Elliana X Jason

Twenty Eight, Hive Mind

!TW! This chapter mentions suicidal thoughts.

Ryan's encouragement quickly turned to terror. "Jason! Don't do this!" She cried. Sage smirked, then walked towards Ryan with the knife.

"I want Stacy back." Jason said.

Sage stopped dead in her tracks and turned towards Jason. "What?"

"You said she didn't influence you." David said.

"She didn't. I would never pick memories. I'd never sacrifice Stacy." Jason said.

"But you don't even remember her. You don't even know who she is." David said.

"It doesn't matter. I'm not risking her death." Jason said.

David shrugged. "Okay then. Sage, let's go tell Dodfrish."

Sage looked floored. Before she could say or do anything, David grabbed her hand and the two of them glittered away, leaving Jason standing there and Ryan lying on the floor. After a few seconds, Jason ran to Ryan and crouched down next to her.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He asked.

"I'm fine. Just a little shaken up. Help me up, please?"

Jason grabbed Ryan's arm and put it around his shoulder. He tried lifting her up, but she grunted.

"Ow ow ow ow ow. Back down." Ryan said.

"Are you okay?" Jason asked again.

Ryan shook her head and not her lip in pain. "It hurt really bad walking here Jason. I don't think I'd be able to make it back."

Jason nodded. "Okay then, tell me if this hurts."

He planted one arm behind her neck and the other on the back of her knees, and lifted her up. She winced and bit her lip again.

"Sorry, does it hurt?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, a bit. But I'll be fine." She said.

Jason nodded and carried her back to her room. Before they entered, Ryan looked to her family asleep in the room, and then at Jason.

"Jason, can you put me down for a minute? I want to talk to you, but I don't want to wake them up." She said.

Jason nodded and planted her on one of the chairs outside of her room, then sat down next to her.

"What's up?" He asked.

"I... do you think she would've killed me, Jason?" Ryan asked.

Jason was taken aback by the question. "I don't know."

"It's a scary thought." Was all Ryan said.

Things were silent for a minute, but Jason didn't take Ryan back to her room. He knew that there was more for her to say. Him too.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Jason asked suddenly.

"Tell you what?"

"How much pain you were in. How hurt you were." Jason said.

Ryan didn't answer for a while. "I didn't want to bother you guys." She said quietly.

"You... that makes no sense! Ryan, you were practically dying!" Jason said.

Ryan looked at the floor.

"You were seriously hurt. Telling us that isn't bothersome. It's helping yourself."

"I just couldn't." She said.

"Ryan, that makes no sense! You can't just not tell anyone something like that! You told us you were okay! That's borderline cruel! You put all of us through that, you're brother through that!" Jason yelled, his anger swelling.