Come Back Home

Chapter Four

-Rye's POV-

"You can take Mr. Puffles, if you'd like." Gracie and her parents had accompanied us to the airport for a tearful fairwell.

"Awe. I'd be honored, but wouldn't you miss him?" I remembered the fit she'd thrown in the train station the day that she'd lost him. It was weird to think now that that had only been a year ago...

"Yeah, but..." Her lip jutted out before she made a brave voice. "You can take care of him. And, if you have him, then it'll sorta be like we're still together."

"Gracie," I cooed, scooping her up into my arms in a big hug. "Are you sure?" I asked, taking the ragged bunny gingerly out of her arms when she offered him up to me again. She nodded, her lower lip beginning to quiver.

"Don't cry," I whispered, kneeling down so that we could see eye to eye. "I'll be fine. And you're gonna be strong for me too, right?"

"Yeah," She said quietly, wiping her eyes.

"I'll be back before you know it." I pulled her back in for one more quick hug before our flight was announced again, and I had to dash of to catch up with the others. I turned around one last time, moving Mr. Puffle's paw in a wave goodbye. I remembered the last time that I'd been sprinting in a crowded place – That time, I'd been searching for the bunny. Thankfully, I had him safely in my arms now.

I'd passed out on the train that day. It was only for a few minutes, but my brain and body had become overwhelmed with my racing thoughts and anxiety. The first thing I'd seen when I'd opened my heavy eyelids was Gracie's face, peering over me. The second was the tip of the bunny's ear.

"He's alive!" She'd squealed, and I'd squeezed my eyes shut again – It was too much of the world, too soon. Her mother had pulled her away, and her father had helped me get back up on the bench – Apparently I'd slipped down once I lost control of my body.

He'd spoken with me slowly and softly – I'd had to explain to him what had happened that horrible day in Slough Station, and what it had done to me. Getting the words out felt like eating sand, but, once it was over, it wasn't as bad as I thought I'd be. Part of that was probably due to what he'd told me afterwards – He'd been there, too. And not only had he been there, but he'd been there with me – He was the man who had given me the shirt straight off of his back to wrap around my arm to help cease the bleeding. My memory of the specific moments after the shot and before I blacked out were blurry, only frighteningly clear in flashbacks, but I remembered Liv telling me of how a stranger moved to help with seemingly no reservations.

I spent the rest of the train ride speaking to him, which distracted me from my previous fear. I was able to thank him for what he had done. He told me about Gracie, who had been there with him – He bought her Mr. Puffles later on that day so she would stop crying, and she'd clung onto the bunny as a sort of security blanket ever since then. It reminded me of the charm that Andy had given me, and I rubbed it against my palm now.

"She gave you Mr. Puffles?!" Andy asked, incredulous, with his eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"I couldn't believe it either." I shrugged, strengthening my grip on the stuffed animal.

"You better not lose him." I gave him a look of exasperation.

"I won't."

"I'm just saying! You don't have a great track record with such things. There's a reason that the fans trusted me with Doug and not you."

"This is different. I'll keep him safe." Andy watched with a careful eye as I tucked the bunny into my bag and zipped it tightly. I wondered how well Gracie would do without him, but I did appreciate the temporary gift.

It would be a reminder of home during the long trip abroad that we had ahead of us.