Star Crossed by Sammisawr (online e reader txt) 📕

only whisper his name; "William..." 
William put his hand on hers gently, "Helen..." he whispered. Lying down next to her he looked deeply into her eyes and just stayed there.  
 
Moving her hand to his cheek Helen could feel tears still coming down her face. "I was so scared..." she whispered.  
 
William put a hand on her cheek as well, moving closer to her. "I know...I know...I'm so sorry I didn't do anything..." 
Emotions overwhelming her, Helen moved closer and rested her forehead on his shoulder as she started to cry silently. Her frail body figure trembled slightly and even though she wanted to, Helen could not try to find a way to hide her fear from the ghost by her side. A sob escaped her lips and as she spoke, her voice was one which she herself could not recognize; "William, don't do that again.. Don’t leave me ever again..." 
William wrapped his arms around her, something he thought he would never had been able to do. "I won't...I promise...I will never leave you again...Never..." he whispered, kissing the top of her head. "Never..." 
Helen closed her eyes and let him hold her close, her tears gradually slowing their pace. Her tiredness eventually took hold of her completely and before she knew it, she closed her eyes and fell asleep. 
William looked down at her once her breathing became slow and soft. "Helen?" he asked quietly. "Helen?"  
 
Sighing he slowly moved her off of him and picked her up. Surprised that he could hold her he started moving towards the house which was only 200 yards away. 
Reaching the door, William knocked and waited for Helen's father to appear, knowing full well that he would be the one to open the door. A few of the servants were leaving to send Helen's clothes when he raced out, and judging by the late hour, William was not afraid of doing such an act.  
 
Eventually, it opened, revealing a very annoyed-looking Dr. Watson. He was about to scold the person, only realizing with wide eyes what he was seeing.  
 
"Great heavens!" 
 
"Dr. Watson. I found your daughter slung over the shoulder of that Shawn boy. He had just slapped her but when she elbowed him in the back and he threw to the ground. I surprised him and he ran, leaving your daughter on the ground, gasping for breath," he said standing in the door way.  
 
Dr. Watson just stood there staring at the ghost holding his daughter. "Come in, quickly," he managed to get out. 
As soon as the door was closed, Dr. Watson took his daughter in his arms, noticing that her face was obviously tear-stained. Speechless, he could only concentrate on the state of his daughter and the very little cuts around her body. Glancing back at the ghost, he pursed his lips; "Mind if you help me with her?" He asked apologetically. 
William nodded, keeping his face emotionless. Following Dr. Watson walk up the stairs he kept his hands on his back so that he wouldn't fall. "Let's just put her in her room," William said from behind.  
 
Dr. Watson nodded. "Yes, I think that's the best..." he said softly looking down at his daughter.  
 
Reaching Helens' room he gently set her down, making sure she was comfortable. "I'm going to go get some antibiotic ointment. Will you stay up here with her?" Dr. Watson asked William, his eyes pleading.  
 
William nodded and waited until he left before going over and lying down next to Helen like they had in the grass. 
Helen stirred slightly and jerked awake, moving her eyes across the room. Recognizing where she was, her eyes dropped slightly, too weak to stay awake. She felt William's presence near her but Helen concentrated in her breathing instead as she closed her eyes.  
 
"Helen? Are you awake?" She heard him ask softly into her ear. 
Helen nodded, too weak to speak.  
 
William wrapped his arms around her like before and whispered in her ear, "You're father will be here soon...so I want to tell you something. Helen, I l-"  
 
But he was cut off as Dr. Watson came into the room, reading the tube of antibiotic ointment. "It says to apply to every scratch needed." Looking up he saw how his daughter was positioned in William's arm. His face went pink. 
Spotting him, William released her and nodded, making Helen open her own eyes weakly. Wanting no explanation, Dr. Watson crossed to her and kissed her forehead gently; "Helen, go to sleep. We'll talk when you feel better." He said softly. Again, she offered no response and closed her eyes with a slight cough.  
 
"Err -" William started, biting his lips at the awkwardness.  
 
Dr. Watson could only give him a small smile; "Looks like a fever. Would you please take a damp towel for me?" He asked. As William turned away, Dr. Watson breathed softly; "And... thanks you." 
William got up and got the towel like he asked. When he placed it on Helen's head, "You're welcome," he said not bothering to whisper it.  
 
As they both stood up after applying the ointment to Helen's visible scratches William looked from Helen to Dr. Watson awkwardly. "Do...do you want me to leave so you can look for...others?" he asked. 
Turning rather pink, Dr. Watson managed a nod, noticing his daughter stirring slightly once again. He pressed his hand on her forehead as the ghost left with a nod, slumping down with a rather amused look on the doctor's face. "What a day..." He sighed, ringing for a maid.  
 
"...Fa... father?" 
"Yes dear?" he asked her lifting her shirt so her stomach showed. There was quite a large scratch on her stomach. "Hold still, Baby. I'm just going to put some medicine on your cuts, it might sting but I’m not sure."  
 
Helen nodded. "Where's William?" she managed to ask.  
 
"He just stepped out for a moment while I get some of your personal cuts," Dr. Watson told her. 
"Shawn... he..." Helen trailed off.  
 
