I Die Often Hank

Chapter 42

Crimson's POV:

I looked over and saw Erik laying on the forest floor, with an arrow embedded in his chest. I rushed over, but he was already gone. I held him and cried for a while, his blood stained my clothes. Then the arrow forced itself out and the wound closed. Erik opened his eyes and gave me a hug. I heard someone clear their throat behind me and I turned around. Alex stood in the forest looking ghostly pale, he had several gunshot wounds that blood actively poured from. I looked at his pale blue and white face and he looked angry, furious actually. 

"You could've saved me, Crimson! I didn't have to die! But, you- you just let it happen! My brother had mourned because of you! My parents lost their son because of you!" He yelled pointing his finger. 

"Alex, I-"

"You what? You couldn't? Or didn't care enough to?"

"I didn't know-"

"We both know you could've saved me, but you left me on the ground to die, you made no effort to save me!"

"I'm sorry Alex! I would have saved you but-"

"But what? YOU LEFT ME TO DIE, BUT YOU SAVED A MASS MURDERER! YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD HAVE SAVED ME, BUT YOU ABANDONED ME!"

The forest started to blur a little and I heard a new voice. 

"Crim, please wake up"

The forest faded away and I was in my bedroom at the school. I sat up and Hank pulled me to him. I was shaking and crying, I had left Alex to die, it was all my fault. Hank rubbed his hand up and down my back and whispered. 

"You're alright. Everything is okay. It was just a dream. You're safe now."

"I could've saved him, he's dead because of me..."

"Who?"

"Alex, I could have saved h-"

"No, don't you dare blame yourself for that. We have no idea if you could've done anything and that was not your fault. Andrew killed him, Andrew is solely responsible for Alex's death. You aren't at fault for this, nobody blames you"

"They don't blame me because they don't know Erik died. What do you think Scott would say if he knew I brought someone back from the dead? You think his brain wouldn't go straight to Alex?"

"I know, Crim, I know you brought back and I don't blame you. Erik knows and he doesn't blame you. Charles knows and he doesn't blame you. Nobody blames you and you shouldn't either."

"I could have-"

"No, no more hypotheticals. Andrew killed him and we will avenge him."

"I have to tell Scott"

"You can talk in the morning, but for now we deserve to rest"

We laid back down and moved into our usual position. I didn't even try to sleep at first. I don't want to see all that again. I laid there listening to Hank snore and tried to keep my mind off the dream. Eventually, sleep won and I fell back into it. 

A few hours later

I slowly opened my eyes, but I didn't move. Should I tell Scott? I don't want to burden him with that hypothetical, but it feels wrong to keep this from him. I pondered it a little more and finally came to a decision. I am going to tell him, I would want to know if the situation was flipped. 

I could feel Hank stir underneath me and he soon stopped snoring. He slowly moved his hand back and forth, his fingers grazing my arm. 

"You feeling better?"