WillowTree1221: You are my absolute favorite reviewer! I feel bad for Bronwyn too but I had to stick to the plot :( This chapter is kinda picking up the pieces and I think you'll like the direction it takes.

On another note, I hate myself! I had an extra scene in chapter 21 that I had completely forgotten about. So I revised the chapter and added it in. For those of you who want to go back it's the section in bold (that way you don't have to re-read the whole chapter but you can still read the new scene.) I hope you enjoy it!

CHAPTER 26

MILLARD P.O.V.

It could have been Aurora. It could have been Aurora. It could have been Aurora.

It was like his mind was unable to process anything else. He didn't hear Olive's shriek when she saw them bring in Victor's body, he didn't hear Bronwyn's crying, he didn't hear Horace hit the floor when he fainted. It was like everything else had shut down inside him.

It could have been Aurora.

Enoch came forward and volunteered to help Miss Peregrine handle Victor, a small part of Millard's mind noted that they must have been able to tell he was starting to lose his composure as Miss Peregrine dismissed him. The first thing he did was run upstairs and into the bathroom as he felt a wave of nausea wash over him and felt his stomach lurch.

EMMA P.O.V.

She sat on the bed with Aurora sobbing into her shoulder. She had tried muttering soft soothing words but nothing had worked so she had decided to simply stay silent. At least Aurora had stopped hyperventilating. Emma just kept rocking slightly while she rubbed Aurora's back, eventually, her crying stopped and it was just the occasional sniff. Neither one spoke, Emma knew she wouldn't want to talk about it and it was obvious what had happened so there was simply nothing to say.

After some time there was a soft knock on the door and Olive poked her head in. She walked over to Emma and quietly asked, "Want me to take over for awhile?"

Emma nodded as she and Olive switched places, she whispered to the red head, "She's still freezing, maybe you can warm her up a bit?" Olive nodded and started rubbing Aurora's back while she hummed. Emma couldn't imagine the trauma her friend had been through, to find a friend like how she'd found Victor, it was just too horrible to fathom.

Once she'd warmed up it didn't take long for Aurora to fall asleep, Emma suggested tucking her into bed but Olive insisted that she didn't want to risk waking her and that she didn't mind. Aurora had been through a great ordeal and she needed her rest.

MILLARD P.O.V.

He was resting his head against the cold porcelain as his mind seemed to start up again. Victor was dead. Millard wouldn't call him a friend, but he had been one of their own and he'd died in a way Millard would never wish on anyone. Then his mind turned to Aurora. He wanted to make sure she was alright. But would she want to see him? She had been leaving with Victor after all, had she finally moved on like he had intended she do? Had he lost his chance? Yes his mind was still coming to grips with Victor's demise but the silver lining was the situation had brought Millard a great clarity when it came to Aurora. He wanted to be with her, to hell if he didn't deserve her, he loved her. His mind paused on that as well, he loved her. It wasn't a question anymore, a feeling to hypothesize and analyze. He knew, in the very core of his soul, he knew. Now the only question that remained was, did his epiphany come too late?

AURORA P.O.V.

Aurora woke up with her head on Olive's shoulder and her gloved hand stroking her hair. She didn't realize how tired you could be after crying and gave one more sniffle which let Olive know she was awake.

"How are you feeling?" she asked concerned as she pulled back to look at her. Aurora only shrugged not quite knowing how she felt, then she looked up at Olive with worry.

"Noah." She whispered.

"You're brother?" Olive asked confused.

"He's going to keep sending me letters."

"Miss Peregrine isn't letting us leave the loop anymore, it's too dangerous."
"I have to get word to him somehow, otherwise he'll keep sending me letters and when I don't reply he'll worry. What if he comes here and there's another hollow? I have to let him know –"
"It's alright Aurora." Olive said trying to calm her down before she had another panic attack. "I'll let Miss Peregrine know, she'll find someway to contact your brother."

"Thank you." Aurora sniffled as Olive got up and left the room. Aurora got up off the bed, stretched her muscles and went to sit by the window hoping the sunlight would help clear her mind. Shortly after there was a soft knock and Emma got up from her bed to answer it.

"Oh." Aurora heard her whisper in soft shock but she didn't take her gaze away from the window. "I'm not sure she's really up to talking right now."

"Please, Emma. Just give me a moment with her." Aurora froze as she recognized the voice as Millard's. What did he want? Aurora's mind began to spin with questions and she focused on keeping her breathing steady so she wouldn't hyperventilate again. She looked over her shoulder and gave Emma a small nod. Then the blonde left to give the pair some privacy as Millard shut the door behind him. Aurora couldn't look at him for long so she returned her eyes to the window.

"How are you feeling?" she heard Millard ask in an unsure tone of voice. She let out a long sigh.

"Everyone keeps asking me that and honestly, I haven't the slightest idea of how I feel." She told him truthfully then realized that that one sentence was the most she'd said since she'd found- - - she stopped that train of thought before the horrors could come back and haunt her again.

"Did you – I mean, were you and him. . ."

Aurora turned to face him, her eyebrows scrunched together, "No." she said confused, "Why would you think that?"

"When I – when I heard you had left with him I thought –"

"You thought I cared for him?"

"I thought you'd moved on like I wanted you to and . . . and . . I've never felt more pain in my life" His words hung in the air for a silent moment, when it was clear Aurora had no response Millard continued, "Aurora can you ever forgive me? I only pushed you away because I thought it was for your own good. I was a fool. I know now that I want you in my life – need you in my life, by my side, if. . . if you'll have me." With each word he'd stepped closer until they were only a breath apart. Aurora felt him lean in and had to put her hands to his chest and stop him from bringing his lips to hers.

MILLARD P.O.V.

When she stopped him from kissing her Millard felt his whole world shatter like glass.

"It's too late isn't it?" he asked his voice sounding as broken as he felt. "I ruined it. We had a beautiful thing between us and I ruined it."

Aurora was silent for a moment – and it was one of the longest moments of Millard's life – before she spoke.

"I think we've been through a lot today. One of our own is dead and I think the shock is what's playing a heavy hand in your decisions." She gave another sigh as she collected her thoughts, "Millard you either act with your heart or your head and the two contradict each other so much it makes my head spin. What if after the shock wears off your mind kicks in and suddenly your thinking the same thoughts you had the day we broke up?" her voice cracked at the end but before he could intervene Aurora kept speaking, "You broke my heart once, Millard. I wouldn't survive pain like that a second time. I'd rather wait for things to calm down and know you're sure about what you feel then ever go through that pain again."

There was another long silence as he took in her words, the logical side of him whispering in his ear that she did make a very valid point but his heart also spoke up and said he should have known this wouldn't be easy, that he would have to fight for her.

"The way I feel about you will never change, Millard." Aurora continued, "I meant that twenty years ago and I mean it now. I just want to be absolutely sure you know what you want before I open my heart like that again."

By the end of her speech it sounded like she was on the verge of tears and Millard hated that. What he hated more was that he was the cause of them. He had been the one to cause her such pain and now he had to right his wrongs.

"I gave up to easily last time." He said leaning in to whisper in her ear as she turned her gaze to the floor, "I'm not giving up again." he said with determination. "You say I broke your heart." He took a breath, "Aurora healing might be your peculiarity, but I'll be the one to heal your heart. I swear it."

He kissed her lightly on the cheek before leaving the room and he couldn't keep the smile off his face. She may have been trying to hide it but he had seen the small smile that graced her lips and that gave him everything he needed to fix the mess he'd made.