savior

fifty nine

DEADLINE: THIRTEEN HOURS AGO

The doctors let me go home after they checked out my head. I had hit it pretty hard, but not hard enough to give me any kind of brain damage. They told me that if I was experiencing any pain, I should come back and make sure I get a room right away so they can take more tests and make sure I was fine.

All six of us stood in the lobby of the hospital, talking and catching up and trying to decided who was leaving with who. The tension between my parents seemed to have disappeared, for they had a casual conversation together about how my dad decided to move back into the state.

Ashton and I stood to the side, sitting together in the lobby chairs, our hands intertwined. I wasn't wearing a hospital gown anymore, but was clad in a t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

"I think I should introduce myself to your dad. I'd probably be thought of as an asshole if I didn't," Ashton said, turning his head to face me. Before, we were just watching everyone else converse, not really minding being silent. I was just glad to be with him.

"He wouldn't think of you that way," I said, pushing on his shoulder lightly.

Dad never really minded me dating. I doubted he would care if Ashton introduced himself. He was one of those dad's that got involved only when his little girls got hurt. Ashton had done nothing yet today but make me happy. I was thankful for him.

"No, seriously. I'm going to go talk to him. Come with me?" he asked, standing up. I just shrugged and picked myself up as well, taking his hand in mine again and letting him take me where my father was standing, talking to Christy about who-knows-what.

Ashton and I stood there, waiting patiently for their conversation to end. They were talking about bringing Kaitlynn over to their new house, debating whether or not they should invite her to live with them. I tapped on my fathers shoulder and he turned to look at me. A smile grew on his face when he saw me.

I pointed to Ashton. "Dad, this is my boyfr—"

"Hi, I'm Ashton," Ashton said, extending his hand out for my dad to shake. Dad smiled at him, introducing himself as well. When the two of them learned the other's name, Ashton continued to speak. "I find it completely disrespectful to not get to know the father of my girlfriend, so, uh, hi. I just wanted to let you know that I like your daughter a lot." Ashton looked at me. "I plan on spending a lot of time with her."

Dad smiled. "Well, it's nice to meet you then, son. Welcome to the family," he said, wrapping his arms around Ashton.

I laughed at the scene. Ashton's face was a little red, probably from my dad squeezing him so tightly. Dad didn't like Luke at all, same as Mom, and I had a feeling that whole introduction thing got Ashton on Dad's good side. Luke hadn't bothered or cared to talk to my dad even once, and they've never had a proper conversation before. I had a feeling Dad wouldn't mind Ashton being a permanent part of the Armel family tree. I didn't either.

It was only a few minutes later when we decided that we should all go out to eat together. "There's an awesome burger place down the street," Dad told Ashton, like he wouldn't have known in the first place.

"Well, I guess I'll go now, then," Mom spoke up, pointing to the door with her thumb. No one seemed to notice until she was almost out of the door.

"Wait!" my dad called after her. "Join us. We'll all go together. There's no reason to leave you out."

My mom looked at him with confusion in her eyes. I knew that she probably thought she was daydreaming. Her ex-husband, who had divorced her, was asking her to join everyone at lunch. She probably felt like he had still hated her, while he was proving to her that he didn't.

Dad looked over his shoulder to make sure it was okay with everyone else. She only then gave in when she saw the pleading looks on Dad and Christy's faces.

So we all ended up going to the burger joint down the street. Ashton and I decided that we'd walk together, telling everyone that we'd meet them there. As we walked, Ashton gave me his jacket and told me to keep it. It was the same one he had given me the day we skipped school together. I smiled up at him, and he kissed my lips before continuing to led me down the street.

We entered the restaurant at the same time everyone else had arrived. All of us joined together, sitting at an extra large booth with each other (which was really just a booth with an extra table pushed close to it).

Everyone was making jokes and laughing and smiling, and I'd probably never had a better day.

We had spent an hour or so together at that table before I decided that I really needed to pee. I kissed Ashton quickly before I scrambled out of my seat and headed towards the bathrooms.

I did my business, and when I had come out of the stall, I almost screamed. A familiar figure stood near the door, leaning against the wall while looking at me.

"Death, you scared the crap out of me," I said, holding a hand over my chest.

He chuckled as he watched me walk over to the sinks, where I had scrubbed soap onto my hands and turned on the water to wash it off. I had to bite back my smile. I had saved Ashton. I won. I did it.

"You surprised me, Princess. I really didn't think you could do it," he told me, removing his unnecessary sunglasses from the bridge of his nose.

"Well, I did."

"I'm very proud of you, really."

I looked at Death with a small shocked expression. I figured maybe now that I won, he would've gotten mad at me and decided to kill me on the spot just for the fun of it. But he didn't look mad at all. He was actually very calm, which was weird.

"I'm not happy with the fact that you got me in trouble, though. Mom won't even let me talk to my father because she thinks I'll ask him to turn back time again," Death said, scowling. "But, whatever. I'm also grounded for doing it in the first place."

I almost laughed in his face. "For how long?"

"Oh, you'll definitely be dead by the time I'm off," he said, smiling an actual smile at me. "I really am proud of you, though, seriously. You did a good job."

"Thank you," I said, awkwardly standing there with my hand on the corner of the sink to keep me balanced. I had actually been in there for a long time. Hopefully no one would think I, like, fell in or something.

Death moved himself from the front of the door, allowing me to cross and walk out. It was like he read my mind. He probably did.

Before I could leave, Death got my arm. "If there is one, I'm allowed to come to the wedding, right?"

And I stared blankly at him for a few seconds. I wasn't sure if Ashton and I would even consider marrying each other yet. I mean, I only just saved his life a few hours ago. But I gave in anyways.

"If there is one."

Death smiled and let me go, vanishing in thin air. I headed back to the table, where everyone had been laughing and talking. I joined back in the conversation easily, holding Ashton's hand and smiling with him the whole time.

My family was back together.