Ascension

Lorelei

Oh I was in so much pain when I woke up. I still am but I have pain killers in my system. I realized when I woke up I was still covered in mud and leaves from when we had to camouflage. I knew I had to get clean or else I wouldn't be able to get anything done but to be honest I don't know If I will be able to get anything done anyway so yeah.

There were no nurses near my cot in the tent so I got up with minimal issues from my arm. I just sort of up and left. I tried not to look like I was in much pain when I passed people but I couldn't help but let out a grunt of pain when someone nudged up against my arms.

They looked back and I just smiled at them but it felt so strained I'm sure it was more like a grimace. They quickly turned around and walked away. It was okay with me. I continued toward the edge of the water like I was originally doing.

When I got to the water I slumped down against a rock. I tried to move my arm from it's position on my torso. It didn't work so well. I ended up crying out in pain when I made even the slightest movements. I broke out into a cold sweat. I can't bathe myself. They are going to have to get someone else to bathe me.

Oh stars this can't be happening to me. I bring my knees up to my abdomen and hug them with my one working arm. Tears spring to my eyes. I can't even do the most simplest of tasks right. They run down my face as I bury it into my knees.

"Lorelei!" calls out a voice so sweet to me.

I cry a little harder because I don't want Elijah to find me like this. However he does and I can't hold it together any more. I sob. I mean heaving, gut wrenching sobs that go through your entire body until every bone is shaken to the core.

He rushes over to me and hugs me.

"Lorelei do you need me to carry you back to the hospital?" Elijah asks sympathizing with my pain.

"No I can't wash the dirt of." I trail off.

I kick some dirt with my foot because even saying this to Elijah makes me sound weak and lowly.

"Do you need me to help you?" Elijah asks softly.

"Please?" I ask.

He nods his head.

"Alright let's just get this done quickly." I say already blushing.

"Right." Elijah says avoiding my gaze already.

I scoot back and prop myself up against the rock. Elijah moves over to me and begins unbuttoning my shirt for me. He looks everywhere except me when he does this. I smile at him. He is such a gentlemen.

He meets my eyes. His eyes smile at me. Not his mouth but his eyes gets little crinkles around them. My breath hitches when his hot skin meets mine. He hesitates for a minute and then continues unbuttoning my shirt and that is the first time he ever looked at my abdomen.

His eyes widen but not because of my bare skin but because of the scars that cover a lot of my skin.

"Lorelei where did you get these?" He asks still staring at the white scars that cover my pale skin.

"Some of them were from my house blowing up and the rest were from being poked and prodded by Brights." I respond wincing as he catches sight of the burn scars.

"I don't know how to respond to this." Elijah says still staring at me.

I feel suddenly very shy and have this urge to cover up my skin. I shift uncomfortably.

"You don't have to respond." I tell him.

However I don't think he was listening because he leaned in quickly and kissed me. I was shocked for a minute and didn't do anything. It took me a minute to realize that it actually was Elijah and not some sort of dream. I pulled him closer with my good arm and he broke away for a minute. He took my injured arm and placed it onto his shoulder. It hurt for a few seconds but when the pain went down I kissed him again.

Elijah's lips moved from my mouth to my neck. It took me a minute to realize that he was kissing my white scars on my porcelain neck. I dug my head into his neck and we stayed in each other's arms for a minute.

"I understand why you did it." He finally said when we broke apart.

"Why did I do it then?"

"You were afraid I was going to die like your parents."

I visibly wince at this. Even though it has already been a year since my parents died the mere mention of them is like a white hot knife digging into my side.

"However you get injured more than I do. You should be more worried about you dying than me, given your track record." Elijah sighs.

"I guess so but Elijah, I was so scared. I knew I was falling deep in love with you and I don't think I could bear it if you died. I figured I would save myself some heartache and just end our relationship." I try to explain.

"I'm not going anywhere." He tells me as I tangle my fingers in his hair and pull him in for another kiss.

"Good." I smile against his lips.

I move my arm unconsciously and I cry out in pain. Elijah breaks from me.

"We should probably get you cleaned up." He says still blushing from our kiss.

He helped me pull of my pants until I was only in underwear. I felt more exposed than I had ever felt in my life before. Elijah averted his eyes. I am thankful for that because I don't know if I could handle him looking at me.

He silently offers me his hand. I take it and he pulls me up and we walk over to the water's edge. We rest my hurt arm high out of the water. Slowly and carefully I rinse off my face until the weird sensation of being covered in mud left me.

"How are we going to wash my hair without me moving my shoulder?" I ask Elijah.

Elijah thinks for a minute trying to come up with a solution that wouldn't hurt me in the bit.

"Okay, I think I have it. Go lay on the bank with your head facing the water." Elijah tells me.

I do what he says with a little bit of help from him. I lay on the bank wondering what is next. Elijah shifts me backward until the tips of my hair floated in the water. Then he shifts me more until most of my hair is in the water.

He starts pulling dead leaves out of my hair. He does is gingerly and tenderly as if he were afraid of causing me discomfort in the slightest. Then he cupped some water in his palms and rubbed it into my dirtied black hair.

He rinses until my hair is it's normal black color. He runs his fingers through my hair trying to untangle it. I catch his eye.

"Thank you." I tell him earnestly.

"Anytime." He smiles.