Willow Day 14

The walk down the hallway was the hardest. Seeing Aiden. What could I say? I know who you are? But I shouldn't be worrying about that here. Lyle was still injured, until he woke up, he would be the main obstacle to get over. No person here asked us how he had received the injuries, had they? I don't remember telling them of Calibre. Had they just assumed? Or hadn't they cared? Did they distrust us?

'Willow, you're back. How'd it go?'

Oh God, that voice. I turned to look at him, he appeared the same physically, the same comforting smile, the same red waves but he was different. How had he managed to hide his broken heart from me? How had he pushed back the hatred he felt? How was he not bitter? I had thought all this before when he told me he had once been trained by her but now, this was a thousand times worse.

'I-I'm good. It was hard, obviously, but the parents seemed okay. I think.'

I looked away from him, at the ground, not wanting to catch his gaze. My words were slightly mumbled but Aiden would think I was still shaken up from talking to them. Let him think that, it was partly the truth. I walked past him, feeling the entourage of anger building up in me. He had lied.

Lyle was better, according to the nurses I could persuade to talk to me. They were still unsure of us but they sympathised with our situation. But to me, Lyle was exactly the same, his heart beat steady, his face set in the same, blank expression. He would wake up soon. I was told that so many times but nothing ever seemed to change. Why couldn't they tell us the truth, the details? I needed to go and I felt bad by thinking that but I didn't know Lyle that well, I needed to save myself.

I sat next to his bed, holding Belle's poke ball in my hands, gazing out the window to the fields far away. I hadn't known if it was true, but I think Belle felt better if I held her close to Lyle. She had fought bravely; she shouldn't have to suffer like this. But what could I do? Nurses and doctors were watching us closely; they apparently couldn't get in touch with Lyle's family, so we were allowed to stay.

'Nothin' much changed?'

Aiden surprised me, causing me to almost drop the ball in my hands. I didn't turn to look at him, juts grip the poke ball tighter. I had changed from shock to anger, furious rage. I suppose I felt some pity for him to, but his secrets hurt me more. He walked over to the other side of Lyle's bed, checking his face carefully before looking at me.

'You okay?'

What were with all the questions? I had avoided him most of the day just now, when I decided to check in with Lyle did he bombard me with these bombshells. I bit my bottom lip, holding back all the truths that I wanted to scream at him and stared straight at him, hoping then that looks could kill. But before I could finish the delivery, I left, feeling that tears would well up if I had to stare at him for much longer. I had made it halfway down the corridor before I heard his voice echo after me. For God's sake.

'Willow, what the hell is up with you?'

He grabbed my arm and twisted me around, causing me to almost lose my footing. I couldn't keep my grip on my lip and I spoke before I realised I did. Oh God his face, how could he hide such pain?

'I know who you are Aiden.'

'Well I should hope so; we've been travelling for what? A couple of weeks straight now.'

He smiled, bringing one hand up to scratch his head, a thing that would have let him off a few days ago but not now. I was deadly serious. Lethal.

'No, I knew who you were, who you still are. You said you knew Hannah, but you knew her better than that, didn't you?'

He dropped his hand, his whole smile drooping down as well. It took him a moment to think of a response, maybe a moment just to let me gather myself. I didn't know whether I was going to hit him or breakdown, either was possible.

'Ah, Hannah's mother, the good gossip isn't she?'

Okay, I'll punch him. Or use psychic, might as well give up the memories here and now, I don't want these.

'What do you mean? How can you be so calm? You lied to me Aiden. This wasn't as simple as you being her ex-vulpix. This is a million times worse.'

'How so Willow? Does this just make your guilt worse? Is this why you're worried? Did you ever think I lied because of that reason? Besides, why are you angry with me? If anything, you should feel pity.'

He towered over me, his eyes blazing. He clenched his fists and then I felt his hatred. He had blocked it out before, only giving me a brief preview when I met him for the first time. This was so much worse.

I could feel his broken heart screaming at me.

'Aiden, you should have told me. You should have-'

'W-willow? Aiden?'

A weak voice sounded inside Lyle's room, he was finally awake. Aiden froze for a moment, conflicted, before walking into his room. I took a while longer, knowing that this conversation wouldn't be over. I wouldn't let it.

By the time I entered the room, Lyle was laughing and joking with Aiden, obviously Aiden was mocking him about the accident. Could Lyle remember?

