Havenfell

Chapter 23: Was It All A Waste?

The world seemed to stop.

The group stared at Pete, the reality of his words sinking in like a lead weight. Felicity felt their knees buckle, and they leaned against the wall for support. The loss of Elliott hit them like a physical blow, the pain radiating through their entire being.

Bree stood and crossed the room, wrapping her arms around Pete. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, her own tears falling freely. Rin joined them, their presence a silent offer of comfort.

Callum and Nathan, both pale and shaken, exchanged a look of shared grief. Nathan reached out, his hand trembling, and Callum took it, their fingers intertwining. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes.

Felicity felt a hand on their shoulder and turned to see Juno, her eyes wide with panic. "Fliss, I can't... I can't breathe," Juno gasped, her chest heaving. Felicity guided her to a quiet corner of the room, away from the others.

"Juno, look at me," Felicity said gently, trying to keep their own voice steady. "Breathe with me, okay? In and out, slowly."

Juno's eyes locked onto Felicity's, her breaths coming in shallow, panicked gasps. Felicity took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before exhaling slowly. Juno tried to mimic the motion, her breaths gradually evening out.

"I'm here," Felicity whispered, taking Juno's hand. "We're going to get through this."

Tears streamed down Juno's face as she clung to Felicity's hand. "I'm so scared," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if... what if we lose more?"

Felicity's own fears mirrored Juno's, but they pushed them aside. "We have each other," they said firmly. "And we're going to fight for each other. We won't let this tear us apart."

Juno nodded, her grip on Felicity's hand tightening. The two sat there, a small island of calm amidst the storm of grief and fear.

As the night wore on, the group found ways to comfort Pete in their own ways. Bree and Rin stayed close to him, offering quiet words and a shoulder to cry on. Callum and Nathan, despite Nathan's injury, managed to provide a sense of stability and reassurance. Felicity and Juno, still holding each other's hands, found solace in their shared strength.

The pain of losing Elliott was a heavy weight, but they knew they had to carry it together. They couldn't afford to let their grief consume them. Not when there were still demons to fight, and not when they had each other to protect.

As dawn approached, the group gathered in the main room, a silent understanding passing between them. They had faced unimaginable horrors, but they had also found strength in each other. And in that strength, they found the will to keep fighting.

The battle was far from over, but they knew they could face it together. For Poppy, for Elliott, and for each other.