And Then... They Fell

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Lilly 

I am the first to wake up and for the first time in a long time I feel well rested. I sit up with a smile on my face feeling like I woke from somewhere other than a forest floor. I stretch my arms and look around me, smiling just a bit more when I see Asher, David, and Charlie sleeping sounding in there respective areas. The restful feeling slowly leaves me when I realize no one had been keeping watch, all night. 

The memory from the day before rushes through my head and I glare at the two sleeping forms. I get up as quickly and quietly as possible and make my way to the space between David and Asher. I crouch down between the two and pull my arm behind my back before swinging it forward quickly, making contact with David's face and making a slapping noise. He jolts awake quickly, hand going to his now red and swollen cheek and ready to strike back until he sees it is me that made contact. His face turns to one of confusion before the anger is back. I see this unfold from the corner of my eye as I pull my arm back, and swing it forward, this time making contact with Asher's face. He has a similar reaction. 

"What is wrong with you too?!" I whisper yell at them, my glare in tact and anger seeping from my tone. 

"Us what's wrong with you? You can't go around slapping people!" David says harshly and with anger. 

"What was that for?" Asher reply's with more confusion than anger at the same time as David's reply. 

"SSShhhhh!" I say as loudly as I can, not missing the irony but choosing to ignore it, "If you wake up Charlie you will be getting more than a small slap."

"A small slap? There will be a bruise on my face for three weeks! There is no way in hell that is considered a small slap." David is whisper-yelling back as me now, but at least he has lowered his voice. 

"Three weeks seems excessive, three days at best." I have abandoned the whispering and my voice is flat and spoken at an everyday volume. 

"Three days is mo-"

"Wait, wait wait, wait," Asher is clearly getting more frustrated by the second. "Why did you slap us?" He demands, in a hard but low voice. 

"I don't know, why are neither of you taking watch?" David visibly flinches back, while Asher lowers his head in shame and realization. "I figured you wanted to sleep and since we are doing whatever we want now I wanted to slap you." My voice is full of sass but I let it leave my voice as i continue on, letting my voice fill only with disappointment and confusion. 

"What the hell is wrong with you?" My eyes fly between the two, "What if something happened to us?"

There eyes fill with regret. Asher scratches his neck, his nervous tick. I know then that he feels bad and I start to feel the same for slapping him. David lets out a low "I'm sorry Lil," and his eye's won't meet mine so I know he feels the same. 

My heart breaks a little at how bad they automatically feel, and I am now the one let feeling regret. I open my mouth to start my own apology but before I hear a voice next to my shoulder, whispering in my ear. 

"Can I slap them too?" Charlie's voice fills my ear but since I expected him to still be asleep a little ways away I jump when i hear him, falling into him and knocking him over- barely able to catch my body from annihilating him with my weight. 

My eyes are closed and everything is a blur of voices between my scream, Charlie's 'umph' and the boys howling laughter before I open my eyes again. Charlie laugh joins the mix and his contagious laugh lets mine join the mix.

"Charlie, when did you wake up, you scared me to death!" 

"When I heard you slap them. It was so cool, I was scared at first because I didn't know it was you but then I opened my eyes and saw you hit Asher and it was the coolest thing ever! Now it's my turn right Lilly? Cause they didn't guard me either and I'm mad too." His face goes from excitement to fake anger and he is laughing again but mine comes to a close.

"No Charlie. I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry but we don't hit people even if we are mad at them."

"But-"

"I know I did, but I messed up. There are no buts, we don't hurt people we love."

I turn from him and through I can't see it, I know my face is red with embarrassment. I face the two boys, making eye contact and switching between there faces as I begin the heartfelt apology I would have made Charlie give. 

"I'm sorry for hurting you. You have both done a lot to help us in the last couple days and I shouldn't have taken that for granite." I swallow my pride and continue, knowing they deserve more than that. "I woke up and when I didn't see Clara I remembered yesterday and freaked out, thinking of it happening again. I really am sorry." 

I have been looking down at the ground while I gave my apology, to embarrassed to look either of them in the eye, but as I reach the end I dare at glance up and look into their faces. 

"You don't have have to apologized, I should have been there for you." 

"Don't apologize to me Lil, ever. Not for that."

They respond at the same time and it takes a moment for me to realize what they said. It takes a moment more for me to understand how truly lucky I am to have all three of these amazing guys here with me. I have lost a lot of people but I still have them. I pull them both into a tight hug and hold on longer than I am supposed too.