Fallen Angels (UNEDITED)

LXI

I can see the sunset just inside of your bedroom
I know it's too soon to let it go
Everything you said echoing in my head
Into the afterglow
~Silverstein, The Afterglow

Erik's POV

I open my eyes slowly to see the moon shining through the sheer curtains, still casting its light in the room.

Avril sleeps peacefully next to me, her chest rising and falling in a perfect rhythm.

What would it be like to write a song to the sound of her heart?

My eyes wander around the room to see that it is covered in blues, pinks, greens and yellows, with unknown artist's works decorating the wall space above our heads.

A tiny potted looking palm stands in the corner of the room with Christmas lights wrapped around it.

I smile as I see one wall above a desk decorated with three lines of some type of string strung across the wall and black and white photos clipped on.My eyes wander across the photos to see many of them are from her time on the bus and trip to Ireland with the odd photo from her childhood with her cousin and brother.

I smile at the one with Avril looking about fourteen, with braces and her hair pulled back in a messy bun and a melting ice cream in hand, with the biggest smile I have ever seen.

Even with so much hatred in her family, she still found the odd thing to smile about.

I pull her closer to me as I stare at the time displayed on my phone, 4:02 am.

I can't believe that she didn't slap me or threaten to castrate me last night when I showed up when I know she didn't want me there, but Lucas told me I had to be there.

He's the one who told me where they were and that she would be there.

I snuggle my face into her neck and breath in her scent, not really believing that she is in my arms at this very moment.

"Hmm, can you not sleep?" Avril mumbles softly before rolling over to face me.

"No, I think I'm just in disbelief that we are currently in bed in your room." I laugh softly as I pull her even closer to me so that her upper body is now laying on top of my body.

"I can't believe it either, I really thought I would never see you again." Avril yawns as she looks up at me, "I know we've both been hurt in the past and you've hurt me, but I want to work through our problems together. We deserve to be happy."

"I've fucking missed you, please don't let me do anything stupid like that ever again." I run my fingers through her hair softly, feeling her curls part between my fingers, "I know you were doing okay on your own and you probably don't want me back, but you would make me the happiest person alive if you would grow with me."

"That's all I have ever wanted, to grow and be challenged by someone." I kiss her forehead softly as she smiles up at me with a sleepy face, knowing that this is all that is going to happen tonight and I'm okay with that. After what I did to her I would wait a thousand lifetimes without complaining just to kiss her lips.

"Get some sleep Ray, the sun will be coming up soon."

"Get some sleep baby, you can't survive on cigarettes and caffeine." I listen for her breathing to even out before slowly pushing her off of me to get out of bed.

I better make this quick, I don't need her waking up and realizing that I'm gone.

I move towards the desk as I quietly as I can to see a fresh notebook with a pen, perfect.