The World I Knew Isn't The Same Anymore

Chapter 26 Omega Dimension

The gentle and smooth stroke of fingers playing on top of Bree's scalp causes her eyelids to slowly flutter open. She barely remembered the position she fell asleep in - but the tight and knotted feeling in her back and neck are screaming at her. She nearly groans as she attempts to push herself upward, and as she does every bone in her body cracks and aches.

When her eyes adjust and refocus to the bright light inside the emergency room, she finds Chase's emerald gaze bright and wide open. It's broad daylight now and she can slightly hear conversations in the hall and birds chirping.

"Good morning sleeping beauty," Chase chuckles and a part of her is glad he has the playful personality kicking.

Bree rubs her eyes and cracks her back more. Even her knees are sore, stiff and aching from the awkward position she fell asleep in. "What time is it?" Despite sleeping through the night, her mind and body still feel extremely exhausted. Then memories of last night, the blade, ichor, Monica and hells fire all come racing back to her and she grows a sour feeling in her chest.

"It's about 10:30, I woke up probably an hour ago," Chase has moved himself to a slightly sitting position and leaned back into the bed. She watches him play with his skull ring on his finger. He looks refreshed but slightly dazed in all the events of the past couple days. She notices too that he's already detached everything that was hooked on him and most of his injuries have faded to nothing.

The sour feeling in her chest continues to grow and there's an unsettling pit in her stomach. It's like she's mad but has no reason to be or maybe... jealous? Confused?

"What is it?" Chase asks, not oblivious to her staring off in space. He stops fidgeting now and cocks his head to the side giving her a look that says 'I know something's bothering you.'

Bree's mouth is dry, and her lips are probably flaking, but she still parts them before her words come out. She feels her foot tapping... why am I nervous? These emotions are definitely going to take some time getting used to. "Um," a feeling of her stomach dropping and butterflies in her chest arise. Nerves. "Monica was here last night. Before I got the chance to get here actually."

Chase's face skews up in both disgust and horror. Slightly mortified that he wasn't awake to stop whatever she intended. "What the hell did she want?" Then his eyes roam down to her naked stomach and the bandages she applied last night. He even notices the dried blood beneath her fingernails. "Did she hurt you?" And now his voice grows fury in it.

Her mind replays the events of last night, she can't get the black ichor and blue flames out of her mind. Her body feels as if it's been slammed into a wall repeatedly and she wonders if the ichor caused this - because it can't be all because of the way she slept. "No, not really," Bree starts, which for the most part is true - there's not much physical damage. Monica stung her more when she disclosed her and Chase being intimate. "It was kind of weird but..." she trails off now and explains everything that happened last night. From the ichor to their little secret. And she notices the way Chase's features switch when she mentioned the last part.

His emerald eyes always seem to have a glow within them, but mentioning his past with Monica seems to almost strip that glow. It's a mix of embarrassment and feeling almost guiltily. "I-"

"Why did you kiss me?" Bree's curiosity gets the best of her and she cuts Chase off before he can even reply. They've never mentioned their kiss out in Paris months ago, and she doesn't want this time to be the same thing. She clenches her jaw tighter to fight the burning in the back of her eyes.