Fix You ~Completed~

Act Twenty-Nine

All good things must come to an end. I realized that when I woke up the next morning at eight thirty to find ten calls and about fifty texts on my phone. There was only one person besides the guys who called me, so I knew who it was.

And I started shaking.

"Eddie? Eddie, I-I have to go," I mumbled, shaking my friend gently. He was sleeping next to me on the couch while Gale was sprawled out across a pile of blankets he'd mounted on the floor. It was embarrassing, but I'd snuggled up to him last night when Gale turned on New Year's Eve at ten minutes past midnight. Right after Gale and Eddie both kissed me on the cheek, right as the clock it twelve. I wanted proximity and Eddie didn't seem to mind.

My friend's eyes blinked open lazily. "Eh, it's too early. Go back to sleep."

"No, I-I gotta go home!" I informed him, squeezing my phone so tightly I was afraid I'd crack the screen.

"Why?"

"K-Kyla didn't know I came here and n-now he's really mad, Eddie! I need to go home," I said. My voice was becoming more shrill the longer I spoke; I sounded absolutely hysterical.

He blinked, finally registering what I was saying. "I'll drive you, Clemmy." I waited patiently for him to sit up and rub the sleep from his eyes. "Why didn't you tell him you came here? Was he trying to keep Cinderella locked up in her tower?"

"Rapunzel was the one in the tower," I corrected quickly, curling my hand around my wrist. Would Kyla get why I left? He was unconscious and I was upset. No, he couldn't blame me for wanting to leave. Kyla had to understand. "H-he ditched his party... to spend time with me. He didn't want me to go out with you b-because he was worried you'd give me alcohol or something. I don't know why he'd think that. His logic is shoddy."

"How many calls did he leave you?"

"Too many," I murmured, not wanting to clarify.

The ride back to my apartment was dead silent. Eddie didn't even turn on the radio and he refused to look at me until we were in the parking lot. I threw off my buckle and went for the door handle, but had to stop when Eddie locked the car up. "Clem," he muttered, causing me to turn back. My friend had the eyes of a heartbroken man. "If he hurts you, leave. The minute he even tries something, get the fuck out of there."

"He won't hurt me." Not too bad. I could handle whatever it was. I deserved some rage for leaving. I knew that.

"Clem, I'm being serious here. If you have any new marks on you the next time we see each other, I'll kick the shit out of him, okay?"

"Eddie," I stammered. "No. No, you won't. You can't. Don't say that."

"Clem, no matter what I am not gonna let you get hurt. I don't even want to drop you off right now. If it were up to me, I'd keep you at our apartment and have a restraining order placed on that bag of dicks. If you won't let my protect you in the way I want, at least let me make him suffer in the way you suffered," Eddie begged, his hands losing color as they gripped the steering wheel.

I nodded numbly. "Okay, Eddie."

"We love you."

"I love you too." It took me a couple seconds to realize what I'd said. "I love you guys, I mean. I love both you and Ale."

The blush on Eddie's face made my fear minimize for a few seconds. Again, it struck me how adorable he was. The more I had gotten to know him, the more I realized that Ale was right and Eddie was nothing but a teddy bear. (A teddy bear with removable sharp claws.) He was silly and liked good music and talked to me like I was just as human as he was. Eddie saw us as equals and he cared for me.

Gale did that too. They were both great friends, truly, and I was beyond lucky to have them.

"Be careful, okay? And remember what I said. If he so much as raises a fist, tell him to go to hell and leave. Call me and I can come pick you up. Ale and I will keep you safe."

To avoid crying like I always did, I leaned over the console in between the two seats and kissed Eddie on the cheek. "You're the greatest, Ed," I whispered, letting my face linger incredibly close to his. Eddie turned so that our noses bumped each other and I immediately drew back. "I gotta go. I really gotta go. I'll see you soon, okay?"

That was too close. Our faces were too close. His mouth was too close.

I was already at the front door when I realized something.

It wasn't too late, I knew that. I could have turned on my heels and ran back to Eddie and his soft grip and his piano and his constant concern for me.

But I didn't.

I went upstairs, to my Kyla, because I knew that's where I belonged. It's where I would always belong. I couldn't exist anywhere else except beside him and I knew that.

I'd always know that.