Spectral Beauty {Insidious/Specs}

thirty six

"Elise!" Jessie shrieked happily. She ran to the woman and gave her a hug. "I can't tell you how relieved I am to see you. If any one can help me with Jerry, I know you can"

"I'll do everything I can" Elise promised. "But it's really up to you to stop him, Jessie"

"I know"

Elise smiled at Jessie. Then, her attention turned to her niece. "Hi, Imogen"

Imogen smiled. "Hi, Elise" The two of them hugged. "It's good to see you, considering the circumstances"

"You too" Elise agreed. "I'm proud of you for doing this for Jessie"

Imogen turned to Jessie and gave her a small smile. "A friend needed my help"

"Shall we then?" Elise urged. "The sooner we deal with Jerry, the sooner you two can get back to your bodies"

"Come on" Benny spoke, holding up a lantern. "I know the way" He stepped in front of Jessie, Elise behind her, and Imogen remained at her side, holding her hand. They did this to be a somewhat protective circle for her.

"You okay?" Imogen checked in with Jessie.

"Yeah" Jessie responded, though her voice was shaky.

"Tell me" Imogen squeezed Jessie's hand. "How did you and Specs meet?"

"When Dalton, my nephew, was stuck in the Further, he and Tucker came by the house to do their preliminary test. The two of us just kind of hit it off"

"Well, I can tell he's really into you. You two are really cute together"

Jessie gave her a grin. "Thanks. There's no hard feelings, right?"

"Oh no. Like Specs said, it was only one kiss" Jessie suddenly stopped in her steps when she felt the PRINCESS scar starting to burn. She winced and began scratching at it. "Jessie, you okay?"

"The scar. It's burning"

"That means we're getting close" Elise said. She placed a hand on Jessie's shoulder. "Jerry is more powerful than I thought. He's having a strong effect on you, Jessie"

~

Back in the real world, Imogen's body was staying completely still while Jessie's began to twitch. Everyone noticed and grew concerned.

"She's moving" Melissa said. "Is she okay?" Sure, she hadn't known Jessie for long but she was still scared for her.

"I don't know" Specs said. Out of everyone, he was probably the one most scared for her. Even more scared than Lorraine and Renai were, and they were her actual family.

"Try talking to her" Lorraine suggested. "See what happens"

Specs removed Jessie's hands from Imogen's, taking them in his own. "Jessie, it's me" He gave her hands a squeeze. "I hope you're okay in there"

~

"Wait. I feel something" Jessie said. The burning sensation suddenly went away. It was replaced by a ghostly sensation on her hands, almost as if someone was holding them. "It's my hands"

"Do they hurt?" Benny asked.

"No. It's a comforting feeling" Jessie noticed Imogen was still holding one of her hands, but she knew that the feeling wasn't coming from her.

Jessie, it's me.

Jessie looked up and smiled when she heard her boyfriend's voice. "Specs" She felt a squeeze around her hands. She knew it was him.

I hope you're okay in there.

"I am, Specs!" Jessie talked back to him, even thought she knew he couldn't hear her. "I've got Benny, Elise, and Imogen with me. I know I'm safe" Jessie turned to Elise, holding out her hands. "I can feel him. He's holding my hands right now"

Elise smiled. "Then the two of you must have a very strong connection. That's good and it'll be an advantage against Jerry"

"How so?"

"It seems that you're special, Jessie. In a way different than Josh and Dalton, even Imogen. Whatever happens to your astral body, affects your physical body. And if someone touches your physical body, you can feel it in your astral body"

"So maybe Jerry won't be able to cause actual harm to Imogen. It only affects Jessie?" Benny suggested.

"Maybe. But, Imogen, I still advise you to be careful"

"We should keep moving" Jessie urged. "I'm ready to get rid of this son of a bitch once and for all"

Benny smiled proudly. "That's my sister"

~

"Look, she stopped" Renai pointed out.

Specs smiled at her. "That's my girl" He let go of her hand, relieved that she was okay. For now, at least. He was still worried and everyone sensed that.

"She's gonna be alright" Tucker assured him. "She's a strong, badass woman. If she can survive what she went thought with him, then she can definitely survive this"

"Yeah, you're right" Specs nodded. "She's gonna get through this"

"We should still keep a close eye on her" Lorraine said. "Remember he's able to harm her physical body. We don't know what's gonna happen when she faces him"

And that was the thing the everyone probably feared the most. Especially Specs. There was no one else that could compare to Jessie. He didn't want to lose her.