Zak noticed how Crysta was hovering over Pips. He felt jealous of the unconscious guy lying there. He got more attention than Zak did. Every time he tried to get her alone, she found some way to avoid it. Crysta was doing it on purpose. She didn't want to be alone with Zak. She felt she knew what he wanted from her, and she couldn't give it to him. She knew she was vulnerable, and she knew he knew it too.
"Can we just talk?" he said finally. It was dark outside, and everyone had been slowly heading to bed. "I won't attack you, I promise."
"I didn't think you would," she replied, feeling nervous. He led her outside. He found he always loved sitting outside listening to the forest ever since their first time years ago when she had accidentally shrunk him and was taking him to be resized.
"How are you?" he asked her once they were settled.
"I'm okay," she answered.
"No, really, how are you?" he tried again. He knew she was lying.
"Struggling," she said after a while. "I am scared he's never going to wake up, but I have hope." Zak just nodded.
"I'm sure he will."
"What if he doesn't?" She was crying now. "It's all my fault..."
"Hey, shh, no it isn't," Zak said, pulling her close. He had been dying for this closeness. She eventually allowed herself to relax in his arms. Once she had stopped, she pulled back to look at him. Zak misread this and kissed her. Feeling confused, Crysta didn't pull away immediately. He kept kissing her. She tried to pull away when it became intense.
"Zak," she gasped, finally getting free.
"I know," he said, misinterpreting her gasp for pleasure. "I missed you so much. I love you."
"Zak..." she tried again, struggling. He held on tighter, kissing her again. Crysta was beginning to panic. What was he planning to do? She was clearly trying to tell him this wasn't okay. He pushed her over despite her protests, becoming a little more forceful.
"Zak, stop," she said, feeling frightened.
"It's all right," he told her. He was heavy on top of her. She couldn't get out. He was beginning to get carried away.
"Please, stop," she begged. She tried to scream but he silenced her. She tried to kick, but he was too heavy. Then he was lifted roughly off of her and thrown against the side of the tree. Crysta scrambled to her feet.
"When she says stop," Pips growled menacingly to Zak, his fist around Zak's throat, "you stop." Choking, Zak nodded. Pips squeezed his throat tighter to make his point. Zak nodded again more vigorously. Then he released him. Zak fell to his knees, coughing and spluttering. Pips turned to Crysta, who rushed over to him, catching him before he collapsed himself.
"Come on, let's get you inside," she said to him, half carrying him in. Pips felt very weak suddenly. It had taken all his effort to choke Zak. He had woken up to an empty room and heard her protests through the window. Even though she had broken up with him, he still didn't want to let her get hurt. He groaned when he sat back down. The pain was almost unbearable.
"You shouldn't have gotten up," she scolded him softly. He looked up at her, seeing the gratefulness in her eyes despite her admonishment.
"That's the job of a warrior," he told her. "When someone is being hurt, you help even if you're almost dead."
"Thank you," she whispered, touching his cheek. He closed his eyes at her touch. He wondered why she was being so caring towards him right now.
"Are you all right?" he asked her.
"Yes," she nodded. He made to lie back down, but she stopped him. He looked at her, puzzled.
"Come with me," she insisted. "I don't trust him." He allowed her to lead him upstairs to her room. She helped him settle in before climbing in next to him.
"What are you doing?" he asked her. "Have you forgotten what happened? What you decided?" She sat there, facing him.
"I'll never forget that. You were right. It wasn't what I wanted," she said quietly. "I was angry at you and hurt that you had supposedly betrayed me with Treena. I just wanted to save myself from getting hurt." He felt unsure whether he could believe her or not.
"You were very insistent," he said.
"I know I was, but after you left..." she trailed off. She was trying not to cry. "After you left I realized I was so stupid. I went looking for you. I found you right after...after you were hurt." She felt a couple of tears leak out of her eyes. "Rose said I saved you. I feel that if I just hadn't been so stupid, this wouldn't have happened at all." Pips was feeling numb. He couldn't believe she was here again apologizing for her actions...again. Whether she remembered or not, she did this to him quite a bit.
"Pips? Say something..." she said, reaching out to him. He turned away. He sensed her stiffen.
"You should just let me rest," he said quietly. She didn't move. She couldn't believe he wasn't responding. Was he that angry at her?
"Pips...?"
"Crysta, I need you to just leave me alone for a while, okay? Can you do that?" He listened to the stunned silence.
"Yes, I can," she said finally. She left, crying still. She really had broken them this time.
Morning...
Mother's shriek woke Crysta with a start. Disoriented, Crysta crawled out from Lily's bed.
