Chapter 13 – Neck
"Blue," Maura whispered, pulling her daughter tightly against her chest. Her throat was tight with knowing, her heart breaking behind her breastbone. Somewhere in the back of her mind, that part that she shoved as far away as she could, into the darkest corner, the part that knew more than it ever wanted to know, knew that they would never see each other again.
Blue hugged her back just as tightly, her own bell of intuition ringing in her chest. "I know, Mom, but I have to go. We have to get Noah back. He's got to be there somewhere."
"I know," Maura whispered into her hair, "I know. Just… be careful. I love you."
"I love you too," Blue whispered back, squeezing her once more before dashing off to her boys waiting in their cars. She dropped into the passenger seat of the Pig, forcing herself not to look back as they tore away from the curve.
…..
They were all silent, listening to the Pig growl and howl as they wound their way towards Cabeswater. Finally, Adam whispered, "Why? Why did he disappear? What happened?"
His hands wrapped so tightly around the steering wheel that his knuckles pressed white against his skin, Gansey replied, "I don't know. I don't know. This shouldn't have happened. Everything should be normal again."
"Gansey, what did Glendower say to you exactly? None of this is normal. None of us have ever been normal. You died and Noah was dead. In this world, you two aren't supposed to be alive. You're bodies are buried in the ground," Blue said, her knees dragged to her chest, her hand pressed over her mouth.
"He told me that if I could make it back to Cabeswater, both Noah and I would be alive again…"
"Back to Cabeswater, not back to here," Ronan pointed out.
After a moment, Adam whispered, "Fuck."
…..
"Noah!" the four shouted together, stepping through the high grasses and between the trees of Cabeswater and over streams created by the crying of the sky. The trees rustled excitedly, their voices overlapping one anotherso only gibberish greeted their ears. "Noah, are you out here?"
Gansey and Blue walked ahead of Adam and Ronan, disappearing and reappearing between the trees and sheets of rain, but always their voices drew the pair along. That was, until their voices faded into the patter of droplets on the forest floor.
Adam pulled Ronan to a stop. "Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Ronan asked.
"Exactly! Where are Blue and Gansey?"
Ronan stared at him for a long moment. "Shit." He started away from Adam, breaking into a sprint. "Gansey! Blue!" he shouted, Adam stumbling after him, "Mother fuckers, where are you? Gansey! Blue! Son of a-" He let out a shout of surprise, running headlong into Noah, sending them both to the forest floor. They landed with a soggy thump.
"Noah!" Adam shouted, dropping down beside them.
Grinning, Noah said, "I'm back. I'm so happy, I could kiss you!"
"You're not kissing him again," Ronan snarled.
"Fine, then I'll just kiss you." Pulling him down, Noah locked his lips on to Ronan's neck for a heartbeat, pulling away with a laugh.
Shoving himself up off of Noah, Ronan glared down at him, rubbing at the new mark marring his neck. "This isn't a laughing matter. Where are Gansey and Blue?"
Noah's eyes grew wide. "Don't you know? They… they're not here anymore."
"What do you mean? They were just here," Adam said, "They were just running your way."
"They aren't here anymore. In this time."