Rupture // h.s au

69. And that was enough.

Harry

My mum was right. It took me a week, but I finally managed to leave my bed, finally managed to loosen my desperate grasp on her, like she was the only thing keeping me from floating away. Finally adjusting to the added weight of my being, and carrying it around like it wasn't even there at all.

I left the room for the first time, and felt the almost crippling fear. Like the world was out to get me. Like I didn't know this place and I didn't want to stay there and I just wanted to go home, although, technically, I already was. But home had blurred into the hidden green in her eyes, and the way she touched me, like she'd collapse if she didn't. Home had faded into all the different ways she called my name, and the way she smelled when I held her in my arms through the night. Home had molded itself into her ribs, into the curve of her breasts, and the ups and downs on her tormented skin. I found home in every single corner of her marvelous body, in every hidden chamber of her soul, in every touch, every kiss, every word whispered. I found home in her and it almost drove me mad how decentered I felt without her.

Louis was walking me through what had happened during the time I was sick in bed, and I was trying. I really was trying to listen, but the looks people were giving me like they could see the pieces of my heart spread everywhere around us, almost made me want to scream. I didn't though.

I looked down upon my feet and I almost gasped. I could have sworn I could see two shadows following us instead of just mine, and one of them had long hair that was slightly tickled by the wind, and features that were never too kind or too firm. Never too much of anything. Just right. Always, just, right. I sighed, shaking my head to myself, as my eyes fell away from the unfamiliar surroundings. And just like that, the shadow went away, looking so much like she did, when I left her behind. 

" How did you figure out that Griffin had taken us?" I asked, averting my eyes away from her shadow that came and went, breaking my heart every single time it did. 

" Well, after we drove you home, we went to put the car away and all that. But then Liam came running to us, saying how he wanted to check on Autumn, but couldn't find either of you in your room, and the door was knocked down too. He insisted that something bad happened, and that his father had something to do with it. So we told Rick to be prepared, asked for volunteers, and collected those soldiers and found our way there."

" But how did you get through camp all the way to that tower where they kept us?"

" Liam, man. We had all our weapons out, but even then, we were outnumbered and overpowered. So he ordered everyone away, refusing to harm anyone of either sides. I still can't believe he killed his own father, it must have broken something inside him. I don't think he'd ever be the same."

And I thought back to the body and the blood and the panic and the thickness in the air and Autumn holding me like it didn't matter. Like she hadn't just watched her brother kill their father. Like she couldn't feel the goodbye closing in on us.

" Shit, man, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." He put a hand on my shoulder, and I did everything I could, to not flinch away from it. I wanted to savor her touch on my skin for a little while longer.

" It's okay. What about Niall? Have we heard anything about him?"

" Oh, he stayed there for a couple of days, then Autumn sent him back, with the first shipment. He's staying with Raine now I think, since Anne had been busy taking care of you."

" Wait, what shipment?"

" She sent us two shipments so far; one of medical equipment and treatments and whatnot, which we used some of, on you. And another one of food and crops that Zayn put in the storage, until we run out."

" Why would she do that? This doesn't make any sense."

" Niall said she intends on sending us a monthly shipment, of whatever we need. Except for weapons. She's done with those."

" Done with those? How?"

" She ended the war, mate. None of them would attack us again. She claimed their camp to be self-sufficient, not needing to raid any other camps for supplies. She declared peace between both camps. She's ended it, for good."

" Oh my God." It was over. It had all come to an end. There would be no more sudden deaths, no more blood dried on the roads, or midnight raids where people wouldn't necessarily come back. There would be no need for plans, or plots, or attacks. It was over. Autumn had saved us all. And a wave so overwhelming, of love and gratitude and safety, dawned over me, it almost brought me to tears.

" You were right about her all along. I can't believe she did it. Can't believe it's finally over."

Louis wore a smile on his face, eyes peacefully falling shut, as he spread his arms in the air, like he'd been freed. My eyes fell away from him, and onto the camp that I knew by heart, that I loved and cared for and protected, as much as I possibly could. Colors poured onto the once grey surroundings. Chaos filled everything around us, but it was blissful, comforting. Like it had just come to life.

I felt my heart beating against my chest, Louis' hands patting my back, the air hitting against my frail figure, spreading my lengthy hair through the wind, filling my lungs, as I breathed it all in. The wind somehow carried Autumn's scent, like a season ending, and another taking its place. Like leaves dying for newer ones to grow. Like trees ending and rebirthing. I felt it all, brushing against my skin, in a silent promise that I'd be okay. I could hear it saying, could hear her, saying; hey, you'll be okay, she still loves you, she'll always love you and she misses you every day, she's thinking about you now, and she's holding her hand the way you held her, and she knows that you'd be there if you could but you can't so just stay, and wait for her, because this isn't forever; forever is her, forever has been her since you met her, since you laid eyes on her and thought, wow, beautiful, and forever will be her, when she comes back and holds you, like she'd never left at all. 

I could hear her laugh echoing through my ears, I could see her smile in the molecules creating the world around us, I could feel her touch in every kind of breath flying past me, through me. And in a way, it felt like I had her. I didn't know when she'd be back. I didn't know if I'd ever have her, the way I once had, ever again. But every few months, there would come a season that would embrace me like she did, and maybe then, it'd feel like I had her. At least I'd always have that of her. And that was enough.

__________________________________________________

A/N: That's it guys! Only the epilogue and Rupture will officially come to an end. I can't thank you enough for sticking around for this long. Honestly, you guys give me so much hope and happiness, thank you, really. 

So, let me know what you think of this, and how you expect the epilogue to go :)

ily x