For a what felt like a couple centuries, no one spoke, no one dared to disturb the air by even breathing. Simon's face could have blended in with the stark white bedsheets, and Baz, well if his could have gotten any paler it would have. That wasn't a moment they'd ever revisit, never once was it mentioned. Not once in a million years would any of the three revel what thoughts were racing around their poor petrified heads. It was Penny who broke the torturous silence.
With a sigh she called out, "Simon?" He looked up at her in bewilderment, as though he hadn't known she was there. Baz feeling, Simon's head move off of his chest, turned his head up towards Penny's gleaming face. The slow tears reflected the light of the setting sun, giving her an unearthly glow. Both of them stared at Simon, waiting, waiting for something for anything to come out of his mouth. Inside Simon was in turmoil. He was standing, in the middle of his beautiful world, a new one, just in the final stages of construction. It was all falling to pieces. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't move his arms which were pinned to his side, or his feet, cemented into the sidewalk. Flicking his eyes to the right he saw his inspiration, the tower that was the Mage begin to sway. Screaming, he struggled harder, using every bit of energy he possessed to try and free his hands, to catch the pieces, to fix it, to hold the tower up.
Still they stared. Simon began to shake slightly, a single leaf being blown about in an impossible gale. Baz's arm tightened on his shoulder, willing him to speak, letting Simon know that he was safe. Finally, Simon opened his mouth and spoke. Baz had been expecting an immediate action plan, some way to get Penny out of there and fast. After all, that's what he was doing, in fact he had already mentally packed their bags. Penny, knowing brave Simon Snow best, was sure she was about to witness a wrack of sobs shake his body. They both could never have anticipated his response. The look in his eyes was murderous, indifferent and angry. " No." he whispered harshly," Why should I believe you?"
Simon couldn't do it, he could believe it. It was one thing when Baz had heard something being whispered on the other side of a door. But faced with the cold hard truth, he broke. His mind, too weak, too narcissistic to put himself through that kind of pain, killed the idea. It shut it down, there was no way his savior could be evil.
For Baz and Penny, the shock was unparalleled. "What the heck! This can't be happening! No, no this is not good. What the heck is happening! Simon, mate snap out of it mate!" Baz thought with an unhealthy amount of vigor. He knew Simon was close to the Mage, but betraying his friend, no that wasn't him. Simon would have done anything for Penny. He drew his arm back from around his shoulder, turning to stare at his favorite face. His mouth was wide open in horror. It took a lot to render Baz absolutely speechless. Simon had more than accomplished that. Penny had dropped Simon's hand. Her heart was racing, faster than light. she could feel herself wobbling on the brink of consciousness, wavering between this world at the relief of another. She had come back for one reason, and one only: Simon. And now she'd lost him too. Her eyes rolled back in her head, they too were done, done with this wreck of a world. All of her was ready to go back to those four days of bliss.
