Miss Claus and Me

Chapter Twenty-Four ~ Paintings

When Eve felt movement on her bed she jumped awake in the middle of the night. As she looked around her in confusion to try and find the source of the commotion, her eyes landed on Amelia's small frame as she tossed and turned in her sleep.

When she let out a sad sounding whimper and Eve realised that she was crying she placed a gentle hand on her arm and tried to wake up her up.

"Amelia? Hey, it's ok." She tried to comfort her, but it took a few good shakes before the girl finally woke up with a start and looked around her in fear as she backed up towards the back of the bed.

Eve used her magic to turn the lights on and held up her hands in surrender.

"Amelia, it's ok... it's just me." Eve said in a calm and steady voice, and when Amelia's eyes landed on her childhood crush her bottom lip wobbled a little as she wiped at her eyes and looked down at her hands in shame.

"Hey." Eve said softly as she scooted up to her and gently lifted her chin up as she wiped at her tear stained face.

"S-Sorry I woke you." Amelia said as she looked back down and Eve sighed.

"I'd rather be awake so I can comfort you if you have a nightmare Amelia." She said softly.

"What was the dream about?" She asked as she placed a gentle arm around her and pulled her into a hug. Amelia allowed herself to be pulled into her crush as she rested her head on her chest and sniffled.

"N-Nothing I'm ok." She mumbled.

"Amelia, you can tell me anything I promise I'll never judge you." Eve pressed and Amelia sighed.

"W-Well it was about...." Amelia began but quickly found she had to take another breath before she could muster herself to continue.

"It was kinda about my family." She finally admitted as Eve pulled her even closer and pulled the blankets around her shaking frame as she tried to stay silent and listen.

"T-They where not exactly kind to me as a child." She began to explain.

"Your parents?" Eve asked when she stopped and Amelia nodded.

"And my siblings." She confirmed as Eve sighed.

"I'm so sorry Amelia, I wish I'd known so I could have tired to help. I didn't know they where abusive towards you." She said as she gently combed her hands through her hair, undoing her plaits and admiring the curls that fell around her shoulder when she did.

Amelia shook her head into her chest.

"I... I should have told you, but I was scared. Whenever I told someone about it in the past they either stopped being friends with me o-or they said that I was... lying." Eve frowned at that as she pulled Amelia even closer to her.

"I'm so sorry that you went through that. I promise I would never think your lying or stop being friends with you, you mean a great deal to me Amelia. I only wish that I could have protected you back than, but I'll certainly do my best to be there for you now."

Amelia nodded into her chest as she snuggled in a little closer.

"Thank you." She said softly in-between a yawn as Eve chuckled.

"Why don't you get some rest. I'm not going anywhere, I promise." She comforted as Amelia followed her advice and allowed herself to fall asleep in Eve's arms, feeling more comforted and more at home than she had felt in years.

When Amelia woke up she sat up in bed and rubbed at her eyes as she looked around her expecting to see her room either in her unit, or at the North Pole. When she realised it was neither of them, she blinked in confusion for a moment before she remembered where she was.

"Am I dreaming?" She asked herself as she gave her arm a little pinch and squeaked when it hurt.

"Ok, so maybe not." She concluded as she looked around the room for Eve, but she wasn't there. She'd probably gone to get herself some breakfast or something. Amelia shrugged as she got out of the bed and onto her feet, gasping a little when she felt her ankle near give way. She'd probably twisted it when she accidentally fell down that hill and Eve had had to save her.

Amelia cringed at the memory of her clumsy as she limped around Eve's room. Not even a broken ankle would prevent her from exploring her first loves room.

Eve had a really cool computer set up with the screens appearing to be made of holographic air. She had a lovely modern fireplace in front of the bed that Amelia couldn't help but to blush over as she imagined the two of them snuggling by it as they read.

On the far right wall of the room though, was the most amazing thing Amelia had ever seen and she was honestly surprised that she hadn't noticed it until now.

There, swirling just as they did in her necklace, was a beautiful depiction of the aurora lights. Amelia couldn't tear her eyes away as she looked at the painting that seamed to cover the entire wall with awe. It was as if it was the exact same scene, she'd know since she'd seen it in her little snow globe pendant a million times before and it was entrancing.

"Good morning." Came Eve's sudden voice, but Amelia was in another daze as she stared open mouthed at the wall in front of her.

Eve frowned in confusion as she placed what she had been carrying on the bed and walked up to the girl she loved. Had she not heard her?

When she found her mouth however rather open as her eyes seamed all but glued to the painting on the wall, Eve chuckled.

"I see you've found the lights." She said softly, causing Amelia to stir out of her daze as she looked up at her with wide eyes.

"T-There like my necklace!" She all but squeaked as Eve drew closer.

"Mhmm. I placed it there with magic when I gave you that gift, that way I too would know when you thought of me."

Amelia blushed at that as she looked down and began to play nervously with her hands, but Eve smiled as she gently brought her chin back up and looked into her doe like eyes.

"From the looks of it, you still do." She whispered as Amelia stumbled on words in her brain trying to find the right response. Did she want her to think of her? Did she want her to think of her as more than a friend, or was she just saying that she was glad they had their friendship back?

Amelia's eyes clouded over a little at that later thought. This was all too much, it was hurting her heart more than she could say for Eve to be touching her like this, seaming as if she loved her when Amelia knew that that simply couldn't be true.

Amelia never had any luck before when it came to love, not from her family or from anyone else. Why would her luck suddenly change now? Especially when she'd literally have to be the luckiest girl in the world for someone as amazing as Eve to love her back.

"I... I.." Amelia stuttered as she tried again and failed to find words.

She looked down at the ground as she tried to blink back the tears that where threatening to fall.

"I have to go." She whispered as she turned away from Eve and all but ran out of the room, not even caring how much it hurt her ankle to do so.

All she knew is that if she didn't get out of there fast, she was going to break down in front of Eve, and than she'd ask why until she got it out of her, and than she wouldn't love her back, and than everything would never be the same again and she'd hate her and Amelia would loose her and she just couldn't do that.

She didn't honestly think that she'd ever be ok again if she did. So she ran, ran as fast as she could and as far as she could away from Eve until she simply couldn't run anymore.