The Last Healer

Chapter 91: Alexander

Chapter 91: Alexander

She was leaning against the wall, her face turned towards the window and staring out wards, watching the clouds float by. Her eyes were bright red and her cheeks stained from crying; I knew that was what she had done when her mother told me she ran after hearing the news about her sister and her friend. I knew she would blame herself and here's the proof.

"Alex." Ariella whispered, her eyes turning and settled on me. I smiled softly at her as I walked across her living room and up to her, my arms slipping around her waist and pulling her close. "You heard?"

"I did." I told her and she nodded, not saying a thing. I sighed quietly before stepping back and looking down at her, my hands lifting to her shoulders. "Ariella, look at me." I told her. A moment passed before her eyes lifted to mine, the pain dancing inside. "Ariella, none of this is your fault. There are somethings you just can't Heal. What matters is you saved their lives."

"But I couldn't save-"

"Save what?" I demanded, my right hand lifting and caressing her cheek. "Ariella, there was nothing you could have done. The damage was made before you got to them. You should just be happy they're alive."

"But what are they going to do?" She demanded, her eyes slipping down again as fresh tears slid down her eyes. "Brittney and Isabella. They'll never be able to fight again and it's all my fault. Because of me, they got hurt. They almost died!"

"No." I whispered, my other hand falling and grabbing her wrist. I pulled her towards the couches and sat her down beside me. "Ariella, you didn't do anything. You were a victim and the people who care about you would have done anything to save you. Even sacrifice their lives. But if that did happen with any of us, it wouldn't have been your fault." Her lips parted as she tried to protest and I shook my head, my hand squeezing hers. "Listen to me, we made that choice. You didn't. You didn't ask us to rescue you, we did because we wanted to. Isabella and Brittney were no different. Your friend and your sister love you passionately, they would do anything for you just like you would do for them." I studied her for a moment as relief flooded my body when she nodded, understanding what I had said. "You wouldn't want them to blame themselves if it was switched, so you can't blame yourself. Plus, there's other things for them to do."

"Like what?" She asked, her voice soft and I smiled at her.

"Well, Isabella would make a great scholar. I mean she reads enough and she's extremely interested in the Healers." Ariella smiled just a bit brighter and nodded before it slid away once more. "What about Brittney? She can't fight and she doesn't really like to read."

"Well, she's gonna be a bit more difficult." I grumbled, cursing at myself for not thinking it through. What could Brittney do that wouldn't require her to wield a sword. There was so few in this world that she might enjoy. I had no idea if she could cook, sew, or really anything. The only thing I knew about her was her love for her sister. "One thing she might consider is working in the hospital with you. She might not be able to Heal but she can help cutting off infections and holding people down."

"We don't hold people down in the hospital!" She giggled at me and I snorted.

"Tell that to your mother. They had no choice but to hold her down until the doors were shut and locked." I chuckled as I remembered the anger in Mrs. Mathew's eyes as we left her in the hospital and I couldn't understand what would drive her to want to push herself so far.

"I'm glad they did." Ariella smiled softly as she turned to me, her eyes staring up at me with hope. "Do you really think that it's all going to work out? That they're going to be fine?"

"I do." I told her, brushing my thumb across her cheek before leaning forward and pressing my lips to her forehead. "In time, everything will go back to the level of normality."

"Will we?" The words slipped through her lips and caught me off guard as I stared down at her, confusion flooding through me as she turned to me, her eyes staring up at me.

"What do you mean?" I asked her, warily. I wasn't aware that anything had happened between us, other than my being extremely worried about her after everything that had happened. Worried about the threat and damage those people had done to her, worried that there would be nothing I could do to help.

"Alex, I-" She sighed softly, her gaze slipping away and down at her hands.

"What is it?" I asked her, slipping my arm around her shoulders and hugging her close to me. She stayed silent for a moment before sighing softly.

"There was a moment, when I was with them, that I gave up. I wanted to die. I didn't want to suffer anymore." Ariella whispered softly, her eyes turned away from me. "I didn't think I'd see any of you again and I didn't want that. I wanted to be with you, with all of you. I wanted to live."

"And you did, you escaped remember? That helped us find you and save you." I reminded her, hugging her tightly and I could feel her nod into my shoulder.

"When I was hiding in that table, hoping that someone would could and find me, but afraid it would be them." She swallowed nervously before taking a breath and sighing. "When I heard Thomas say your name, I was relieved and, when I saw you and him, I was so happy. Like everything was going to be fine. But then I realized something else." Her eyes flickered over to me, the gentle blue eyes staring into mine for a moment before glancing down.

"What did you realize?" I asked her softly, tightening my arms around her.

"I realized how I much I loved you." She whispered softly and I smiled in relief, resting my chin on her head.

"And I love you." I told her, feeling her relax beside me, her head resting on my chest.

"Alex." My name was quiet as she said it, lifting her eyes up to mine as she stared up at me, studying me.

"Hm?"

"I don't want to wait, anymore." Ariella stated, smiling once more as her eyes filled with hope.

"Wait for what?" I asked. I could tell she was confident, that whatever it was, she was sure about it and I, if it was in my ability, would comply.

"I don't want to wait to marry you."