Leaf's worried eyes about getting caught doing the deed changed
into worry about her parents. "What? They're here! Nononono." Leaf
pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them. "If they get their
hands on us they might do what they did ot Thyme." Leaf's face
twisted into anxeity as she stared at ground. "I can't let that
happen again. I can't loose Fern or the twins like I did Thyme. I
just can't."
Before Harlow can swoop in, Gran quickly hugs Leaf. "Don't worry
Leaf. Azar and I chased them away... they won't come back. You have
an amazing soon to be mother and law and girlfriend who will chase
them away... along with a few other friends. Do not worry, they
won't even go near us ever again. We promise" Gran says as Harlow
nods in agreement.
Chakti smiled at her concern. "Wow! It's almost like you're
actually worried for the boy who lost an arm!" He chuckled again,
showing he was once again joking, and gave her a sly look. "Don't
worry about me. I survived myself here in 13! What's the worst that
could happen?" With that he blew her a teasing kiss, something that
added to his joking attitude, and trotted out of the room. He saw
very few people outside of the infirmary, but his mind was more
focused on one thing: trying as hard as possible to remember where
Leaf and Harlow's room was.
Thyme's spirt was hovering close to Leaf as if to console her, a
ghost hand gently placed a hand on Leaf's shoulder. "You dont
understand." Leaf whispered. "They'll comeback and if they find
us." Leaf put her hands over ears as if to block a sound, tears
streaking down her face. "They killed Thyme and got away with it by
saying she drowned! I don't want to remember that but I dont want
to forget my sister!"
Thyme didn't say anything but she was crying too, her bottom lip
trembling, it was breaking her heart watching her sister so
distraught.
Harlow's eyes soften. She feels for both of the girls. "Leaf, just
take deep breaths" she places her hands on her shoulders, forcing
her to look at her. "That won't happen. Gran is right... they will
not get anywhere near you. If they try.. well.. it well be as safe
as walking through a lion's den"
Tempest smiles, she suddenly realizes that she feels much better
now compared to how she felt in the past few days. Maybe having
a roommate wasn't such a crappy thing after all she thinks to
herself as she settles down and waits for his return.
Chakti found himself at the door. He had no clue how he'd
remembered a path he'd never traveled, but he heard a snippet on
conversation as he went to knock on the door. "--if they find us."
He sighed, the tapped on the door quietly, begging his ancestors
that now wasn't a bad time. He planned out what he was going to
say. "If they come back, I'll help to get them gone."
Maybe.. "If they come back, I'll be here to help." No.. He
was focused entirely on his thoughts suddenly, his mind trying to
come up with something. He was posed awkwardly, his left shoulder
hidden by the doorway, his eyes focused on his feet, and his right
hand hovering by the door.
Gran turns towards the door, ready to go to the kitchen and make
Leaf some tea or something to help calm her down when she suddenly
notices Chakti standing by the door. She screams and places a hand
over her heart. "Oh my goodness you scared me child" Gran tells
Chakti.
Harlow sits up. "Chakti? What are you doing here? When did you get
released?" She has yet to notice his missing arm
Leaf looked at Harlow with wet eyes before burying her face into
her shoulder to cry and hide herself from the world, curling into
Harlow and hugging her close.
Thyme watched Leaf and gave Harlow a nod as though in
understanding.
Chakti snapped to attention. "Oh! I-I'm so sorry, ma'am.. I hope
I'm not interrupting anything? I-.." He stopped, then looked at
Harlow. "Well.. I was supposed to be released tomorrow, but uhm...
You know that promise? The one where I said I wouldn't end up in
the infirmary again? I uhm... I might have broken it a little
sooner than I anticipated..." He was frozen in the doorway, his
right hand having moved to his left side, clutching his ribs
nervously. His eyes were mixed with emotions, ranging from fear of
what Harlow might do for him breaking the promise, to anger at
himself for both scaring Gran and showing up at a bad time.
Harlow turns her head. "What do you mean? What happened?" She asks.
She pauses and shakes her head. "Actually... ignore all of that,
that doesn't really matter. What matters is you. Are you okay?"
Harlow asks. She holds Leaf against her and rubs her back, trying
to get Leaf to calm down. "It's okay to cry, just let it out" she
tells Leaf. She holds her gaze with Thyme's for a moment, a wave of
understanding moving between them before she turns her attention
back to Chakti
Chakti's eyes were fixed on a spot on the floor by Leaf and Harlow,
and they seemed somewhat glazed over. He was thinking, although he
didn't verbalize about what. He didn't meet Harlow's gaze. "I c-can
leave if now's a bad time." His voice was a quiet whisper, his
right arm tensing up and his fingernails starting to pull at the
bandages.
Chakti's jaw tensed, and his arm moved up to the left side of his
neck, then rested on what remained of his shoulder. He slowly
passed his eyes around the room, the last thing they settled on
being Harlow's gaze. "I.." He sighed, then shuffled to the right in
the doorway, his eyes hitting the ground again. His armlessness was
clear now, and his anxiety about showing Harlow was clear as well.
"I'm sorry. I broke our promise." He drew a shaky breath, then
turned to leave once more. "I'm sorry for coming at a bad time."
His voice was steady, despite the amount of fear and sadness his
eyes showed.
Harlow carefully untangles herself from Leaf and then races over to
Chakti before he can get too far away. "Chakti.. look at me" she
demands. "I don't care that you broke your elbow our
promise. Get that out of your head. Are you okay though? What
happened to you? Did you get into a fight or something? Who do I
have to kill?"
(I love Harlow xD)
Chakti shook his head. "I'm fine. I'll have a replacement arm in
three days. I shattered my entire arm, and it's only my fault that
I did. I let my rage get control of me. I'm the only one at fault
for this." He met her eyes, his own becoming suddenly steely. He
didn't hold her gaze for long though, his eyes drifting down the
hallway, already retracing his path back to the infirmary.
"I'm not mad at you" Harlow repeats. "You need to work on
controlling your emotions though.. Chakti you could have gotten
seriously hurt" she scolds. She sighs. "Just-.. be more careful...
okay?" She asks.
Chakti nodded slowly. "Harlow? Is it too late for me to ask
something? Or, do you consider me too dangerous to ask it?" His
eyes met hers again. His jaw was set, his eyes filed with something
not exactly describable. He took a slow and quiet breath, then
asked her, "Could I take the position as a Godfather to your
children?" He kept his eyes locked on to hers, a hint of fear added
to his voice.
She smiles. "I think you would make an excellent Godfather... but
let's see what Leaf says. She should be in on this decision" Harlow
turns to Leaf, who is still sitting on the bed. "What do you
think?" Harlow asks her.