The Phoenix {Book Three of Hey Youngblood Chronicles}

Chapter 2- Some Secrets Are Meant To Be Told

Pete's POV

Patrick and I slowly made our way down the hall, following close behind the doctor. I could see Patrick was shaking in his shoes, probably because we were still soaking wet from the sprinklers and the halls were unnaturally cold. We didn't bother waking Andy or Monica since they were fast asleep, or at they least appeared to be.

The doctor led us to one of the rooms a few doors down from where we were sitting. The curtains around Jasey's hospital bed were closed. I started to get worried. Was she okay?

Patrick was shaking in his shoes and all the color was drained from his face.

"Are you sure you want to see her?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Yea, I need to see her." I could see he was really trying to keep himself together.

I put my hand on his shoulder, "I'm here for you 'Trick." I reassured him.

Taking a deep breath, Patrick grasped the curtain and pulled it back, revealing the person inside.

Jasey was laying on the bed with all sorts of different wires and monitors hooked up to her. The faint beeping of the heart monitor filled the room. All of the color was drained from her skin. Her normally very bright red hair was dull and lifeless on the drab pillows, even her tattoos appeared to be a bit duller. Her face was blank and expressionless.

All I could think was that she looked like death. And it was all my fault.

I heard Patrick let out a small gasp. "Oh god."

Just in that moment, I heard footsteps behind us. Patrick and I spun around and saw Andy and Monica in the doorway. "How is she?" Andy was the first to speak.

"In a coma." I answered coldly.

Both their eyes widened. "Do they know when she'll wake up?" Monica asked.

Patrick shook his head in denial, walking over to her bedside. "It could be a few days, it could be never. They said all we can do is wait."

Both Andy and Monica's faces fell. "D-do we at least know what caused it?" She stammered.

"No." Patrick answered flatly.

"I think I know." A voice spoke up. The four of us looked around to see Joe sitting on Jasey's bed.

"What do you think?" Andy wondered. "Could it...." He went silent before he finished his sentence.

Joe must have understood what Andy was going to say because he nodded in response. They always had that kind of connection, like brothers. "It would have killed her if I didn't do what I did." Joe explained. "Sadly it wasn't enough. It's still inside her, attacking her bit by bit. I should have stopped her. I was supposed to protect her, and I failed."

"It's not your fault Joe." Andy reassured him. "I saw it attack her and I didn't do anything to stop it. I should have grabbed her and let that thing take me instead. It should be me in that bed, not her."

Patrick glared at him. "You really think that's what it would do to you?" He laughed darkly. "She got off on the easy half. She didn't become a monster like I did, I can't say the same for what it would do to you. If it took you instead, you would have ended up like me; a monster. You wouldn't be able to control yourself. You could have easily killed me, Pete, Monica, even Jasey and not even remember it. Do you think I don't regret everything I did, even though I don't remember any of it? That I couldn't control any of it? I still think I'm a monster for it. I hurt the ones I loved the most." He motioned to Joe and Jasey.

I couldn't take it anymore. Patrick shouldn't be beating himself up over this. It was my fault we were in this situation, not any of theirs. I have to tell them. I know I promised Jasey I wouldn't, but I have to get it off my chest.

"Guys, it isn't either of your faults." I spoke up. Joe, Andy, and Patrick all looked at me funny.

"What do you have to do with this Pete?" Andy raised an eyebrow. "You were the one who got Patrick out of there. You couldn't have grabbed her."

I shook my head in denial. "No, but I knew about the spell she used on the demon." I confessed.

They all stared at me, utterly confused. "Pete, what are you not telling us?" Joe questioned me, standing up off the bed.

I took a deep breath and told them everything, about the spell, about what went down in the basement, how I begged her to find another way, and about how she begged me to get out once she released the demon.

"And you didn't think to even tell any of us?!" Andy snapped.

"She made me promise not to tell you." I defended myself.

"Still, you should have told me at least!" Joe yelled, his face turning red. "I could have done something! I could have destroyed it as soon as she cast it out!" He was yelling so loud that I was sure someone was going to come in and see what all the noise was. But then I remembered that us and Monica were the only ones who can see or hear him.

"I wanted to tell you guys, I really did." I pleaded them. "I just couldn't bring myself to go behind her back like that."

Patrick was deadly silent. I didn't know if he was angry or upset or what. As for the others, I could tell that they were thoroughly pissed off at me for hiding that. If looks could kill, Monica and Andy would have put me six feet under, twice.

"Guys," I pleaded. "Say something, please."

Andy was the only one to speak. "If you really cared Pete, you would have told us. I'd would have rather have her pissed off and alive than this."

"Andy, I-" I started.

"Save it." He cut me off. "You weren't the one who held her dying in your arms." He stormed out.

Monica went to go after him, but Joe appeared in front of her before she could make it out the door.

"Let him go." He told her. "He just needs to blow off some steam."

We all just stood there completely lost on what to do next. I was thinking that I just completely fucked up everything.

Great job Pete.

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Hey guys,

Sorry for such a long wait. School just started up again with new classes, so I haven't had much time to write. Here was an extra long chapter to make up for it :)