The Magicians

Chapter 42- The Prisoner and the Waking

"Hi." I said through the bars on Chase's cell. He looked up and smiled. "Any chance you're here to let me out?" Chase asked, sounding nervous. I shook my head sadly. "I'm afraid not."

Chase sighed. "It's okay. I know they want me dead, and that's totally fine. I give up fighting with Blackwood and his stupid council." Chase said, resting his head in his hands.

I wanted to tell him that the council hadn't reached a verdict yet, but it was forbidden. "Why do you think they want to kill you?" I asked. "Because that guy, Tyson I think, told me so. Well, he said he wanted to kill me. My money is on the fact that he's Jackson's friends."

I nodded. He studied me for a minute. "Why don't you want to kill me?" He asked, sounding scared of the answer. I thought it over. I had an answer, but I wasn't sure Chase would take it.

"Well, you saved my life." I said, staring at the floor. Chase grunted. "That's a great excuse. A life for a life, right? Well, I still think you have the right to kill me. I mean, I kissed you, and I hurt your friends, helped Castor..." He trailed off.

"Those are really valid points, you know. You should feed them to the council so they have an even better reason to kill you!" I said, rolling my eyes. Chase laughed and stood.

"I think you should worry about your boyfriend's life, not mine, sweetheart." Chase said getting really close. "I'll be fine." He said, then he smiled.

I heard footsteps and looked down the hall. "The guards are coming. I have to go. By the way, the council hasn't decided your fate yet. I was at the meeting." I whispered, then I left.

*****

I placed one hand over Jackson's heart, and another on my wrist over my pulse. My pulse was beating fast and steady, but Jackson's was slow and uneven. You probably wouldn't even notice it if you weren't carful.

Just then, Jackson stirred in his forced sleep. He mumbled something. "Rose." He whispered harshly. I jumped back. "Alex!" I yelled.

Alex came running in and saw Jackson's arm twitch. Then Jackson started to breath loudly and harshly. "I think he's waking up! Rose, help me! He needs to stay down, so put your hand on his chest. I'll get my wand."

I placed my hand on Jackson's chest as I was told. I held him steady and listened to his awful, harsh breaths. "Please wake up. Please wake up." I whispered as I held him down softly.

Alex came running in with her wand. She drew a sign over his heart and his breathing became more slow and steady. Then, Jackson's eyes opened slowly.

"Wha- where- Rose?" He stuttered. He tried to sit up, but Alex held him back. "Lie down, Jack. It'll be okay." She said in a soothing voice.

I stroked Jackson shoulder and kept repeating "Everything's okay" to him. "On a scale of one to ten, rate your pain." Alex said, bustling around behind me. "Nine." Jackson mumbled, his eyes closed. "It hurts." He mumbled, more to his pillow than anything.

"Alright. I'll get you on some pain medication, then we'll see what else you need, okay?" "O-okay." Jackson said.

He kept his eyes closed, as if the world itself was hurting him, causing him extreme pain. He clenched his hands into fists. Alex stock a needle with pink liquid in Jackson's arm, and he cried out.

It made my heart break into pieces.

"Oh, God, that hurts." He said, wincing. "What was that?" I asked Alex, fuming. "It will keep him from getting an infection, but it hurts, bad. I wanted to give it to him first. It only lasts for five minutes." She said.

"Oh Jackson, it'll be alright. The pain will end. It's okay." I coaxed, putting my hand on him shoulder. Jackson stirred and moaned in pain until Alex finally gave him the pain medication. He sighed in relief as the medication kicked in.

"You'd think, with magic and all, things would be less painful." Jackson mumbled to me. "Oh, Jackson, I love you." I said, crying.

"Don't go soft on my now, Rose." He said. I laughed. Actually laughed. "I didn't think I was ever not soft. I'm the weakling, remember?" Jackson laughed, but winced.

"Are you aloud to tell me what happened?" He asked. I looked at Alex. She nodded. "Well, it's a long story..."

I preceded to explain what happen, how Jackson got stabbed, and I volunteered to die, the whole deal. With a few gasps, sighs, and head shakes, Jackson listened.

"You idiot. You volunteered to die?" He said, sounding about as angry as someone in his bad state could. "Yeah, and it hurt, so shush. I'm brave, okay?" I said, trying to lighten the mood.

It didn't work.

"That is not funny, Rose! You are so lucky to be here right now! You can't just decide to die! People can defend themselves." Jackson said, fuming. I felt a pang of anger, though I understood why Jackson was mad.

"I wanted to save the people I loved! Don't you understand what that's like? I know you do." Jackson closed his eyes and shook his head. "Rose, promise me you won't do anything like that again, and I will totally forgive you and never use it against you in any kind of argument."

I sighed. "I promise." Jackson smiled, but it was small, and full of pain and sadness. "Alright, Jackson! I have to run some tests, so Rose, could you leave? You can come see him later tonight." Alex said, coming in.

I nodded and left, my heart full of hope for the days to come.