Coveted [New/Revised Version]

BREAKING POINT

      Iris woke from a sound sleep with her heart pounding in her throat. An inconsolable sorrow enveloped her. She'd never felt such extreme, disheartening emotion before in her life. Of course, when her mother passed, she grieved and if she considered it further, she still grieved. However, this was beyond anything she experienced.

Her entire body began trembling and soon she was breaking in a cold sweat. She gasped for breath over and over. When she found she couldn't take in air, she sat up in her bed clutching her chest. She was beginning to hyperventilate. The blankets stirred beside her.

"Iris?" Lisa breathed groggily as she turned over.

She came over a few hours after Sky left. Although Iris had mixed feelings toward Lisa, she let her in. They talked, laughed, and watched movies with piles of junk food like old times. Somewhere along the line, they fell asleep. When they woke up again, it was late and completely dark out so Lisa slept over.

Lisa rubbed her eyes sleepily but became fully attentive once she saw the state of her friend. Iris still couldn't find breath and the tremors running through her body didn't helping. In her panic, she began flaying in the tangle of blankets. She had to breathe! This mantra ran over and over in her mind as full terror gripped her.

Lisa sat up beside Iris and wrapped her arms around her to keep her from thrashing. Despite her hold on her, Iris still shook violently. Unexplained tears rolled down her cheeks. Iris found it even more difficult to hold them back than trying to breathe. Another fit of tremors racked her body and she clutched Lisa's arm.

Lisa cradled her face in the cup of her hand as she rubbed her back in small soothing circles. She murmured shushing sounds and stroked Iris' hair. After several minutes, her efforts were rewarded. Iris was able to breathe again.

She shifted away from Lisa, still shaken. She smoothed her hair and wiped at her face. Her cheeks burned from her earlier outlet. But she was also embarrassed by what just happened. Her grandmother explained this to her before—several times actually.

In the state of rest, an Empath was still susceptible to the emotions of others. It took practice and concentration to steel oneself against such things even in unconsciousness. Iris knew this but nothing ever happened before to make her take such precautions. She never encountered an emotion too strong for her to tune out until now.

"You're making this a habit vampire." Iris felt more than heard Gregory's snarl downstairs.

"Yeah, well, it's not like I have an unhealthy obsession with your mug that I've got to come over all the time." Sky retorted.

Gregory's annoyance surged in her.

"You brought company."

"Lighten up. He can be trusted."

"Iris?" It was only then she became aware of Lisa waving her hand in front of her face.

Anxiety coursed through her now.

"I'm fine." Iris' hoarse voice filled the room. "It was just night terrors."

"Night terrors?" the anxiety piqued.

"It's nothing." Iris said. After Lisa touched her arm, she repeated, "I'm fine."

Lisa started saying something but she zoned out.

Gregory's irritation imposed on her again.

"What do you mean you need everybody for this?"