Yours, now and forever.

Chapter 17

Bella's POV

"ARGH!" I let out screams out frustration as I launched knives into the target in front of me. I was so angry at Benjie, I wanted to hurt him. How dare he be so patronising.

It wasn't as if I was angry about Noah being my brother. That made me so happy. I've always found a connection with Noah, like a protective one. A motherly one. I think maybe cause I haven't had a mum for so long, I felt like I had to be one to Noah, cause I couldn't let him grow up, well not grow up...live without someone he could look to for a mom.

I was angry that it was Benjie who had told me. First he doesn't talk to me for months, giving me death glares and cold shoulders for so long, and now he has the actual audacity to break this news to me. After everything he's put me through mentally at the minute, making me question whether we were ever even friends. Whether I did something wrong.

"ARGH!" The knife sank deep into the wooden target, letting only the handle stick out. I walked forward, breathless and pulled out each one, replacing them in the bad that was clasped around my waist. I wiped the sweat off my forehead and caught my breath, about to turn around and walk back to where I had been stood.

"Ok. What's wrong." My head shot round. Peter was leaned against a tree, watching me. I looked at the ground and grumbled under my breath.

"Nothing I'm fine." I trudged back to my place and leaned back to toss the dagger again. As I leaned forward he appeared infant of me, his hand grabbed onto my wrist, stopping it from going any further. The blade dropped to the floor just out of my reach. "I said nothing Peter!" I raised my voice. He kept calm, yet stern.

"I know you better then anyone Bella, you can trust me." Everything inside me boiled and boiled, I wanted to calm down but something inside of me was thumping against my mouth, forcing me to blurt out everything I was thinking.

"No I can't! I can't trust anyone! Just when I thought I could it turned out the people around me were lying to me! So don't even try to say I can trust you!" I screamed, ripping my hand from his grasp. I shut my eyes and sprinted across to a thick tree, throwing myself against it and letting myself sink to my knees. I knew I was being dramatic, way too over the top, but I couldn't stop. I finally let my emotions get the best of me, releasing small sobs of rage and anger. I growled in frustration, throwing my fists sidewards against the bark of the tree over and over again, pushing all of my anger into these punches. I could feel my hands begin to bruise, crack and bleed, but I refused to stop.

I soon felt a soft hand slip under my still pounding fist, letting my skin land onto theirs rather than on the beaten bark of the tree. "Sssshhhh" their soothing voice whispered to me. My hand slipped away, landing with a thunk on the ground. "I'm here, I'm here." I collapsed into his arms, feeling them wrap tightly around me. I drifted into the memory of the last time we sat like this, on the cliff, the night I told Peter everything, my dreams, my dad, my life. I hated being problematic, I hated having attention, but I just needed him to be here with me right now. Like I did then.

The day passed quickly, and it was finally night. Petter and I sat together, quietly watching the fire while other boys danced and banged drums around it. We were perched on a long log, my head resting on Peter's shoulder, my legs swung and limp over his. His arm was wrapped tightly around me, while mine were crossed over my stomach. Every inch of me was drained and tired, deep in thought about what had happened. Noah can't find out, he can't. Dad always said I was the reason he ran away, if he finds out he'll hate me. The fire crackled, I could feels Peter's breath go in and out, in and out. In my daze of thought, I started to hum a song I hadn't heard for a while.

I faded into silence, realising that those around me had quietened down to listen. Oh god, oh god why. I buried my head into Peter's neck, hiding my face away from them. Immediately he knew to draw the attention away from me. God he's amazing. He lifted his pipes up to his lips and tried them. No sound. He tried again, but no sound. I looked up, to see what was wrong with them. He tried once more, and still no sound came out, but he continued to play, I looked around the campfire, and all the boys were suddenly silent and dancing along to none existent music. His pipes were broken! They weren't making a sound! What was wrong with them-

His pipes aren't broken. They are making a sound. It's me who's broken. Why can't I hear the pipes? Where is Peter's music? What's wrong with me! Panic crowded my mind, I shut my eyes, burying myself back into Peter's neck and trying to get away from all of these horrible thoughts.

Peter's POV

I finished playing, watching the boys clap and cheer me for the song. I looked down to Bella, feeling her hands go limp and her body slump against mine. She was fast asleep. The poor girl must be exhausted. I still had no idea what had gone on with her, but whatever it was it must have been eating away at her mind, terrifying her and sending her into spirals of fear and anger. I hardly ever saw her cry, not unless it was something really getting to her. I scooped her up, bridal style, and carried her away from the fire.

I lay her down on her bed and wrapped her up in her hoodie and blanket. She really is beautiful. I kissed her forehead, pulling away sharply as I felt her stir about.

"Peter?" She mumbled sleepily.

"Shsh, go back to sleep my love." I knelt beside her and her eyes parted just slightly.

"What's wrong with me?" She whispered, I couldn't answer her, I was so shocked by the question. Nothing! Absolutely nothing! She was perfect! "Why am I broken?" She carried on, still half asleep. I lifted her top half and propped her up against me as I knelt beside her bed. Her fingers wrapped around my arms, holding them around her shoulders as she lay against my chest. "I want to be fixed again, I don't want to feel these stupid feelings anymore." She whispered in sorrow and even slight pain. I finally found my voice. I leaned down and nestled my face into her hair, breathing the words into the long locks of soft brown hair.

"You aren't broken my darling." I whispered. "And nothing is wrong with you. You are perfect, even if you don't realise it," even as I thought about the words I could feel myself becoming nervous and giddy. "I'll help you out of this, whatever it is." She sighed deeply.

"I don't even think I can be fixed Peter." I adjusted my grip, folding my arms tighter around her, consuming her in a comforting embrace.

"Aren't you forgetting who I was?" I chuckled slightly. "I was broken too my love, broken, and unfeeling, a dark cloud over these lost boys. Then you came along and changed all of that. I didn't just want to change. I had someone to change for, someone I cared about."

"Hm" she hummed peacefully.

"If I can be fixed, then so can you, especially when there is nothing to fix." I smiled to myself, feeling the silence stewing in the air. I unwrapped my arms from around her and let her fall into my chest. She was fast asleep again. I carefully lay her down, covering her with a blanket and stroking the hair away from her eyes, so I could view her beautiful face before I slept. She really is absolutely perfect. I lay down next to her, listening to her soft breathes, in, out, in, out, in, out. Entrancing me into a deep sleep beside her, where we both felt safe.