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CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

~~~Ashley's P.O.V.~~~

Now that he knew everything, I felt even closer to him.

He didn't say anything. Nor did I.

Our eyes spoke for us.

And they held only truth.

He didn't judge me.

He didn't retreat.

He didn't sympathise.

He was just there with me.

I felt like he always had been with me through it all. He made me feel at ease just with his presence. And that was what I exactly wanted.

He was it for me.

"Say something," I requested him.

He made circles on my skin where his thumb touched me and smiled gently before saying, "There was a wise man once who sat in an audience and cracked a joke. Everybody laughed like crazy. After a moment, he cracked the same joke again. This time, less people laughed.

He cracked the joke again and again. When there was no more laughter in the crowd, he smiled and said, 'You can't laugh at the same joke over and over again; then why do you keep crying over the same thing over and over again?'"

"Snow. Cry as much as you want to today. I won't stop you. I won't be angry with you. But at the same time promise me that you won't cry for the same thing ever again."

I didn't know what to say.

I just stared at him.

His perfect face. Those deep eyes. Full with love.

All for me.

"I love you," I whispered. "I love you so much Ray."

"I love you too Snow."

He shifted closer to me and wrapped his arms around me. I rest my head on his chest, breathing his sweet scent.

That was the place I wanted to be in forever.

Though forever was I long time, I didn't mind spending it by his side.

Sleep engulfed me. And it was the best sleep I had had in years. I dreamt of flowers and butterflies and light and him and me, smiling and loving.

~~~Raymond's P.O.V.~~~

I watched her sleep.

She looked so vulnerable.

I placed a soft kiss on her forehead, making sure not to wake her up and left her to rest.

I exited the mansion doors and sprinted to a run.

I needed to do something.

For Snow.

She had faced so much, all alone.

But not anymore.

I thought about all that must have happened with her back then and how she must have felt.

It killed me to imagine everything and I ran faster and harder.

I stopped only when I reached a dead end, breathing heavily and groaned as I kicked a stone.