Project: Nighthall

13

I felt more exhausted coming home from Court than I did when I was there. I felt like I needed a break from reality and the world around me. I knew that I needed to get back to working with Jerry, but he understood that I needed a few days.

Much to my dislike, I had agreed with Tilly that I would work on controlling my more dangerous skills. I needed to be prepared. After Lissa...I needed to be ready for anything.

I stood in the shower and sighed, leaning against the tiles as the hot water rolled down my back. I was practically choking on the steam, but the hot water was soothing.

"I'm glad to know some things have never changed."

I jumped and slipped, falling onto my side with a loud thud.

"Jesus!"

"Sorry," Lissa said, "I forgot that you may not have been able to hear me."

I pulled myself to my knees and ripped the curtain back enough to peer out, seeing her perched on the counter across from me.

"Thank you for the heart attack," I grumbled before standing back up. There was a sharp knock and then the door swung open, Gabriel poking his head into the room but not looking at me.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Lissa scared the crap out of me," I said holding the curtain in a way that he couldn't see my body. He squinted his eyes before looking at me, relaxing his face when he saw I was covered.

"Okay. Just wanted to make sure. It sounded like it hurt."

"Oh, I'm going to have a massive bruise," I mused and he nodded before shutting the door.

"Do you always shower with the door unlocked?"

"It's better than him breaking the door down if I slip. None of us actually lock the door unless we are using the toilet," I said as I pulled the curtain back and continued to wash my hair.

"What hasn't changed?" I asked, tilting my head up so I didn't get shampoo in my mouth.

"You showering in water hot enough to run through River Styx," Lissa said and I could practically hear her rolling her eyes.

"Anyways; how are you coping?"

Lissa was quiet for a moment. "It's very strange. I feel horrible that I can't see Christian, to comfort him. I know that this must be hard for him."

I rinsed my hair, grabbed the deep conditioning treatment off the rack, and turned off the shower. I put the treatment in my hair and then grabbed my robe, pulling in off the hook and into the shower so I could put it on. Not that Lissa hadn't seen me naked, but it was the principle of it. I stepped out of the shower, and she was looking at her nails and smiling at me when I sat on the closed toilet.

"Your family?"

"Upset that I was dead, but comforting as much as they could. It was strange seeing so many people after they had died. It's strange, but I'm sure you understand that."

I nodded and grabbed the nail clippers from the drawer next to her leg. She smirked at me as she crossed her ankles.

"Look at you; owning a nail care set," she teased. I rolled my eyes.

"Shut up. I apparently have very brittle nails and they snap easily. It's nice to have long nails until they snap at the side," I said, taking the cuticle clippers and snipping off my hang nail.

"Despite what happened, how are you doing? I know that going to Court wouldn't have been easy."

I shrugged. "It sucked, but I wasn't missing your funeral."