Amelia Merlin and the Game for Okamila

Part 73: Rivers Returning

A/N Okay guys so just a warning, it took me a lot of debating on whether or not to write this chapter but after much thought, this is the way it has to be! Let me know if you think I made the right choice! I'd love to hear your thoughts on it! :)

People parted for her and then she saw him. The sun bouncing through his curly hair, he looked more tanned than usual and he was laughing at something someone said to him. They greeted him like a hero returning from war, hands clapped his back and high fived him with a great deal of exuberance. There were shouts and cheers and an overwhelming amount of smiles. But when he saw her he didn't look at anyone else.

"Amy," he smiled and stepped closer to her.

"Are you really alive?" she folded her arms across her chest and willed the tears, that were starting, to go back into her head.

"Yeah I think so." he patted himself down to check. "Yeup, we're good. Not a ghost."

"That's not funny." Nobody spoke, because there were only two people that mattered right now.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry."

"Fuck you." she couldn't stop it this time, the tears avalanched down her face.

"What?" he raised his eyebrows. "Amy, I came back-"

"It's been months!" she yelled. "You were gone for months!"

"Amy, please. I'm sorry-"

"Fuck you, Oliver!" she cried. "We just had your fucking funeral, you know that right? I had to make a fucking speech and your fucking funeral!" He didn't say anything, he just hugged her and Amelia sobbed into his chest. She didn't even notice the crowd of people and their faint chorus of awe's.

...........

That night, they were in the Hospital Wing as Madame Pomfrey insisted on making sure Oliver was alright. She didn't say anything about Amelia's presence so they were fine for the time being. The moon filtered in through white curtains hanging in front of tall windows. The beds were much softer than the ones in the dormitories and the pillows were infinitely more fluffy.

"I left on your birthday, you know." he said quietly. She sat beside his bed in a chair that was too stiff for anyone's liking. Amelia stared at her hands while they talked.

"Why did it take so long for you to come back if you were only there for a few days?"

"I have a theory actually." Oliver smiled. "You remember that whole, stolen time thing right? I think that explains my warped journey."

"That would make sense."

"There's something I have to say to you, Amy." he looked at her, their eyes met and a sad expression took hold over his features. The air in the room was felt the way the first fall of snow smelled. It was silence and stillness. He knew it had to be done, but he didn't like having to do it. He didn't even breathe before saying what had always had to be said.

"I'm in love with you."

She looked almost scared. "What do you expect me to say to that?" her tone was accusatory and Oliver knew he shouldn't have thought it would be anything else. In all honesty, he was surprised she hadn't hit him or something along those lines. But all the same felt disappointment gnaw away at him but he kicked himself for thinking it could be anything else. But he sure as hell hoped there would be more.

He shrugged, "Nothing. I just had to say it. I had to say it and I had to have you hear it." his heart pounded and all he wanted to do was kiss her, he wanted her to kiss him. Oliver wanted her to admit she loved him too, because this whole pretense had been killing him for years.

"I'm with Fred."

"I know."

"I'm not giving him up. But look, we're still friends-"

"Don't." he shook his head and felt tears stinging his eyes. "Don't do that. I want more. I want to be more than friends."

"I can't." Amelia looked like she was going to cry and Oliver silently begged her not to. Seeing her like that would only make this worse.

"I had to say it. I can't keep pretending we're just friends when you know we're not."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm in love with you," he repeated, not knowing what else to say. "And I hate that you're with him and not me."

"I know, I'm sorry," Amelia stood up. The girl with the golden hair and ocean eyes looked down at him and Oliver felt his whole world crumbling. "I should go," she said. He couldn't respond as he watched her walk away from him towards the doors of the Hospital Wing.

...........

"What the fuck possessed you to do that?" Terry raised his eyebrows and took a drag from his cigarette. Oliver shook his head as his friend passed him the dart, he looked instead out to the lake where by some miracle he had arrived yesterday afternoon. The wind was barely more than a whisper but it was enough to make him shiver. His time on the island made him dislike the autumn here, it was too harsh for his liking.

"Dude, I don't know. She was just sitting there," he moaned. "I couldn't help it. You should've seen her, Terry, I've never seen anyone so beautiful."

"Yeah we all know you're in love with her," Terry rolled his eyes. "But why did you want to tell her?"

"I met a girl," he smiled to himself and wrapped his scarf more tightly around his neck. "She was incredible. You'd've liked her, I think. She was everything anyone could have wanted but I couldn't love her. I could hardly look at her without wishing she was someone else. This amazing person, who I could have had all to myself but I didn't want her."

"You're an idiot."

"Yeah. You're not wrong about that." Oliver laughed midly.

"All that shit aside, why did you tell her? That's what I don't understand, mate."

Their footsteps fell heavy on the firm ground and Oliver waas reminded of the time he had visited the North with Amelia. She told him how free she felt up there and he remembered going to hang out with Don just to make her happy. He could still feel her hand on his shoulder as she thanked him. He could still see her smilling up at him as she gave him a stone she had found while walking and she called it the most perfect rock ever to lay under her foot, which was why she insisted he have it.

"I couldn't keep it bottled up anymore. I think I would've gone mad if I didn't say something."

"That's a shit reason."

"Yeah."

A/n Comment here with your thoughts on Amelia's reaction! Or if you think Oliver should not have said anything!