In Love With An Angel (a. butler)

Thirty-Four.

My head rested on the wet ground and the faint sound of the waterfall echoed in my ear. I was here again. The sunlight shined through the trees forming a spotlight on my face. I squinted my eyes, sensitive to the rays. The thumping sound was no longer present as before. Yet there was one sound I recognized clearly.

"Rose?"

I sat upright on the ground startled. I came to my senses scanning the rest of the environment I was suddenly in. To my left was the dark figure that constantly made itself known within my dreams. I could never see it fully until this very moment. He stepped closer to me underneath the tropical leaves. His hair was wavy and thick upon his head just like mine. His nose was wide and his eyes round. His beard had cover the bottom half of his face connecting into his mustache. I blinked taken aback by his presence.

"D..Dad?" I mumbled

"Rose..oh my goodness. You're here." He said rushing over and wrapping his large arms around my frail body. I gasped surprised by the sudden motion. He pulled me back staring into my eyes. "No..you're here..why are you here? How?"

"I..I don't know. I just..It just happened. Where are we?"

"No, no, you have to go back. You shouldn't have gotten involved." 

"Please, just tell me what's happening. What is this?"

Everything was different from before, when I had visions of this place prior there was a specific distance present. As if I were watching and passing through in between time. But now, it was solid. I could actually hear him without the echo, I could see without the darkness. I gazed up at the trees again and noticed an odd outer aura surrounding them. The sun rays stung my eyes again. I couldn't look up too long without feeling my eyes water and go separate ways. Like I was forbidden to know what rested past it. 

"I've been stuck here for a long time. I'm sure they've explained it to you." He said slowly. 

"It's real? It's not just in my head. This is an actual place? But how did I get here? How is this possible?" 

"The more you're around them, the more your sense drop and get stronger. I suppose you triggered it somehow. But you can't stay, you have to get far away from all of this. Please." 

"No, I...I can't, I can't..run.."I stuttered. 

No matter how much I wanted to. I simply could not, there was something deeper and stronger within that forced me to stay. I couldn't keep away from Austin even if I tried. The visions wouldn't stop. There was something I couldn't explain that locked me in place, that drew me in closer. Even in the midst of my fear, I was too far into everything to turn away. I wondered why he wished for me to stay away each time. Was it the hounds? Was it Austin? 

He sighed heavily. "I know..I've failed you. I've failed everything."

"What do you mean?"

I watched him as he hesitated to go on. It was like it pained him to see me yet brought joy at the same time. It simply brought me more confusion and until I knew the truth I would alway feel like there was something I wasn't getting. Something I was missing. I thought about Marina again and her quills. How many were like her? Was Hawk such way too? Was everyone at the institute? 

"Dad..your sketch book. It had drawings and writings about all of this. You knew the truth before when you were with Mom. Who are they?" I asked cautiously. "How did this start?" 

"The portal..It was me. I wanted to protect you babygirl. I wanted to keep you free from this. To live your life. But the accords cannot be broken."

"The accords?"