Dark Hearts (Golden Heart AU)

Chapter Thirty-two

Last time one DarkHearts: Uma sobbed, holding his hand to her forehead. "Please" she whispered to herself.

She felt another hand grab hers, she looked up and saw Ryder weakly smiling at her from his place on the bed "Baby let's go home."

~~~Now~~~

Uma stared at him for a moment, almost debating if her lack of sleep had finally caught up with her. "Ryder?" She reached out and brushed a piece of his hair out of his face.

He smiled bigger this time, brighter, and truer than he's ever smiled before. "Yea it's me. It's finally, really me." He chuckled a bit sitting up against the headboard.

A smile slowly graced Umas face and she finally excitedly let out, "Ryder!" She jumped on him. The boy was still very weak, but he caught her and held her close with one arm the other keeping the two of them up right. "You're really here, you're really okay."

"Okay is a relative term, I just spent a decade chained and gagged in the thought scape that looked oddly like my mother's tower. I am not okay, but I'm alive, breathing, and in control and that's good enough for me."

Uma cuddled into his neck holding onto him in a death grip almost like she was afraid he would disappear if she didn't hold him.

"I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." he Assured her even if he wasn't too sure himself. He was still terrified that he wasn't fully there he was terrified that he would lose his grips and end up back in the tower.

Mal had come running the moment she heard Uma scream for Ryder, but the halls were way too long. Ben was running up beside her and the two burst into the room.

Ryder looked up from his place under Uma and used the hand holding her to wave a bit. "Hey guys."

Mal's hands flew to her mouth, she couldn't help but step closer. Uma looks up with tears in her eyes but she's smiling. She crawls off Ryder's lap so Mal can tackle him in a hug. Ben walks up hesitantly. "Hey, been a while." He smiles at Ben holding Mal who opted for sitting on the bed with her arms around his neck. "King huh? Big job believe me I know, but" he sighed, "I know you'll do great."

Ben Smiled and shook his head, he took a seat on the chair next to his bed, "Not as good as you were. You were cursed and did more in three months then my dad did in twenty years. And now with a clear mind I know you can do great."

He tilts his head as Mal pulls away, also slightly confused. "What are you saying Ben."

He grinned, "I'm saying You guys were right, as long as I'm on the throne my dad has power, I don't want that. He reaches out and holds Ryder's hand, you should be the one to stay on the throne when this is all over. You've got great ideas and an innovative mind that can be out to so much use now that you are in a proper head space."

Ryder looked Touched and scared all at the same time, "Ben-"

"You won't have to do it alone of course I'll be here and one once we get everything back in order the other three can help."

"Thank you, I promise to do the best I can." Ryder smiles and swings his legs off the bed, "and i can't be a proper king or help you get my sisters and Brother back in order if I'm laid up in bed." he stood up despite the protest from Uma and Mal. "Girls I can't help from my bed." He looked down, "and apparently in silk Pajamas, what was I thinking?" He shook his head and stretched out his arms.

"Ryder you shouldn't be walking around right now Ella's coming tomorrow-"

"And I think I'm sick, I know." all three stop and stare at him, "I could hear everything while I was asleep, Yes Uma I heard the whole song." She blushed at his suave smirk. "I can lay down tomorrow, but I'll go crazy in bed today."