Keepers (Ender's Game Fanfic)

Chapter 7: Catch Me II

Eliza's POV

I felt someone pulling me to the side just as the comet hit the ship.

"It's okay, I got you." The familiar gentle voice coaxed me just as I fell into darkness.

"Eliza, no, stay with me." I could feel something warm and wet on my face when I tried to open my eyes. There were just too heavy for me, I wanted to wake up, but my body isn't listening to me.

"ELIZA!"

I couldn't stay up any longer as I fell into darkness, but I felt relieved. I was relieved to know that Ender was alright.

I'm sorry Ender.

Ender's POV

I saw that the comet was going directly at Eliza. Being the dumb protective commander she is she made sure everyone was safe before her. I pulled her to the side before the light and heat blinded us. She fell onto me as I tried to keep her conscious.

"Petra get the aid! Hurry!" Petra quickly grabbed the aid and tended to Eliza while I tried to revive her heartbeat.

"Come on! Wake up Eliza!" I blew in air into her, pumping her chest as hard as I could.

She coughed hard as she frowned and groaned.

"Urgh, what surface did I landed face first?" How can she even joke around at a time like this.

"Eliza, oh god, thank god you're okay." I exhaled deeply, pulling her into a hug.

"Ender?" She called me softly, I pulled away from the hug and looked straight into her green orbs.

"Yeah?"

"You're real? I'm not hallucinating or anything right? Petra?" She turned to look at the two of us, as if she was really relieved to see that we're okay.

"I'm glad you guys are alive and fine. I was worried sick."

"We saw your warning, that's why we came here straight away, and when we reached, we got a comet call so we tried to get here quickly. Luckily Ender managed to grabbed you away from the hit." Petra explain when I realised Ender's hands were still on mine.

"Sorry," he apologised and removed them almost painfully.

"There's nothing to be sorry Ender, you saved my life. I ought to thank you instead." I gave him another tight hug then another to Petra.

When we were walking to see the rest who managed to get onto the ship which Ender and Petra were on, Petra walked beside me behind Ender.

"You like him don't you?" I looked at her with the most disbelieving face I could put on.

"What? Petra, what are you talking about. This is Admiral Ender we're talking about. He's not someone who lets his heart waver to just anyone."

"Precisely." She gave me a knowing smile and we continued the walk in silence.

She knows something, did he tell her about the last time?

My head was in such a heavy state from the blow earlier. When I closed my eyes, an image appeared in my head. A little boy who's eyes were as blue as the ocean. And a little girl, who had the most beautiful brunette little ponytail.

"Are you okay?" Ender turned and immediately steadied me.

"I'm fine, just massive headache."

He turned around and squared in front of me.

"Get on my back, it'll be faster." I couldn't fight back because my head was really painful.

"Sorry." I said but I felt him smile when he carried me.

"I'm going to go ahead and check once more if there's anyone else. You guys go on, I won't take long." Petra went off giving me a wink.

What is it that she knows?

I cleared my throat and I leaned my cheek on his lean back. He still smelled of laundry and mint even though we were in a middle of a war.

"Ender, i'm sorry about the other time." I started talking and felt Ender slowing down his pace.

"It was my fault, I shouldn't have done that, it was wrong of me." He sighed and I could almost feel his regret.

"My headaches are giving me different images or scenes but there was always that boy in them. He held the most purest ocean eyes, always looking at this girl." He flinched and stopped at his tracks.

"Ender? What's wrong?" He slowly put me down and turned around. I got lost in his eyes, it was so much like the boy in my head. I blinked again, realising that it was him. It has always been him, the one that was pulled away from me. The one that was always there for me when I needed him. The one that I loved.

"Y-you're him, aren't you?" I placed him hands on his face, analysing his features, gliding my thumb against his jaw. I never lost contact with his ocean eyes. In fact I was drowning, drowning deep into him.

I tiptoed to reach his height as I placed my lips to his nervous ones. Everything felt in place, everything. I pulled him closer to me wrapping my hands around his neck. He kissed me back instantly and when we finally pulled back, breathing heavily, he cupped his hands on my cheeks.

"It took you long enough." He smiled, all the frown lines disappeared and I was really glad. I was really glad that he was here, that we're both alive.

When Petra came back, we were still standing there absent-mindedly, just staring into each other souls. We pulled apart but she only smiled.

"Oh what am I going to do with the both of you. Finally realised it huh Iza?" She said and it clicked, Ender held my heart, just as his has always held mine, from the very beginning. It was just me that was too stupid to realise it.

"Come on, before the Numberks come back, we need to figure out this situation. Well at least both of you have one situation off your shoulders." She winked at me and went inside the ship.

Just as I was about to enter the ship, Ender held me back again.

"I love you."

"I love you too, always."