back to you | paul atreides

five

i have some questions for readers so don't forget to check my a/n at the end of this chapter! <3

Specks of gold fill the air. I'm sitting in the middle of the desert. I move my hands through the soft sand and stare up at the sky. The sun is setting and the clouds are painted a beautiful blood orange, signalling that tomorrow will be a beautiful day.

I look to my side expecting to see Paul, but he isn't there. Instead, I see him standing from afar staring back at me, except his eyes are blue. Beside him is someone else. A girl. Her eyes are blue, too.

My world changes. The sun is now gone and replaced by a dark room.

I'm standing amongst the House of Harkonnens. In front of me is Baron Harkonnen occupying his throne. To my side is a boy with dark hair and heavy shoulders. I look down. We're holding hands.

I opened my eyes but was immediately blinded by the natural light that shined directly onto my face. I squeezed my eyes shut and shifted so that my back faced the window.

"Lia?"

I opened my eyes to see Paul sitting up straight in his seat, clearly having just woken up as well.

His eyes widened at the sight of me and he was at my side in a second. He grabbed hold of me and pulled me into a gentle hug.

I tried to hug him back but realized my arms were tugging at different wires and cords that had been attached to me. He pulled away and stared at me with pain. His eyes were red and he had dark circles under his eyes, he looked exhausted.

"How are you feeling?" He attempted a smile but I could tell it was forced.

"I feel," I sat up to cough, realizing how badly my throat burned. "Like I just inhaled a bunch of smoke." I managed to joke with a raspy voice.

His smile turned sad. "I should have gotten to you faster. I'm sorry."

I shook my head at him. "None of this was your fault. If anything, you saved my life."

He looked away. "I thought if anything I almost ended it." He sighed and met my eyes again. "I can't believe that last thing you would have remembered of me was that I was ignoring you." he shook his head in shame.

"Paul," I couldn't help but smile. "Shut up." I finally got to tell him.

My best friend managed a genuine smile at my attempt to make him laugh.

My expression faltered as I remembered how I left Lady Jessica near the gardens after she passed out. A wave of panic and guilt washed over me.

"Your mom?" I asked frantically. "Is she okay?"

Paul nodded reassuringly. "My mom is fine. Whatever it was that she smelled only knocked her down for a few minutes. She was fine when she woke up." He took another look at me. "If anything, it was you we were all worried about..."