"Yes, I know." Dr. Watson interjected. "I know." He helped her sit up and applied a few more to her back, keeping his voice low; "Helen, I'd like to apologies. I should have listened. I know you have a lot to say... and I'm prepared for the worst. But really, try and sleep. After I get this finished, I'll call William in."  
 
Helen leaned onto her father's shoulder and rested her cheek on it. "This alright..." 
"Thank you..." he whispered, kissing her head. Applying some to the last of her cuts he laid her back down and put the towel back on her head. "Just rest now, that's all that can help you."  
 
Helen nodded, leaning back but keeping her eyes open.  
 
Dr. Watson kissed his daughter briefly and left the room to find William leaning against the wall on the other side of the hallway. "She wants to see you." 
William entered the room, slightly nervous.  
Her eyes were closed but, he could tell by her breathing that she was awake, barely, but still.  
 
He came to her bed side and whispered in her ear.  
“I’ll love you till the end of time, until the rivers stop flowing until the lavender stops growing, I love you Helen.”  
 
She rolled over to face him, fatigue flushed across her features. Her eyes droopy and watery. “William. I-I Love-“  
 
“Hush now, sleep, I’ll lay with you till the sunrises, and the birds sing, till all my love has healed everything.”  
 
And with that Helen slept, a kind of deep peaceful sleep the kind of sleep she can only remember having, when her mom used to sing her to sleep, everything just melted away. 
Helen jerked up as the horrible memory flashed back to her, filling her senses with frightening images. Her weakness took hold of her and she slumped down with a sigh, only to find a hand grasping hers;  
 
"Helen, it's alright." William's soothing voice filled hers. "You're safe... it's over. You're home."  
 
"William?" She managed weakly.  
 
"Yes, Helen?"  
 
"I can't... remember. After he dropped me... I can't remember much.. I was scared..." She trailed off with a cough. "William..." 
"It's fine..." he whispered. "Just...I'm here now...You're alright. That's all that matters," he said tenderly.  
 
"Why...why didn't you help?" she ended with a coughing fit.  
 
"..I don’t...know. Helen I wanted to…so badly. But I didn’t' think anything that bad would happen...I'm sorry." 
Helen reached forward and grabbed his hand as she coughed again; "You're not telling yourself the truth..."  
 
"Helen -"  
 
"William." She tried to sit up; "You knew he was dangerous..." 
William made her lay back down. “I know...I knew he was dangerous...I was just so mad that he was going to get away with it and your father would let him...I didn't know what I was thinking...I'm sorry."  
 
"Sorry," she coughed, "isn’t' good enough now..." 
William crouched down and placed his hand on her forehead, brows furrowing with concern. "Helen..."  
 
"You're always like that, William..." Helen sighed weakly, ignoring her own health. "Always lying to us both... always..." She hung her head. "...Why?" 
"I'm...trying to avoid the hurt..." he whispered, for once telling the truth.  
 
"What hurt William?" she said meekly. "You're only hurting us...by pushing me away...that's the only way..."  
 
"I know...but the thought of loosing you...tears me up...I couldn't handle it, not again." 
Helen raised her eyes and forced herself into a half-sitting position. Tears started to well in her eyes, but she blinked them away as she placed her hand to his cheek. "So… You’re... You’re saying that to avoid your own hurt.. you'd let this happen to me also?"  
 
"Helen -"  
 
"Are you denying it?"
William sighed, dropping his head. Muttering just audible, "No...I'm not denying it…"  
 
Helen swallowed her tears and sat up. "F-Friends wouldn't hurt friends like that..." 
"Helen…" William sighed softly.  
 
"Nobody would do such a thing as that..." Helen coughed as a tear fell from her eye. "Not even me... After seeing with both my eyes on how my mother and sister were killed, I couldn't even bring myself to do that..." She looked up into his icy-blue eyes and pressed her lips; "William… I need you..." 
 
"..I didn't think it would hurt you so bad...I never thought ..." he whispered.  
 
"Stop lying!" she said as loud as she could. Tears started to flow down her cheeks again. "Stop...just...stop lying to me William."  
 
William sat down next to her on the bed. "Helen…I am so sorry...I didn't think..."  
 
"No, you didn't." 
He sighed and Helen bowed her head as her tears flowed freely. "William, how can I tell what you want when you're doing this to me?" Helen whispered softly. "I need you..."  
 
"Helen, I don't know what to say..."  
 
"...Do you really want me gone that badly?" 
"..I really don’t' want to have to sit on my but and watch as you grow older, fall in love with another man, get married, have kids, and grow old and die. Helen...I don't want...I do...I…don’t' know…" he finished quietly.  
 
"Figure it out. Because every minute you push me away, is another minute of my time wasted. William...I love you." 
"Helen..." William breathed in surprise, only to find Helen brushing more tears away.  
 
"William, I have said that countless times and I mean each second of the phrase. It pains me more to know that you want me to leave you..."  
 
"Helen." William hugged her, lost for words, holding her tight as she trembled. 
"Helen..." he said slowly. “I don't want you to leave..." he whispered, hugging her.  
 
"Then why were you pushing me away so hard?" she asked, still trembling. 
"I don't know, Helen..." He answered with a sigh. "...Whatever answer I can give does not also satisfy myself."  
 
Helen pushed him away and wiped her tears slowly. "William... do you love me or not? Tell the truth." 
William dropped his head slightly. After a few moments he looked back up to her deep