Waking Rory

by Elizabeth Jeannel

  “She’s Aurora.” I sucked in a shallow breath. “That Aurora.”

  He frowned, a puzzled look washing over his face, but his grip on my wrist loosened just enough for me to slip free and rush into the woods before he could stop me. He was still wearing his suit, and fancy shoes. I knew better than to think he would follow me on his own. I didn’t even think he’d grabbed his phone.

  The first trip across this footpath had been slow. Cigarette in hand, I was merely looking to blow off steam. I took my time meandering along.

  I wasn’t walking this time; I was running. It had been a while since I’d run like that, and I quickly realized I was out of shape.

  I kept pushing anyway, pushing past the pain in my side, the ache in my feet, and the tension in my legs. Using the light from the crappy phone Nash had given me, I struggled not to stumble against the forest floor. Branches crossed the path, roots pushed up out of the ground. I was lucky I didn’t fall as the pathway broke off, and the dirt trail looked more and more familiar.

  The moonlight was bright enough now that I almost didn’t need the flashlight.

  When I reached the spot where I’d seen the orb, I was awestruck. The tower was gone. No vines leading up a stone wall. No crumbled stone lying about. It was completely gone. A clearing with a single tree in the center was in its place, like it had never been here in the first place. Like I’d never been locked inside. Like I hadn’t woken Rory up at all.

  A swell of panic consumed me, making it almost impossible to catch my breath after the run through the woods. She wasn’t here. There was nothing here—nothing but trees as far as I could see. I had no idea where else she would have gone.

  I clenched my jaw, reared back, and punched a nearby tree. Pain raced up my arm, and a cry escaped my lips before I could stop it. Stupid. Why was I so stupid?

  I heard an audible gasp. “Even?”

  Near the center of the clearing, beneath that single tree, Rory was struggling to stand.

  I ran to her.

  “Oh my God,” I whispered as I threw my arms around her shaky shoulders. I tried not to wince as my hands clashed together. “Are you okay?”

  She sniffled against my shoulder, but didn’t pull away. “It’s gone. It’s all gone.”

  “It’s okay,” I breathed, pulling away and brushing the hair from her face with my good hand. “You don’t need to go back.”

  “There’s nothing for me here.”

  “Look at me. I’m right here. You have me. I’m yours, remember?”

  “You’re leaving,” she cried. “You’re leaving, and you don’t love me.”

  “Yes, I do.” I let out a painful laugh. “I do love you. And I’m not going anywhere.”

  “What? You said the Washington was your home.”

  “You’re my home. And if that means a French boarding school, online tutors, or whatever Nash can come up with, I’m fine with that. My home is wherever you are.”

  “You’d stay for me?”

  “Yeah, I would.” I smiled. “I’m gonna take care of you.”

  Her hands wrapped around my neck as she pulled my face to hers and kissed me. When they talk about breath taking kisses taking control of your entire body and rocking your hardware, this was one of those. It took physical effort to pull away.

  “Wait. Wait.” I let out a shaky breath. “I have to text Nash or he will seriously call in a search and rescue.”

  I sent a quick text. Found her. We are safe.

  “Are you ready to get out of here?” I asked, brushing hair from her face, if only for the ability to touch it.

  She nodded slowly, and took my hand. My good hand.

  “I know what happened to Catherine, by the way.” I sighed as we made our way back toward the footpath. “You were right about Madam Caron. You did know her.”

  Next to me Rory smiled, leaning her head against my shoulder.

  Chapter 34

  I don’t think I’d ever seen Nash as worried as he was the moment before we came into view. His jacket was removed, tie pulled out, top buttons undone, and sleeves rolled up. He was pacing, his phone firmly pressed between his cheek and shoulder. This might have annoyed me, him being on the phone, had it not been for what he said into it.

  “Oh, thank God,” he murmured the moment we came into view. “They’re back. Yes, both of them. No, they look fine. I’ll see you when we get back.”

