Fall Into Me

..XIV..

A baby screaming woke Minerva up in a cold sweat, and she scrambled out of the bed, throwing open the window and heaving violently. Nothing came up, because there was nothing to come up. She hadn't eaten in days.

"Just a dream," she panted softly, gripping the window ledge and taking in deep gulps of the sea air. A nightmare more like, though it was fading from the edges of her mind and all she could recall was a baby. A deep shudder rocked her entire body.

Glancing back at the bed, Minerva saw it was empty, which explained the dream. Mona was no longer in the room, and Minerva had reacted poorly to that discovery. Taking in several more deep breaths, Minerva calmed herself enough to go into the bathroom.

Helena had taken her bloods after their conversation and warned her it could take two days for results. She'd told Minerva she didn't have to wait - if she wanted to start the medication she could. Either way, if she was or wasn't, Minerva was going to take the pills. She'd never settle down otherwise. Thinking about it too much made her head swim and her skin crawl, and she had to fight the urge to claw her womb out. Instead, Minerva had crawled back into bed beside Mona and slept some more.

Washing her hands, Minerva splashed water on her face, avoiding her reflection as she patted it dry. The last few weeks of not caring for herself had really caught up on her, and Minerva didn't like to be reminded of the madness that had cracked open. She could see it in her eyes, and the last time she'd looked into a mirror, she'd started laughing to the point of tears.

Leaving, Minerva leant against the doorframe as the room spun a little, reminding her how little she'd been eating. As if her figure wasn't enough of a reminder. Pushing off, she worked her tired and aching limbs into some clothes and made her way unsteadily to the outside dining area. The only people there were Lorelei, Esme and Vivienne.

Lorelei was bronze skinned, with slight curves and a toned body. Her hair was dark and curly, shaved on the sides and piled atop her head. Most of the time she wore gym clothes, matching high waisted shorts and sports bras giving her complete mobility and freedom to move. She had a colourful dragon tattoo sleeve on her right arm, an ocean themed sleeve on her right leg, and butterflies wound around her left upper arm and shoulder, curling over her collarbones. Strapped to her thigh was a dagger scabbard.

"Morning," she greeted Minerva, before climbing up onto the slight overhang above them. The woman was like a deadly monkey. She rarely used the stairs, much preferring to haul herself up the side of the yacht like it was a climbing frame.

Minerva went over to the breakfast spread, but nothing there appealed to her, so she poured herself a black coffee and went to sit down.

"Non," Vivienne said firmly, "you must eat something." Minerva raised a brow at her, but Vivienne had never once been afraid of Minerva and so she returned the look with more feistiness than Minerva could muster in her current state.

"Helena is double checking for-," Minerva felt violently ill at the word and changed her mind, "she's confirming my situation," she said pointedly. Luckily her friends were smart and didn't need her to say it outright.

"I was going to suggest that," Esme said, sipping her tea, "they've lied about everything else, why not that?"

"Even if I'm not, I'm still going to take the pills," Minerva told them, glancing back into the yacht. "Where is Mona?"

"Diana and Theo are playing games with her," Vivienne replied, "they think it might help her remember."

"You're not to tell her anything about this," Minerva said as sternly as she could, but it sounded strained and weak, making her sigh heavily. She was done with this sickening feeling all over her body, but there was nothing to be done yet.