A Different Virus - Laura's Story

Chapter 148

Ace shook his head as he looked away from the battlefield and glanced down at his blood-splattered clothing. He made a face as he connected the dots. Diane offered him her water canteen. He drained it before passing it back as he kept glancing at the battlefield.

He sighed and sat down on another log across from us. He looked at Diane, "I lost control didn't I? I remember seeing that crossbow arrow hit you and hearing your scream as more bandits were taking aim at you. Things seem to go black for a long time. Some things seemed hazy before I suddenly saw you standing in front of me and smiling while welcoming me back. Considering the amount of blood on my clothing, I am not entirely sure I even want to know where I came back from..."

Hazy? No one else remembered anything, they just lost a chunk of time that spanned the entire time they were out of control. Diane was just as confused as me, "Hazy? What do you mean?"

Ace frowned slightly at the memory, "It was odd. As if I was staring through fog, most things were very hazy, although some things were clear. I wasn't in control, and it was almost like a dream where emotions are much stronger and simpler."

We waited silently and he eventually continued, sounding slightly frustrated, "I remember seeing your eyes quite clearly although most other things were foggy. I seemed to hear a low murmur from time to time, but couldn't make anything out. Occasionally, I picked up words. The worst part is that I don't know if it was a figment of my imagination, the dreamlike state I was in, or if it might have been something real."

Some of my dreams seemed real at times, so I could understand what he was feeling. Diane shrugged lightly, "I did talk to you a fair bit in hopes it would help. You ignored me most of the time. If you tell me what you heard, I can tell you if I actually said it."

He frowned at his blood-splattered shoes for a long time before looking up at Diane, "Did you really threaten to kiss me?"

Uh oh. This wasn't good. Diane looked surprised before turning red at getting caught when there should have been no way he could remember. She looked down at her shoes in embarrassment. Her voice was quiet, "Yes."

I halfway expected Ace to leave as he always did. To my surprise, he just sat there thinking with a closed expression. I had no idea what emotions he might be feeling, but that closed off look made him look distant. He sat there a long time in silence before he spoke quietly, "Were you serious?"

Diane took a slow deep breath before replying softly, "I didn't realize it until after I said it." My jaw dropped at her response. She had feelings for Ace? This was a new one to me.

Diane's admission made me worry though. Ace always pulled a disappearing act at the mere mention of a dance and or cuddles. Diane admitting that she liked him in more than a friendship role was far past that point. I sat still as I began to feel my world crumbling around me.

Diane had a close friendship with Ace that had developed during their training and it had only strengthened at Sanctuary. If Ace refused to go anywhere near her now, it would hurt her, and I couldn't bear to see Diane hurt. Diane's heart was as big and as deep as her loyalty. Ace might even leave and go back to Wainwright Fort.

Ace started speaking softly, "I did not expect that the bandits would have been waiting for us to set up a trap in order to catch us. I lost track of you for a while. I finally caught sight of you again as you ran towards the field. I could barely believe it when you managed to dodge so many arrows. Then you stumbled, and I saw that crossbolt bury itself in your arm and pin you against the tree. Your scream..."

Wait, what? Diane said it had been a graze... I took another look at her bandage and realized that the blood spots were not along the outer edge of her arm. It must have been a larger injury after all. Perhaps she had been downplaying it to get Ace to regain control.