The Survivors

Chapter 12

OLIVE'S POV

When I woke up, my whole body ached with pain. I turned to make sure Patrick was okay, and seeing him unharmed, I inspected Ashton. I let out a quiet whimper at the sight of his bloodied and broken body. His arm was twisted at an odd angle and he was passed out on the dirty ground in a puddle of his own blood. He was no longer chained to the wall, and that scared me. Was he dead?! "Ashton," I whisper-screamed. "Ashton please wake up. Please, I need you." He didn't move. It was then that I realized I wasn't being restrained anymore either, so I crawled over to him, wincing in pain. I stroked his hair out of his face, and tried to wipe the almost dried blood off his face. I pulled him into a sitting position and he moaned in pain. I breathed a sigh of relief, but that didn't stop me from worrying. He was too injured to help us escape, and it was possible he could die from his injuries if we didn't get help soon. I cradled his head in my lap and tried to ignore the pain wracking through my body, because Eric had obviously done worse to Ashton. He had always been the jealous type. And he had many things to be jealous of with Ashton. He was perfect. I couldn't think of a single imperfection with this guy. He was just....Ashton. I slowly looked down at him and then pressed my lips to his. It wasn't that fairy tale kiss, where the boy wakes up and is fine again, but then again, this wasn't a fairytale. It was quick, and I tasted blood and he didn't respond, but my heart still fluttered. Gah. That's such a girly word, but the only word that would describe this feeling. "Olive?" he muttered, and my heart jumped to my throat. "Ashton, c'mon baby wake up." He opened his eyes slowly an squinted at me, like he didn't recognize my face. I frowned and he smiled back lazily. "I think you kissed me," he said, slurring his words. I just nodded, feeling my cheeks flame up and I knew I probably resembled a bruised tomato right then. Getting my mind back to the problems at hand, I inspected his arm. It wasn't broken, he had just landed on it wrong and he fell unconscious that way. He stretched, and his shirt rode up revealing a black and blue rock hard set of abs. I trailed my fingers over each bruise, making sure he hadn't hurt anything internally, but it felt much more intimate like that, and it didn't help that Ashton was holding his breath and sitting still as a statue. I looked up and our gazes locked. He pulled me into his hard chest and I collapsed into him, crying. "I'm so scared, Ashton." I whispered in between sobs.

ASHTON'S POV

My body practically shook with anger. I wanted to pound Eric into the ground for laying a finger on her. Patrick was curled up in the corner sleeping, but I think Eric had forgotten about him. I stretched and Olive pushed my shirt up, running her fingers down my stomach, pressing into my bruises gently. I had no idea what she was doing, but it hurt like hell so I froze and held my breath. I watched her examine me, and then when she looked up, she suddenly burst into tears. I grabbed her and pulled her towards me, and she said something I never thought she would say. "I'm so scared, Ashton."

"Me too, Olive. Me too."

She slowly began to stop crying, but I kept rocking her like she was a child, and she seemed to be relaxed by it, because she fell asleep in my arms. About an hour later, Patrick crawled into our little cocoon of warmth too, and I laid there as they slept curled up into me, thinking. I felt like a family, and I was loving every second of it. No matter the price I had to pay to keep them with me, I'd pay it without hesitation. Why? Because I think I fell in love with Olive. No, I don't think, I know.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

hey guys! so yeah little bitty Ashton is in love. *wipes away tear* they grow up so fast! no Eric in this chapter, I don't wanna see more of that jerk than I have too. Idk what's happening next because this story has a mind of its own. Anyways, VOTE AND COMMENT xoxoxo

-Bekah