Lost & Found

The tale of a concerned girl

"Come on. It's been a long night. I think it's time for sleep," Emma told Aiden as she patted his thigh. He nodded his head and the two of them got up and carefully slipped back in the window.

She watched as Aiden moved toward the kitchen, flipping off lights, not bothering to clean up any of the dinner mess.

"C'mon," she said, holding her hand out for him and he took it, leading him into his room.

He was still sniffling and his eyes were puffy and wet, which somehow made him look even more beautiful.

"I'll get you some tissues," Emma told him as she left the room momentarily to head toward the bathroom.

When she came back in, Aiden was sitting on the side of the bed, staring at the wall, looking exhausted. He had let all his walls come down in one massive, heartbreaking outpouring of grief. She knew how good he had gotten at bottling everything up. It was destined to come out at one point or another. And she was glad she was the one who could be there for him.

They both needed to have that conversation, to put the years and years worth of misunderstanding, guilt and bitterness behind them. She hoped they would both come out on the other side better than they were before, closer even.

Emma handed Aiden the tissues she brought him and sat down next to him as he blew his nose, composing himself a moment later.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked apprehensively, her voice coming out barely above a whisper.

"Mm," Aiden hummed, still staring at the wall.

"You should get some rest," Emma told him as she stood up.

Aiden's vision met with hers and he looked so much like his younger self in that moment, it was haunting. The boy she knew, the boy she loved was still in there somewhere behind those eyes, behind all the grief and sadness. He was still the boy with the dimpled smile and sweet disposition. She hated that the world broke him. She hated that his sadness snuffed out his ever-present optimism and enthusiasm for life. Maybe after tonight he could truly begin the healing process.

Emma leaned down, gently gripping onto the hem of Aiden's sweater, bringing it up and he lifted his arms for her to take it off. As she discarded it on the floor, he was already tugging on the back collar of his t-shirt, throwing it off his body in one fell swoop. All his tattoos came into view and Emma silently wondered when he got them and what their meanings were. Maybe one day she'd ask him.

She leaned in, grabbing for his belt and he reclined slightly to give her more room. She could feel his eyes on her, but that was okay. She figured it was better than him staring at the wall in a daze. Once she unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, she stood back again, looking at him with a smirk on her face. There was no way she would be able to peel those tight jeans off his body. Aiden smirked back at her as he gripped onto the sides of them and pushed them down his legs, kicking out of them and his socks all at the same time.

"Stay with me?" He asked a moment later, his eyes nearly pleading with her.

She bit at her lip, thinking about Lucy at home. But then thought about how her mother was more than capable to take care of her if she needed anything. She knew it was Aiden who needed her now.

She nodded her head before tugging her sweater off her body along with her shirt before she leaned down and picked up Aiden's discarded shirt. He smiled at her as she pulled it onto her body.

"I always loved when you wore my clothes because when you'd return them, they always smelled like you," Aiden said, smiling fondly at her.

"It smells like you now," she replied, pulling the front of the collar up to her nose for a moment as she inhaled his cologne and natural musk. It brought on the best kind of memories.

She slipped her bra off through the shirt before she pulled her own jeans and socks off. Aiden was still watching her, but it made her feel safe and loved. She crawled up in his bed and he turned his upper body to look at her as she slipped under his blankets.

"C'mon," Emma said, reaching out to touch his arm.

Aiden slipped into the bed with her, laying his head on the pillow, opposite of hers. The two of them stared at each other. His eyes seemed so big and bright after crying. They were beautiful. He was beautiful.

Aiden reached up, tucking a piece of hair behind Emma's ear before he gently rested his palm against her cheek.

"I love you, Emmy," he breathed a moment later.

Excitement bubbled up in her stomach. She hadn't felt something like that in a long time. It was like the feeling was now completely foreign to her.

"I love you too, Aiden," she whispered as tears stung in the back of her eyes.

He leaned in a moment later, leaving a sweet kiss on her lips before he pulled back to look at her again.

"I think... I think we can really help each other, Emmy," Aiden told her and it caused goosebumps to prickle on her skin as she let out a quiet whimper, trying to choke back her tears.

"I'm in love with you, Emmy, and I don't want to be alone anymore," Aiden mewled as his eyes welled with tears once again, which completely broke the dam that was holding hers back.

She let out a tiny cry as she reached out to him, crashing her lips against his, trying to convey her feelings through the passion of the kiss.

"I don't want to be alone anymore either," Emma whimpered as she pulled back, wiping at her eyes.

"Do you think we could help each other?"

"I think we're the only people on earth who can help each other," she told him truthfully.

Aiden's smile was filled with relief as he leaned in, kissing her again.

Emma fell asleep in Aiden's arms that night, listening to him quietly inhaling and exhaling. She felt comfortable and content for the first time since Patrick died and she knew it had to mean something.