Spencer
It killed me. I couldn't look her in the eye. I couldn't look at her at all. I hated it. I hated all of it. I was finally home, I was finally with her and I couldn't even look at her. I could hear her crying on the other side of the door and it killed me. I couldn't comfort her, I couldn't hold her and tell her it would be okay. I slipped my fingers beneath the door, curling them over her hand as much as I could.
"I'm sorry, my love. I'm so sorry." I murmured. "I'll see you again, my darling Lilah." I tipped my head back against the door, gripping her hand as best I could.
After maybe half an hour I felt her hand being pulled away from mine.
"Spencer?" James. "Try and get some sleep, I'll keep an eye on her." I heard his footsteps recede and I just curled in on myself, my head on my knees.
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I must've fallen asleep eventually, because when I woke up, I was laying on the floor, my body aching. Probably from laying on the floor. That and I really wasn't in the best condition physically. I groaned slightly, sitting up and running a hand through my hair. I pushed myself to stand, picking up the blindfold quietly as I did so. I knew my way around the palace like the back of my hand, so it shouldn't be too hard to walk around with a blindfold. I hoped.
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An hour or so later I was walking around the palace, running my fingers over the walls slightly in an attempt to orient myself. Almost a year since I'd been here.. it seemed almost exactly the same. Like it had been frozen in time. I felt the edge of a picture frame and knew it hadn't been there before. I dared to tug the blindfold up for a moment to look at it. It was a painting of.. me. Down to the scar over my eye.
"Lilah spent hours on that." I turned upon hearing James' voice. "She wouldn't let anyone else paint your portrait. She wanted to do it." He stepped up next to me, looking at it. When we thought you'd died.." He shook his head. "She refused to believe it. Said she'd know, that she'd feel it. She believed you were still out there somewhere, waiting to get a chance to come back home." He set a hand on my shoulder. "She was a wreck with you gone. No one could get through to her. Sun had to take over for her it got so bad." He looked over at me. "She needs you." He said softly. "During the first month she sat by the doors all the time, waiting for you to walk in."
"James.." I sighed. "I can't risk hurting her. I'd never forgive myself."
"Spencer. She needs you. I can assign a guard to be near you at all times when you're with her if it makes you feel safer. She was outside your door last night when I found her. She doesn't like being alone." He said softly. "Please. You're the only one that's able to get through the walls she's put up around herself. Try. Please. If not for you then for her. You won't hurt her. I swear it."
I ran a hand through my hair, thinking. "Okay. But, can you try and have it be Will or Emily? They're the ones I trust the most."
"I'll ask Will about it. For now just head to the library, I'll go get Li and bring her to you. Okay?"
"Okay.." I tugged the blindfold back down and headed to the library.
Lilah
I'd just been sitting on my bed, my face buried in one of Spencer's shirts when someone knocked. "Leave me be." I barely recognized my voice when I spoke. "I want to be alone."
"Lilah? Spencer's waiting for you in the library. He wants to talk to you." I immediately recognized James' voice. "Please Li."
I didn't want to get my hopes up, but I stood, walking over to the door and opening it. I looked up at him quietly, still holding the shirt in my hands.
"C'mon Li. He's in the library. Will's there just in case okay?" I knew he was trying to keep me calm, though he wasn't really helping. "He wants you." He said softly.
I shook my head slightly and stepped back faintly. How could this be happening? Why aren't I jumping at the chance to see him? Was I.. afraid of him?
James gently grabbed one of my hands. "Li please. Emily and I are trying to find a way to help him but in the meantime just please, go to him. You need each other."
My legs moved before I could think twice, moving quickly towards the library. My hands tangled in the fabric of the shirt I was still holding.
"Li-" I barely heard Will as I finally slowed my pace, walking into the library.
"Spencer?" I heard my voice crack slightly as I glanced around, looking for him.
"Li?" I whipped around to see him standing, one of his arms extending towards me.
I did the first thing I thought to do. Throw myself into his arms.
A moment later I felt his arms around me, his nose buried in my hair. "My Lilah. My Darling."
I could feel myself starting to shake in his arms, dropping the shirt I'd been holding and grabbing onto him.
He must've sat down, as I ended up in his lap but I didn't care to pay attention. I just knew that I didn't want to move. I just wanted him to hold me. I buried my face in his neck as tears started to fall.
"Shh Shh. Don't cry Love." I felt his hand brush over my head gently. "Its alright. I'm here. I'm never leaving you again. I swear it."
