Friends?

Waves. Waves woke me up. Both the literal waves and the waves of pain that crashed against me, only that I was no cliff. Instead, I was... What was I again? No, wait, who was I again?

I suppose it doesn't matter. But wherever I am, it's soft. Okay, not as soft as my mattress. Kind of hard, actually, but it's comfortable. Very comfortable.

I sort of like it here.

But the waves. Bal, they're annoying. The pain too. Maybe I am a cliff. Maybe that's what cliffs feel when the waves hit them.

But I'm pretty sure I'm not a cliff. I also am certain I had a name.

"Faustus?"

Oh, thank you, brain.

"Faustus? You're awake?"

Ok. Brain is talking to me. That shouldn't be happening.

"Faust?"

Wait for a second... Oh, Bal... Sia!!!

I got up so fast that I'm pretty sure I did a better job of breaking Sia's nose than I did for Harold's nose.

I also went down so fast after that that I was glad that whatever I was on was not only soft but springy.

As soon as my eyes stopped watering, I opened them to find Sia's deep green eyes staring back at me.

Now, I'm pretty sure if my eyes stopped watering already, her eyes would have also stopped watering by now, but then she was pretty out of it during the fight before….

I don't like it though, even though I'm the one who just tried to dent her face.

So, I reached out a hand and gently wiped her eyes clear.

Only for them to fill up with more.

Confused, I wiped her eyes again, but as fast as I wiped them; they filled up again.

This was almost like a ship that had set sail... with copious amounts of water on board and taking on more by the minute.

Then she hugged me. The pain nearly killed me right then and there, but I was a brave boy. Also, a momentarily breathless boy because she had bal near squeezed all the air out of me.

But there was also this faint feeling that this was not the first time she had hugged me this tight. Also, I remember there being tears the last time, too.

But before I could recall the memory in full, she let go and air rushed into my lungs, and oh yes, what was I forgetting to do till then- ah yes, breathe….

Though I lost my breath again when I saw her.

I wonder why.

This could be trouble.

Not being able to breathe every time I look at her.

"Faust, you okay?"

"Hrmm."

"You okay?"

"Mhmm."

"Can you speak?"

No, I in fact cannot speak, so yes, the trouble grows. Maybe I'll have to learn sign language, I idly wondered.

Then my eyes saw the cut... the cut that Harold made and suddenly I felt strength in me, the anger driving the pain away, my blood boiling.

But my hand was as gentle as it could be as I traced the cut.

"Never again," I whispered.

"What?"

"Does it hurt?"

She shook her head and smiled.

And I relaxed.

And then stiffened up as I realized that if her face was right above mine, then the soft yet hard, springy mattress that my head was resting on was?

"Faust, you alright? You're turning red...like really red."

"Help me up, would you?"

Carefully, she slid her hand underneath my head and shoulders before lifting me off her legs slowly.

As I gained my legs, the world tilted for a few moments, but Sia seemed to have predicted that and was holding me firmly.

Taking a deep breath, I looked around and stood still as the sky was lit by orange hues and the sun dipped underneath the horizon.

It was beautiful.

I turned around to tell Sia this, but I couldn't speak yet again. Trouble. Surely this is trouble.

Feeling my eyes on her, she turned and smiled.. a smile that was both happy... and sad.

"Let's go home?" I asked.

"Let's," she replied with a smile.

On an impulse, I took her hand and walked away with purpose, away from the cliff. Away from the watcher's rest.

I didn't look back.

She didn't either.