Paparazzi//Grayson Hawthorne

Chapter Fourty

As Xander and I made it back to Hawthorne House I saw a helicopter land not too far away.

I look over at Xander but he has a smile as he spots it, signaling for me to go inside with him.

"What's up with the helicopter?" I quickly ask as we walk inside.

"My grandfather was a complicated man and when he died he left a game, we think it might lead us to the reason why you guys were chosen to inherit everything. I found the clue earlier and I thought I would help them out a bit" Xander offers me a small smile.

"Okay if I'm being honest, I didn't find the clue earlier. I was told the clues by the old man. He put me in charge of making sure that everyone gets to the end" He offers another smile, this one slightly more lopsided than the one from before.

"He sounds complicated" I let out a small laugh as we walk through the halls a bit.

"I'm going to go check on Jameson. Can you check on Gray? He might need you about now" Xander says quietly after a while.

I nod, going to walk toward the floor that our wings are on, "No, he'll be at the pool, he's always at the pool" Xander quickly says.

I quickly shift directions, instead quickly walking through the halls to where I briefly remember where the exit to where the pool is.

As I walk outside I shiver slightly.

I see Grayson swimming.

I stand there for a moment or two, watching.

I take a step closer as he stops for a few seconds, getting some proper air.

"Gray" I quickly say, making sure my voice is soft as I take another step closer.

His head quickly whips around to face me as his eyes widen before softening.

"Ash" He quickly says, swiftly making a move to swim to the side of the pool.

He pushes himself up on the edge, his arms flexing as he does so.

I see a towel not too far away so I quickly grab that for him, handing him it.

He wipes his hair and chest before he wipes his legs dry, finally meeting my eyes once more.

I can see the hurt in his eyes, the pain he's feeling. I can see he clearly needs someone and right now, that someone is me.

"Gray come here" I quickly say, opening my arms for him as he steps forward, wrapping his arms around me and holding me.

He digs his head into my hair as his arms wrap around my back, holding me tightly as I wrap my arms around him.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Ash. I'm sorry for all of this and for everything that's happened because of this and for being an ass toward Avery and for everything, I'm sorry." He quickly mutters into my hair as he digs his face even further into my hair as he can.

"Gray, it's okay, it's not your fault, none of this is, you don't have to apologize to me for anything, I'm here for you okay?" I quickly respond.

I gently reach up to touch his hair, resting my hand on it as I gently move my thumb back and forth.

"Ash I want this so bad, I do. I want us so bad but the last person I was with died because of me and I'm scared Ash. I don't want to lose you. I don't want to be responsible for anyone's death. I'm scared Ash" Grayson's voice breaks partway through what he's saying.

I can feel my suit getting damp from the water that was still left on him and I can feel my hair getting wet.

I don't know if it's because he's crying or if there is just water on his face.

"Grayson, you're not going to lose me anytime soon, I'm not going anywhere and I'm not going to die anytime soon, you've made sure of that. I don't know what happened with the last person you were with but I'm here for you and it's okay to be scared, I'll help you through it" I quickly say.

I feel his hold tighten around me before he releases it slightly, stepping away.

He clears his throat as I reach up, gently wiping under his eye, wiping the wetness away as I offer him a reassuring smile.

"Promise?"

"Promise"