We Change Together

I'll Share Your Burden

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated for a while... But I'm gonna start putting funny pictures at the top! Tell me what you think!
So, this chapter will have a lot of fluff, but also lots of violence. Brace yourself!

Sam's P.O.V.

I was floating in a haze of flames. Fire engulfed my entire body. I tried to put it out, but I couldn't move. The heat was overwhelming. I felt myself sinking, and everything was going away.

But bit by bit, I rose back up. The flames diminished. A brilliant purple light blinded me, and I squinted. I made out... A wall? No, a ceiling. I was lying down.

I bolted upright. Wait, that should have hurt like hell! I glanced myself over. My skin practically glowed with health, not a wound nor scar to be found, not even the ones from the past. My ribs were no longer cracked. I was completely free of pain. How on earth...?

I turned to my right and saw Dawn kneeling on the floor beside the couch. But she didn't look as great as I felt. Her face was flushed a bright red, and she was shivering violently. She even began to sway back and forth unsteadily as I watched.

"Dawn... You don't look so good... Are you ok?"

She shook her head. "No... but I will be", she promised weakly. And then she collapsed. I instantly shoved aside the many blankets piled on top of me and knelt down next to her. My brow wrinkled. She was panting and trembling, and her forehead was like an open oven. So I carefully picked her up and set her where I'd previously been "sleeping". Then I drew the blankets over her slight form. Her arm dangled over the edge of the couch near the floor, so I reached down to place it on her stomach. As I did, a crumpled piece of paper fell out of her fist. Curious, I picked it up and smoothed it out. As I skimmed the lines she'd obviously intended for me to read, my jaw dropped. No way...

It read:

"Sam,

Please don't freak out! I'm aware of what's happened to me, and I can explain. You see, I was born with a special ability; I can heal people by taking on their illness or injury and killing it off myself in wayyy less time it would have originally taken to mend. If something would have taken a week to heal, I can get rid of it within a few hours. Weird, I know. So, with your injuries and horrible fever, I should be awake in about 10-12 hours. All you have to do is wait. Trust me, I'll be absolutely fine! And if I make any noise, like cry out or whatever, that's normal. Try not to worry too much, ok? And rest up too!

By the way, I hope you can tell me what happened to you when I wake up. I found you close to death, bleeding out and everything, right outside my door! I took you in and healed you. You should be alright now!

♡ Dawn ♡

I could barely process what had been written. She basically took other people's pain and endured it on her own, all by herself. What a lonely power... I'd never heard of anything like it.

A sound shook me from my thoughts. Dawn was hugging herself tightly and moaning. She whispered something I didn't quite hear. I leaned over, listening in case she said something else.

"Agony... What have you been through, Sam? All this hurt... All this abuse... You suffered alone for so many years..." she mumbled through gritted teeth. Her voice faded, and I leaned over further to catch her last words. "Help you... I will... Help... You..." She suddenly hissed sharply in pain, and fell silent.

In that moment, my heart broke. She didn't have to do this for me. I already owed her so much. Why should she have to share this terrible burden with me? Everywhere I go, I just cause hurt and sorrow.