Demi-Angel

chapter twenty four

I land in a thump on the floor. My body is still sweaty, I am shaking, exhausted because of what I just did. The stuff I threw on the floor are still there, underneath me. I stand up and search for the note on my bed. It's gone, of course it's gone. 

I look out the window trying to understand what time of the day it is. It's evening, I've been gone for exactly four days. 

I walk to the door and run down the stairs. "Dad?"

I run into the kitchen, wanting to find him as fast as I can, I can't let him suffer another minute. He's sitting on the couch with his elbows on his lap and hands over his face. He looks up like he's looking at a ghost. "Aurora?"

I run to him and wrap my arms around him. "I'm sorry, I'm so so so sorry."

"Where have you been?"

I close my eyes. This is not the time to explain, I need to find him. Need to know if he's okay. "I can't explain right now, I need to go. Don't worry, I'm going to be fine, I won't disappear again. I just need to be somewhere. Tell Bea I'm back."

"No, wait.." he says but I'm already on my way out the kitchen.

Marion said that if you step out of the gate you end up where you were before you were in Purgatory. And Quinn is in the middle of nowhere. Alone on a field, in the middle of the night.

I put on a jacket and step out, trying to ignore dad's voice. I look at the parking lot, on it is Quinn's car. I must have forgotten I took it after Quinn got sent to Purgatory. 

I was so absorbed with sadness, the whole day was a blur. I step into the car with car keys still in the ignition. Quinn's phone on the seat next to me. I hope he knows I'm coming to get him.

I drive as fast as I can to the place, but it's hard to find it in the dark. I've never driven there myself. 

After what seems like hours, but probably only has been twenty minutes, I get to the field. I almost jump out before I stop the car. "Quinn?"

I can barely see anything. No one answers. I almost fall apart there and then, what if he didn't make it. Sacrificed himself to save others. And now he knows I'm looking for him even though he's still in Purgatory.

"Quinn?" I now yell, like I'm angry at him. He can't be gone. I can't lose him again. 

The beams on the car are still on and suddenly he's standing there. Hands in his pockets, smiling at me. 

I run to him and jump up in his arms. I cry, laugh and sigh in relief. He's mine and I will never lose him again. All emotions explode in me. I hug him so tightly, like I'm afraid he'll disappear if I don't.

"You did amazing up there" he murmurs.

It makes me cry more. It's actually him, here, down on earth, with me.

"I thought I lost you, Quinn" I cry. "I'm so sorry I forced you into all of this."

"Don't be" he pulls away. "Hey, look at me."

I do what as he says. He places his hands on my shoulder blades. "You took me back, you shouldn't be sorry, I should thank you."

"I'm still sorry."

"You shouldn't be" he looks out into the darkness and shakes his head. "You went through so much trouble just to get me back, you even ended up there yourself. But without you I'd still be there. You were the only one to have the ability to get us out. Be proud of that."

I look down, he's here, back, free. I don't deserve him. After everything I did, not even saving him could make it up to him. Almost but not really.