“Don’t.” he said. “You don’t need too.”
“You won’t listen to me telling you that you need to live,” she said, “why would I listen to you telling me what to do?”
“Because I won’t be here.” he said.
“I just have to hope that you will be.” She said softly.
“You’ll be disappointed.” he said.
She couldn’t hold back a sob. She covered her face, ran her hands over it, and climbed off of the bed. ”I’m so sorry.” She said, heading for the door.
“Don’t.” he said. “You don’t need too.”
“You won’t listen to me telling you that you need to live,” she said, “why would I listen to you telling me what to do?”
“Because I won’t be here.” he said.
“I just have to hope that you will be.” She said softly.
“You have plenty of reasons to live, you’ve just decided that they don’t matter.” She replied. ”You should want to be here for your son.”
“No I don’t.” he said. “My son deserves better than me, so do you, and Pip.”
“Well, you’re the only one who thinks that,” she said. She so wished she could make him see.
“It’s true though.” he said. “I do nothing good.”
“Try,” she urged. ”Do something! No one ever healed this way!”
“There’s nothing I can do.” he said.
She didn’t want to start crying outright. She knew that would just serve to make Lachlan cry. ”I’m sorry you’re in so much pain,” she said softly. She lay Lachlan down on the mattress and kissed his forehead. When she straightened she wrapped her arms around Aedan tightly, “I love you,” she pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’ll come back.”
“Don’t.” he said. “You don’t need too.”
“You won’t listen to me telling you that you need to live,” she said, “why would I listen to you telling me what to do?”
“You have plenty of reasons to live, you’ve just decided that they don’t matter.” She replied. ”You should want to be here for your son.”
“No I don’t.” he said. “My son deserves better than me, so do you, and Pip.”
“Well, you’re the only one who thinks that,” she said. She so wished she could make him see.
“It’s true though.” he said. “I do nothing good.”
“Try,” she urged. ”Do something! No one ever healed this way!”
“There’s nothing I can do.” he said.
She didn’t want to start crying outright. She knew that would just serve to make Lachlan cry. ”I’m sorry you’re in so much pain,” she said softly. She lay Lachlan down on the mattress and kissed his forehead. When she straightened she wrapped her arms around Aedan tightly, “I love you,” she pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’ll come back.”
“You have plenty of reasons to live, you’ve just decided that they don’t matter.” She replied. ”You should want to be here for your son.”
“No I don’t.” he said. “My son deserves better than me, so do you, and Pip.”
“Well, you’re the only one who thinks that,” she said. She so wished she could make him see.
“It’s true though.” he said. “I do nothing good.”
“Try,” she urged. ”Do something! No one ever healed this way!”
“You have plenty of reasons to live, you’ve just decided that they don’t matter.” She replied. ”You should want to be here for your son.”
“No I don’t.” he said. “My son deserves better than me, so do you, and Pip.”
“Well, you’re the only one who thinks that,” she said. She so wished she could make him see.
“You deserve better than me.” he said softly. “And so does Lachlan.”
“I don’t believe that,” she said. ”I’ve never met anyone more wonderful.” She felt more for him than she had felt for even the prince of her first life.
“There are far more wonderful people than me.” he said.
“That doesn’t mean you can just die,” she murmured scornfully.
“I have no reason to live.” he said, hanging his head.
“You have plenty of reasons to live, you’ve just decided that they don’t matter.” She replied. ”You should want to be here for your son.”
“You deserve better than me.” he said softly. “And so does Lachlan.”
“I don’t believe that,” she said. ”I’ve never met anyone more wonderful.” She felt more for him than she had felt for even the prince of her first life.
“There are far more wonderful people than me.” he said.
“That doesn’t mean you can just die,” she murmured scornfully.
“He’s better off without me.” he said. “Pip could raise him better.”
“Does she get a say in that?” Asked Mari, “You leave her behind and she’ll feel just like you do now.”
“She’s been without me before.” he said. “And she survived.”
“It doesn’t mean she’ll relish being without you now,” she snapped. ”Aedan, how can I make you see how much you’re needed?”
“Because I’m not needed.” he said. “I haven’t been needed for decades, hell, centuries.”
“Aedan, there are people right her that need you. Right here in this castle. I’m holding one of them. I’m one of them.” She felt her eyes filling with tears. ”Please don’t die.”
“Everyone is better off without me.” he said. “I do nothing but cause pain.”
“You gave me some of the first happiness in my life,” she said. ”The only time you’ve caused me pain is now, seeing you this way.”
“You’ll find someone else to give you happiness.” he said.
“I don’t want someone else, I want you,” she felt a trickle of heat as a tear rolled down her cheek, though she tried desperately to hold it back.
“You deserve better than me.” he said softly. “And so does Lachlan.”
“I don’t believe that,” she said. ”I’ve never met anyone more wonderful.” She felt more for him than she had felt for even the prince of her first life.
“He’s better off without me.” he said. “Pip could raise him better.”
“Does she get a say in that?” Asked Mari, “You leave her behind and she’ll feel just like you do now.”
“She’s been without me before.” he said. “And she survived.”
“It doesn’t mean she’ll relish being without you now,” she snapped. ”Aedan, how can I make you see how much you’re needed?”
“Because I’m not needed.” he said. “I haven’t been needed for decades, hell, centuries.”
“Aedan, there are people right her that need you. Right here in this castle. I’m holding one of them. I’m one of them.” She felt her eyes filling with tears. ”Please don’t die.”
“Everyone is better off without me.” he said. “I do nothing but cause pain.”
“You gave me some of the first happiness in my life,” she said. ”The only time you’ve caused me pain is now, seeing you this way.”
“You’ll find someone else to give you happiness.” he said.
“I don’t want someone else, I want you,” she felt a trickle of heat as a tear rolled down her cheek, though she tried desperately to hold it back.
