Preserve (An Enoch O'Connor story)

Saved (Goodbye, Jake)

A commotion outside her little room caught Ren's attention. She was still strapped to the chair, wondering what Barron was waiting for. Meanwhile, she talked to Miss Peregrine if only to keep her mind from going crazy. She didn't know if it had minutes, hours, or days since she'd been taken from the home. It was almost too much for the teenager.

Enoch had to focus even more to keep the things he rose alive. His mind was so focused on finding Ren at one point, he ended up being thrown across the room and losing consciousness. When he came to, he saw Olive on the ground. One of the Wights had frozen her. Enoch rammed a heart into an elephant statue. The elephant sprang to life and charged the Wight. Enoch ran over to where Olive was.

"Olive?" She was blue. Enoch felt terrible. He had treated her horribly over the years and she never turned her back on him, but it wasn't until that day that he realized her feelings for him. Olive's skin started turning back to its original color and her eyes opened. "Enoch?" Enoch smiled softly, helped her sit up, and hugged her. While it was true Enoch didn't feel for Olive the way she felt for him, he did love her. As a friend or sister. But telling her that could wait. Now, he had to help Jake and Emma find Miss Peregrine and Ren.

Enoch let go of Olive and got up off the floor. He started walking in the direction he thought Jake and Emma went. "Enoch?" He stopped and looked back at Olive. Horace and the others were already headed back to the dock. "Do you love her? Ren?" Enoch sighed. "Olive, we don't have time for this." Olive gave him a sad smile. "That's all the answer I need. I'll go with the others and wait for you." Enoch nodded. He'd have to talk to her later. Now, he had a mission.

Enoch broke into a run. He found Emma first. She was standing in the doorway with the crossbow in her hands. Enoch looked in the room to see two Jakes. In the corner of the room, he saw Ren. He wanted to run over to her and get her out, but the double Jake problem had to be solved first. "Shoot him! I'm the real Jake," one Jake cried, but the other argued. Enoch took the crossbow from Emma. "I'm a better shot than Jake, so no one is leaving until we figure out which one of you is the real Jake."

The two Jakes started arguing back and forth until one of them said, "I can prove I'm the real Jake. Because I'm not ordinary. I can do something no one else can. I can see the monsters." The second Jake was lifted up by the same invisible force that had picked Enoch up earlier. He turned back into Barron. Enoch tossed the crossbow to Jake and jogged over to where Ren was. "Enoch," she whispered, "You came." He gave her a smile. "Of course, I did. Come on."

Jake glanced back at his cousin and smiled. After they freed the Ymbrynes, Jake grabbed Emma's hand and the four teenagers ran from the room and toward the entrance to the loop. The kids from Miss Peregrine's had to return to the 1940s before age caught up with them. Jake learned that he could stay in the loop and see Grandpa and he was going to do that. He was hoping to convince Ren to as well.

The other kids came into view and Ren grinned. "REN!" Claire and Olive cried, running over and hugging her. "You're okay." Ren nodded. "I am. Thanks to you all." Jake cleared his throat. "You have to go. Here's Miss Peregrine." Ren looked at her cousin. "You're not coming with us?" He shook his head. "No. Grandpa's alive here. You could come with me." Ren looked at Olive, Claire, and all the other children. Her eyes landed on Enoch last. "No. I'm staying with them," she whispered.

Everyone said their goodbyes to Jake. Even Enoch smiled at him and shook his hand. Olive took Enoch's hand in her own and lead Enoch away. Ren saw and smiled. Maybe there was hope for Olive and Enoch after all. Ren turned to Jake. "Goodbye, Jake. Take care of yourself." She hugged him close before running through the loop back to the 1940s. "You're staying with us?" Claire asked, her big eyes staring up at Ren. Ren scooped her up. "You better believe it, kiddo!" Claire squealed.