A Thousand Year Obsession ✔

37. Don't Keep Denying

37. Don't Keep Denying

A pair of moss green eyes blinked in surprise. The small dagger lowered and the attacker smiled, a disbelieving but utterly relieved smile.

"Hey, Percy." I said softly.

His lips parted, then closed, then parted again before closing one last time as he dropped the dagger and wrapped his arms tightly around me. I stood stiffly in place, my eyes widening slightly, then I tentatively hugged him back.

"I can't believe it, Morgana. You're back, you're safe, you're here." He mumbled. "When Derek took Sally, I thought for sure that I'd lost you, but just like every other time, you're back again."

I chuckled lightly. "Well there's never been a time before that I didn't escape. I wasn't about to make this the first."

He awkwardly pulled away, giving me a sheepish smile.

"Let's get you to the safe house."

I smiled and gestured him ahead. He hesitated and frowned, but then started forward.

"Hey, uh . . . was that person with you . . ."

"Sally." I confirmed, before shouting, "Sally, hey! Come back! Sally!"

Percy turned back to me, alarmed.

"Don't shout, someone could hear you." He exclaimed quietly. "I'm sure she'll find her way on her own. After all, she's not the one who lost her memories."

"With her sense of direction, she might as well have." I scoffed. "Besides, who's around to hear me?"

He didn't reply, only gave me a pointed look. I started to reply, but got cut off by Sally's voice.

"Morgana! Morgana, I found Juliette! Hey, where'd you go?"

I chuckled. "I'm with Percy!" I called back.

There was silence for a moment before she replied.

"Take your time coming back, Morgana. We won't miss you!"

I could practically hear the snicker in her voice. Percy only rolled his eyes.

"She's always doing that." He chuckled.

I nodded. "Yeah, I know."

We stood there awkwardly for a moment, before Percy's expression lit up suddenly and he grasped my hand and quickly pulled me through the trees. I glanced down at my hand, startled for a minute. I contemplated pulling away, but then I just smiled and followed after him, allowing a small laugh into my voice when I spoke.

"Where are you taking me?"

He grinned, a stupidly childish grin, the corners of his mouth digging foolishly into the sides of his cheeks, a pair of uneven dimples shadowing his skin with a youthful glow. It was like gazing at a child about to show his parents some simple, but brilliant to him, masterpiece.

"It's a surprise."

We went on a little longer before he abruptly stopped, let go of my hand and gazed proudly up at one of the willow trees. I studied it a while, but it appeared exactly like every other willow tree, except this one was a bit bigger. He glanced behind him to see my reaction, and his smile only faltered the smallest bit at my indifference.

"I know you probably don't remember, but you showed this tree to me when we first came here. At first I looked just like you do now, wondering what on earth was so extraordinary about this particular willow, but then you told me why you loved it so much. You said, 'This tree is just like people. On the outside, it looks and acts just like everybody else. But on the inside, on the inside is something more beautiful than you and  could've ever dreamed would be there.'"