Chapter 16: Alistair's Feelings

We had finally made it out of the city. I didn't know where to go, but I knew we couldn't stop.

"This way."I said stepping onto the thing called a highway bridge. It stood strong despite all the weather it had endured.

"Kaiser, do you want me to hold Ambrosia?"Titan offered, I didn't want to give her up.

I shook my head, "It's ok."

"Kaiser, we are worried about you. You haven't had sleep since we made it out two days ago."Fenrir's tail swayed, Stella was fast asleep in his arms.

"That's not true, I got some sleep when you took guard. I'll sleep when I know we are safe."I was getting irritated with everyone trying to baby me.

"Kaiser. That wasn't sleep, I know you were faking. I sensed you watching the door."Fenrir looked at me with eyes of a person one step ahead.

"The day you get sleep will be the day pigs fly then."Alistair shook his head.

"Kaiser."Shira demanded.

I stopped dead in my tracks, a shiver when up and down my spine as I slowly turned around to face Shira, whose eyes were deadly.

"Yes..."I gulped, nervously smiling at her.

"You. Need. Sleep."She glared.

"Y-yes ma'am."

"Are we just supposed to rest here?"Alistair looked around at the road.

Fenrir stopped, sniffing the air. "Take cover!"He dropped to the ground shielding Stella.

Then a rain began to fall, it was a cruel rain, rain that burned the skin. Black acid rain. I followed Fenrir's lead and dropped to the ground, throwing my body over Ambrosia's to protect her.

Titan pulled Alistair and Shira close before putting up a blue shield around all seven of us. Fenrir nor I moved, despite the fact that we were safe under his shield. I hesitated, before realizing that I could trust Titan with Ambrosia's life. Fenrir looked at me skeptically, his ears twitched, before he realized he could trust Titan with Stella's life.

The black rain pelted the shield, running down it's translucent blue bubble solution like look.

"Is anyone hurt?"Shira said looking around at us.

"Thanks to Titan's quick thinking I only got away with a few minor burns."Alistair lightly touched his dark green sleeve that now had a hole in it where his freckled arm could be seen. His arm was now red where a black droplet resided. But it wasn't so simple. The droplet seeped into his skin and began eating away at his flesh. He winced in pain. Which makes sense as he wasn't really put through physical torture so much as he was psychological ones.

"Ow."He winced again, rubbing the droplet away with his other sleeve.

"Here let me."Shira walked over to him, a gentle green light emitted from her hands and Alistair's burn went away, his flesh scabbed over before falling off revealing his freckled flesh once again.

"Thank you Shira."He smiled. She nodded.

The rain pounded down on Titan's shield.

"Are you tired Titan?"Shira stepped up behind him.

"I'm ok. This is nothing compared to Test 98."He chuckled.

"So Alistair, you should ask the collars how to get them off."I suggested.

"I've tried, but it would hurt them."Alistair looked pained.

"Well we need to get them off."Fenrir glared.

He looked at everyone's collar before nodding his head. He stared intently at my collar, he was communicating with it. He explained how to take it off without detonating the bomb or triggering the poison.

Fenrir immediately started on getting Stella's collar off. It snapped off, he tossed it aside. Alistair caught the collar, placing it in his bag.

Shira helped get Titan's collar off as he kept his shield up. Alistair hesitated before taking his own off. I went to take Ambrosia's off.

"Wait stop!"Alistair yelled.

"What?"I turned around confused, raising an eyebrow.

"Her's is different."He let out a heavy breath of relief.

"Well ask it how to take it off."I huffed.

"I cannot."He said gravely, looking at the ground.

"And why the hell not?"

"Because her's is silenced."

"Wha- What do you mean?"I said frantically.

"I cannot speak to it."He looked away from me, he couldn't hold my gaze.

"Well try harder!"

"I've been trying dammit!"He yelled, he tipped his body, looking down. Tears dripped from his eyes to the ground. "I've been trying all this time!"He continued. "I know how much she means to you."He sounded pained. "I want her to wake up!"He said between sobs. "I want her to wake up for you!!"

It was then that I realized... "Alistair?"

He sniffled, his teary eyes looking up at me ashamed.

"Are you in love with me?"

He stopped, looking shocked. "I-"

I walked over to him, wrapping my long arms around his thin, yet muscular frame.

"Alistair...Thank you."I smiled, holding him in my arms.

"But you can never be with me."He sobbed."Because you..."He sniffled again. "Because you love her!"He cried louder and harder.

My heart froze in my chest. "Ali I..."

"It's ok...You don't have to say anything. I've loved you for a long time. I don't mind waiting for you."

"I could never ask you to wait for a day that not just may never come, but will never come."I held him close. Alistair was a dear friend of mine. I treasured him deeply, but his feelings for me, I can't imagine the suffering he must have been enduring this whole time with my mind focused on Ambrosia.

"Kaiser.."He said softly. "I know but.."Tears streamed down his cheek. "I won't ever stop waiting for you."He looked up at me, leaning in for a kiss.