Stand by Me by Fullmetal Pyromaniac

Chapter Four:


'As the princess awoke, she was aware of two presences above her. They seemed to be conversing. Her eyes slowly fluttered open. Above her stood a man with shaggy blonde hair and blazing emerald eyes. They bore into her sapphire eyes.

The blonde man grinned and the princess sat up. She was aware of his calloused hand squeezing her chest. Next to her bed was a squealing pig who was shouting 'Pervert!' The blonde man grinned and said...'

"What'cha doing, Elizabeth?"

"Eep!"

Elizabeth squeaked and dropped the leather book, Meliodas leapt forward slightly and caught it just before it hit the cool linoleum floor. He closed the book and stood up straight, smirking.

"I got it"

Elizabeth sighed and took the book off him gingerly, wiping down the hard leather cover with great care.

"Thank you, Meliodas. I don't know what I'd do if I broke your story book"

"I don't think it would matter, I could always bind it again"

"You bound it?" Elizabeth asked incredulously, "You can sew?"

Meliodas smirked and put his hands on his hips.

"Yup, how do you think we got our club costumes? Diane can knit and crochet as well"

At mention of Diane, Elizabeth's smile faltered.

"Well, we'd better get to the club, right?" Elizabeth said, standing and taking Meliodas' hand. He grinned and squeezed hers,

"Yeah, let's get going!"

...

When they arrived at the club room, Ban was sitting at the table.

"Yo, princess, capt'n" he greeted. Meliodas walked over and high fived him. Elizabeth sat primly on a stool.

"Where's Diane and King?" She asked, Ban shrugged.

"I dunno, Merlin came in asking for us, said to go to her room when you two arrived"

"Well if Merlins asking for us it must be important" Elizabeth said.

"Yeah, we'd better get going"

The three went out the door and walked towards Merlins office. King and Diane stood outside looking at the floor miserably. Meliodas frowned.

"Is everything okay?" He asked, King shook his head.

"Merlins looking after a kid, his parents were in an accident. In surgery now. Merlin wanted to speak with him but he just wouldn't talk. Merlins having a conversation with him now"

Everyone stood silently. Suddenly there was a shout from inside the room and a little boy slammed the door open.

"Don't act like you know anything!" He screamed, his face was bruised and cut with plasters over his nose and cheeks. He then ran off, for a seven year old, he was fast and out of everyone's view in seconds.

A saddened Merlin appeared a few seconds later. Gowther came out the room behind her, looking the same as always.

"There was a car accident" she explained softly, "A driver in the wrong lane. His adoptive parents are in the ICU now"

Elizabeth gasped, "He's adopted?" She asked, Merlin nodded.

"Yeah, and now he's missing. I was supposed to calm him, look after him. He could be anywhere"

"I think I know where he is" Elizabeth suggested. Merlin eyes widened.

"Really? How?"

Elizabeth sighed, "I was in a situation like that too when I was younger. It wasn't as severe but I know how it feels" she explained sadly. The sins eyed her curiously.

"When that happened to me, I ran off to the roof"

Merlin nodded, "Okay. Let's go to the roof but let Elizabeth talk to him. She might bring Mead to his senses"

Everyone nodded and began walking to the roof

...

The rooftop was calm and serene. There was a bench surrounded by flower pots that over looked the city. Elizabeth saw Mead sitting with his knees up to his chest on the bench. Elizabeth took a deep breath and looked back. The sins all stood in the doorway watching her eagerly.

She walked over to the bench and sat down. Mead didn't stir.

"It's so peaceful out here, isn't it?" Elizabeth said, hoping to get Mead to respond.

"So calm and quiet. You can just be alone without anyone bothering you. You can think clearly out here"

There was no response, Mead kept staring into the distance.

"You're Mead, aren't you?" The boy grunted, Elizabeth smiled but it soon disappeared.

"I'm sorry about your parents" she mumbled.

"Don't be. They aren't even my parents" he snapped. She flinched a little. Elizabeth took another breath to calm her nerves and pressed further.

"I never would have guessed. Mead, if you don't mind me asking, what happened in the accident?"

"I do mind you asking, it's none of your damn business! Besides you wouldn't understand!"

Elizabeth gave a soft smile, "I'm sure I would"

"No you wouldn't!" He shouted, "That's what they all say 'I know what you're going through', 'I've been in the same situation' when they don't know anything."

Tears streamed down his face, "They don't know what it's like to find out your parents aren't your own. So they don't love you as much, so you try and get their attention and they crash into another car" he cried, hiding his face in his hands.

Elizabeth frowned and tears covered her vision. She wrapped her arms around Mead who protested at first but gave in, sobbing into her.

"I do know, Mead. I'm adopted as well"

His head shot up, "You are?"

