Neptune

You

The sun is only just rising when Jemma's eyes flutter open, the sky outside her window a deep red dappled with blue. She lies in bed awake for a few seconds before she catches sight of me standing by her bedside table and looking at her photographs.

"Were you watching me as I slept?" she accuses, indignant.

"I wasn't watching you... but I was present," I say sheepishly. I understand how she feels, but I have nowhere else to go in this bleak domicile.

She raises her eyebrows, sitting up in bed. "That's a tad creepy, to be honest."

"You never used to toss and turn like that. Nightmares?" I enquire and she nods, brushing the sleep from her eyes.

"So you were watching me," she says and I realise that I've backed myself into a corner. "Do you not need to sleep?"

I shake my head. "And neither do I need to breathe, blink, eat or use the bathroom. I am still undecided whether it's convenient or inexpediant."

She swings her legs out of bed and stands up, meandering over to her dresser and picking up the sweater on the top of the pile. It's another one of mine and I guess that it's her way of keeping me close to her, but eventually the lingering scent of me on the clothes will evanesce, just as my body inevitably will. I occasionally flicker, my image as if it's been interrupted during it's transmittance, similar to a bad television signal.

The door slides open and we both jump in surprise at the sudden noise. Skye stands in the doorway, dressed in the same clothes she was wearing yesterday: light grey sweatpants and an oversized check shirt.

"You're up already? I was expecting to have to wake you," Skye says. "It's five and May's waiting for you."

Jemma's mouth falls open. "I'd forgotten about that. I'll be along in a second."

Skye smiles knowingly and exits, closing the door behind her. Jemma pulls a pair of yoga pants from her drawer.

"Turn around or otherwise avert your eyes, I'm getting changed," she says and I stare at the plain white wall.

"Did you really forget? You seemed so determined yesterday," I say with a frown.

She almost falls as she pulls on the pants, putting a hand on the frame of the bed for balance. "I haven't been able to keep much in my head lately, and I always feel blank after nightmares - you know the feeling, they're all you can think about for a while. But this is important to me."

"I don't doubt it," I say and turn around when she gives me the word. "You go and have your girl time, I'll go explore."

Jemma's hand lingers on the doorknob. "There's not really much to see, are you sure you'll be okay?"

I take a step toward her and take her free hand in my ghostly one. I penetrate her skin, of course, but she plays along, lifting her hand in time with mine. She shivers a little.

"Do you feel anything?"

She shakes her head. "No."

"Please drive all thought of me from your mind while you're with me. Do this for yourself, okay?" I say gently and she nods slightly, bringing her hand away from me and opening the door.

"You know I can never do that, right?" she says with a wry smile and leaves me standing alone.

⭐

May is sitting cross legged on the floor, her eyes almost closed and a vacant expression on her face. Skye, however, motions to Jemma to sit down beside her; Jemma does and copies their sitting positions.