A/N Hi! Ok first,

THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH TO KeriThePidgeon! That's for liking this story...AND giving me the encouragement to keep writing this.

Yeah so sorry about the earlier grumple-puss attitude I had but that's gone. As long as someone is reading I will be writing.

So yeah...

ENJOY!

ME4427

Ps. Bold = noise & Italics = weird spackly noise.

2. Thump, Thump, Thump

My eyes flick open. The light burns so they close just as quickly. But the stinging in my eyes is nothing compared to the thumping in my head. I know I'm going to have to get up and go to work with the healers but I really don't feel up for it. Clearly I'd been a bit to upset last night but something I couldn't for the life of me remember was what it was I was upset about. Obviously it was to do with Todd (ok that was painful to even think) but I don't know if it was something specific or not. What if he-? No. Nothing happened to him; he's fine. I tell myself this over-and-over til I calm down at least a little.

Viola? Viola?

"I'm fine boy don't worry." He rests his head on my lap and I, reluctantly at first, stroke him gently. After a while, I sigh and push myself to get up again. I give him some food but skip it myself as I don't feel particularly up for food. Come to think of it, when was the last time I ate a proper meal? Actually, when was the last time I ate at all? I'll sort that out later; I don't have time right now.

SQUIRREL!

Oh no! I really shouldn't leave the back door open when he's around. He darts out the door before I can even attempt to grab him at all.

"Manchee! No, stop Manchee!" I shout and run after him, "Leave them alone Manchee!"

Whirler dog! Whirler dog!

He's just barking the word squirrel over-and-over at them and I know it's going to be hard to stop him now.

"Manchee! Stop it!"

What can I do? I need to go but I can't leave him out here all day. I do the only thing I can do that'll get his attention away from the squirrels and on something else. I promise him the only thing he really wants anymore.

"Manchee! If you stop…I'll…you can…you can see Todd." I'm almost crying now just at the mention and thought of him. Ever since they brought Manchee back that's the only thing that mattered to him. I thought Manchee would have been long gone but it turns out the spackle had already found him and were in the process of helping him. They thought they could use him as a sort of peace offering so the mayor may end the fight. Everything about him they'd seen in Todd and Ben's noise so they had hoped it may work. Then the war ended and they didn't need the offering anymore so they just told us all about it and somehow he became mine. Anyways, all he ever seems to think beside Viola and squirrel is Todd.

Todd?

I had his attention now. He wasn't even looking at the squirrels. I just nod to him.

Todd? Todd. Todd! TODD! TODD! TODD! Now? Now! NOW! TODD NOW!

"Ok. We can go now."

The healers will understand. They know how much Todd means to me, hell everyone knows how much he means to me! Work can wait; seeing Todd can't. I go back inside with Manchee practically jumping at my heels. I can tell he's so excited about this. You'd think he might hold some sort of a grudge after everything that happened at the end but he didn't. Manchee was such an easy happy animal and he seemed to completely forgive Todd for helping me not him. He often wonders what else happened afterwards. What adventure did he miss? That's all he cares about knowing. Did we make it? What about the army? Were we caught? I only tend to answer his questions when I feel strong enough and even then it's with brief phrased answers.

I grab Todd's old jacket (my favourite jacket in the world) and open the door. The jacket still had a lingering Todd smell to it and it makes it feel like he's still with me. For the first few months I wore it every day of every week.

We walk through the square together and in the direction of his tent. I know everyone's watching us 'cos I can feel their piercing stares. They all know where we're going too. Everyone here knows about Todd, in fact I'm pretty sure they even teach about him in the school. He's seen as a Great War hero and they can't wait to meet him.

All this thought about Todd is really making me feel nauseated.

When we make it to the edge of the tent I pause and try to relax my breathing. A spackle or few walk past and they all hold the same pitied expression. I ignore them and calm myself. One deep breath. I listen just to be sure Ben's not here as I wouldn't want to interrupt. I remember when I used to sit in there every day, don't get me wrong I still do but I actually leave. At first I refused to leave his side but eventually they used force against me and made me go.

I open the tent and step inside with Manchee.

TODD! TODD! TODD! TODD! TODD! TODD! TODD!

His noise screams on an endless loop. I can feel his pain and I bet he can feel mine too.

Oh Todd. Please wake up. Please. Today. For me.

I walk to his side and hold his hand very tightly. His noise stirs and bubbles as it always does when I arrive. I think he knows when I'm here. I think he can actually hear me in there. I think he knows I want and need him.

Viola? Viola!

"I'm here Todd."

Manchee?

TODD!

VIOLA!

Thump! I jump a little at the intensity of my name. I'm sure he's never quite done that before. Is he stronger? Is this a good sign? Should I get someone? Will he wake up? No. He won't.

VIOLA!

He's practically screaming it in his noise and I just want to hug him and tell him 'I'm here'. Instead I give his hand a small squeeze and simply repeat,

"I'm here Todd."

VIOLA! VIOLA! VIOLA!

His noise just keeps shouting and each time it's getting bigger and bigger. So is my hope. It's accompanied with memories floating through the air. Before his noise had just been a grey mush but now it was a colourful array of pain.

VIOLA!

He shows the first time we met.

VIOLA!

Then me telling him my name.

VIOLA!

Followed by him stabbing the spackle.

VIOLA!

As we reached Farbranch.

VIOLA!

Running from the army.

VIOLA!

Meeting Wilf.

VIOLA!

Davy Prentiss finding us.

VIOLA!

Me being shot.

VIOLA!

Reaching Haven.

VIOLA!

Branding the spackle.

VIOLA!

The mayor.

VIOLA!

All of our past just rushes right through his head and at parts I have to look away. We'd been through so much yet so little. The spackle run in and take one look at everything and rush to him. Ben is accompanying them.

Todd is waking.

Tears of pure joy are streaming down my face and the noise is so loud it's almost silent. He's coming. Todd is coming. He's actually going to wake up. I must be dreaming?

TODD!

I'd almost forgotten that Manchee was here. Slowly we all join in chanting for him.

TODD!

TODD!

"TODD!"

TODD!

TODD!

"TODD!"

We chant and chant. Todd screams for me. We chant more. He screams more. It is getting louder. And louder. And louder.

Then he stops and everything is silent...

Thump. My heart breaks.

A/NPLEASE review, PM me, favourite and follow this story and my other one!

ME4427