Flames in water

Part 8 "You earn your place"

You couldn't sleep last night. Michael was right, you had nightmares, again, after six peaceful months they returned. However, this time you were silent, there was no turning, no screaming, just sweating and the feeling of things being more real, almost like you could touch them. The first part of the nightmare was the same, you saw your father die again. He didn't have a face though, you forgot it, but the second part you've never seen before. You saw Xavier and a girl, she was your age, straight blonde hair, crystal blue eyes, small build and a tattoo on her neck. She was right beside him while he was killing werewolves, no mercy, no emotion, no regrets, nothing. You saw that he didn't kill them all, a lot of them ran for their lives. The older ones disappeared into the forests, parents taking their children and running for the mountains, only the alphas of the packs died, along with some soldiers. Afterwards the nightmare flashed to a little house, there was a trail that led to it, you saw it faintly and at the end of it was an old man. You didn't think anything of it at first, but then you noticed he was holding something, a picture of Xavier, he was dead in it. As you got closer to see the man's face, he was crying, mourning over the loss of Xavier and that's when you woke up. You chest was heaving up and down fast, trying to regain your normal breathing rhythm again. You glanced around the room, it's alright, it's not real, it wasn't real, just a nightmare, you're safe, Xavier is dead. You've realised that you've only slept for a whole hour, that can't be good, but it's going to be impossible to get back to sleep. Putting on a jacket and some longer pants you jumped out of the window, climbing to the roof to you sit there, looking up at the sky. You questioned everything in that dream, was it real, did those things happend? Who were the two people you saw, why now? Was your mind telling you something, was it your cat, she must be insane after being trapped for fifteen years, yeah, maybe that's it. You wanted to go to Michael, maybe he would understand, but you couldn't. He was sleeping and you were just overthinking things, it's nothing. Around seven, you went back into your room, laying there untill you heard the door open, rather slowly and inaudibly. You knew it was Sarah, she was trying to sneak up on you, but you weren't having any of it so you decided to ruin it.

Speaking quietly, your voice raspy as it was morning. "You're horrible at sneaking around, how are you a scout?" a small chuckle escapes your lips, she straightens and looks at you with wide eyes.

"How are you awake already?" she laughs, your rolled your eyes at the question.

"Did I wake you up, seriously?" Sarah sits on the end of the bed, looking guilty, even if it's not her fault.

"No, don't worry I was awake before" you sigh and get up, hoping she didn't notice the circles under your eyes.

"Did you sleep at all Willow?" she asks softly, concern masked, but you could tell. Turning around to face her for a second before going to the bathroom.

"Yeah I did actually" you look down, eyes tired even more "a whole hour" adding almost inaudible, she nods. Maybe she didn't hear you, it's not like you've known her enough for her to care that much...at least you think that's how it works.

"Well, get ready, we have to go to the pack house soon" Sarah gets up and closes the door behind her. After you get ready and the two of you have breakfast you head to the pack house, where Calum will be waiting for you. Are you ready? No, not at all, but you've gotta pass through this.

***

You and Sarah have arrived at the pack house first only to suddenly hear laughter behind you. The door opens and in come Michael and Luke, seems like they got along pretty well. They looked like they've been friends for years, but that's what Michael can do, become friends with anyone, it's just the matter of if he later wants them as friends.