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

Chapter 96

"I'm glad I met you, despite all the endless trouble you caused me." {Sharon the Boatman, pg 430 book 3}

As night fell they all gathered to eat in Bentham's library, the only room big enough to hold all of them comfortably. A feast had been donated by the grateful locals, they had all seen the tower fall and knew what it meant. There was roast chicken and potatoes, wild game and fish – Aurora whispered to Millard about the Ditch so they both avoided the fish. They all ate and talked and recalled their adventures of the past few days. Miss Peregrine had only heard a little about their journey from Cairnholm to London and then across the bombed out London to reach Miss Wren and she wanted to know every last detail. She was a great listener always laughing at funny parts and reacting with satisfying gasps when they'd nearly escaped death.

"And then the bomb fell right on the hollow and blew it to smithereens!" Horace narrated, "But we had Miss Wren's peculiar sweaters on so the shrapnel didn't kill us!" Miss Peregrine's eyes were wide with both amazement and horror as she listened on and by the time their story had finished she looked a little teary eyed.

"I'm so very, very proud of you all, and so sorry for all that happened. I can't tell you how much I wish it had been me by your side and not my deceitful brother."

Afterward they observed a moment of silence for Fiona out of respect, though Hugh insisted they were all just being negative.

"She ain't dead!" he snapped at them, "She's lost. . . she's just lost." He sniffled and looked at the ground as Henry crawled on his cheek, "The trees would have cushioned her fall and she's probably wandering the forest near Miss Wren's menagerie." He said calmer now and looking back up at their group, "Or she knocked her head on the way down and forgot where she came from. Or she's hiding from the wights cuz she don't know we beat 'em."

Then it got quiet as they all contemplated the likelihood of any of Hugh's outcomes. Aurora gently rested her hand on his knee.

"I'm sure she'll turn up." She said trying to be reassuring.

"Don't give him false hope." Enoch said, "It's cruel."

"You would know about cruel." Bronwyn replied probably thinking back to the last time they'd lost someone from their group, which would have been her brother Victor.

"I want to know how that dog rescued Jacob and Emma in the Underground." Olive spoke up changing the subject. Addison hopped up onto the table and began to narrate the story. Aurora pulled a sleeping Mira off her lap and gently laid her down on a pillow before she took Millard's hand and discreetly tugged him away from the others.

"Where are we going?" he asked between chuckles as she pulled him down the halls. There was this odd sense of elation between them that filled the air, like the fact that they'd actually made it was just sinking in. They'd lived through the journey from Cairnholm, they'd survived capture and torture and the Library of Souls and it was all finally over and they were still breathing and together. Aurora tugged on Millard's hand as they entered the room that had been assigned to her, she closed the door behind him and slammed his back against it as their lips met in a heated kiss. She could feel him smiling into it as his hands wrapped around her waist and his fingers dug into her sides like he was afraid they might be pulled apart again. Her hands wandered up and down his chest, occasionally moving to the back of his neck and running her fingers through his soft hair. He gave a light moan and held her tighter, one hand moving up her back pressing their bodies closer. When they had to break for air Aurora moved her kisses to his neck as his head leaned back and his breathing came in pants as his pulse became erratic. If Aurora left a hickey it was just as invisible as the rest of Millard as she pulled away slightly only to be scooped up by Mill who brought his lips back to hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist to help him maintain his hold on her as he walked over to the bed that sat only a few feet away. He leaned down and they both collapsed onto the comforter, him resting on his forearms to hover over her. His cap had fallen off and Aurora used that to her advantage as she returned her fingers to his hair as he took his turn kissing her neck and she gasped as she felt his teeth against her skin knowing he was paying her back for the marks she'd tried to leave on him. One of his hands drifted back to her waist and undid the knot that was keeping her red and black flannel tied to her. When he was done with that he helped pull off the scratchy brown button up that covered her white shirt and denim overalls. She pulled him back to her as they continued to kiss, his fingers tangling into her long hair as she wrapped her legs around his waist tighter. There were two soft thunks as he kicked off his shoes and they hit the floor as Aurora fumbled with the buttons of his grey shirt. When she finally got all of the buttons undone she ran her hands over his bare chest and around under his shirt to his back. Even as Millard continued his assault on her neck she was still pulled from her lustful haze when her fingers ran over the scars that marred his back. They had begun to scab on their own before she could help him, leaving a permanent mark on his body – even if no one would ever see them. Millard seemed to feel her hesitation and understood what had caused it as he drew her attention away from the horror he'd endured and brought her mind back to the present. His hand trailed down the side of her body and grabbed her thigh hitching it higher over his hip and a small moan escaped her lips at his sudden action. He cut off her moan with his mouth and used his tongue to silence the sounds that tried to escape her. Her hands wandered from his back moving down to his waist and sliding into the back pockets of his slacks forgetting all about the lashes from the whip. They stayed like that for a while until Aurora brought her hands back to his hair with her arms wrapped around his neck. Millard took the opportunity and pushed himself into a sitting position, Aurora moving with him as he settled her to straddle his lap. She gasped from the new position with her weight now resting on Millard who's mouth wasted no time in finding hers again. She reluctantly pulled away finding herself in need of oxygen again and Millard tugged the neckline of her shirt to the side so he could kiss further down her shoulder, having already marked nearly every inch of her neck. Through the haze she could tell they were nearing the line that they had made so many years ago. Millard had always been adamant not to cross said line out of propriety and respect for her. She didn't want to stop but she had promised Millard she'd respect his wishes and she loved him enough to hold to that promise.

