Her Own Things That She Must Do

"Tsk, we support you but you have to keep yourselves alive in this journey of yours," Xander shook his head as he sat down as well.

It was almost day break but none of them felt like sleeping.

"What happened to her? I didn't think she would be that kind of person. When she sees blood that is," Xander commented.

"Her parents died right in front of her and without realizing it, it seemed that she somehow was traumatic because of it," Ashton replied with a shake of his head.

"I should have known, to suddenly see someone close to you drenched in his blood. She who have witnessed a lot of deaths, I should have known that she might have a trauma over it."

He grabbed his hair as he spoke these words.

Her paled face and the look of having a lot of difficulty, it became etched in his mind. He will never forget it, never.

"Don't be too hard on yourself man," was all Xander could say.

Ashton smirked, "It's just I don't think that life was fair to her at all."

He clasped his hands together as they rested on his knees, "They get to live peacefully without knowing anything, being ignorants and focus on their happiness."

He looked at Xander, "But she gets to bear all the burden alone. I don't like the way she got left behind by herself."

His words resounded inside Xander. He didn't know why but he felt troubled by the way he looked at him, as if he was among those who left her all alone.

Devon and Aldger looked at each other before they too shook their heads.

If it was just a feeling to Xander, they know better, that he was indeed referring to him and Timothy.

How they were able to live in ignorance while she had to face everything on her own.

"Ash."

Another voice came from the stairs.

All four of them looked towards it, to see her walking to where they are.

She still looked pale but compared to a while ago, it had improved quite a lot.

"You removed your own drip?" Xander frowned instantly upon seeing her as he stood up.

"I hate it," she blatantly said.

She was also applying pressure to where the needle came from.

"Just because you hate it, does not mean-"

"I hate it."

Xander was lost for words, he didn't expect to see such a hard headed side of hers.

'I don't want!!'

Another voice resounded in his mind.

The other four looked at him in confusion, he looked weird somehow.

"What is it?" Aldger stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"No, it's nothing," he shook his head as he sat back down but looked at Amber sternly.

"Don't blame me if you'd feel unwell."

Amber shrugged, she had been used to feeling unwell for so long that the thought of it no longer scares her.

"You should have rested more, why wake up now?" Ashton asked her as she sat beside him.

"If I didn't you would have blamed yourself even more and spoke more words. It's not like it was your fault that I didn't know about this matter."

"But are you really fine?" Devon asked.

"I am, don't worry. That was just because of the moment. But I think I can handle it now, just didn't expect for you lot to come home with such injury."

She then looked at Ashton, "I want coffee."

She looked like a spoiled child asking for a candy.

Xander couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, he thought Ashton would decline it but instead he actually stood up and made way to the kitchen.

"Have that guy fallen?" he asked looking at Aldger and Devon.

"I think you already know the answer though," Aldger replied.

Xander remembered the way Ashton made him and Timothy promise not to interfere with him and Amber.

He couldn't help but to look at Amber, who was glaring at her hand where the dextrose was placed as if she was cursing it.

'I don't think I'd ever fall for this weird girl though,' he thought just as Amber looked up at him.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"I'll never fall in love with you," he suddenly said.

Devon who just drank from his cup coughed vehemently upon hearing this. Aldger blink continuously looking at Xander and Amber alternately.

"I think that is mutual," Amber was first stunned before replying with a roll of her eyes.

It feels weird interacting with her brother in such a way like friends do but at the same time, it feels amazing that she could interact with him in such a close way.

"You will be cursed if you fall in love with her," Ashton who just came out from the kitchen commented.

"I just don't get it why you would tell us to not stop you from pursuing her? It's like we'll go after her. Not before and even more now, I don't wanna be woken up in the middle of the night by such a frightening shout ever again."

Devon and Aldger have the same thought, 'You just dug your own grave once you find out that you have handed over your little sister so easily.'

Amber did her best to hide her blush behind her mask. They were talking about Ashton's feelings for her, right in front of her.

'I'm just glad I had strong intuition a while ago, if I didn't wear my mask when I decided to come down and have a drink when I woke up.'

'With all the things that have happened, I would surely neglect it and he would have seen my face instead.'

Amber started thinking as she touch her mask.

But this action caused Xander to feel guilty, "Hey I am not referring to your physical appearance, I know Ash wouldn't fall for you if it's just your physical appearance."

Amber looked at Ashton before she started giggling, she didn't know that her subconscious reaction would bring such words from him.

"I wonder about that, you seemed to be the type to fall for appearances," she teased as she looked back at Xander.

She could still remember how he crushed the heart of a young girl just because she was fat.

Both of them fought back then because of that and that was the first time she had told him she hated him.

"I have change because of an incident in the past," Xander suddenly commented after hearing her words.

"Incident?" Devon asked.

Xander didn't smile nor even laughed, he just turned serious, "I just don't want to hear the words I hate you, just because of such judgement."

Amber's hands clenched into a fist as she tried her best not to show her shock in her eyes or face.

"Oh, is it from someone you love?"

"Something like that."

After that the place turned silent, Aldger and Devon could feel that Xander's emotions have changed.

Ashton, on the other hand, noticed the changes in Amber.

"Come on, it was just a slip of the tongue. Shall we move forward with our topic?" he decided to change the topic upon seeing the change in the atmosphere.

"That's right, when you go on your next attack, let me come with you," Amber decided to be the one who shift the topic.

Not just the three men but four of them frowned at her, obviously objecting what she had just suggested.

"I can see a no from all your looks."

"Since you already know it, then why still suggest?" Ashton replied.

"It just so happens that my specialty in guns is sniping," Amber replied with a smile.

"And what of it?" he still asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I'll help you from afar, with what happened today, you won't be able to stop me from going with you. And if you still want to stop me then I'll just follow you silently."

Her eyes were filled with stubborness, that no matter how Ashton just look at her, she won't even budge.

Aldger and Devon didn't try to speak for this was a decision only Ashton could give, but hearing Amber's tone, they both can tell that she really wouldn't accept a no for an answer.

"Are you putting yourself in danger with this decision?" Ashton squinted his eyes as he asked.

"I wouldn't dare," she replied.

He sighed, "Fine, but you will held unto your words, that you would stay from afar. Just as how a sniper would do."

Amber beamed, "You got it."

The events tonight scared her so much, what if not just Blake but all of them would return to her drenched with their own bloods?

What would she do by then?

This, Ashton also understood very well.

It's like she had returned to when her body guards wouldn't return alive to them.

That must be what she is currently scared of, but if there comes a time that they showed her that they were plenty strong already.

Then she wouldn't have to worry too much or to even come with them.

For after all, she still has her own things that she must do.

"You understand right? You all are important to me, don't make me lose more," as if reading his mind she continued.