The Secrets Beneath the Lies (MCSM Fanfic)

Chapter 36: She Who Fears None

Jesse slowly opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings. She was laying in her bed, nestled in under the fuzzy blankets.

She only had vague memories of arriving back at the Order Hall. She remembered vaguely that Petra had helped her into bed, repeating that she needed to rest.

Jesse blinked a few times, sitting upright. She was feeling a lot better than she did earlier. She was still tired, but the continuous throbbing in her head had died down, and she felt completely normal. She knew not to be fooled however. If this was the spell they all feared it to be, she'll only be fine for something like 16 more hours. Then she'll finally feel what Petra's been going through for the past month.

Jesse shuddered at the thought. She remembered what happened on their way back. The memory was a little fuzzy, it almost felt like it was only a bad dream. But Jesse knew it wasn't.

She carefully rolled up her long sleeve, revealing three deep claw marks across her arm. Jesse bit her lip as the wounds stung. She didn't tell anybody that Petra had actually injured her.

"And I'm not going to." Jesse whispered, rolling down her sleeve again, covering up the deep gashes. Petra was going through enough, she didn't need the guilt on her shoulders, knowing that she hurt Jesse whilst having no control over herself.

Jesse remembered Petra's face when Lukas had calmly explained to her what had happened. She was absolutely devastated. Jesse shuddered at the memory, wondering how had long they actually had left....

After a while of just puzzling over the chaotic events that occurred in the past 24 hours, Jesse got out of bed, slowly walking over to the window. She peered outside to see the sky was pitch black and filled with twinkling stars.

"Already night." Jesse said with a sigh, sitting down on the window seat.

She was dying to talk to somebody. She had so many fears and thoughts locked up inside of her, that she really wanted to share.

Jesse bit her lip, wondering if anybody else was awake. She was fairly sure that both Petra and Lukas were fast asleep, but what about Axel and Olivia?

Jesse especially wanted to hear how Olivia was doing. After all, when she saw her a few hours ago she was too disorientated and exhausted to even pay attention to her friend's condition.

Quietly getting up from the window seat, and walking over to the door, Jesse pushed it open. The halls were dark, the whole temple bathing in silence. Everybody was most likely asleep.

Jesse usually wasn't one for bothering her friends at night. But under circumstances, she hoped it would be OK. So, carefully feeling her way along the wall, Jesse tiptoed over to the room across hers.

She silently pushed open the door, not wanting to wake anybody else unnecessarily. The room was dark, but Jesse's eyes have started adjusting, and she was able to make out the shape of Olivia's double bed in the middle of the room.

"Olivia?" Jesse whispered, hoping her friend wouldn't actually be asleep. But there came no reply. "Olivia?" Jesse whispered again, louder this time, as she crept up to the edge of the bed.

There was a shifting in the darkness, and Olivia turned over to look at Jesse with two half-opened eyes.

"Are you awake?" Jesse asked softly, feeling slightly guilty.

"I am now." Olivia muttered a reply, reaching over for her bedside table, turning on the dim light.

As soon as she did, and Jesse's face was clearly visible, Olivia's lit up.

"Jesse! You're awake and you're OK!" She gasped, sitting up to hug Jesse tightly.

"Sorry for waking you." Jesse said awkwardly, when they pulled away. "I needed somebody to talk to."