The Dainessetchen Barnacle Tales

Season 2 Episode 3

Gretchen's Point of View

I always loved the city at night. I like to look at the sparkly, tiny lights, and pretend they're stars I can reach out and touch. Sometimes I connect the light stars and make constellations out of them. It might seem weird, but if people can find animals in clouds, why can't I find them in city lights?

I was thinking about all of this as Gerard drove us home in silence. My head was rest on Jesse's shoulder as I nodded off to sleep, Lainey's head rest on Jesse's other shoulder. Dylan sat up front with Gerard and they occasionally glanced back at us or each other and smiled. I wondered if they could see how happy all of us were. I know I could.

Dragging myself out of the car, I groaned and made my way up the stairs. Lainey crashed on the couch and the three boys followed me up the stairs groggily. As quickly as I could, I changed out of my jeans and band tee and into the large T-shirt I had worn at dinner and no pants. I lay with my back towards the window, my eyes shut, until I felt the bed dip under someone else's weight. I sighed and pressed my back against Peter's chest, feeling him nuzzle my neck with his cheek.

"Goodnight, princess," he whispered, sending chills down my body.

"Goodnight, Peeta," I mumbled.

"Goodnight, Jesse!" Peter added and looked down at the floor. Jesse held a thumbs up.

"Leave room for Jesus," he murmured as he rolled over, facing the opposite direction of us.

*****

Morning arrived sooner than I wanted it to. Thinking I was the first one awake as usual, I slowly sat up in bed and stretched very unattractively. I must have popped every joint in my body, like some freak of nature. I don't even know. Carefully tiptoeing past Jesse, I cautiously opened the door and shut it gently behind me. I'm such a nice friend, I know. Before I knew what was happening, I turned to march down the stairs when I smacked into someone coming up them.

"Shit!" I hissed as I held my head. I looked to see it was Dylan. "I'm so sorry!"

"No, no, it was my fault," he stuttered as he awkwardly touched my arm. I just stood there while his hand rest on my arm, not sure what I was supposed to do...or what he was trying to do.

"Uhm..." Dylan's face became a deep red as his hand went limp, falling from my arm. I grinned shyly and let out an awkward laugh. Dylan smiled a little too and his eyes sparkled when they met mine. It was quiet for a little while as I held Dylan's gaze. I decided to look away first, before he had long enough to realize just how ugly I really am.

"I should probably-" I pointed to the stairs. Dylan looked confused until he looked behind him.

"Oh! Oh, of course...the stairs..."

"Yeah, I need those sometimes."

"Me too."

I slowly pushed past Dylan and started down the steps. Damn you, Gretchen.

Jesse's Point of View

"Mommy! Mommy, wait for me!" Running as fast as my toddler legs would let me, I just seemed to be getting farther and farther away from Mom. Faster! I mentally screamed at myself, but my legs protested and gave way from under me, causing me to fall on my face. Mom didn't even turn at the sound of me crying out.

"I'm hurt, Mommy! Help me!" I pleaded, sobbing as I did so. Mom stopped but didn't turn, and I waited for her to keep walking. She turned slowly and I gasped when I saw that her face was dripping with blood. I couldn't have told you what color her skin was because it was soaked in blood.