Chapter 5

Things for the past few days were slowly going smoothly, as Blaire's injuries and health was steadily improving, but due to the incident it has been hard for her to properly walk around without falling down to her knees within the span of 5 to 10 minutes of getting up.

Blaire was currently sat on the living room sofa ready to what appeared to be a book, as some sighs of discomfort could be seen from the after affects of over using her powers when in such a weakened state. Avery randomly walks up to her out of nowhere and pulled the book away from her mother.

"Mama? How come you always have to stay sat down? Are you sick?" Avery suddenly started asking questions as Blaire let out a tired sigh and laid herself back against the sofa, nothing came to her mind as an excuse even if her only distraction had just been pulled away by a child.

"What are you doing?" Dan voice asked coming out of nowhere as Avery's body jolted before slowly glancing over her shoulder, seeing him stood at the opposite side of the room with both of his arms crossed very disappointed.

"Mama wouldn't pay attention to me, so I got her book" Avery nervously replied grabbing and showing the book in hand, Blaire stared at the book wanting to at least distract herself from this aching pain before her next dose of ibuprofen.

"I know you're not dumb, kid. But your mother is in agonising pain at the moment, and that book you're holding is the only thing helping her cope. So could you kindly give it back to your mama?" He explained witnessing Avery huff with a stomp and throw the book on the ground before stomping off, doing what typical child do when they don't exactly get what they want. Blaire stared down and went to reach out for it until feeling nauseous and suddenly stopped. "Let me get it for you" Dan offered casually walking over grabbing the book and placed it down beside her.

"I'm sorry" Blaire apologised embarrassed to be so weak, let alone having strangers take care of her, but she knew if it wasn't for them she wouldn't possibly be alive.

"Why are you apologising?" He asked taking a seat near Blaire, but not very close as the book was laid between them closed, unfinished like every book should be with every new chapter in life.

"We just met and I feel like I'm already adding more pressure with both me and my daughter here. It's just too much after what happened" Blaire replied resting both of her elbows on her lap, and buried her face into both hands clearly feeling bad for having some strangers help her recover and care for Avery. Dan eyes glanced around the room for a moment, not seeing anyone around hearing or peeking in on their little conversation, before quickly turning back to her.

"If I were to be honest, I didn't really expect to find you in the cellar that day. I was curious to find out what Kai was hiding in, but knowing exactly what happens down there with all those human skeletons, I'm glad I went or Avery wouldn't have a mother right now" Dan responded truthfully not having any regrets on going down there, other than being paralysed by another ghost's venom he didn't think could be possible. Blaire struggled to stay awake slowly starting to fall forward, until he reached out his arm out around her chest preventing any major injuries from occurring. "I think it's about time you go back upstairs and rest. Hopefully by next week you'll be back on your feet again" he added grabbing the book she was reading before scooping her up bridal style, as she was half and half gently holding on the front of his shirt as the nausea wasn't exactly making her feel any better.

Avery watched in the kitchen along with Jasmine who took a secret snapshot as he took her back upstairs. The child was more confused on what was being seen, unlike Jasmine who secretly started shipping the two.

"I've never felt this weak before, are you sure it will wear off?" Blaire asked weakly glancing up at him as they entered back in his room, even though he didn't mind letting her take the bed whilst she recovered, despite it being a kings sized due to him being almost 7 feet tall. A very big boy.

"It will, trust me. And don't worry about me I can sleep on many solid surfaces, but if you feel my crawl in bed don't be alarmed. I understand personal space and will keep myself ay a comfortable distance" Dan explained laying her down on the right side, a usual spot she really liked to take ever since she first arrived.

"It's fine.." Blaire replied with a small yawn slowly feeling the tiredness coming to take over starting the afternoon off with a good nice nap.

However, when nighttime came around something weird shot throughout her body, causing Blaire to sit up fully awaken and sweating from her used be peaceful slumber.

"What just happened?" She confusingly thought placing a hand on the side of her head before glancing over to the left, spotting Dan who seemed to be sleeping with his back faced and a safe distance like he had said. The energy was unstable and was starting to disturb Blaire even when she's sleeping, taking in a few calming breaths her body appeared to have calmed down, but the peace didn't last long.

As she sat on the edge of her side of the bed and stood up, out of nowhere a sharp dagger like of pain shot straight through her core, forcing a yell in agonising pain to slip out as she collapsed onto her knees with a loud thud, waking Dan immediately as he shot up.

"Shit?!" He said when seeing that she wasn't on the bed, fording him to get out from underneath the blanket and hurried over spotting Blaire heavily breathing, while her hand clenched tightly in the centre where the core was located. He crouched down and tried to place a hand on her back for support, but was quickly shocked by something powerful forcing his hand back as he stood back up seeing and feeling such unstable energy. "Crap.. This hasn't happened before, highly unstable energy and she's in pain. Her condition is only getting worser everyday! What could possibly be the problem?" He thought rubbing his hand still feeling a stinging sensation as it slowly faded, watching helplessly while Blaire struggled to gain control of herself.

