back to Ash's POV. pretty dramatic this chapter :) ENJOY!



The blank void lifted, gradually stirring me from an un-namable slumber.
‘Ash?’ A strange, bleak voice called, seeming so far away I was baffled as to why I could hear it clearly. I wanted to ignore the voice, for once, and not reach out for it. I’d been through it too many times this year; hearing a faint voice, reaching for it, but seeming to wake up into a babble of chaos or confusion or disappointment or decisions.
‘Aislinn, come on. I’m here.’ I would have groaned but all that came was a faint, whispery breath of air. A dry throat clogged my speech as I gradually opened my eyes, only to meet a fuzzy, blurry void.
‘Come on, Ash.’ That voice again, I wish it would just shut up. My head was pounding, like the beat of a heart or the bass of a speaker. I blinked, trying to clear my vision.
‘Will?’ I croaked. I felt like someone had scratched my throat out, it was far from bearable.
‘Oh Ash!’ Will had been holding my hand when my feeling came back, like people do on films while they sit next to the hospital bed, but it was now tracing over my face lightly, as if making sure I was real. I leaned my head over, trying to face Will. ‘That’s it. Don’t try to sit up.’ He cooed. My hand came to my face, wanting to rub my eyes, but the skin was so tender and sore I could hardly put any pressure on. My fingers brushed something across my nose that had attached itself, like a clip. I tried to pull it out but Will’s hand caught my wrist.
‘Hey, hey.’ He cautioned ‘Stop right there. You’ve only just woken up and you’re already trying to fiddle with something.’ My arm went limp and slipped out of his grasp, I hardly had enough energy to keep my eyes open, but I couldn’t help it. Will’s face was as perfect as I had remembered. I stared for as long as possible, until the strain was too much and my eyelids dropped closed again. His soft hand came across my face, brushing away the cobwebs of hair that I’d wiped across.
A faint whisper escaped, along the lines of,
‘Just get it out, Will.’ But instead he faintly skimmed his lips across my forehead.
‘Always the one to argue.’ His deep chuckle didn’t have the hint of humor it normally had. Instead it ended in a sigh, a hopeless sigh. Mustering up enough energy, I guided my fingers up to his face and felt his soft breathe brush my fingers. I smiled. He smiled; I could feel his lips under my fingers.
‘Your freezing, Ash.’ He laid an extraordinarily hot hand over mine and I clutched it closer, savoring the warmth it fed me.
‘My nose is cold.’ I moaned, nuzzling it into his neck. This time I heard the humor in his chuckle. His lips laid burning warmth onto my skin, feeling the contrast of heat was weird; almost inhuman. I clutched him closer, wanting everything of his just to soak into my skin and set me on fire. I wanted to concentrate on finding answers, but I couldn’t. I wanted to focus on his words, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t set my mind. It was filled with Will, quenching my thirst for him that I’d missed so much.
‘Would it hurt… if I lifted you?’ It probably would, but Will’s touch was hard to reject once offered to me. I simply tried to nod, wincing into the pillow as I tried to hide the pain in my face. Two sturdy hands slipped under my side, ever-so softly, and pulled me close to him. Clenching my whole body was so painful and sore a whimper escaped my lips, and Will sped up his movements, as he laid me further over in the bed. I instantly recoiled over onto my side, clutching my whole body limply, facing away from Will. I heard two boots hit the floor and the crunch of the mattress as it strained under our combined weight. One by one, each of his legs swung onto the bed and I felt a hand snaked over my body and the second stretched up, over the head-board. His body fit into mine, cradling me in warmth and safety, and made me even crazier for him, for normality. His touch set everything into over-drive. Mind racing, heart pounding, cheeks as red as ever. Two pairs-of-legs hung over the end of the bed as I entwined mine through his, determined to increase my mass of skin touching his and feed off his warmth. I was truly on fire with everything I could have, and want.
‘Better?’ He mumbled into my neck. A pleased moan was all I could muster, blissed out and totally at ease. The warmth rolled over me; not wanting to leave as it clung to us both, radiating from Will. It was like it had always been, everything I remembered our friendship was. Only there was one difference, only a small one. Will seemed skinnier and… weak, weaker than I remembered. I reached over my shoulders, burying my hand into his hair but when I pulled my hand out, his hair seemed to have grown. It was now just below his ears and was knotted and torn.
‘Will’ I croaked ‘you’ve been eating, right?’ He stammered a little.
‘Well… Not exactly. Look, can we not-…’ But I cut him off.
‘And your hair is longer, I don’t remember you growing it.’
‘Ash… Just-‘ Cut him off, again.
‘Cut the crap, Will. What’s going on? Why all the changes? It’s not like I’ve been gone for ages and you can suddenly stop eating.’ I felt his arms tighten, slightly, around me.
‘Ash. You’ve not just been asleep. You’ve been a coma.’ I heard my heart stop. A coma? No, this was wrong. I’d just been knocked out. Surely…
‘How long?’ I asked. No feeling in the words, just numbness.
‘Ash. Please, let-‘
‘How long, Will?’ I forced out, between clenched teeth. I couldn’t feel the pain, just the numbness.

‘Fourteen Months.’