The Bird and the Bee

Chapter 29

Jenny woke up in the middle of the night, her heart racing and sweat clinging to the back of her nightgown. She hadn't been sleeping well haunted by constant dreams of Matilda's fate, the only thing keeping her sane was Horace's dream that she was clinging on to like a lifeline. She glanced around the room, looking over at Alma who was fast asleep, her arm draped loosely over her waist. The younger woman bit back her tears, wanting to sit up but didn't want to wake the other ymbryne in the process. She let out a shaky sigh, the pounding in her chest increasing, her hands shaking terribly and looked up at the peaceful woman, wanting to wake her but she wasn't sure if she should. Alma had told her to get her if needed, but Jenny didn't know if that applied to when she was asleep. And over a nightmare? Agatha would have beat her and thrown her in the basement again if she had come to her for some silly dream. But Alma wasn't like her.

"Alma?" Jenny whispered, biting back that sob that tried creeping up in her throat, swallowing the lump in her throat to try and speak louder. "Alma."

The older woman abruptly woke up, her eyes immediately opening, a tired sigh leaving her as she rubbed the drowsiness out of her eyes before running her hand through the younger woman's hair.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to wake you but-" Alma softly shushed her, placing a slow kiss on her forehead.

"It's alright, you know I don't mind." She whispers, her voice still laced with sleep but managed to keep her eyes opened.

"It's okay if you're tired, I didn't- I just can't sleep and..." Jenny trailed off when the ravenette brushed her thumb over her cheek, giving her a gentle kiss between her eyebrows.

"Darling, I truly don't mind. I'd rather you wake me than be alone with your thoughts. I know it's hard." Alma says quietly, thinking back to Victor for just a moment before snapping out of it. "I want you to talk to me and not be alone in it all, understood?" Jenny nodded, her lip trembling slightly from the unshed tears and Alma tried to keep her own from forming, paining her to even see such an expression on the woman's face. "Come here." She says softly, Jenny scooting closer to rest in her arms. Alma propped herself up against the headboard of the bed, pulling her over on top of her to hold her closer as Jenny steadied herself.

"Thank you." The woman whispered against her nightgown, Alma humming a soft response. "I love you."

"I love you too, Jenny."

The brunette relaxed for a moment before suddenly sitting up, startling Alma for just a second when she seen the sudden panic on her features.

"Wait, what did you say about aging forward? If Matilda still is alive, what happens if she does?" Jenny asks, Alma resting her hand on her thigh and rubbing a soothing pattern against it as she spoke.

"You both weren't here long enough for anything drastic to happen. We all have been here for years, you both have only been for almost 4 weeks." Alma explains, relaxing some of her nerves. "She'll be okay, Jen."

"Do you really think she is? Alive and well? I can't stop thinking about what you said about Horace." She admits, her hands shaking as she nervously picked at her nail, Alma taking her hands in hers.

"I do believe she is alive." Alma says, Jenny seeming to brighten at the statement, grateful she wasn't the only one who thought so and Alma was hardly ever incorrect. "I want to say she is well, but if she is still with those wights, I can't say for sure what they could be up to. But if I know Matilda well, which I know I do, I'm sure she will be fine until we can find her."

"When can we? Could we go tomorrow? Could I leave?" Jenny asks urgently, Alma softly shushing her once more so she could speak.

"Let me finish." She says, the younger woman keeping quiet so she could continue explaining. "I wish we could go searching, but we cannot leave the children here unintended."