Ryan and I took a look into the sleeping room.
But Ingrid was gone, only a few pixels on the ground, slowly disappearing.
"Fuck.." Ryan whispered, giving me a fearful glance before running towards Alan, who still was sitting at the wall, touching his head.
My eyes widened as I saw the crack in the massive stonewall.
//What did Ingrid do...// I thought fearfully, stepping forward slowly to the broken door.
Ryan was kneeing next to Alan, checking him if he was okay.
As I moved closer Alan lifted up his head. "Get out of my eyes Christine."
His voice was cold and so emotionless that I stepped back shocked, glancing at him.
"Alan I.." His eyes focussed me and even over the distance of a few metres I was able to see dozens of emotions whirling around in his eyes.
Sadness, distrust, fear, love, pain and over all: disappointment.
I started shivering, turning around panicking and ran out of the corridor, following the corridor to the elevator.
Crying I called it and the time until we arrived the overworld again took so long.
Blindly I started running, running through the darkness of the forest, branches lashed out at me, thorns tore at my clothes.
My eyes filled with tears and chased by the feeling of distrust, I kept running, not able to see clearly where I was running.
Suddenly I lost the group under my feet and I gasped, before my head hit a stone and everything went dark again.
The annoying beeping sound was back and was the first thing I heard.
The second thing I heard was someone snoring quietly.
Slowly, I opened my eyes, my head pounding with headache.
"Uhgh..." I groaned quietly, closing my eyes again.
I tried to remember what had happened, but there was nothing except some unclear shadows.
Sighing I opened my eyes again, wanting to look to my side where that snoring noise was coming from.
Panic shot through my body and I tried to get away as soon as I recognized the man sleeping on the chair next to my bed.
The hood covered almost the half of his face but the spelling on the chest was unmistakably.
Fearfully I tried to get away, the memories were coming back, but in my panic I forgot that I was laying on a bed and fell over the edge and landed at the floor, struggling with the blanket.
I heard someone gasping for air and steps coming closer. Slightly paniced I tried to free myself from the blanket, 'cause I was feared of him. The blanket was lifted up and I saw in his worried blue eyes, staring at me.
Immediately I froze and just stared back, searching for something in his blue eyes like anger or the disappointment I saw the last time.
But there just filled with worries, regret and something else. "What are you doing on the floor?" He asked amused, throwing my blanket in the white bed again and reaching me his hand to get up.
I still was staring at him, trying to get behind his behaviour. "Chrissy... Listen... I'm not going to hurt you... I'm sorry..." Alan's voice was filled with regret and he closed his eyes.
Carefully I grabbed his hand and he pulled me up. I looked at him a bit suspicious. "Whence the change of heart?" I asked quietly, stepping a bit back from him and sitting down on the bed again. "Isn't like you told me to get out of your life the last time we saw us..." I added hurt.
Alan opened his eyes again, looking at me regretfully and as he started speaking his voice was quiet. "I... Just was hurt... That you haven't told me..."
I turned my head away. "I... I was feared what you're reaction could be... I mean... How should I've tell you? Hey Alan by the way I can remember that your name is on the blood bag?!" I asked him quietly, with a contemptuous undertone.
I glanced at him, my eyes flashing in anger. He lowered his head and sighed. "Chrissy listen..." I interrupted him. "No now you're listing to me Walker!" I glanced at him.
"Yes, you told me to say you everything I can remember! And now imagine, how the reality would look like if I told you that your name was on that god damn blood bag!" I stood up, clenching my hands into fists and staring at him.
"How would you have reacted? Would you have gone on a ride with me? On a walk?! Would you even spend time with me if you would know it?!" My voice trembled heavily and I felt the tears running down my cheeks.
"I just don't wanted to... Loose you Alan..." I whispered, looking at him fearfully, the tears dropping at the floor.
"That's why I lied to you..." I closed my eyes, overrun by my emotions. I felt his hand on my shoulder and I opened my eyes again, my vision a bit out of focus cause of the tears.
Alan stood right in front of me, leaning his head against mine. "And I'm feeling guilty for my reaction... I... Just was disappointed... And shocked that Fynn is..." He searched for words. "That's he's still alive..." He added whispering quietly, his hand on my check.
I sighed and took a step forward and hugged him tightly. Alan pressed me against his chest and muttered something in my ear.
"I just was overwhelmed by my emotions at this point..."
I closed my eyes and breathed in his smell of pine trees deeply. "You have been knocked out for a week... I was so feared that... That I lost you..." He whispered and his one hand was on my neck, the other one on my back, still holding me tight.
"It was my fault that you ran away... From me... That you fell down that small canyon... I... Was so feared about you.. after you didn't came back in the evening..." His voice was trembling.
"Ryan knew he couldn't prevent me from searching you... It... Was horrible to see you there, cold and lifeless.." He broke off and hugged me closer, shivering.
I started rubbing his back carefully. "I was here... The whole week... Waiting for you to wake up again.."
//I was away a whole week?! And he stayed here for all of the time?// My eyes widened a bit.
Alan stepped back a bit. "It was the pure horror... seriously." He whispered softly, holding my head between his hands carefully, his eyes filled with different kinds of emotions.
His eyes moved back and forth between my lips and my eyes and I froze a bit, staring at his eyes.
He leaned forward a bit, until our foreheads touched eachother. "I missed you so much little one..." He whispered softly, his eyes closed.
"And I missed you dumbass..." I whispered back, my eyes closed too.
I barely noticed how he leaned forward a bit more and I felt his breath bouncing softly against my lips.
