Survived Me: a Shatter Me fan-fiction (Warnette)

Chapter 36 - Failed Lie

JULIETTE'S POV:
It's the next morning, I walk up feeling a lot better than yesterday, I only feel queasy today, not like I'm going to throw up my lungs. I feel more achy farther than weak, still weak but nowhere near as much. My head is in a slight pain and my chest only slightly crackly.

I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed, sit up and let the room breeze touch my skin. I have been wrapped in a duvet cover all of yesterday, except when I had a bath, and all of last night, getting some air on my skin is nice.
I stand up, wobble slightly, then make my way over to the window in front of me. I open the blinds and then push the windows open as far as my arms can reach. I breathe in the coldness of the outside, I feel free of laying in bed and free of not being able to move around.

"Juliette, love?" I hear a mumbled, worried Aaron say.
I spin on my heel to see him propping himself up on his elbows that rest behind him, he's looking into my eyes, worrying about taking over his face.
He stands up and rushes over to me and cups my face. "You should be in bed, resting, getting better. Did you need something? Do you need your pills? Something to eat? Something to drink, or something-"
I cut him off with a giggle and said, "Aaron, I'm okay".
He shakes his head. "No, yesterday you were very ill, you need to relax."
I kiss his cheek. "I feel a lot better. I don't feel one hundred percent, but I'm getting there."
"I'm glad." He smiles. "Are you hungry?"
"Yes, I didn't eat anything other than soup yesterday." My stomach rumbles telling me it needs food. "Alright, let's go downstairs." He takes hold of my hand and I follow him down the steps.

"What would you like?" He asks me as we enter the kitchen, he diverts to the counter and I walk to the table. "What about pancakes?"
He grins, "perfect".
"I'm going to go and check the main box." I say as I walk into the hallway again, I hear him say 'okay' as I head to the front door. I grab my cardigan, the one I wore when we first came here, and slip my arms into the wool. Step into some shoes and reach for the door handle, push it down and pull it towards me, step out the house.

The wind is a harsh pull, I hug my cardigan against my body. I head to the gate and then to the mailbox.
Inside are two letters, both for Aaron. I take them then close the box, head back into the warm.

"Any letter?" Aaron calls, still cooking as I remove my shoes and cardigan then make my way back to the kitchen table. "Yeah, two, both for you." I put them on the table and sit down, Aaron joins me with two plates of pancakes, one for me and one for himself. "Thank you." We both thank each other for different things, me for the food and him to me for getting the mail.
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AARON'S POV:
I open one of the two letters, it's from Delelui:

Sir,
The blood work hasn't come back yet. I will, hopefully, have someone look at it this evening. I hope Miss Ferras is feeling better and that the medicine is working.
If there is anything I can do further, let me know. Have a good day.
Delelui.

I forgot about the medicine, she should've taken it when she woke up.
"Sweetheart, you need to take your medicine."
She nods and walks up stairs. I open the second letter, it's from Castle:

Warner,

We have an issue, the people are attacking the soldiers of 45. They demand your immediate return, I have told them that it's not feasible as of now but they won't listen. I told them, as you said, about the funeral plan but they say you both should be back by now, they're even saying that the fact you're staying away is somehow against them, I have no clue how they came to think that.

I don't know what to do next. The attacks are becoming more frequent and the soldiers are getting seriously hurt. They are even getting closer and closer to the base, I fear they will try and infiltrate the building.

On a more personal level, I do hope Miss Ferras gets better soon, send her my regards.

Thank you,
Castle.

Oh god. Why do people have to be such a pain in the ass? Can we not have a day of peace and quiet?

I don't know what I'm supposed to say now, I didn't think the people would just bat the idea away like they have, throw it away as soon as they could. I hoped they would take the lie with some compassion.
"You alright." Juliette says, kissing my cheek, standing behind my chair.
"Yes, just the people of 45 are being..." I try to find the right word, "difficult".
She laughs, "When are they not". She reads the note that's still in my hands, then her face falls. Her eyes widened and I instantly noticed her emotions change.

She's scared. Worried. Concerned. Angry.

I don't blame her, these people are taking this way too far. Though I'm not entirely convinced this is just citizens of the sector, the people of 45 love Juliette. They would never do this. This must have something to do with the RARE's.

"The RARE's!" Juliette says what I think. She sounds angry.
"Possibly," I sigh. "It may not be, but I see no motive strong enough for the citizens to take such actions."
She nods and sits back in her seat. "Maybe we should go back, Aaron. This isn't fair on the soldiers or Castle, he has no idea how to handle this. This needs to be solved in the right way, not the wrong. People's lives are at stake."
I close my eyes and rest my arms, crossed, on the table then lay my head on my arms.
"I know it's a trap, they are trying to lure us into going back to base, but we can't just let these people like this. It's our job to sort these things out."

I know she's right, of course she is, but I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. No matter what's happening, no matter the time, place or circumstance. We can't go back, they'll take her again. I can't let that happen, not again.
"I'll go, you stay here." I lift my head. "It's safer that way."
She looks at me like I've just shot a man dead. "Absolutely not."
I shake my head. "I'll simply go down to base, today, and see if it's safe. If it is, tomorrow you can come with me. No matter what though we stay here overnight, is that okay, love?"
She nods, "okay". I can feel her apprehension. I don't want her to go if it's not safe, I can't have that happen, so I'll go and see.
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It's midday, I'm about to leave, I just have to get changed. I pick out a normal 'work day outfit':

And then I'm kissing Juliette goodbye.
"Be safe." She hugs me and I smell her sweet hair. I'm going to miss her, even though I'll only be gone for a couple of hours.
"You stay safe too." I pull back, kiss her for a final time and then open the front door.
"I love you." I say. "I love you too," She smiles.
Then I leave.
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Word count: 1297