"Yep, when I was born my parents gave me away. I was sent to the city where a kind man and woman with two daughters took me in. My adoptive mother died about two years after she took me in so I can't really remember her, I still love her dearly"

Elizabeth's eyes glazed over as she recounted her memories.

"It didn't take me long to realise I was different. My family all had purple hair while mine's is silver. My father sat me and my sisters down and explained that I wasn't blood related to them but they still loved me just as much.

"After that I felt insignificant. I felt like my father and sisters loved each other more than me. So I started doing things to get my father to notice me. One day I heard my eldest sister telling my father that she had climbed a tree in our garden. My father congratulated her, I wanted the same praise.

"I went to my garden and climbed the tallest tree there was, when my father found me all the way up in the air, he wasn't happy. He was terrified. You know, that fifty-something man climbed the tallest tree in our garden just to make sure I was safe. He made sure I went down before him and when I reached the ground he began his descent.

"He fell half way down. He just fell like a stone. There was a cracking noise and he wouldn't get up. An ambulance was called and when they reached the hospital I ran for the roof. Hours later a nurse found me explaining that my father was calling for me. I was nervous, what if he and my sisters blamed me and hated me. When I found them they all gave me a hug and a row for scaring them. My father only broke his legs and his arm in the fall.

"My father told me that the scariest part wasn't falling but seeing me up there and thinking that I might fall. He also told me that he'd send me to bed with no supper for a month if I ever thought I had to prove myself to them. They may not be your real parents, Mead, but they love you just as much, even more so than your real parents do. So let's go see them, yeah?"

Mead nodded tearfully and stood up walking with Elizabeth to the door, where all the sins waited.

"Nurse Merlin, I want to see my parents" Mead said, Merlin smiled and nodded.

"Of course, they're both awake and asking for you"

...

Meads parents were given a shared room, his mother had broken her arm and his father who had been driving had injured his head but didn't seem to have anything else wrong with him apart from a few scratches and a concussion.

Mead stood outside with the sins and Elizabeth. A nurse came out and nodded to him.

"You can go in now, only the son can though"

Mead went into the room and stood in front of the bed, his head hung low. The woman sat up carefully.

"Mead? Mead are you okay!?" She begged, Mead sniffled.

"I'm sorry Mom, Dad!" He wailed, engulfing his mother in a hug then his father.

"I was a big idiot! But Elizabeth and my new friends the Deadly Sins helped me. I'm sorry!"

Meads mother wrapped her good arm around him and kissed his head.

"I'm so glad you're okay, do you know how worried we were? We love you so much, Mead"

"Don't ever think that we don't love you, okay?" His father said, smiling softly.

Elizabeth smiled and closed the door, not wanting to intrude on them anymore. The sins all grinned at her.

"That was good work today, Elizabeth" Merlin said, Gowther nodded.

"Yeah, you did well" King added. Diane was silent. Ban patted Elizabeth awkwardly on the head.

"Well, it's getting late. I want everyone to go back to their rooms now, okay?" Merlin ordered and she, Ban and Gowther headed off. King took Dianes wheelchair when she stopped him.

"King, Captain. Could...could you leave Elizabeth and I alone for a few minutes?"

"Okay, whatever you want, Diane" King said and walked with Meliodas to the end of the corridor.

"Listen Elizabeth" Diane said after a moment, "I was wrong. I called you stuck up and told you that you didn't know anything when all you've ever been is nice to me. That was horrible of me, you found a way to change the hearts of everyone including me. I've never really had girl- friends so I might not be very nice at points but...I'd like it if we could start over"

Elizabeth smiled and nodded, "I'd like that. Let's be friends Diane"

"Yeah!" She exclaimed then turned round to King who was waiting patiently at the end of the corridor, "I'd better be going, I'll see you later"

Diane wheeled herself towards King who gave a final wave and walked off.

"Night Elizabeth!" He said and the two disappeared.

Elizabeth went towards Meliodas and took his hand, them both walking towards their rooms. It has become a regular thing between them.

"So what was that all about?" Meliodas enquired, Elizabeth chuckled and shook her head.

"Oh it was nothing"

...

Elizabeth was on the verge of sleep when her phone went off, it was Margaret.

-Margaret xxx

-Hello Ellie, sorry if I woke you! Gil and I popped in today but you were busy with Merlin. We'll see you at your appointment tomorrow, okay? Get a good sleep. Love you xxx

Elizabeth smiled sleepily and texted a quick goodnight, dreaming of that day where she climbed a tree, she gazed out from the top. In the distance she saw Meliodas and the sins cheering for her.


End of chapter four.

I've only written to chapter six so the next instalment might be a little later than usual! As for A-Z of Melizabeth, I'm trying my hardest to get chapters written for it but the school works been quite hard. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING SO PATIENT 3 you guys are the best I swear! Once I get on top of school work and such I'll be back to updating regularly.

love you all *endless hugs*

-Ruby! xxx