TWENTY-ONE

| dedication: floatingice - for the sweet cover xx|

TWENTY- ONE

"They're not talking about you, are they?" Nolan asked under his breath.

Link's mother looked over at us as we approached and her mouth thinned into a straight line. She straightened her back and crossed her arms around her lean torso. Her son, who was standing close to her shot me one look before he turned away and planted himself on a vacant chair.

Link's Mother who seemed more agitated than anyone I've ever seen picked up her purse from the chair behind her and stalked out the waiting room. But not before telling no one in particular that she was heading out to calm her nerves.

I stared after her, unsure at who caused her the sudden discomfort. Convincing myself that I was not the subject matter, I turned my attention to something far more important which was Palmer's wellbeing.

Nolan steered us both into the direction of the plastic seats and the whole waiting room fell into a deafening silence. It didn't help that there was only us in this room, with the occasional nurse passing through. Nolan had his hand placed on my knee, a soothing innocent touch that kept my mind from steering into the danger zone. I placed my head on his shoulder, closed my eyes and waited. Falling into the unknown petrified me and the possibility of leaving this place with no good news sent my head on a frenzy.

It was not long before I felt something burning in the side of my head and when I glanced up, it was none other than Link staring openly at me. I shifted on my seat, moving my head slowly off Nolan's shoulder, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

"You okay?" Nolan asked me, leaning forward. I diverted my attention from Link and faced Nolan. With three encounters, Nolan was still a stranger yet with a soothing undertone to himself.

"Just shaken up," I admitted, my voice coming out scratchy. I shifted on my seat. "The thought of Palmer in there fighting for her life is killing me." I told Nolan, spilling out the truth.

Nolan nodded in understanding. "I can tell she means a lot to you."

"The world." I whispered in a low voice. And she did. Palmer filled a void I never knew I had. She became what I sought in a Mother all my life and the thought of not having her around made me sick inside. I kicked out the thought and decided to focus on the little hope inside of me.

A vibrating sensation appeared on the outside of my thighs and I looked down at it stupidly. Nolan reached back and dug his hand into his front pocket, retrieving his vibrating phone. Just before he picked up, my eyes caught the name on the screen. Lucian was calling him and the sudden stiffness that overtook his whole composure surprised me.

Nolan swiped his phone and answered with a careful "Hello," almost as if he was testing the waters with the person on the other end. Nolan's mouth tightened in a thin line before he slowly stood up.

"I'm not free right now-" he started to say but Lucian cut him off as Nolan shut his mouth quickly. "Alright, I'll see you in a minute." Nolan hung up his phone and turned to me with an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry," he said. I shook my head at him quickly, showing him that it was okay. He lifted his finger towards my face, just shy of my cheek. It lingered there for a long while before he dropped it and quickly stalked out the room, not once looking at Link.

Which left just Link and I in the room. He was openly staring after Nolan who you could see walking away from the door that was slowly closing. Once it fully closed, he slowly turned his head like a predator finally setting his eyes on his priced prey. His eyes from this far distance looked charcoal black, reflecting the dark allure that had reappeared around him. I shifted on my seat once again, this time out plain discomfort caused by Link again. I wouldn't have enough fingers to count how many times Link's mere presence had led to unwanted feelings.

Yet, regardless of his death glare, the sudden need to say something to him washed over me. Without batting an eye. I opened my mouth to ask about Palmer. I wasn't entirely sure what was wrong with her and now seemed the only chance to get the details even though my only source was my own sworn predator.

Yet I found myself asking a different question entirely.

"How are you holding up?" I asked him slowly. I saw the surprise cross over his face but he quickly recovered to answer.

"Managing," he answered coldly.

My eyes dropped to his hands that were clenched on his knee. He looked far from managing but I thought better to comment on it. I nodded, showing that I took his answer as something and averted my attention to the double doors that the doctors should be coming out from. Grabbing my lower lip with my teeth, I debated whether to ask what was wrong with Palmer. I should not feel so scared to ask one simple question.

