What if... (hfjONE-shots)

...Airy Returned to Earth.

...Airy Returned to Earth.

'Sup Edgelings!

Two chapters in one week! Whoop whoop!

Yes. This is Part 3 of the "...Liam brought Airy Back." storyline. I just couldn't stand to leave it where it was. This chapter is still heavy angst, but more on the mental side of things. There is light at the end of the tunnel now... well... not for Liam...

But anyways! Hope you enjoy the sequel!

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Bryce bolted upright and his eyes widened when he saw a stranger laying on the floor of his apartment. He instantly reached for his phone, which was laying on his nightstand, and began to dial for help...

9-1-

"S-S-S-S-S-Sod-d-d-d-d-da B-B-B-B-B-B-ott-t-t-t-t-t-tle?" The stranger asked in a quiet quivering voice.

Bryce felt a jolt of nostalgic fear strike him like lightning, and he dropped the phone before he could hit the call button.

No...

That voice...

That name...

NO...

It...

IT COULDN'T BE...

"Airy?!" Bryce questioned in disbelief, his voice coming out in a choked whisper. He stared down at the trembling lantern curled up on the ground... What... the...

Bryce flung himself off the bed and onto his feet. Airy yelped at the sudden movement and scooted backwards, shutting his eyes and cowering. Bryce watched his terrified reaction in bewilderment, himself torn between yelling in rage and breaking down sobbing.

Flashbacks zapped through his brain...

The endless green grass stretching in all directions... the never-setting sun... the numbness he had donned to cope... the slowly growing patch of mold that eventually took Charlotte's life for good... the constant bombardment of Liam's enraged screaming as his sanity crumbled... the hopeless suffering of being trapped for OVER TWO YEARS...

It was all this... STUPID PATHETIC LANTERN'S FAULT!?!?!

This was impossible...

AIRY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD...

In the end... rage won.

Bottled up bitterness and unreleased anger that had built up inside of Bryce for years finally erupted, exploding violently.

"YOU... YOU DISGUSTING, WORTHLESS WASTE OF SPACE!!! YOU GROSS EXCUSE OF A LIVING BEING!!!" Bryce yelled, definitely waking up several of the neighbors, but right now he didn't care. Tears fell down his distraught face as he shook with fury, pointing a shaking finger at the bronze lantern, "YOU RUINED MY LIFE!!! CHARLOTTE IS DEAD, BECAUSE OF YOU!!! LIAM IS TRAPPED FOREVER, BECAUSE OF YOU!!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH I HATE YOUR EXISTENCE?!?! I HATE YOU AIRY!!! I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU!!!!!!!"

Airy whimpered and slowly, weakly pushed himself back until he was pressed against a corner. He covered his glass face with his hands as his body spasmed violently.

Bryce towered over the cowering lantern, glaring down at him through tear-blurred eyes. He swung his foot back, preparing to kick his previous captor right in his idiotic face. Suddenly, there was a banging at his apartment door, shocking Bryce out of his livid trance.