"You don't know how much my heart hurt as I saw this... Fear in your eyes there..." Alan whispered softly, while my heart was beating faster, the speed of the beeping sound increased noticeable.
"Christine..." His voice was quiet and he took a really deep breath before continuing. "I think I fell in love with you..." He stammered quietly, taking a quick look in my eyes and blushing slightly.
I closed my eyes slowly and took a deep breath, thinking of an answer carefully.
As soon as I opened my eyes again, meeting his glance out of his blue eyes, I knew what my answer was.
"I think... I... I fell in love with you too Walker..." I whispered back, looking into his eyes and enjoying his near.
His eyes widened surprised and a big smile appeared on his face. "S...seriously...?" He stammered lucky and disbelieving, his eyes sparkled with different emotions, staring at me.
I smiled and hugged him tightly. Alan muttered something and stepped back a bit, his hand on my cheek.
Alan leaned forward a bit, giving me a kiss on the cheek. I blushed a bit, his beard was scratching a bit at my skin, and I closed my eyes.
"I'm not interrupting you two lovebirds likely, but I have to check my patient."
I screamed quietly, jumping back a bit, and glared at the door, seeing Ryan in the doorway, his arms crossed and looking at us amused.
"So well Alan, am I allowed to steal your girly for a check?" The Australian chuckled and came closer.
Alan lowered his head and turned around. "Of course." I blinked confused. "I hope for you, that it's not going to take too long." He grinned, looking at his friend.
Ryan rolled his eyes. "Of course not! I'm just making sure that she's okay and she could leave this room again..." He glanced at me.
"Gosh what are you doing Christine? You can't leave this room for a few days without getting hurt again!" He chuckled and Alan went towards the door.
"I'll wait outside." He scratched his neck, giving me a apologizing glance. The door closed again as he left the room.
Ryan rolled his eyes. "He turned out being so awkward around you..." He pointed at the bed and I sat down, looking at him.
"How are you feeling? You've hit your head really hard... You had a really bad concussion!" He pointed at my head, slightly worried.
I looked at my hands, and started twisting them. "I'm still having a bit headache.. but I'm doing good!" I answered him truthfully, smiling a bit.
Ryan nodded short. "Can you give me your hand? I have to check if your WV got damaged after hitting the wall and falling into the deepest canyon here in the forest..."
I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine Ryan trust me." I answered him, ignoring my headache.
"And I know that you're not good so please, give me your hand!" He said emphatically.
Groaning I raised my hand and he grabbed it carefully.
Several blue windows popped up in front of him and he clicked on some buttons, still holding my hand.
"Okay your WV survived it... If you want you can leave the room today..." Ryan stood up.
"Before.. before I leave.. I have to tell you something.." He sighed looking at me.
"Ingrid... She.." My eyes widened fearfully. "She hasn't been seen since she disappeared.." He whispered, lowering his head. "We can't find her..."
His voice trembled. "All people are thinking... That she went back to the center in Alice Springs... In Australia.."
Ryan looked away, definitely hurt by her incomprehensible disappearance.
"You can't find her...?" I asked, glancing at him worried.
Ryan turned my head to me again, slowly nodding. "They... They gave up after three days... She.. she's gone..." He muttered raising his hands.
"S..sorry... I.. I'm done here, see.. see you later!" He looked at me, before leaving the room quickly.
"Ryan!" I heard Alan shouting and I followed him out of the corridor, seeing Ryan running down the corridor.
"Wh.. what happened?" Alan asked worried, looking at me, before looking at the corridor again, the doors still swinging open and close.
"Did you know... About Ingrid?" I asked quietly, grabbing his hand carefully.
Alan shook his head. "I didn't left the room since I.. found you..." He whispered confused, glancing at me.
"She's missing since... Since she.." I lowered my head, overwhelmed with emotions.
Alan's eyes widened. "She's missing?!" He asked in disbelief, staring at me shocked.
"And... But... Ingrid?!" I turned my head away. "Ryan is guessing that... She went back to Australia..." I whispered quietly.
"But why..." Alan asked me quietly, opening the door to my room again.
I shrugged. "I... I don't know Alan..."
But suddenly I froze, staring at the bed.
"The teleportation... The wind pushing us back..." I muttered, suddenly understanding what happened and why Ingrid decided to teleport away.
"What?" Alan asked incredulously and glanced at me.
"Alan just think logically! She... You told me that she's introvert!" I turned around to him quickly and started gesticulating.
"How would you react when you... When you suddenly broke out of yourself and almost kill someone? Or just... Suddenly can do something you can't before and suddenly everyone knows it?" I asked him, glaring at him.
"Uhm..." He glanced at me helpless.
"There was nothing else to expect from you.." I groaned. "I would feel bad, ashamed and everything else but definitely not comfortable!"
I threw my hands up and glanced at him. "She... She's feeling... Bad... Remember? When she used the teleportation stuff for the first time...?"
Alan shrugged and nodded. "Uhm yeah.."
"Did she looked happy?" I asked him quietly and Alan shook his head. "Uhm definitely not.." He answered.
"And she didn't looked happy when she pushed us away... She felt guilty I bet..." I explained him quietly.
Alan's eyes widened. "Do you think that's why..." He gasped.
I shrugged before I nodded a bit. "I... I think she disappeared.. cause she felt guilty... And she needs time for herself..." I tilted my head.
Alan lowered his head. "I hope she'll come back.." He whispered. "I don't want her... To feel that way.."
I shook my head. "Me neither..."
Suddenly I saw a movement in the corner of my eyes.
Fynn was standing next to the door.
She's... Still here!
His voice was quiet and it was hard to hear. I glanced at him. "What?!"