The Healer

Chapter 37: Grief in the Forest

🌶️spicy kissy scene 🌶️

Chuck was a little fire cracker. He had Evelyn in stitches constantly. It was hard to stay mad or sad around the kid. He was snarky, and sarcastic, definitely not innocent and liked to pull pranks. He had just started calling Evelyn mom on a regular basis, Evelyn went along with it, and started calling him, Sweet child of Mine. Newt was kind of annoyed with the kid, he was always following Evelyn, where ever she was he was bound to be there, always barding in and always interrupting.

Evelyn would always laugh it off, pat Newt on the shoulder and give the kid her full attention. She was sure the other guys put him up to it, but he was happy to do it. Everyone knew he had a big crush on her. The guys would tease Newt about it all the time, they knew he was getting frustrated with the kid.

One day he decided to take matters into his hands, he asked if Chuck would go help Frypan with the breakfast dishes, keep him busy for at lest a bit. He went to the MedHut.

"Hey Newt." Jeff turned from the table.

"Where's Eve?"

"Forest. Said she needed to find something."

"Thanks."

He spun on his heel and headed straight to the forest. It took him at lest 20 minutes to find her. He stopped walking and listened for a second confused. Cautiously he continued forwards. He came into the clearing and hunched over sobbing was Evelyn. His heart shattered into pieces. He was so focused on his wants he completely forgot it was anniversary of George and Jack's death. He hung his head in shame for a moment and then shoved his feelings and selfish desires to the back burner. Right now she needed love and support. He slowly walked up behind her and knelt down, his hand on her back. She turned into him and he just held her while she cried.

Evelyn just needed his arms around her, she craved his soft gentle presence. He always made her hurting heart feel whole again. Newt gently stroked her head.

"I'm sorry Lee! I forgot wha' today was. I'm so buggen' sorry!" He whispered.

Her body shuddered, and she scootched even closer, crawling into his lap, wrapping her legs around him and her arms around his chest, like a child or a little spider monkey. Evelyn pressed her face into the crook of his neck, he cupped the back of her head and rubbed her back. He was content to just holding her as she mourned the death of her friends.

It took a while, but she eventually cried herself out.

"I miss them Newt. I miss them so much! It's been two years since they died."

"The ones that love us don' leave us. Not really." He said gently, gently pulling her away his hands holding her face and looking down at her tear stained face and her red puffy eyes. "You can always find them," He laid a hand gently on her chest over her heart, "in here."

She looked up at him with such sad eyes his heart physically hurt. He felt a pain in his chest, dark sharp claws dug into his heart and squeezed.

"An'...they come out every time the moon is out. They come twinklin' an' they sit with ya at night. They shine down and they listen to all your buggen' secrets you share with the moon."

"Oh Newt!" She cried, and burried her face back into his chest. "Thank you so much! That was so beautiful!"

He just hummed and continued to hold her, her body stopped stopped shaking and shuddering. He continued to gently rub her back, running his fingers up and down her skin.

"Lee?" He asked quietly.

There was no answer, he did his his best to look down. She had cried herself to sleep. The poor girl hadn't been sleeping well the last few days. She was having weird dreams, waking her up panting it crying and then terrified to go back to sleep. Newt sighed, he didn't want to wake her up. He shifted so he was leaning against George's gave mound. Leaning back slightly, he shifted her so her head was on his shoulder.