With Link, not matter if we shared one moment together I always felt like we would take two steps back whenever we encountered again. It was like we'd think about our dynamic whilst apart and realise that we were threading on thin ice. Almost like calling for an immediate fall back and biting our tongue whilst looking back at what we had said.

"Palmer just had a little accident this morning but she'll be fine," Link shared, before I could ask him. "I know she will be."

_

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I had to step outside to allow my mind a break. There still wasn't an answer from the doctors about Palmer. The wait was slowly killing me, to a point that if I didn't get away I'd probably be in the next room as her, awaiting for my own medical attention.

Link's Mother hadn't appeared after her dramatic exist but I could swear I saw the flicker of her walking past the door. I had a feeling that she was here, but not necessarily waiting in the same waiting room.

As I stood on my feet, my knees nearly gave out from under me and I just about managed to drop back on my seat instead of tumbling down on the ground. I huffed out in anger under my breath, disappointed in myself for allowing my weakness to crawl it's way out of me. I stood up again, this time with a new force and ignored the quiver in my feet. I dragged my feet through the waiting room and led myself out the hospital all together.

As soon as the cold breeze hit my face, I let myself breathe in. The new air traveling through my lungs was welcomed and I pushed myself towards the end of the side road. I slowly collapsed on the side curb, letting go of the fight I had with my own body and placing my head on my knees.

I had called Versa and told her about Palmer. She fell into a few hysterics but I could hear Ryan over the phone, telling her to calm down and to get her shoes on. They both hung up but not without assuring me that they'd be on their way.

"She's out of surgery now and resting."

I snapped my head up and nearly fainted. Seeing Link hovering over me, although bearing good news, it still caught me off guard and sent my heart on a sprint.  I moved to get up but he quickly shook his head and dropped down besides me.

I had just left the waiting room and of course it would be that moment the doctor would finally grace himself upon us. I kept the annoyed jab to myself.

"You won't be able to see her for a few hours, doctor's orders." He filled me in. I watched him spread his legs in front me silently. I took note of his still clenched fists and decided not to comment on it again.

"She's okay?" I asked him slowly, teetering over the words. The short moment of being unaware and the possibility of the outcome being unpleasant didn't sit well with my stomach. I stared into the side of his face, latching onto everything at the same time.

He finally looked at me, his dark eyes swimming with something new. "Yeah," he replied in a low voice. "She's okay."

I breathed out heavily. The relief that washed over me was welcomed with open arms and I finally allowed the solid hold on my heart to loosen. Everything slowly started to clear up, my mind finally able to make sense of a few things, although still shut down in certain areas.

She is okay. A calming voice repeated in my head and I set it on replay, to let it fully sink in.

Link still had his eyes on me and I could feel him cooking something up. He opened his mouth but quickly shut it and diverted his gaze. I watched him pull his legs in and cross it in front of him whilst turning away from me. He placed his hands on his knees and tightened his knuckles repeatedly.

"You alright?" I asked him. I knew he was managing, as he told me a few hours ago. But now something different had come over him and it was clear it was gnawing at him from the inside.

"I'm-"

I quickly cut him off, already catching his drift and the common lie dangling down from his tongue. "Don't say you're fine or managing or whatever, because you're not." I told him straight up. I dropped my voice, exposing myself so Link knew that I was not his enemy. "You can talk to me." I assured him in a whisper, hoping that he could hear the honesty in my voice.

Link slowly turned his head to me, this time his gaze stoic and unwavering. I swallowed back my next words and instantly wished I could take back what I said. I nervously fidgeted, whilst inwardly berating myself for still finding Link extremely frightening. But I kept my cool, still trying to convince him that he could talk to me.

"You'd be the last person I would ever want to talk to."

One step forward, two steps back...

****

> I. AM. SORRY. But I can explain for the disappearance. Uni work. UNI.

> in other words, Pretty Little Liars is back on. What even happened to Haleb and Spoby like get back together you hooligans ain't nobody got time for pointless chit chatting just kiss and make up byeee

> Please don't forget to comment and vote and accept my sincere apology <3333