Ranger's Apprentice - The Afterwards

Ch. 26

Will literally sank to his knees in relief. His body shook uncontrollably.
So close, he thought. I was so close to..to...
"Will!" A voice screamed. Through trembles, Will turned to the sound.
"Will! Please be okay!" Maddie stepped into the clearing and Will immediately forgot about his near-death experience.
"Maddie! What have you done!" Will exclaimed.
Where Will had bandaged her leg, the pants were torn and covered in blood. It was clear she had been strained her leg to the maximum.
"I had to get here!" Maddie explained as she made her way to Will, dragging her leg behind her.
"You've ruined your leg!" Will cried, too worried to hide the truth. "Maddie, how will it ever heal now!"
"Will, please! Let's just go home..." Maddie said, tears welling in her eyes. Will stared at his goddaughter in shock.
"You knew..." He whispered.
"Will, please just-"
"You knew you'd never be able to heal...and you still did it. You still came..."
"Will I-" Maddie choked. "I couldn't just- leave you!" She was trying not to cry, Will could tell.
But he could also tell that she needed to talk this one out.
"Maddie you...gave up a lot more than you realize." He said slowly.
"I'm fine! Let's just go-"
"Maddie you are not fine!" Will snapped. He stood and walked over to Maddie.
"Will..." Maddie whispered, new tears springing to her eyes.
"Maddie do you even realize what you've done!" Will asked.
"Yes!" Maddie screamed, the tears falling. "I know I'll never walk normally again! I know I'll never run or dance or jump without pain! I know I'll never be a Ranger again, Will! But what did you expect me to do! I wasn't leaving you! You would have done the same for me Will! I-" Her voice broke. "I couldn't live with myself if I'd left you..."
But Maddie wasn't through yet.
"I hated myself, when I left you. I was mad. I didn't think it through. I hated myself so much for hurting you the way I did. Right before I was knocked unconscious by those bandits, I was telling Jason that we should turn back. And when we were in the camp I...I didn't know if you'd actually come... I- I'm sorry, Will."
Will stared, completely shocked. Never in his life had Maddie ever spoke of her feelings. Now, she was spilling her emotions out faster then Will could think.
He didn't speak. He simply pulled Maddie into his arms and they hugged. Maddie sobbed into Will's chest.
"Maddie...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have spied on you and Jason. You can take care of yourself, I know you can. It's not that I never trusted you. But what you said about me doing it for myself...you were right. I just...didn't want to see you get hurt. And I thought I could protect you but now-"
This time, Will's voice broke. Maddie stopped crying and looked him in the eyes.
"This isn't your fault." She said. "My leg may never heal, but now you will still be there for me, every time I need it. Even when I say I don't. I'd say my leg is a small price to pay for your life, Will. And this is not your fault, so don't you dare blame yourself."
Her words penetrated the barrier in Will's heart that had never been broken before.
"Maddie..." He whispered, unable to speak without choking again.
"Let's go home, Will." Maddie said.
They turned and Will carried her back to the hill, where they could ride back home.
Together.