Rebel Vol.2 | TDW & IM3

E13 - Quilt

Last Year

It's been five months since she died, and it still hurts so much. Having to even go through all her stuff just made it worse, the items and journals. I read some of them, and they explained some of the abilities I've been experiencing. Then there was one where she wrote down visions. Some she didn't know how to describe, so she put the vision down as a memory. I soon came across one that had two sentences before the memory marker.

I didn't see this one out of my own eyes, and I don't know what's completely happening. Am I dying or being saved? There was no affirmative answer. It had me curious as I grazed my fingers over it. Then I saw the world around me disappear. It was replaced with the haunting memory I kept relieving. Emotions hit me more than they did that night, and it hurt so much. I didn't get to finish watching the scene when I felt the journal ripped away from me.

My room back at Tony's place came back into view, and I was being hugged tightly as the book was now at the end of my bed. I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't tell what the emotions were. All I knew is that it hurt to experience them. Over the next fifteen minutes, the smell of apples, cinnamon, and pine calmed me down to the point I was starting to doze off. I was sniffing as I was being laid back onto my bed. "Thanks." I murmured just before I fell asleep.

Present

I woke up quickly with overwhelming emotions that I couldn't label off the top of my head. I tried to catch my breath as I felt sticky from sweating. I could also hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears. I could tell I woke up from a nightmare, even though I couldn't remember it. But I could tell it had something to do with yesterday's events, as that was the current event still playing in my mind.

"Erika, your heart rate has accelerated to one-hundred-forty." Zara informs me. "Do you require assistance?" She asks, and I shake my head as I take deep breaths. I rip off the blanket to cool off and accidentally wake Uno up. I watch her wake up as I try to calm down. She eventually ends up in my lap, cuddling as I pet her. The serotonin I get from petting and watching her helps me calm down after ten minutes.

The event was still fresh in my mind, though. After another few minutes, there was a knock on my door, and I sigh leaning back. "Come in." I say as Zara unlocks the door, and I see Austin poke his head in. "Hey." I lightly smiled at him, and he shares one back.

"Hey." He says as he enters and closes the door behind him. He silently sits down next to me and pulls me into a hug. "I heard what happened yesterday." He tells me, and I sigh, not really wanting to talk about it. I know it needs to be talked about, though. I avoided everyone yesterday; I haven't even seen Thor since he arrived.

"What have they been saying?" I whisper, looking at the kitten, and he sighs.

"The team isn't mad at you, and neither is Fury or Hill." He states, and I roll my eyes at that.

"I know they will always be there for me." I state, and he nods. "I mean the media." I tell him, and he shrugs.

"The normal, "Despite her sending money to repair the damage, it still doesn't make up for blah-blah-blah-blah."" He mocks, and he gets a small snort from me. "I thought you didn't care what the media says about you?" He asks, and I nod

"I can still be curious about it." I say, and he chuckles.

"Come on." He nudges my leg. "Tell me what's going on with you." He says, and I sigh, thinking it over.

"I... Honestly, I don't know." I admit as Uno rolls onto her back, exposing her stomach. "My abilities started acting up back in May, and after my experience with the Aether, it's gotten worse." I start. "Me and some of the team believe it will work itself out... The rest think it has to do with my emotions. Something I have to work out internally." I explain, and he nods, understanding.