Hell Rose

Episode 7 - Patience

Alani, Leon, and Ezra had searched day and night for several days trying to find where Amara had gone. They separated and searched all over the city- and even state- only to come up empty handed. Alani constantly cried at their failures to find her sister, and she hadn't said a word to Ezra since. Ezra knew he deserved to hear them both tell him that it was his fault, yet neither of them did.

He didn't understand why they hadn't blamed him or yelled and screamed at him for doing such to Amara. Part of him was grateful, since he didn't have an explanation as to why he did it. He just felt so betrayed that they didn't tell him. Especially that he was the only one who didn't know. Not that he gave them any comfort in telling him.

Now, Amara is gone, and they can't find her. She'd run away from them. She'd run away from him. He couldn't get the fight out of his head. How she cowered to him. How he scared her so much that she couldn't fight back until she had gotten out of hitting distance. How her 5'4" form was trembling in fear against his 6'2" body. He had no doubt she could pack a punch, it was the fact that she wouldn't do that to him that made him realize just how bad he was.

She was right. She was completely right. He was an asshole who was too stubborn to admit that he was wrong, and pushed someone amazing to the point that they might do something that would get themselves killed... or worse.

Maybe that's why Leon and Alani haven't argued with him about this. Maybe it's because Leon and Alani both know that he's already beating himself up over it. They know that he's going to suffer the most in her absence. They know that he may never get her forgiveness, and that will forever change him. Or maybe they are just too busy trying to find her and correct his mistake rather than worrying about him and what he's doing so long as he helps.

They accept his help with a grain of salt.

Ezra knew that. He knew that's all it was. He knew that he'd become the necessary evil in the situation. Someone they didn't really want there, but they let him because he was helping them. He had to find some way to correct this mistake. Eventually, they will find her, and he will have to apologize.

The problem is: Even though words have gotten him into this situation, they will not get him out.

He would have to find some way to earn her forgiveness. A simple apology will not be enough. He would honestly be disappointed if it were. Amara is not going to be that easy. It took a lot of bravery for her to tell him, and he blew up in her face. He has to make things right with her. Not just because he wants to or they want him to, but because he knows it's the right thing to do.

Amara has to come back to the house for safety, but she has been really good at keeping them from finding her. Especially Ezra. She'd already been wearing a camouflage to keep him from sensing her. Maybe it will keep Drakar from doing so as well. He hoped. He couldn't let them take her.

The three desperate would-be friends all exhaustedly plopped onto the couch and chair. They'd been going day and night trying to find Amara, but to no avail. She was out of their reach for the moment. Ezra sighed and rubbed his face and laid his head back. He wasn't expecting to be so tired that closing his eyes for a few moments would cause him to fall asleep in his chair.

Alani frowned watching him sleep. "How does he sleep knowing what he did?" Alani asked Leon. "Same way we sleep. When we're so tired our bodies just can't take it anymore. Ezra is beyond exhausted. I can feel it. He would've passed out mid-flight if we hadn't gotten home so quickly," Leon explained, and Alani nodded a bit and rested her head on Leon's shoulder.

"We have to find her," Alani choked. "And we will," Leon assured, "After a small nap." Alani nodded a bit and dozed off faster than she thought she could. Leon was out not long after, and they took the opportunity to catch up on the sleep they missed while trying to find Amara. It would be hours before the first of them, Leon, would wake up and regather himself. Alani sniveling in her sleep was enough to make him want to cry.