  Nash pulled me into another hug. He was doing that a lot lately, which was weird, but I accepted it anyway.

  “What were you thinking?” he asked Rory. “You could have gotten hurt.”

  Then he hugged her too. She tensed up at first, but relaxed into his arms like I had. Despite his typically gruff, business-like approach to life, he gave some good dad hugs. Maybe there was hope for Nash after all.

  We loaded back into the car, and Rory’s hand slipped into mine as the car started. I winced. She looked down at my bruised knuckles and met my eyes before letting out a sigh and shaking her head.

  She didn’t let go of my hand, though. Despite how much it hurt, I didn’t mind.

  Nash pulled his phone back out and started dialing. I tried not to be annoyed. It wasn’t like it was surprising anymore. Only, it was.

  “Hey Diana, it’s Mr. McCoy. I have some good news.” Nash said quickly. “Yes, we found her. She’s alright… I was wondering if I might have a word with you regarding her custody situation.”

  Nash and I locked eyes.

  “Yeah, I think I’d like to start the process. I’m sure we can do more good for her than the system.”

  My eyes swelled. I tried to blink them back. Shit, the last thing I wanted Nash to see was me blubbering like a baby again. But I couldn’t help it.

  “That would be great,” he continued, looking ahead again. “No, I can send someone to fetch them, that’s not a problem at all.”

  Nash didn’t say anything else as we pulled in front of the house. Rory hadn’t let go of my hand, which was still throbbing, but I didn’t dare complain.

  Autumn met us in the doorway, and she pulled each of us into a hug, giving Rory two. I knew something had changed about Nash that summer, but it wasn’t until I saw the two of them talking next to the car that I realized what had changed.

  It was Autumn. He was softer around her. His whole demeaner changed. He listened to her, and he really heard her. Now it was like he was listening to others better too.

  There was food waiting on the table when Rory and I stepped inside. The whole table was set. I knew both Autumn and Nash wanted to talk and celebrate, but all I wanted was to hold her. I could say I wasn’t going anywhere all I wanted, but I knew she wouldn’t believe it unless I showed her.

  “Oh,” Rory breathed when she walked into the room. “I am not—”

  “You’re eating,” Autumn insisted from the front door. “I’m not taking no for an answer.”

  Rory nodded, taking a seat quietly. A silence settled over the four of us as everyone sat down. I reached for her hand under the table, and she offered a weak smile.

  “It’s going to be okay,” I insisted.

  She gave my hand a squeeze before picking up her fork and pushing her food around. I don’t think we got around to celebrating. Rory was tired, I was tired, Nash had more phone calls to make.

  Rory fell asleep fast. Maybe the day had worn her out, or maybe it was simply a feeling of safety. I laid awake into the night, just listening to the sound of her breathing. I don’t know what I was waiting on. Maybe reality to pinch me, let me know that I didn’t win. I don’t get to be this happy.

  It never came.

  The next morning, Nash was in the kitchen when I got up for coffee. Rory was sleeping in late. Autumn was in Nash’s room, which I really didn’t want to talk to him about. But it meant we had time to talk, just the two of us.

  “How is she this morning?” he asked as he flipped the page on the newspaper.

  Rory and I were no longer the cover. News had moved on to bigger
and better things. No one cared about us now, and that was nice. A quiet happily ever after was much better to me.

  “Still sleeping.” I shrugged as I poured some coffee. “I don’t suppose that’s a bad thing.”

  “Not necessarily, gives us time to talk.”

  I stiffened instinctively. “What about?”

  “Well,” he sighed, taking a sip of his coffee and putting down the paper. “What do you want to do next? What’s your game plan?”

  “Oh.”

  I let it hang there. The truth was, I didn’t know. What was my game plan?

  “You still need to finish school.” He turned in the seat so he could see me better.

  Maybe I was a jerk for not sitting down.

  “Yeah… about that.” I let out a sigh. “I don’t think… I don’t think I want to go back to Rainer Beach.”

