My Guardian

Chapter 23 - I Love You

Jack's POV

I was so lost in thought, just thinking about Belle and getting over her death. I couldn't stop thinking about her smile, her laugh, how optimistic she always tried to be...

"Jack?" My heart froze and I could hardly breathe. Great... now I was hearing things. Bunny's right, I should talk to someone. But he had also said I needed to move on. But I couldn't. I couldn't stand having the weight on my chest. I loved her and never got to tell her and that ate me alive.

"Jack?"

"Get out of my head," I smiled, trying to stop myself from crying. To hear Belle's voice, even in my own mind, sent shivers up my spine. Then there was a giggle. That beautifully sweet giggle I missed so much.

"I'm not in your head Jack." There it was again! My heart sunk so much that my chest ached. I did not imagine that! Instantly, I lowered my head and not ten metres away stood Belle in all of her beauty. Oh my god! How is that possible?! That beautiful smile. Her silky hair and perfectly pink lips. All of the colour was back in her skin and she almost glowed! She was even wearing that outfit she wore when we put her into the lake. Amazed, I immediately stood up and had to lean against the pole to support myself. How was she here?! It didn't make any sense. Surely this must have been my mind playing cruel tricks on me.

"I... I'm dreaming. Sandman, this is a very cruel dream!" I yelled. There was no way this could be real. Belle just giggled again. Every logical reason shot through my mind. I must have hit my head.

"Is... is that really... are you really here? Right now? Standing in front of me? You can't be! You died! I saw it! I pulled you out of the snow! We had a funeral and everything. How... how are you here?" I asked, losing all of my breath and sanity at the same time. I couldn't even think straight! I must be going mad. Belle looked like she was going to cry as she weakly shrugged. Such gentle tears. Every move she made sent my heart into overdrive. I fear I would pass out in shock and miss and moment of her.

"I don't know. But I'm here Jack. Truly. This isn't some dream, this is somehow all real," she rolled her eyes to hold back the tears and shook her head. Belle's words were so soft, I hadn't realised how I could miss something so simple so much. To hear her say my name made my hand shake. I wasn't sure what I was feeling exactly nor how I could handle it. But I knew that I couldn't contain myself any longer. So I dropped my staff and ran to her. As fast as I could, I ran to her. I wrapped my arms around her waist and lifted her up, spinning her around. I didn't know how she was here, but she was and I just wanted to hold her. To touch her warm skin, to see the sparkles in her deep brown eyes. To feel her hair and to hear her speak.

"I love you Jack," she said as I stopped spinning and slowly lowered her. My heart could hardly manage everything that was happening, but to hear Belle say that she loved me sent it racing even faster; I could feel it thumping against the walls of my ribs.

"I love you too," I smiled. I was finally holding her. I had wanted to do this for a year but thought it would never happen. In fact I was sure of it! Belle had died! And yet here she stood, radiating calmness and very much alive in my arms. She was even wearing the white rose necklace I had given her. And I could hardly breathe.

Belle's POV

"Jack?" I repeated. Jack stayed there against the support beam, just staring at the ceiling. Couldn't he hear me either? It's hard to explain how I felt in that moment. I was so afraid that he wouldn't be able to see me or hear me, but my heart raced when I saw him. To see his pale skin, snow white hair, bright blue eyes, made me want to melt in to him.

"Get out of my head," he said, shaking it slightly. I almost cried. But the only way to stop myself from crying was to giggle. Jack's eyes immediately widened. A glimmer of hope exploded in my mind. He had heard me. I knew he had.