emma was glad that he was here, that she had found him and they could have each others back through this. she wouldn’t have wanted to end up here alone. her face was still tucked into him. she wasn’t really close to any guys any more, her confidence from kieran had been shot and in all honesty she wasn’t looking to put herself out there. it wasn’t that she never would again but she was definitely on a break with it. she was done for now. she just wanted to concentrate on her friends and her mom, her life – get it back on track before she added anyone else to it. if she brought anyone else in right now it wouldn’t be fair. she’d just suffocate them in all the mess. “thank you.” she whispered practically in his ear. she needed to know that he wasn’t going anywhere, that he was going to stick around because she trusted him and it meant a lot. that’s what she needed – someone she could trust and someone who would trust her. “hey don’t say that.” it wasn’t that she minded but it was sad and not true. “you have all of us. okay? but yeah, sure – you know you always have me.”
“it’s not that.” it wasn’t. it wasn’t an attack on him. no, maybe he hadn’t trusted her at the time but she didn’t blame him for that. not any more. no one had. “hey. it wasn’t that. this wasn’t about you.” her fingers squeezing his slightly. “you were never a shit friend – there was a lot going on back then so you don’t have to do that to yourself. okay?” feelings were everywhere and in all honesty she hadn’t blamed them for not believing her because she hadn’t wanted to believe it herself. “the last person i trusted with something like this was kieran so i just, um – “ she swallowed hard. “but it wasn’t about you.” emma wouldn’t do that. at the time when no one believed her stories it had been difficult and parts of her did feel alone but she didn’t blame them. she’d been angry at them but she understood. “and before doesn’t matter. it doesn’t.” realising she needed to get this part of the conversation back on track. “we all made mistakes, noah. you believe me now and that’s what matters. i promise. okay?” a small smile on her features as she broke from him a little to look at him. “it’s okay.”
hearing him she chuckled, keeping her hand under his. it was nice to have contact with someone like this or at least have it and not want to pull away. “i like your motto. good luck with that.” a true smile on her features now, a sign she was teasing.”i hope not.” in regards to kieran not being able to hurt them any more. “okay. okay. you’re right – let’s figure this out.” they needed too before it literally made her crazy and before it went too far. this might not be real and if it wasn’t then that would be something she could work out but if this was real? they needed to get on top of it before it got on top of them. “you think it could mean something else here? i don’t know noah.” was that too far of a leap? “i have enough of an issue thinking this could be from our world but from others? do we even want that to be a possibility?” her eyes drifted down, hearing his question as she nodded slowly. “yeah, they did.” her voice quiet. “but i ran… i know i should have stayed but i –” she shook her head, biting her lip again. “i ran, they didn’t touch me but they tried.”
it did feel nice to be so close to someone like this. Emma was important to him and his mind has been racing with worry ever since he found out about Kieran and then “Alex” at the Whitten mansion she just couldn’t seem to catch a break. He couldn’t even fathom how shot her confidence must be when it came to any sort of relationship, not that he felt Emma needed one but those guys taking advantage of her sweet, trusting nature bothered him. She deserved better than some idiots to bring her down like that because she was an easy target. It made him want to protect her that much more so holding her close to him, stroking at her hair with his fingers, he felt a certain comfort next to her as a soft smile spread across his lips. “I love you, Em, not like THAT of course,” He started to stammer immediately after having said the word ‘love’ Audrey was usually the only girl he’d ever use it because she actually GOT it and their friendship was too strong to not be able to easily understand what it means when they shared it but right now it felt like the best word he could use to describe his feelings as he gently brushed her hair off of her shoulder continuing to stroke at her arm, “I am here for you 100% that is what friends do, support each other.” He sighed closing his eyes for a brief moment to take in the moment as he whispered, “you don’t have to thank me for anything. I am here because I want to be. I don’t know what I would do without you but I CAN’T lose you, we can't lose each other, okay? That is a promise.”
He was more desperate than ever to hang onto her. He found himself keeping his friends even closer than ever after everything and where he once considered himself a loner, their experiences in Lakewood brought him closer to people and for once he was able to rely on people besides Audrey, Emma quickly being one of those people. He knew she was trying to be comforting and he found himself nodding his head in acknowledgement but the other part didn’t feel convinced. “It wasn’t just YOU, Em . . . remember when I started to suspect Audrey to be behind everything? I have always considered myself a loyal person but who does that? Who doubts their BEST friend? I let her down and I let YOU down, I let both of you down and I am just. . .” he sighed squeezing just as tightly at her hand before looking over at her, “I am really sorry, you know? You’re worth more to me than some stupid seemingly unrealistic vision. I’ll never not believe you again, I promise.” He assured her with a smile as he placed a quick, gentle kiss to her hand and once again interlaced their fingers together, “those were mistakes I should have never made.” It felt good to get it out there at least Emma knew and it was something he was never able to fully talk about with anyone and Emma deserved to know. Especially since Emma always had faith in Audrey when he should have been the one to.
Noah shrugged his shoulders at the possibility of the Brandon James mask being something else, “I am just trying to consider all of our options here.” He explained to her innocently, maybe he just didn't want to believe the possibility a copy cat from Lakewood or Kiera of Piper coming back from the dead to cause havoc. “It’d be better than . . .” he was cut off when she mentioned they tried to attack her. His face dropped, turning white as a sheet, he gripped at her leg. “Emma, they tried to attack you?! Where was I? How could this have happened? After everything and I STILL couldn’t be there to save you.” he jumped up from where he was sitting, grabbing her hand, “I am going to wring that bastard’s neck I swear.” He stated angrily, balling his fist together on the opposite hand from the one that was holding Emma’s. “I can’t believe I trusted him!” He exclaimed as he gritted his teeth. “He’s never going to hurt you or EVEN touch you again if I have anything to say about it.”