The Deep And The Dark [COMPLETED][UNEDITED]

V

Unfortunately for me, I had stood up right before Sam had the audacity to tell me that. Fortunately for me, I had been sitting very close to Jace, who then caught me as I fell and held me against his chest as I began to hyperventilate. There was a ninety percent chance that Sam was right. But I still clung to that ten percent chance that he wasn't.

"Show me," I gasped, weaving my fingers into Jace's shirt but talking to Sam. "Show me where she is."

"I, uh, Nicki I haven't buried her yet."

"Show me her body then god damn it."

"Nicki, you really shouldn't see your best friend's body. I would know," Jace murmured into my ear. I looked up at him, cheek still pressed against his chest, but with fire in my eyes.

"I have to know if she's really dead. I have to know, I have to . . ." I trailed off, then looking at Sam. "Show me." And so Jace helped me up, and stood a few feet behind me as I trailed after Sam, who was supporting Jenna.

Jenna looked back at me. "Nicki . . ."

"Don't."

"No, not that. I wanted to say thanks for saving me."

I softened. "You're welcome." I was glad to have the power to save at least one person from death. "Jenna, where did all the blood come from?"

She grimaced. "I was puking blood when Sam found me and helped me to that tree."

Behind me, Jace murmured, "Internal bleeding, probably." I bit my lip, because I knew none of us had the power to stop that. We walked in silence for a while, and I had to glance back to make sure Jace was still there every once in a while. He always was.

"There's a fifty percent chance you might run," I told him quietly, when he asked why I was so worried.

"No, there's a one hundred percent chance that I won't leave you. Or them." He nodded towards Jenna and Sam, who were muttering to each other.

I turned my head so I wasn't looking at him, but a smile covered my face.

Sam stopped, and Jenna leaned against him for support. He looked back at me, and I nodded determinedly, walking forward with one hand resting gently over the gash in my side. I approached a wide, mossy tree, craning my neck to see around it. I spotted two legs and the rest of the person propped against the tree.

"Ellen," I gasped, rushing forward and falling next to her side. I took one of her hands, wincing at the icy chill that shook my bones.

I examined her, breath catching in my throat. A sharp piece of glass had pierced through her chest, just missing where her heart was but probably having pierced her lung. "No," I whispered, entangling my fingers in her blood-caked hair. I shook her gently, but her warm brown eyes didn't open.

"No. No. No!" I screamed. My voice echoed off of every tree in the area as I screamed over and over again. Eventually, I broke into sobs and fell against Ellen's shoulder, my tears drenching her shirt. I had given her that shirt, after we had fought over who's it was.

"I'm so sorry," I gasped, digging my nails into the shirt and pulling her stiff body close. "I'm so so sorry."

"Nicki," Jace said behind me. He tried to pry me off of Ellen, but I screamed and clung to her. Sam had to hold Ellen while Jace pulled me off of her, and even then I was sobbing and clawing towards her. Jace turned me around harshly, so that I was looking away from Ellen.

I struggled and tried to scrape his hands off of my arms, but they wouldn't budge. I wasn't as built as he, and had about a thirty percent chance of freedom. He drew me forward, smothering me into his embrace, and I sobbed whilst beating my fists against his chest. "She's gone, Nicki, she's gone. Let go."