The End of All

Chapter 8

·Cole's POV·

Everything was hot. And fuzzy. I could hear... voices. A woman... and maybe Zane? I couldn't tell. They were saying something. There were other voices too. They were familiar... But I couldn't tell. Everything was too hot. I was burning in the dark.
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I slowly opened my eyes and stared at the wooden slats above me. I felt weird... I was hot- uncomfortably so- but my entire right side was freezing. I tilted my head to the side.

There was a blurry form resting in a chair, upper body slumped forward onto the bed. I blinked to clear my vision.

"Zane?" My voice was weak. Still, his head shot up.

"Cole!" He smiled at me. Zane looked better than before. Strange... People didn't gain weight and muscle overnight. Which meant...

"How long was I out?"

"Approximately one week, three days, fifteen hours." He rattled off. I laughed and ended up coughing.

"Still have that robot brain of yours I see." He smiled softly.

"I am glad you are safe." I wanted to ask what happened to me, since everything from him coming to check on me to now was dark, but the relief in his face made me not want to bring it up. There'd be time later.

"Still, 'm not doing as good as you." I said. I tried to sit up, but it just sent the world spinning. My heart joined in when I felt his arms around me, helping me sit back against the short headboard. When the world settled down I glanced around the room.

It was nice, even if I didn't recognize it at all. Neatly kept with light grey-blue walls and driftwood  floor. The furniture, including the bunk bed, was all white. Not my style, but still quite nice.

"This your room?" Zane glanced back.

"Hm? Yes. The general consensus was that we will share it during your stay." He answered. Sharing a room with Zane? I wasn't sure whether I'd thank or kill the others for that.

"Are the others still here?"

"Of course. They have been waiting for you to wake up as well. Would you like for them to come in?" I shook my head.we could see them later. Besides, I didn't think my head could handle them.

We sat in silence for a while. I kept my eyes on him as he stared intently at his hands. Something seemed to be bothering him.

"You ok?"

"Hm? Oh, yes. Of course."
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•Zane's POV•

What else could I say? That my aunt took over his body and tried to kill me? That I still wasn't sure if I should risk our friendship and tell him how I feel? Not a chance. I gazed at him and noticed the sweat forming on his forehead.

"Is it hot in here or is it just me?" He rasped. It was quite chilly in here, so I frowned.

"I believe it is just you."

Cole erupted into wheezing laughter, startling me. I didn't understand what had triggered it. All I had done was clarify that it was not the room, but him who was... oh. Oh. My face grew warm.

"I did not mean physically. Well, you are, but- never mind. The temperature is not warm." It felt so foreign now to be tripping over myself. I should have simply feigned ignorance, but it was too late now. Besides...

I placed a hand on his forehead. He was hot beneath my fingers, but he sighed at the touch. That was one benefit of having perpetually cold hands.

"You're burning up."

"I guess it is just me then." He rasped. "Zane..."

"Just rest." I pressed my hand against his forehead again. "I will call for my father." I would be calling for my mother as well, but I did not feel it best to confuse him. Everything would be sorted out when he was well again, but no sooner.

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-Cole's POV-

I can't remember passing out again, but when I woke up everything was a lot less foggy. I was alone now. No voice in my head and no Zane by my side. Readjusting, I sat on the edge of the bed, his bed, and put my feet on the cool wooden floor. Standing was shaky, so I wandered around a bit to give my legs a bit of a wake-up call. This was his room. Everything was neat and in place, though there were some areas that came from a Zane that, while organized, did't have the same programmed precision when it came to cleanliness. Slowly I made my way out into the hall, noting the almost humorous "Out of order due to familial possession" sign hanging a ways down the hall, on what I could only assume was the bathroom I had been puking in earlier. It would probably be funny if I actually knew what it was referring to when it said 'familial possession'. Across was a heavily dented and cracked portion of wall, on which someone had hung a sign clarifying "wall out of order".

Farther down the hall  I could hear voices. Jay's voice was clearest. I would have to apologize to him again, after what happened with the voice in my head. And Zane too. I must have worried him with getting sick so suddenly. Same with everyone else on the team.

I stepped into the living area from the day before, or however many days before. As I stepped in the group surrounding the dining table stopped talking and stared at me.

"Cole!" Jay was the first to jump up from the table and run at me, full speed. It was a miracle I stayed standing when he hit me with a hug.

"Jay," I smiled, "It's good to see you again. I, uh, I'm sorry about before."

"It's all good." He chirped back. As bad as I felt about it, he just seemed happy that I was back. Zane was the next to stand, a small smile on the face.

"Cole." He whispered.

"Zane."

A look passed over his face, like he had just realized something. He gestured to the woman next to him, who stood.

"This," he paused a moment, "this is my mother. She was the one who helped you when you were, uh, sick."

I turned to her and smiled politely. "Thank you Mrs. Julien. I think I probably owe you my life."

"Please, call me Cait." She walked over to me, and held out a hand, which I took. "It is nice to formally meet you."

"Yeah. You too." I couldn't help but be intimidated by Mrs. Cait. She was so tall, and almost seem timeless. Kinda like an elf or something, only she was my friend's mom. 

"Come, sit," She put a hand on my back and pushed me in the direction of the table, "You must be hungry."

She was right, I was starved. She let me have her seat next to Zane. I smiles at him and he smiled back.

"I'm glad you're alright." he whispered. 

"Thanks." 

The others were thrilled to have me back, and wasted no time in filling me in with everything that had happened when I was out, not leaving out the sentiment that it was nice not having me even offer to cook. Yeah, ouch. But I let them talk, since I was still sorta out of it and simply enjoyed being back. And it was nice in a way. For once it what felt like a long time there was finally nothing to worry about.