31-Day MCSM One Shot Challenge - February Edition 2019

Barely Holding On

Jesse leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes. She reached one hand up, massaging her sore forehead with two fingers. It didn't feel like the day was ever coming to an end, every second feeling like it was taking longer to tick by than the previous one.

Groaning softly, Jesse tossed her pen aside and let the upper half of her body flop down on the desk, resting her her head on the paperwork that she'd barely worked on.

She clenched her hands into tight fists, frustration boiling inside of her. She just wanted to get home, slump down on her bed and sleep. But no, that wasn't going to happen, she already knew that.

Sleep only came when it wanted to, which wasn't all that often anymore. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she had slept. Had it been that week? What day was it even?

Jesse sunk back into her chair again, switching back to her former position with her gaze tilted up at the ceiling.

It's been like that all day, her concentration refusing to work along. She's been agitated, slightly short tempered and battling a constant headache. Not one paper of work had been done.

Jesse gritted her teeth, wondering if she should call it a day early. Really, all she was probably going to do was walk home, pace up and down the hallway, and probably break something or start crying.

It's just how her days have been going for... She's lost track of how long.

Her emotions had been all over the place. If she wasn't snapping at people, she was tearing up over something as small as dropping a pen. She's been sleeping and eating less, and working more. It's been weeks since something's made her feel like smiling.

Jesse sighed softly, sitting up in her chair. She rubbed her burning eyes as she stood up, deciding that all staying at the office was going to accomplish - was to make her more moody than she already was.

She looked over at the paper scattered across her desk. She was behind on her work, and barely trying to get back on schedule. It was like she just didn't care anymore.

Jesse sighed, picking up her stuff and heading for the door. She didn't know what she was going to do at the Order Hall once she got there, but that was problem that could wait to be addressed.

Hearing the wooden planks in the hallway creak beneath Jesse's feet, Radar's head was quick to pop out from a different room.

"Boss?" He asked in puzzlement. "Where are you heading? Is everything okay?"

"I'm sorry Radar, I'm going home early today." Jesse said softly. "Just can't really stay concentrated, you know?"

Radar frowned slightly, looking concerned. Usually it would make Jesse chuckle, seeing how easily her intern could get anxious over anything. But that afternoon, not even Radar's nervousness was making her crack a smile.

And maybe her intern's concerns weren't overreaction, for once.

"Boss, Jesse, are you sure everything is alright?" Radar asked her, stepping out of his own office and walking to her side. "You've been... Not quite yourself for a while."

"I'm fine." Jesse said, forcing her mouth to curve upwards slightly to reassure him.

"Okay." Radar said softly, giving in. "Just let me know if you need anything, alright Boss?"

Jesse nodded, turning away. She hesitated slightly, a part of her almost wanting to turn back and hug Radar goodbye. She shook her head to herself, there was no reason to start getting sappy. She'd see him the next day again anyway.

"Bye!" Radar cheerfully called after her as he disappeared back into his own office to finish his section of the day's work.

Jesse stepped outside into the cool afternoon air, pulling her jacket's hood over her head. If a fan ran up to her at that moment, she had a feeling that she would simply push them away. Staying invisible was probably the safer option.