Sparkle (KOTLC) {Completed}

37

While the goblins took Sophie's parents up to the surface to bring them to Elwin after Dex managed to blow open the door, the rest of them followed Ro to find Biana and Fintan.

Slowing down at the back of the group, Janessa breathed loudly as she tried to keep up. Noticing her laboured breathing, Dex wrapped an arm around her waist, holding up most of her weight as they continued up the stairs.

Janessa barely noticed as they split paths, Grady and Marella going after Fintan while the rest followed Biana's trail of blood. Dex left her to adjust the mirrors, hoping to find where Biana was hiding.

When they finally found her, Janessa only felt sicker seeing the pools of blood under her best friend. Coughing lightly into her hand, she watched anxiously as her sister placed Panakes petals on her wounds and in her mouth.

When Biana finally woke up, thanks to the petals and Ro's bandage job, Janessa sighed in relief.

"Where are Grady and Marella? Did they go after Vespera?" Was the first thing the brunette said.

"They're" Janessa coughed, "they're going after Fintan."

"But I know where she went! I heard her hail Ruy after she lost track of me in the mirrors. She told him she'd be waiting for him in the promenade—and she seemed frustrated when he said it was going to take him a little while to get there." Biana exclaimed. Janessa leaned against the wall, doing her best to make her coughs quieter as she slid down it.

As the others started discussing a plan, Ro rolled her eyes. "I know those looks—and you can all forget it. We're getting this girl medical help, not going to some sparkly promenade to hunt down Lady Creeperton!"

Noticing Janessa sitting on the floor at the outside of the group, Dex made his way over. "Hey, it's not like you to be avoiding the action so..." Dex trailed off as he saw the blood dripping from her mouth. "Janessa!"

"See!" Ro exclaimed as she noticed Janessa. "We have to get them medical help!"

As Dex lifted her, Janessa's head fell against his chest weakly.

"But you can't let this all be for nothing!" Biana replied emphatically, though her worried gaze rested on Janessa in Dex's arms.

"Why didn't you say you were injured!" Sophie yelled, reaching for her last Panakes petal and shoving it into her sister's mouth.

"...didn't realize." Janessa mumbled through a mouthful of blossom. "But... you guys should make the most of this."

"I'll carry Janessa to Livvy's place." Dex announced. Janessa nodded.

"I know the way. I can stay awake long enough now that I've had the blossom."

"Fitz, you should take Biana." Keefe suggested. "Tam should go with you guys too for backup."

Tam immediately argued the point, giving fair arguments.

Once Biana and Janessa both agreed, they were off, being carried by Fitz and Dex respectively as they rushed through the city on Janessa's directions.

Just as they reached the building, there was a loud noise like thunder, and it began to rain, then pour. Looking over tiredly, Janessa saw the forcefield keeping Atlantis safe had cracked.

"What do we do?" Dex asked.

"I- I don't know." Fitz replied, both of them watching the destruction in shock.

"Go... go into the apartment." Janessa mumbled. "If anyone has a magsidian charm to get out of here, it's Livvy."

The two boys nodded, carrying the girls into the building and taking the elevator up to the fiftieth floor thanks to access from Janessa's DNA.

As they burst into the apartment, Amy screamed, having been watching the flooding with horror. Once she saw who it was, she yelled for Livvy, who came running into the room.

"JJ!" Livvy exclaimed, rushing to her patients frantically.

"Treat Biana first, she's bleeding out. I know what elixirs to start with." Janessa insisted.

Livvy started to protest, her eyes wide, but nodded upon seeing Janessa's expression, and the two boys followed her to put the girls in beds. While Livvy rushed putting salves on Biana's wounds after pulling out the glass, constantly glancing over to make sure Janessa hadn't passed out, Janessa gave Dex orders.

"Ok, Dex, I'm gonna tell you what I need you to do, got it?"

Dex nodded, terror in his eyes. Janessa listed salves and elixirs one by one and Dex faithfully found each one quickly, with some help from Fitz, who was too worried about his sister to do much. Livvy, as subtly as she could, put out the salves Janessa would need on more obvious shelves while grabbing Biana's.

"Ok, put those salves on my ankle. I'm pretty sure there's a cut where the gorgodon hit me."

Dex didn't even cringe at the puss-covered wound, so focused on his current job. The only times his expression faltered were when Janessa would cry out in pain at the sting of the ointments.

Once her ankle was covered in four different salves and a dust, Janessa gave Dex a break, deciding to wait to wrap it up until Livvy approved. She drank every elixir she could think of except one.

"Why didn't you drink that one?" Dex asked, looking somewhat nauseated now that his job was done.

Janessa smiled weakly back at him. "That one will knock me out, so I need to wait until Livvy gives the all-clear."

Dex nodded, moving to sit at her side as his gaze trailed over to the window, where, somehow, it had stopped raining.

"When did the rain stop? How?" Janessa wondered.

"I have no idea. I'm guessing it had something to do with the others." Dex replied, his hand grasping her own tightly. 

"Probably. Sophie would manage to pull something off like that."

Finally finished treating Biana, who was now asleep, Livvy came over to Janessa, her eyes glancing over her worriedly. "That she would. Now, let's see what you've done here."

Analyzing the salves and elixirs Janessa chose, and then looking at how Dex had applied it, Livvy nodded approvingly, relief evident in her eyes. "You're a pretty good healer, Dex."

"Nessie just told me what to do." Dex replied bashfully.

Janessa squeezed his hand, smiling. "Just take the compliment, Dex."

Dex nodded, looking out the window again. 

"I'm gonna give you a few more elixirs before you head to sleep, then you should be alright." As Dex stood up to help, Livvy waved him off, smiling. "You're off the hook now, Dex, don't worry."

Dex sat back down slowly, tapping his hand against his leg as he waited for each new medicine to be administered.

When it was finally time for the final elixir, Janessa gave Dex a thumbs up before chugging it. Within minutes, she was fast asleep, breathing lightly. Dex kept his hand in hers, watching the rise and fall of her chest carefully, as if he was scared it would stop at any moment.