Should i talk to you or...

Ping had walked for a long while in the forest, without even getting anymore where was he going. He still felt sick, and weaker: he hadn't eaten anything in more then one day, but he didn't feel like to eat, and he was really tired. In the end, when he reached the oasis, he stopped and, exhausted, abandoned himself at a tree's feet, falling asleep there.

Meg hadn't seen Ping in days and she worried about him deeply. She went into the forest to gather
more fruit for the kitchen when she suddenly saw him. He was slumped over by a tree, and looked to
asleep.
She quickly ran up to him and hugged him from beside.
"Ping!" she cried, kissing him lightly, ignoring the fact she had awaken him. "I've been looking everywhere
for you!"
She broke the kiss and looked into his eyes, but he looked numb.
His whole body frozen, almost like he didn't know her anymore.
"You okay, Love?" she asked holding on to him tightly as if he was drifting away from her.

When he had suddenly been awaken by something that at the beginning he hadn't even recognized, his heart started to beat so hard to hurt, and his whole body tensed up, could it be Shan Yu? Or what? He didn't even know, but the sensation of fear didn't want to leave... Only after a while he was able to recognize Meg, he swallowed, trying to calm down, but it wasn't easy and even if he tried to smile to her his heart was still beating hard.
"Meg..." he whispered to her faking a smile "y... yes, i-i'm fine..." he replied when she holded him. He felt so... guilty... he didn't deserve her... she was so gentle and nice, and he... he had done what he had done...

She smiled and sat down next to him. "You don't look fine," she said, still clinging on to his arm.
"Will this cheer you up?" she asked, leaning in and kissing him once more.
She snuggled up close to him, putting her ear on his chest so she could hear his heartbeat.
It was fast, like he was nervous for something.
She sat up and looked at him. "You can tell me anything Ping."

At her first phrase he opened his mouth to reply, but he couldn't say anything since she kissed him: it felt so wrong this time... not because of her, of course not, she was always so beautiful and nice and sweet... it was about him, for what he had done... He froze a bit when she leaned to his chest to listen his heart, that was still beating fastly and hardly, and at her last phrase he just looked at her with a surprised and desperate glance, but it lasted only a second before he lowered his glance "N-no... really... i-i'm... it's ok... i'i-m... just tired..." he couldn't tell her... just couldn't...

"Ping," she said sighing and taking his hands. "As long as I've known you on this island, I know
that when you stutter you're either really nervous or you're lying."
Meg brushed back the hair from her eyes then continued looking at Ping.
"So please, tell me, I don't want to find out from someone else."

Her words hitted him: she could find out by... who? Tulio could tell her? He didn't think so... but maybe Shan Yu... or Eris... or Rose... they could talk... tell her what had happened... she breathed heavier: why this? Why in that moment? He just didn't want to loose her... Why couldn't he die in that moment? Just stopping to breath, stopping to live... it would have been so much easier... no more thouths... but he was still alive and the time was passing... and he seemed even more tense when, without being able to look at her into her eyes he just whispered an "i'm sorry..."

"Sorry?" she asked, tilting her head. "For what?"
Meg could barely think straight at the moment. Too many things were running through
her mind. What could he be sorry for? Where has he been the past couple days?

He still didn't had the strenght to look at her into her eyes, he just kept his glance down. He felt still so afraid, afraid to loose her, and ashamed, and disgusted of himself... but he had to talk... she needed to know the truth, she deserved it... "I-i... i've d-dressed up a-as a wo-woman... a-and I-i-i've k-kiss... i've k-kissed Tulio... a-and..." he was stuttering even more then usual and was evident that he was tense, so tensed that seemed like he could break in every moment... but he couldn't continue, he couldn't tell her about Shan Yu... no, not this... he just wanted to forget it... "i'm sorry... i-i really am... sorry..." he stuttered in the end, bringing his hands to his face

Meg let go of his hands and set back a little. After almost a minute of silence, Meg looked
into his eyes.
"Do you love him?" she asked quietly. "Do you love Tulio, Ping?"

Meg's silence seemed eternatl to him: it was the worst torture, he couldn't even guess what she was feeling cause he didn't have the braveness to raise his glance.
At her question, though, he couldn't help but look at her with a surprised and still guilty expression "No!" he exclaimed convinced "W-we are j-just friends! I-I do n-not love hi-him... I-i-i'm sorry Meg... i-i didn't have to d-do it..."

Megara cleared her throat and looked out into the oasis. It was truly a beautiful sight.
She felt as if Ping had betrayed her, but she also felt like she should give him another chance.
She knew what he did, but she also knew that he still loved her and Ping wasn't the person to
make the same mistake twice.
"Okay, I forgive you," she said softly, still not able to look at him.

He looked at her surprised, feeling a bit relieved inside but still feeling hardly the guiltiness, and the fact that she didn't want to look at him... it hurted... he lowered his glance without a word... he felt so... so despicable...

She finally returned her glance at him.
"You just have to promise me something," she said turning to him.
"Promise me, that you will do what makes you happy."
She slid closer to him, hugging him.
"I just want you happy."

When she asked him to promise he raised his glance again and stared at her, before to be hugged by her. Happy... she wanted him to be happy... he bit his lips: she was always so sweet and... so perfect... "I'm happy with you" he replied hugging her back: it was true, with her he felt so much better!