  “I agree.” He tapped the side of his cup with his ring. “I think after the progress you’ve made, going back where your old friends were, that’s just asking for trouble. I’d actually looked into a school here.”

  “You what?”

  “It’s fine if you’re not interested, but between the comments I heard from Madam Caron, and what Autumn said about Rory, you just seemed… happy here. And I thought there was a chance you might not want to leave.”

  “I am happy here.” I nodded. “I guess a part of me doesn’t want to leave, but I do miss Seattle.”

  He nodded, “You don’t have to decide today, Ev, but soon. And I think you should keep your options open. I suppose Rory has a say in things as well now.”

  “Yeah.” I grinned. “I’ll be happy as long as she is.”

  I had been happy here with Rory. I’d felt loved and wanted and at peace. But all of that had been Rory, too. She made me feel all those things. I guess I could have gone anywhere with her, and Nash might have thought the exact same thing.

  Madam Caron stopped by later that morning, holding a file she passed on to Nash.

  “What’s this?” he asked.

  “Some things of Rory’s. I’m sure she’ll be needing them.” She smiled at him.

  Before he could offer anything but a meek “thank you” his phone was ringing. He headed off into the hallway, talking loudly like usual.

  Rory gave Madam Caron a tight hug. “I knew it was you.”

  Madam Caron grinned wide.

  “I don’t believe it.” Nash laughed. “They found Rory in the system! Paul said they must have over-looked it the first time; something about a trainee using the wrong spelling.”

  Madam Caron gave us both a wink at that statement, then she pulled me aside.

  “How are you feeling?” she asked. “About you and Rory and your future together.”

  “Better.” I nodded, but I knew it wasn’t genuine enough, because her face softened.

  “Has she told you how much you look like—”

  “Yes,” I scoffed, but I was smiling nervously as I did it. I wasn’t trying to be rude, but I didn’t think I could handle hearing her name again. Not just yet.

  “When I saw her growing old with someone she loved, I thought it was her.” Madam Caron sighed, eyeing me with an all-knowing smile. “But now I see, it was you.”

  She didn’t say anything else, but then again, she didn’t have to. She’d said we’d grow old together. Me and Rory would grow old together. And with only those words, and my new found belief in magic, true love, and the possibility of the impossible, suddenly my fears about losing her to something stupid like a car crash melted away.

  “You did it, little one,” she said as she turned to Rory and offered her a warm hug.

  I never thought I’d see something so motherly from a person who’d terrified me so much in the beginning.

  “I did what?” Rory asked as she pulled away, looking up.

  “You’re free now.” Madam Caron smiled. “You can just be, and be happy. I’m glad I was here to see it.”

  “Thank you, for everything. But why… why do I fear I’ll never see you again?”

  “Oh,” She tutted. “I must return to the Fae. I’ve stayed away for so long, little one. I must return home, just as you must make one here, together.”

  “You were just waiting… for me.” Rory sniffled, wiping tears from her face.

  Madam Caron nodded. “I had to see that you were safe. I had to know it worked. I couldn’t have planned it better myself.”

  She looked at me and gave me a wink.

  “I must be off,” she sighed, holding Rory’s hands in her own. “Take care of her, yes?”

  She wasn’t looking at either of us when she said it, but rather between us, as if the question was directed at us both. We nodded, and she turned to leave.

  As she pulled away, Rory was in tears, tucked under my arm, and clinging to my midsection, but she insisted it was okay.

  “It’s okay if you’re not,” I whispered into her hair. “It’s okay… it’s okay not to be okay.”

  “I am.” She sniffled. “Just knowing she was here all that time, watching over me… that’s what I needed. All I really wanted was the chance to say goodbye, and I have… to her, at least.”

  That would never happen for her and Catherine. Catherine, who we both now knew had chosen to run rather than be with her. Catherine, who Rory assured me was in her nightmares, not her dreams. Catherine who was her past, while I… I was her future.

  Being her future was perhaps the best feeling of it all.