'Willow, hey, come in here!'

Lyle called out to me, but I couldn't help but look at Aiden, as if asking for permission. He didn't catch my glance so I took small steps over to the bed. I flicked a strand of lilac hair out of my eyes before realising they were still teary. But I didn't have to wipe them away here; they could fit perfectly with the relief that Lyle was finally conscious. His jaw was still bandaged but he could somehow still smile, that was the human spirit.

Feeling something still in my hand, I looked down and realised I still held Belle's poke ball. I wasn't sure whether it was a good idea to let her out just yet, she may be too overcome and hurt him or something but Lyle saw my sudden look down and followed my gaze to see the poke ball.

'Oh Belle, please, can I see her?'

His voice was so pleading, so suddenly desperate that I couldn't help but oblige straight away. The light was bright as it formed Belle, the glaceon still feeling depressed but as soon as she saw Lyle's face her whole persona brightened up. She was ecstatic, as expected, but she managed to control herself, as if she knew that her trainer was still in bad shape. Would this what it would have been like had Hannah survived? Would the treeko have been as glad as this? Would Aiden? I turned to look at him, now that Lyle was distracted, and I saw to my surprise that he was looking back. He was angry, probably at my new found knowledge but I held the same look, mine because of his secrecy. He had lied.

***

It was near two in the morning, and I knew exactly what I was doing. I needed to leave, to escape Aiden and to get home. I knew Lyle would get better by leaps and bounds now that he was awake and Belle was with him. It wasn't as if I was abandoning him. I left Flint with Aiden; it seemed as if Aiden was perfectly content with being human. I was never going to keep Flint anyway.

I had plotted this since the excitement of Lyle being awake had passed, I would leave as soon as everyone was asleep. No note. No explanation. Aiden would know why I left anyway; he could explain it to Lyle.

Strangely, even at this hour, the hospital was still as buzzing as it was in the day. The lights were slightly dimmed in the ward we were in but as soon as I was in the main corridor, the illumination was blinding. No one seemed to question me as I left the building, no one stared or watched me confused, they were too busy. I didn't expect anyone to stop me, they didn't want me here. The only one would be Lyle and it wouldn't be too badly, I was sure that Aiden could convince him I was a hallucination or just part of a dream.

Now to go far away from here, I knew a gyarados who owed me a favour and I knew he'd be waiting if I called him. It was an early Sunday morning, they wouldn't be able to come after me if they wanted to, besides Lyle would be in no fit state, no hospital would release him just yet.

I couldn't help but steal a glimpse back, a moment to see all that I left behind, all that I escaped from. I was sorry, every day that I had ever been with Aiden, I was truly sorry. But this truth, it made it all the more unbearable. If he looked at me like he had in Lyle's room, or when he had first met me, I couldn't deal with it. I would ask to lose those memories. Strange, no matter how fuzzy my older memories went, the ones of the accident were as clear as ever. Brandished on my brain.

Tor

I hadn't felt them for a while, none of them had used their abilities, and I had kept close watches on the both of them as well. She was running out of time, her sentence almost up. I watched the moon, knowing that it would be able to see them, as I so desperately wanted to.

They won't be back just yet

A young girl with sapphire eyes floated near to me, but as soon as I saw her she morphed, changing into an espeon, the perfect copy of Willow. I sighed, knowing that she could well be true. I began to walk away, my nine tails heavy behind me but she flew ahead of me. She shut her eyes and I could see her gem beginning to glow, brighter until a red orb consumed us both.

She will return.

'Maybe not, you can only see it how they decide. By the looks of things, they are not completely decided yet. There are still those that can change their future.'

I mean what I say Tor, and from that you should see that you should be careful.

Her eyes were serious, if not too ghostly to be joked with. But she was gone within seconds, another soul to mess with? We had so many similarities. But she was true. She always was, even with the possibility of everything changing. But nothing's decided, especially in this scenario.

Quiyelle called to her.

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Eeek, sorry for the lateness. But as I have started RP again on the site I mentioned last chapter (search brokenempire (one word) proboards on Google, should be first result!) I have been using most of my time and muse on that, and with a mix of GCSE's, I have a lot on. And I severely lack in sleep. But I can see the end in sight here so I will work harder to make this AMAZING!

Thank You

MoonLynx