Nimh's Dream

Chapter 8

Anna as quickly and as least painfully as she could placed Timmothy on the bed and ran to the main room to find all of her siblings slowly climbing down the ladder she had made.

"Thank god" she cried and helped Cynthia down first before helping Martin and Teresa and pulling them into a nig hug.

"Is Timmothy okay?" Teresa asked quickly.

Anna nodded in the hug, "He's gonna be fine. All of us are gonna be fine." She finished saying just as the front door was pulled open and Elizabeth ran into the house with Justin hot on her tail.

"Children" Elizabeth breathed in relief running down the stairs.

Anna released from the hug with her siblings letting her mother take her place as she walked to the bottom steps of the stairs.

Anna gave him a small tired smile and that was enough to have Justin running down the stairs and pulling Anna off her feet into his arms while crashing his lips against hers.

It was Anna's second kiss with him and she felt the world stop turning with his lips against hers.

He slowly lowered her down but didn't stop kissing her. Her face was softly placed in his hands once again as he held her so securely he thought she was going to disappear if he let go.

Finally they released from each other at the same time and Anna didn't know what to say. He kissed her, while she was of course covered from head to toe in mud and as she bled from her side and tail onto the floor.

"You're alive" he smiled staring into her eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere" she shook her head smiling right back at him.

Justin glanced up to find Elizabeth staring at them with a wide smile and her siblings doing the rest. Well Cynthia and Teresa were smiling while Martin was harshly glaring at him.

He looked back down and her and opened and closed his mouth. "Come with me" he spit out.

"What?" Anna said in shock.

"Come with me to Thorn Valley" he asked her.

"You want me to go with you to Thorn Valley" Anna asked again.

"More than anything" he answered still holding her face with his hand.

Anna looked back at her family and now even Martin was nodding at her to stay yes. She looked back at Justin, "when?"

"Tonight.. we leave for Thorn Valley tonight" he answered.

Anna shook her head taking a step back. "My little brother is sick, I am in pain. I cannot travel tonight. I would say yes.. more than anything I want to say yes but I'll die if I travel right now."

Justin nodded, repeating nodding his head as if he was coming up with an idea. "Come with me to Thorn Valley the moment you're better" Justin asked again.

"NIMH will be here tomorrow. You'll die if you stay here" Anna shook her head again.

"And you'll die if you stay here but I have spent too many years without you Anna. I have been so afraid to visit you over the years afraid you didn't care for me. I love you Anna Brisby. I have loved you since I first met you running from Dragon all those years ago. Rather we stay here and hide while you get better or we stay here and die I'm not leaving without you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I refuse to spend another moment without you by my side. Even if you tell me in this moment that you don't feel the same I will stay anyway rather than leave you to face NIMH alone" he confessed staring into her eyes the entire time.

Anna was at a loss for words until she wasn't. "I love you Justin. With your big ideas and your idiocy to help a girl you didn't even know all those years ago. I have loved you long before I knew what it meant and... and I will continue to love you if you go to Thorn Valley tonight. I couldn't ask you to stay here and wait for me. I love you so much I want you to be happy even if it's without me."

Justin shook his head, "you aren't asking me my dearest Anna. I'm telling you I'm not leaving here without you."

Anna let out a giggle. "We'd have to hide. All of us. They'll take everyone they can."

"Then we hide. I send the other rats and when you're ready we'll find our own way" Justin said assertively.

"You really aren't gonna leave without me are you?" Anna shook her head laughing again.

"No.. no I'm not" he smiled at her. "Besides Mr. Ages isn't ready to travel and now you both can wait till you're better."

——————————4 months later——————————

"What am I gonna do with all this string?" Jeremy groaned standing next to Elizabeth as she sat outside with all her children.

"Jeremy I've been saying this for the past four months. You'll think of something" Elizabeth giggled.

"Ah, what's the use? What's a guy like me going to do with a love nest anyway?" Jeremy sighed before he was tumbled to the ground by another bird.

Jeremy talked to the other bird for a ment before he came flying back to Elizabeth quickly. "Miss Briz! Miss Briz! Lemme have the sparkly! I gotta have the sparkly! Miss B, I gotta have it! Girls can't resist a sparkly, oh please! Pleease! Tell me who you have the sparkly to."

"I gave it to Justin and Anna" Elizabeth sighed peacefully.

"Justin? Who the heck is Justin? That the guy that's stole Anna?!" Jeremy questioned.

"He didn't steal her they left together and he is the leader of the rats" Elizabeth explained.

"The leader of the rats!? How could you do this to me? How could you let Anna go?! She'd give me the sparkly" Jeremy sighed dramatically. "What'll I say? Mrs. B, what'll I do?"

"Well... just be, ummm... Be athletic!" Elizabeth directed.

"Ah! That's right! Athletic! I'll just be a little... AAUUGHHH!" And Jeremy tumbled to the ground again.

"Mother, did Anna and Justin really follow the rats to Thorn Valley?" Teresa sighed.

"Yes, they did. Justin directed them where to go and Anna left with Justin right after. Honestly darling it was only four months ago" Elizabeth giggled.

"I know but will we ever see them? Can we visit Anna" Teresa sighed again.

"Perhaps" Elizabeth nodded.

"Today!" Teresa yelled in glee.

"No... when you're older" Elizabeth told her.