When The Stars Align

chapter twenty seven | the magic within

five days until

IT'S NOON WHEN I wake up again after the long night, and I find myself walking through the halls of the hospital once again. But this time, somehow, I'm not the one that is in the hospital room. I'm visiting.

I took a risk today, and I knew it. Not everyone could land a jump through the second floor window - I broke my leg twice before I could land it. But I wasn't going to let him try to land it - that would be insane. Instead, we jumped out of an abandoned town hall and landed on the ground in front of the Noatran palace.

Teleportation. I gambled our lives - the chance of being caught by Ansen Grey and his crew - with the idea that I could teleport us out of there in one piece.

But hey, what's life without a little risk?

I got us out of there without having Ansen follow us, but that didn't mean everything was left behind.

"In here," the nurse gestured, leading me to Att's hospital room. I thanked her and walked in, where Olivia was seated on the edge of her son's bed. Att was asleep, with wires pressed against his chest. There was no doubt he was going to live, but he could always face complications.

"Hi, Ms. Carson." It didn't feel right to call her Olivia in the moment. "Is he... is he okay?"

She looked up and gave me a small smile. Her eyes were red and puffy and I could see the salty streaks the tears left on her face. "You and I both know he'll live. But he had a rough night. Doctors say it hit near a major artery. He should've been dead."

I knew it was a mistake to bring Atticus along as soon as I saw the bullet in his chest. It wasn't like the other times - I was willingly risking my life. I knew how dangerous it was to go all the way to Fox. If I wasn't able to teleport us out of there, we'd both be done for.

"I mean, at least he's not."

I can't help but see the image of him from last night. We fell onto the front courtyard of the palace. I got to my feet quickly, scanning the area, making sure I actually did it. Atticus got up too, but then immediately collapsed back down. The blood soaked through his t-shirt. I froze.

"Please don't cry," he said, exhausted and in pain.

He blacks out. I begin to cry. It's not until a guard on duty spots us and calls an ambulance that I move - and that's only because Tori pulls me onto my feet brings me back inside the palace. She lies down next to me until I cry myself to sleep.

"I can give you a minute, if you want," Olivia says, getting up. I open my mouth to object, but she sits me down beside her son and walks out the door, closing it behind her. I turn back around and look at my friend.

He looked at peace in his sleep. His messy brown and silver hair just covered his eyes. The heartbeat monitor beats in the background, assuring me everything is okay.

I'm overreacting, I tell myself. He's okay, but I can't help but think that if he literally anyone else, not the prince of a kingdom that no longer exists, he's be dead. Dead. And it would be my fault, just like everyone else in my life that died.

I comb his hair back and lean in. I plant a kiss on his forehead gently. Gosh, have I been wanting to do that for so long. His skin is warm. Soft.

I pull away, embarrassed. Gosh, why'd I do that? I can't be with him. I can't be with him... yet.

"What, that's all I get?"

I snap my head back. "Oh, my god, Atticus. How long have you been awake?" I asked. He felt me kiss his forehead, god damn it.