"Ash!" she was shouting. "Get out here! He's gone!" Crysta came down the stairs to see her Mother wringing her hands and staring at where Pips used to be lying. Ash came fumbling out from their room.
"What're you hollering about?" he demanded.
"Pips is gone!"
"Mother, it's okay," Crysta started.
"I knew that man would come to finish the job. Ash, you promised!"
"Mother..."
"I highly doubt he came here and took him..." Ash tried.
"Well then where is he?!"
"MOTHER!" Crysta yelled finally. They both swung around to look at her. "He's upstairs."
"Oh," Mother said, feeling her adrenaline leaving her with a rush. "Oh, good. He's awake then?"
"I bet he is now after your yelling," Crysta said a little crossly.
"Sorry. I just was worried," Mother replied, sniffing. "What is he doing up there?" Crysta turned and left without answering. She ran into Fern in the hallway.
"Where is Zak?" Fern asked her.
"I don't know," Crysta said truthfully.
"Hmm, it's odd," Fern mused. "He's usually here panting over you."
"Well he panted a little too hard last night and Pips put him in his place," Crysta said angrily. "I don't really care where he is right now." Fern felt unsettled about this. She watched her family carry on with their morning rituals. She slipped out unseen. She just had a hunch.
In the forest...
Wil woke from his doze with a very sore and stiff arm, but he didn't care. He hadn't wanted to move after Lily fell asleep leaning on him last night. He had snuck out with her to talk, and they talked half the night. When he realized she was asleep, it was too late to get comfortable. It was now morning, and he couldn't feel his fingers or any part of his arm for that matter. Lily finally stirred and sat up quickly.
"Oh," she said. "We were here all night?"
"We were," he nodded. He was gingerly moving his arm and trying to regain feeling in it. Lily noticed.
"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" she asked.
"It was worth it," he smiled. She gave him a look.
"I guess we should get back," she said eventually. She didn't want to. She dreaded seeing her father again after last night.
"It'll get better," Wil promised, reading her mind.
"I hope so," she said. "I don't think I can live with him angry at me forever." She fidgeted for a bit.
"So," Wil said, changing the subject. "You and me. Are we an 'us' again?" Lily looked up at him.
"What do you think?" she asked.
"I think it's what was always meant to be," he told her. "I just think we got a little sidetracked."
"Hmm," she mused. "I suppose we did." Wil decided to give it a shot.
"I love you," he blurted out. Lily was surprised.
"Even after everything I've done to you?" she questioned.
"It just made me realize it that much more," he replied honestly. He waited with bated breath.
"Well," Lily said. "Looks like someone is going to have to ask for approval soon." Wil breathed a sigh of relief, until he remembered who he had to ask. He shrugged it off. He'd worry about Ash later.
"Is that a yes? You feel the same too?" he asked.
"I think I always have," she smiled. He pulled her into a crushing hug and then released her. Holding hands, they made their way back home.
Crysta's home...
Pips was resting when Treena came into the room. She sat down beside him, hovering.
"What're you...?"
"Shh, I'm not here," she said. He looked confused.
"Why are you here?" he asked slowly.
"I had to see you, to make sure you were all right," she said. He forced himself to sit up, wincing.
"Well, thanks," he said.
"So, how are you?"
"Sore. Rose says I'll be back to normal soon though."
"Good," she whispered. He felt a shiver go through him. He remembered what she had told him right before he was attacked. Treena placed her hands on his chest.
"I don't think this is the best place..."
"Shhh," she said, kissing him. He pulled away.
"Treena..."
"Oh come on, Pips. I promise it'll be worth it."
"Not here." He tried to get her off him. She kissed him again. He had no energy to fight. He was pretty sure she knew this.
"Pips?" Crysta was standing in the doorway. Startled, they broke apart. He felt guilty and then remembered she had wanted this. She had wanted him to move on.
"Honestly, Crysta, don't you get it? You can't have everything," Treena said. Crysta had no response. She simply turned and left. Treena slipped away to leave.
"I'll see you later," she winked. He didn't answer. He struggled out of bed and hobbled after Crysta. He found her in the hallway just standing there.
"What, you're upset by this?" he asked. "This is what you wanted, remember?"
"I remember," she said softly, hugging herself. He tried not to let her hurt bother him, but it still did.
"Then why are you acting all hurt by it?"
"I'm not acting, Pips. I really am hurt. I have been trying to apologize to you and make up, but I guess you're no longer interested in that."
"Crysta, you do this a lot, you know? You do and say hurtful things to me, and then you come back with apologies and everything else. It gets tiring after a while," he told her. She gritted her teeth.
"I..."
"Don't remember. I know," he cut her off. "You need to stop being so insecure. You need to trust that I love you and that I'm not going to leave you, but you don't. You believed Treena when she lied, and you told me to get lost."
