It Doesn't Do Well to Dream

Chapter 11

 Lex's proof was a decent sized file containing various medical tests performed on the other Peyton's body, including cranial scans and some different sorts of electrical readings. There were phrases like "unresponsive frontal lobe" and "alarming lack of reaction time".

It still left her with a cold, bitter feeling. Doctor's notes and charts and...and a photograph were hard to refute. There was a picture of the other Peyton. She was sitting on an exam chair and staring somewhere passed the camera. It was eerie. There was something off about her expression. An emptiness of sorts that almost had her skin crawling.
Peyton couldn't actually read too much of it because she started getting a migraine if she tried to focus too much. Lex assured her that he'd let her look at it more thoroughly when she felt better, if she stayed that long.

Peyton highly doubted she'd be in this universe long enough to heal, not taking sleeping aides and all, and set about trying to think of a way to bring it back with her.

"Do you think you could make me copies? Maybe I could take it back with me."

Lex set the file up on a small table and chuffed.

"Take it back?"
Peyton nodded. She felt along her neck at the chain still there. The locket had followed her back and she'd only taken it off so far to shower.

"I was able to somehow bring this back with me," she said and gestured to the locket. "And-" she paused. "Do you remember when you first came back after your accident, and I cut myself with that letter opener? That cut-" she looked down at her hand; there was still a faint line left on her skin from that act, "that cut was in the same place on my hand when I woke up that morning."

Lex eyed her hand and then shifted his gaze over to the locket.

"Why would there be a cut on your hand if you have two separate bodies," he asked. "That doesn't make sense if this isn't your body too."
Oh. Peyton felt suddenly overwhelmed and it was probably the concussion doing it, but she took a couple deep breaths and tried to not panic.

"I don't know," she said breathlessly. "I don't know."

She'd never thought about it before now. But she shouldn't have had a cut on her own hand. She'd only cut this Peyton's hand. They were two different people. Possibly they were different versions of each other, but they were still separate.

Lex sighed and stepped forward.

"Hey-"

A buzz from an intercom interrupted him and both their heads turned towards the sound.

"Our stuff?" she asked.

Lex walked over and hit the speaker button.

"Yes?"
It was a woman, some fencing instructor, and Lex let her in with a flustered acknowledgement.

"I arranged for her to come before I knew," he started to explain. Peyton laughed lightly.

"How could you possibly have known any of this would happen? Feel free to do whatever you want, I'm ti- I mean, I should just rest anyway."

At his sharp, stern look Peyton grinned sheepishly.

"I'll stay awake," she promised. "I'll just stare at the wall or something. That's about all I'm good for right now."

Lex rubbed the back of his neck as if mentally debating listening to her and Peyton sobered her expression.

"Go on, Lex," she said. "I'll stay here. You can check up on me and make sure I'm keeping my promise if you feel like you have to."

The tension eased somewhat in his shoulders and he smiled thinly.

"I'll be doing that then," he said.