"Do you want to keep going?" she asked breathlessly liked she'd just ran a marathon and Millard's kisses on her shoulder and the juncture of her neck slowed then stopped altogether.

"I do." He said softly against her skin, "But we shouldn't. . . not yet." He pecked her shoulder sweetly one last time before he pulled back to look her in the eye, "I'd rather look forward to that on our wedding night."

Aurora couldn't help but smile at the idea as she looked down as her fingers toyed with the buttons of his shirt. They'd talked about waiting until that night to be intimate but now it all seemed so much more real. Now, he'd asked her to marry him, she'd told him yes, it was actually going to happen. She heard him chuckle and looked up at him with curiosity. "What?"

"I just realized I get to call you my fiancée now."

She couldn't control the raging blush that colored her cheeks and she felt Millard bring a hand to her face, cupping her jaw.

"By the Birds I've missed seeing you blush." He said before pulling her in for another long deep kiss.

oOo oOo oOo

The following morning brought saddening news. Jake had decided to leave the loop and return to his family. Aurora had known, somewhere deep inside, that that would be his final decision. She couldn't fault him for it, if she had been given an opportunity to leave the loop with Millard and rejoin her brother and mother she would have taken it as well. But that ship had sailed long ago, part of her wondered if her brother was still out there, he'd be an old man now, probably around seventy with his own grandchildren who would be the same age as her. Would Noah even remember her if she did return?

She would never know, she'd live with those questions for the rest of her life, but Jake didn't have to suffer like that. He'd be with his family, sure sometimes it might be rough but he'd never be left wondering what life would be like without them.

There was a long exchange of hugs and tearful goodbyes, which ended with Jacob promising he would come back and visit. It was a kind gesture and put smiles on Claire, Bronwyn and the twins faces but the older ones knew how difficult it would be and how the odds of seeing Jacob again were slim to none.

"We'll never forget you Jacob." Olive said giving him a hug followed by Enoch giving him a brotherly pat on the shoulder.

"I'll record your story." Millard said shaking his hand, "It's my new project, and I'll see that it's included in my new edition of the Tales of the Peculiar. You'll be famous!" Millard tried to sound enthusiastic but you could still hear him getting choked up. Aurora stepped up next and gave Jacob a hug.

"Thank you for everything." She pulled back to look him in the eye, "I would have lost him forever if it weren't for you." She said gesturing to Millard. Then Addison walked up with Mira who jumped into Aurora's arms.

"You're the fourth bravest human I've ever known. I hope we'll meet again."

"I hope so too."

"Jacob may we come and visit you?" Claire asked wrapping her arms around his legs, "I've always wanted to see America."

"Of course you can. I'd love that." He lied but it put another smile on Claire's face before Olive took her hand and led her away so the others could say goodbye. When they were all finished – several of them in tears – Jake along with Emma and Miss Peregrine loaded into Sharon's new boat and headed off.