"I didn't say 'get lost'," she started.
"You may as well have," he cut her off again. "That hurt me a lot, that you didn't trust me. I need some time to figure this out. You have to just accept that."
"Are you going to go be with her while you're figuring it out?" she asked in a whisper. He felt his breath catch in his throat. He hadn't gotten the same feelings from kissing Treena as he did from Crysta. He doubted he would decide to be with her. He just wanted Crysta to get her shit together like she said herself. If it took the fear of losing him to make her pull herself together, then so be it.
"No," he said, shaking his head. "I'm not like that. I don't work that way. I'm not Zak."
"Leave him out of this," she said angrily.
"It's the truth, Crysta. He used both you and Lily, and you both didn't even care that you were hurting your sister." She hung her head. "I promise you right now that I will not be doing anything with anybody while I'm figuring this out."
"Okay," she said when he was done. "I just need to know, do you still love me?" She looked at him hesitantly.
"I do love you," he said, coming closer. "I always have. I always will. Nothing will ever change that. You hear me?" She didn't answer. "I just need a little space right now." She nodded and made to leave when he grabbed her wrists and pushed her against the wall, making her gasp.
"What are you...?" He didn't let her finish. He kissed her hard. He kissed her with so much passion that he felt her begin to respond. He finally stopped after leaving her breathless, his face close to hers. He kissed her softly one last time and released her. He left her dazed in the hallway.
"That's the last time until I figure this out," he called over his shoulder. She stood there, blinking.
"Well," Batty's voice cut in. "I think that speaks for itself."
"What do you mean?" Crysta asked.
"He didn't kiss Treena like that," Batty pointed out. "I think that means you're it."
"You saw him?!" Crysta was horrified. How many others had to know about this?
"Hard to miss. He wasn't into it at all. I could tell. It was forced. I don't blame him for feeling hurt. You do have a tendency to jump the frog and then try to make up."
"I do not..."
"Yes, you do. It's okay. It's okay to be afraid and unsure, but you gotta make up your mind and stick with it. No wavering," Batty scolded. "It's either him or not him. Make the decision."
"But I still don't remember..."
"Who cares?! Do you love him?"
"I..."
"Do you?" Batty demanded.
"Yes," Crysta answered. "I do."
"Then tell him that. He needs to hear it. He's been the one always chasing after you. It wouldn't hurt for you to chase after him for a bit," Batty winked. He left her there, thinking.
Elsewhere...
Zak was sitting there with his gun in his hand. He kept turning it over and over. He knew he had blown it with Crysta forever. He had let his emotions get the best of him, and he ruined what was left of their friendship. He had brought his gun this time because last time he was almost killed by a lunatic. Now, he was questioning if that was really the reason he had brought it or if it was because he wanted to die surrounded by so much beauty. He thought about his life. He thought about his mom. He thought about Lily. He thought about everything and everyone he had laughed with, loved, and lost. He didn't see a future for him here. He also didn't see one back home. He noticed he was shaking a little. He took it slowly. He loaded his gun and let it rest on his knee. He felt incredibly sad but at peace at the same time. He wondered if all the people felt like this just before they died. Eventually, he brought it up to his temple. It was now or never. He closed his eyes. Then it was ripped out of his hand. Stunned, he turned to see who had done it.
"What the devil are you doing?" Fern demanded. She was holding the gun with two fingers, afraid of what it was. "I don't know what this thing is, but I can only assume it isn't good."
"W-why do you care?" Zak asked her hoarsely. "Don't you know what I did?"
"I do, but you need to be man enough to own your mistake and move on. You're emotionally unstable right now. I get that we don't always function properly when our emotions have taken over. I think you can agree."
"I can," he nodded. He felt his energy levels dropping as his adrenaline wore off. He almost started to cry just thinking about what he had almost done.
"Let me," he said, reaching for his gun. Fern pulled it back, looking at him suspiciously.
"I won't," he told her. "I promise. I'm going to disarm it." She reluctantly handed it over, watching as he emptied the chamber and put it in his back pocket. He looked at her sadly.
"Don't let yourself get trapped in that dark place," Fern said softly. "I've been there. It's not pleasant. You have to remember there are those out there who care for you very much. Everyone can also be forgiven for the things they've done if they're truly sorry." Zak thought about his estranged father. He didn't think the man would even care if he went missing.
"Come on," Fern said, pulling on him. "You need to go apologize and move on." He let her pull him back towards her home. He knew she was right.
A little dark I know. I guess I was just trying to capture what real life can be like sometimes when you're confused and emotionally messed up. This will be as emotionally dark as I get in this story, just for peace of mind.