Manifest Darkness (Sequel to Darkness Within)

Chapter 32- Cases Like This

Mark-

It's been a few hours after Dark had come back. The hours waiting for him been utter agony, as Wilford was then the next in line. He would not. Stop. TALKING. I'm laying on the hospital bed, alone, staring up at the ceiling, and just generally being more at ease, knowing that Sean was safe. I hear the door click and the hinges squeak, so I look up to see Janet walk in, looking much more refreshed than when I last saw her.
"You finally got some rest?" I ask her, and she nods.
"Yeah. I feel much better, you were right."

I smile. "Er, so, do you think I could possibly visit Sean?"

Janet's previously happy expression faltered for a moment.
"N-No, I'm sorry. We're still afraid he could hurt you. We'll wait a few days, just in case."

"A few days?" I ask, heart sinking to my stomach.

"Yes." She confirms. "I'm sorry, Mark. We just have to be careful." She says, walking over and sitting down next to me. "We've had cases like this before, and none of them ended well."

No, I'm pretty sure you haven't had two men with demonic alter egos trying to kill themselves and each other.

I nod, shoulders sagging. "Yea, y-you know what's best. You're probably right."

She smiles a small bit, then clicks her pen.
"So, I'm just going to be checking up on you, see how you're doing." she says.

I nod. "Question time? Fire away."

"Alright... so, how're you feeling?" She asks me, flashing a small smile.

"I'm good, I guess. My throat feels kinda better. I just wish I could see Sean." I say, looking at the floor.

"Oh... we- well, you will." Janet mumbled. "Anyways.. how long have you and Sean been together?" She asks

I frown, not a hundred percent sure, it's all kind of been a blur. "Well, we've been friends for years, and we've been dating for...maybe a..month? Two?" I say uncertainly.

"I see." Janet whispers. "And... does anything else hurt?"

"No, I'm pretty good, actually." I nod, smiling.

"Okay, that's good." She nods. "Have you had any relationships in the past?"

"Uh, yea, I had a few high school girlfriends, and then Jess...and then Amy." I smile. Amy was great...she still is. One of my best friends, even though there isn't any romantic attraction now.

"Oh... I see. Now, erm..." she chuckles nervously. "Now, erm,what sexuality are you? Are you, er, gay?" She asks.

"What? No..I mean.." I frown. I've never thought about it, really. I mean, I love Sean, but it was also actual love with Amy, there was attraction and a connection there. "I...I guess I'm...bi?" I say, shrugging slightly.

She seems to let out a relieved sigh.
"Would... would you like to go out with me?" She asks hesitantly.

I turn to face her, eyes wide. Shit, Dark wasn't kidding. "Um, uh, I, er, I um.." I say, stuttering like a moron.I sigh, running my hands through my hair. "Janet, I...I don't think you know what you're asking."

"I-I do, Mark. You're... you're amazing. You're so kind, and understanding.." she began to ramble, seemingly in a daze.

I smile, blushing despite myself. "Fuck." I mutter. "I-I don't know. I mean, you're really nice, and pretty and awesome and funny, and smart, and pretty damn witty, but...but what about Sean? And I'm..." I trail off. "Janet, I'm the mental patient, the insane person, and you're my nurse."

"I just figured- maybe I could be better than Sean. I could give you a chance at love without killing you." Janet muttered.

I look at her, silent. I mean, she does have a valid point...

Janet sighs softly, closing her eyes.
"I'm sorry..."

I move over a bit closer, laying my hand on hers. "No, no, it's okay.."

She looks up at me, blushing gently.
"Are you sure?"

I nod, looking in her eyes, then down at our hands. It's not Sean, and yet...I'm not moving my hand away.

She stares into my eyes for a moment before looking back down at our hands as well. I can hear Dark screaming at me in my mind. I wince, trying to tune him out. I'm so confused, he isn't helping. And I have no idea what the hell to do.

"YOU IDIOT!" I hear him shout. Janet then leans against me, sighing again.

"Shut up." I mutter, and Janet leans back a bit. "Huh?" "N-nothing, sorry." I say, and she gives a small smile. "Okay."

"I just risked my existence to save your boyfriend, and you repay me by doing this?" Dark snaps, and I say nothing. I mean, we're not doing anything, and Sean needs to focus on getting better. What he doesn't know won't hurt him.

I hear him laugh bitterly in the back of my head.
"This is going to have repercussions, I hope you know." He growls, and finally, falls silent.

I shiver slightly at his words, but a tiny voice in the back of my head says 'you can deal with that later.' I decide to follow that voice instead. Hey, lets blame it on the pain meds in my system.

Janet glances to a walkie talkie on her belt, which makes an unintelligible noise.
"Whoops. That's me." She chuckles softly.

I nod, sitting back and clasping my hands together in my lap. "Yea."

"I gotta go. See you." She waves at me before walking out of my room, leaving me happier than before.

I smile at her retreating figure, not a hundred percent sure what just happened between us.

I mean, I have nothing to feel guilty about, or hide from Sean. Nothing happened, really, I didn't do anything.
And yet you didn't try and prevent anything from happening. And if it did, you wouldn't have stopped it. Says my irritating self conscious.

And, I mean, as much as I hate to admit it, she did have a point. It would be nice, to be able to go to sleep and not worry about being killed in the night by the person lying next to me.
Live with one demon, not two.

I sigh to myself, pinching the bridge of my nose. I have a growing headache, and now every noise seems amplified up to 10. I lay down slowly, resting my head on the pillow. I can feel Dark glaring at me, but I try to ignore it.

"Stop judging me." I mutter, and he chuckles, well, darkly. "Oh, I'm doing more then judging, Marky." he says, and I open one eye slightly to peer at him. "What do you mean?"

He resting against the corner, his foot propped up on the wall and his arms crossed.
"I'm planning." He purrs, smirking slightly.

I open my eyes all the way, sitting up. "Planning what?" I ask, instantly on guard.

He chuckles sarcastically.
"Oh, just a little something called karma. I work my ASS off to save your boyfriend so you wouldn't have a full demon by the time you get out of here." He pushes off of the wall, beginning to pace back and forth in front of me. "And HOW do you repay me? By hooking up with some other chick!"

"I-I-we" I splutter. "I-I didn't hook up with her! We didn't even kiss!" I defend myself desperately I'm following his movements, head going back and forth like a metronome.

"Uh-huh! Sure!" He responds sarcastically. "And I'm a rubber chicken. You two have given each other the 'flashing heart' eyes more than once!"

My brow furrows, he's right. Dammit. "Well, we..we didn't do anything?" I say weakly, a last attempt. My voice goes pathetically high at the end of my sentence.

"Oh, yeah. Like that solves everything." He spits bitterly.  "You'll regret this, Mark."