A Peculiar Time in 1944 - A Millard Fanfic (Miss Peregrine's Home) #wattys2020

Chapter 26

MILLARD P.O.V.

It could have been Aurora. It could have been Aurora. It could have been Aurora.

It was like his mind was unable to process anything else. He didn't hear Olive's shriek when she saw them bring in Victor's body, he didn't hear Bronwyn's crying, he didn't hear Horace hit the floor when he fainted. It was like everything else had shut down inside him.

It could have been Aurora.

Enoch came forward and volunteered to help Miss Peregrine handle Victor, a small part of Millard's mind noted that they must have been able to tell he was starting to lose his composure as Miss Peregrine dismissed him. The first thing he did was run upstairs and into the bathroom as he felt a wave of nausea wash over him and felt his stomach lurch.

EMMA P.O.V.

She sat on the bed with Aurora sobbing into her shoulder. She had tried muttering soft soothing words but nothing had worked so she had decided to simply stay silent. At least Aurora had stopped hyperventilating. Emma just kept rocking slightly while she rubbed Aurora's back, eventually, her crying stopped and it was just the occasional sniff. Neither one spoke, Emma knew she wouldn't want to talk about it and it was obvious what had happened so there was simply nothing to say.

After some time there was a soft knock on the door and Olive poked her head in. She walked over to Emma and quietly asked, "Want me to take over for awhile?"

Emma nodded as she and Olive switched places, she whispered to the red head, "She's still freezing, maybe you can warm her up a bit?" Olive nodded and started rubbing Aurora's back while she hummed. Emma couldn't imagine the trauma her friend had been through, to find a friend like how she'd found Victor, it was just too horrible to fathom.

Once she'd warmed up it didn't take long for Aurora to fall asleep, Emma suggested tucking her into bed but Olive insisted that she didn't want to risk waking her and that she didn't mind. Aurora had been through a great ordeal and she needed her rest.

MILLARD P.O.V.

He was resting his head against the cold porcelain as his mind seemed to start up again. Victor was dead. Millard wouldn't call him a friend, but he had been one of their own and he'd died in a way Millard would never wish on anyone. Then his mind turned to Aurora. He wanted to make sure she was alright. But would she want to see him? She had been leaving with Victor after all, had she finally moved on like he had intended she do? Had he lost his chance? Yes his mind was still coming to grips with Victor's demise but the silver lining was the situation had brought Millard a great clarity when it came to Aurora. He wanted to be with her, to hell if he didn't deserve her, he loved her. His mind paused on that as well, he loved her. It wasn't a question anymore, a feeling to hypothesize and analyze. He knew, in the very core of his soul, he knew. Now the only question that remained was, did his epiphany come too late?

AURORA P.O.V.

Aurora woke up with her head on Olive's shoulder and her gloved hand stroking her hair. She didn't realize how tired you could be after crying and gave one more sniffle which let Olive know she was awake.

"How are you feeling?" she asked concerned as she pulled back to look at her. Aurora only shrugged not quite knowing how she felt, then she looked up at Olive with worry.

"Noah." She whispered.

"You're brother?" Olive asked confused.

"He's going to keep sending me letters."

"Miss Peregrine isn't letting us leave the loop anymore, it's too dangerous."

"I have to get word to him somehow, otherwise he'll keep sending me letters and when I don't reply he'll worry. What if he comes here and there's another hollow? I have to let him know –"