Rose King

Twenty Seven (bonus)

[Camille]

"Please come home, Ash. I don't know why you left so suddenly, but I do know you miss your sister. Besides, whatever happened is nothing compared to the wrath you will feel from me if you miss her birthday." I say over the phone, it was late.

"I know she misses you too, I miss you." I continue.

"Camille," he says in that calm voice of his. Finally able to get a word in since I've been talking at him nonstop. "May I come in?"

"Wh—What?" I poke my head up from the color swatches and Pinterest idea boards I'd been focusing on and glance around. What did he mean?

"The front door, can I open it and enter your home?" He said somewhat slower and deliberated.

"Ugh erm, yes?" I phrase it like a question. Downstairs I hear the door open and close.

I hang up and stand from my graveyard of first birthday planning. Ash and I have to put it on because his parents aren't going to be bothered by coming to celebrate "a child who was an accident" who "isn't even able to perceive her own birthday yet".

"Ash?" I call from the top of the stairs.

"Camille," he says tightly, eye twitching. "Why was the door unlocked?"

"Um. . ."

"You are going to kill me where I stand one day." He climbs the stairs, like a predator descending on prey.

Though with each step, the facade slips more and more. Until he's in front of me. Eyes tired and glistening with unshed tears.

He collapses and I fall to the ground with him.

"Ash!" I cry. He's clutching me tightly and. . . sobbing?

"I'm a monster." He cries silent tears. "I wanted to stay away, I wasn't going to come back, but I've become so attached to this place."

Somehow I knew he meant my arms.

"You are the furthest thing from a monster I can imagine." I soothe, bringing a hand to his head, stroking his hair.

"I almost killed someone." I stiffen at his words.

"Well tell me about it." I needed a bit more info to process this one.

"Emmett, I almost had him killed for what he did to Sam and Liam."

"Did you kill him?" I ask.

"What?"

"Is he dead."

"No."

"Then you didn't kill him, you refrained. Monsters don't typically let humanity stop them from killing." I smile.

"I would kill though. If anyone ever hurt you, or Audrey Rose. I'd murder them."

"I know." And I did. Part of me always knew. He was dangerous but I didn't care. He was dangerous for me. Not against me.

"Ash?" I said raising his head to meet my eyes. "You aren't a monster. A monster can't be loved."

And then I said it.

"And I love you."