【 ᴄᴏɴǫᴜᴇʀɪɴɢ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀʟᴀɴᴅ || ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀʟᴀɴᴅ ғғ】

ғʀᴇᴇᴅᴏᴍ || ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ ғɪᴠᴇ

You shifted your crutches and gripped them tightly, a faint numbness filled your motionless leg.

'I did what I could.'  You committed yourself to silencing the voice telling you that Ray was right. 'I tried I...' But of course, these thoughts didn't dare hinder your plans. You and Emma did as she did in the original. Pretending to give up.

You picked up your pen and opened a notebook you kept with you, writing lots and lots of information, Ciel helping you with the details. Once you were done, you carefully tore the pages and put it in a drawer of small items you planned to bring with you, including Minerva's pen.

Time flew like the fluttering of the dry leaves in the air, signaling the start of winter. Those months were like the greying of the once vibrant trees, life that lost its light. Night tucked in the last rays of the sun to sleep, but the children of Grace Field House, lay awake.

You flicked the end of your scarf back and sat up, your boots meeting the ground with a small thud. Some of the little ones huddled together, resting before you set off to escape.

You tiptoed towards the door, hand seeking support from the wall, and slowly opened it.

Someone, no more than five years old, was hugging their legs. They sniffled, indicating that they were crying.

Small tufts of brown hair, one you could recognize.

'Oh.'

You approached him, not making a sound, and hugged him, bringing his body close to yours. His small body froze, but relaxed upon recognizing you.

You both immediately understood, no words needed between you.

You jumped to grab the tree branch, propping upwards. You moved your "rope" back to your shoulder. Carefully, you reached out to the wall, its smooth surface making you uneasy, as it was hard t grip onto.

I hope I don't fall. You hoisted yourself up and slide your body flat on the top of the wall and plopped onto the ground.

"Phew." You wiped the sweat off your brows and looked back to the erupting flames that was destroying the House bit by bit.

The House.

It was at this moment that you all realized that you had always called that place a house, not a home. Because it was never made to be one.

As bittersweet as it may be.

It still is home.

Snapping your gaze away from the fire, you caught a glimpse of white. They're here. You removed the cloth tied to your body and began to unroll it, letting it cascade down onto the ground.

They arrived, your eyes immediately catching his. Swiftly, your eyes looked past him and nodded to Don, who had been beside him.

They climbed up on by one, two more ropes being brought down.

Cold... You brought the scarf closer to your face. It's windy too. You thought as you brushed stray strands of hair away from your face.

Everyone was up now. "Let's go!" Emma called and all of you started marching to the respective area Norman planned for us to go.

"Pi(zza Toppings)-- I mean Lannion! Thoma!" You called them. "We still have a long journey after this! Not too fast!"

"'Kay!"

Huffing cloudy breaths, and footsteps rushing to its destination was all you heard until the alarm rang.

Ray cursed beside you. "We still aren't at the bridge yet!"