Rowan: The EcoPan

The Ecopan Of Eden

Rowan's POV
My legs shake as Lachlan hauls me up from the ground. He holds me in an embrace so tight it stings my tender wounds. He shakes against me as he silently sobs.

"Promise me you'll never leave me again," He whisper into my hair. I would promise him. For what do we have left to fear? But I look at that glowing orb, and I know that my danger has just begun. Lachlan is still crying. He pulls back, holding my face in his hands. He's looking at me so intensely I want to look away. He whispers to me, "I love you."

"I love you too," I whisper back. Lachlan grins. I knew he's wanted to hear those words from me for so long. He takes my face, and kisses me passionately. He never wants to let me go. I look at the orb, and my stomach lurches. "Can we go?"

Lachlan nods, takes my hand, and starts walking. My legs are shaking, my knees buckle, and I fall to the ground. Lachlan tries to help me up, but I'm so weak I can barely hold onto him. He tucks his arms under my legs, and armpit, and lifts me up from the ground. The world turns hazy, and I can barely stay awake. I grin at how strong Lachlan is, and let my head nuzzle into his chest. He smells like happiness. I happily drift to sleep...
~~~~~~~~~~~
I wake up, and I hear beeps, and buzzes of machines close to me. I can also hear a murmured whisper. I close my blurred eyes and listen.

"She's been weak," A man says. It's Lachlan.

"Fatigue. Shouldn't be a big deal," A feisty voice quips. It's Flame.

"She's passed out though," Lachlan says again. He sounds troubled.

"Lachlan! It's fatigue. She didn't get sleep last night. She hasn't eaten. She's severely dehydrated. She crossed the desert too. Lachlan, she's tired. She isn't dying," Flames voice suddenly sounds soft, and caring. "Lachlan, I know you've lost her so many times...but you will never lose her again."

I hear Lachlan sigh. I think those are the exact words he needed to hear. It's funny that a woman, once so non comforting, is now so solace. I hear Flames heels click as she walks away. I feel a rough hand clutch mine. I do a good impression of waking up. Lachlan smiles, looking down at me.

"Hey, I'm sorry. Didn't mean to wake you," He says in a whisper. I smile.

"Where is everyone else?" I ask. He brushes the hair out of my face.

"They already saw you. They're taking care of the injured," He says. I frown.

"Why are you here then?" I ask.

"I'm the only one who can explain what happened," Lachlan shrugs, grinning at me sardonically. I look at my surroundings. I'm in a room at the Elders Hall. The wall opposite of me is complete torn down though. There's left over ash from Lachlan's escape.

"Courtesy of your escape," I tease Lachlan. He grins. He starts to lean in, but our kiss is disrupted by a shriek.

"Rook!" A woman cries. I now see that Rook is in the corner of my room, leaned against a wall. When he hears this cry he immediately snaps into attention.

"Fox!" He cries back. A gorgeous young woman, maybe twenty one or twenty two, with brown auburn hair steps into my room. She is a second child. She is wearing jeans, and a white blouse. Rook lets out a small grunt of relief. He runs to her and pick her up in a hug. She sobs into his shoulder, and Rook holds back tears. I look to Lachlan and he has a crease between his eyebrows, he's just as confused as I am.

Rook sets her down, and holds her face in his hands. He wipes away her tears, and looks at her hungrily, like he's memorizing her face. I look at Lachlan, and we both grin. He's looking at her the way a man looks at a woman he's in love with.