  The file Madam Caron had given Nash contained Rory’s real identification papers. Big shocker there. I wonder where she could have cooked those up. I was thinking more magic, but she’d never admit to that, not to me, and especially not to Nash.

  Having them meant Rory wasn’t on some waitlist. She wasn’t an asylum seeker or an immigrant. They proved she was French, with a French ID, French birth certificate, and French passport.

  Suddenly the world was wide open.

  Chapter 35

  We were surrounded by boxes and bare pink walls. Gone were the posters I’d once hung, the photos I’d taped up, and the flyers from bands I barely even remembered. I was packing away the last of what remained of my things at the penthouse. Pretty much everything else was already gone.

  Autumn wasn’t a fan of how large it was, and these days, what Autumn loved was the only thing Nash cared about. So, they purchased a five-bedroom house in the suburbs, and most of the ridiculous lavish furniture here was being donated.

  “Are you ready, Even?” Rory called from the other room.

  “Yeah, I’m finishing the last box.” I stuffed my hoodie inside and forced it to shut so I could tape it.

  “Want some help?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’m still surprised to see you have a pink room.” She grinned up at me.

  “I didn’t pick it.” I stuck my tongue out at her and headed toward the door.

  Rory chased after me, her arms wrapping around my waist just as I reached the door. I felt a laugh escape my lips as we came into view of Nash and Autumn. They were both on their phones. I rolled my eyes.

  “Are you two not ready?” Nash chuckled slightly over his email. “You very well might miss your flight.”

  “Oh tra-la.” I scoffed audibly. “The private plane might leave without us.”

  “It might, I’ll send Daren a text now.”

  The smirk on his face told me he would do no such thing, but Autumn was amused nonetheless.

  “Oh, let them reminisce.” Autumn sighed. “I’m sure there are things Even will miss about this place.”

  “No, actually, if I could have convinced him to sell the place the moment I stepped foot into it, I would have. But Rory over here does love the view.”

  “The Seattle is so beautiful.” Rory sighed next to me, her eyes out the large picture window.

  I kissed her temple, turning back to Nash. “What about you, are you going to miss anything about this place?”

  He let out a sigh and finally put his
phone down, looking around at the now nearly empty apartment. He shook his head. “If I’m honest, and it pains me to be so, I wasn’t around enough to miss it.” We locked eyes. “More negative memories here than good ones.”

  I nodded. Same for me, but I wouldn’t say that out loud. This house had meant mostly lonely nights, dinners alone, or screaming matches between the two of us. There was very little I remembered about the penthouse that was actually positive, and leaving it behind was like throwing out the trash.

  “Alright,” Autumn chimed. “The movers are set to be here by morning. All your boxes are marked?”

  I nodded. “Big, bold, blue letters. Hard to miss.”

  “I can’t believe you’re going to college already!” Autumn chirped as she crossed the room to me with open arms.

  I let her hug me. I was getting more used to those now.

  It had only taken me six weeks with a private tutor to finish my senior year of high school, which impressed the hell out of Nash, because he didn’t realize my grades had been low not because I wasn’t smart, but because I didn’t give a damn. Given the chance to jump on through, get my diploma, and move on with my life with Rory, I worked my ass off.

  She was worth trying for.

  Rory, on the other hand, had a bit longer in the schooling department. She was brilliant, a quick study, and basically loved the idea of devouring information, but she was still behind on so much that she’d missed. Some of which couldn’t be taught in books. The good news was that we had time.

  So, Rory would be working on high school while I attended college. And maybe, maybe I’d consider working with the company. For now, Nash seemed pretty confident he could handle things, at least until I had a degree under my belt. Whether that was business or music, he didn’t quite seem to care.

  That was our story. How one summer, in a hidden forest in France, I woke sleeping beauty.

  Anyway, that was a much longer story than I meant it to be, but I know you’re not crazy. Because if I can wake Sleeping Beauty after she’d slept 600 years, there’s no way your Beast could surprise me.