"Argh!" She loudly groaned slouching her body over trying everything to gain some stability, as not only was her heart beating fast, but her core was slowly breaking and the pain was just the beginning.

"What's happening? I heard a yell" Jasmine rushed in noticing Dan and Blaire on the floor as she tried to hurry over to their aid, but was quickly stopped by Dan's hand that was fully stretched out, preventing her from going any further.

"Don't! She's far too unstable for anyone to touch her, so keep a safe distance. I already learned that the hard way" he responded not wanting his own sister to feel the painful shock Blaire's body is emitting.

"Then what do we do?! We can't just stand here and watch! She's clearly in pain" Jasmine argued not wanting to stand around and do nothing while a friend is suffering gravely in pain.

"I am unsure, but when I tried to touch her it was as if her body gave me an intensely powerful electric shock. As if warning me to stay back in a way, but even as I stand here. I can still feel it tingling throughout my arm, as a constant reminder of my bold decision to act without thinking about it first" Dan rambled on glancing down at his right hand feeling the tingling sensation running up down his hand and arm.

"Electric shock? I think I have an idea! Keep an eye on her while I quickly go grab something from the lab" she replied running out from Dan's room leaving him a little confused, but quickly turned his attention back at Blaire after hearing a whimper clenching even harder on her chest, before he could finally seeing a blue like electric bolt travelling around her body with his own two eyes.

"Blaire. If you can hear me, I want you to give me any sign that the pain you're experiencing is getting worse. Possibly a thumbs up would help" Dan suggested impatiently waiting for Jasmine, when Blaire slowly gave him a trembling thumbs up with the hand that was not clenching her chest, before immediately bringing it back scratching her nails along the wooden floor. "This isn't good.." he thought hunching his shoulder and clenched his jaw and fists tightly, the more time that's wasted.

"I'm back. Here, use these. Since she's emitting electricity, you won't be shocked if you wear real protective gloves that are specialised for these kind of situations" Jasmine came back with some rubber gloves, since electricity cannot travel easily through this kind of material. Dan quickly grabbed the gloves and slipped them on as he reproached Blaire again.

"Let just hope these things can last long enough to find out what exactly is happening" Dan muttered crouching down becoming hesitant at first, as his hands froze just inches from touching her back right in front of Jasmine. "Shit.. Why now?" He thought as Jasmine leaned over to the side noticing this and how his hand and body began to shake a little, the more he tried to force himself to touch Blaire.

"Are you scared? 'Cause if you want I can do it for you" she suggested making him a little embarrassed knowing she was watching him struggle, but he shook his head along with a quiet growl and reached in feeling his hand on the inside finally touch her back.

"I don't need any assistance! I'm fully capable of doing this myself, I just need to find out what's causing her body to act like it is" he relied glancing over his shoulder at Jasmine who casually had her arms crossed, as if waiting for something possibly him to ask his own sister to help. Dan turned back at Blaire and closed his eyes starting to close everything out and locate where the pain was coming from. However, it didn't take long as her core came to view slightly cracked and violently glowing currently with two colours, yellow and blue while a electric like element continued to spill out as it aggressively pumped and spun out of control. "I knew something bad was happening, but I didn't expect this!" Dan thought as he pulled his hands back and stood up removing the gloves with a mix expressions of both stress and worried on his face, still peering down at Blaire who struggled to maintain control of her core.

"Well?" Jasmine asked waiting impatiently to know what happened, as by the look on his face she knew it wasn't anything good. Dan turned to face his sister.

"Her core is breaking, I need to take her to Clockwork and see if he can do anything before it's too late" he replied turning into his ghost form not willing to take any chances and picked Blaire up, he bit his tongue taking in the pain and quickly went through a portal that led straight to the Ghost Zone. It wasn't long when they approached a floating like castle where the time wizard loved, and it instantly became clear that their presence was already known, even after finding him in his usual place watching over those in separate timelines.

"I was expecting you, lay her down on the floor for me and I'll see what I can do" Clockwork said turning around as Dan landed on the solid rock floor, no time was wasted as Blaire was eventually laid down revealing everything before his very eyes. "Hm.. I can ease the pain, but it is only for a short while as her core is nothing like our own. It's more dangerous and filled with tremendous power capable of destroying this entire timeline if it were to completely erupt, taking her life long with it" he explained in somewhat detail as something was done, slowing down the process and easing her pain until a solution can be made to fix and prevent anyone from dying, but even if it was to burst no one really knows what actually happens once the energy is finally released.

"How can I prevent it from getting any worse?" Dan asked wanting at least some advise from the time wizard, who sighed glancing down at Blaire who was relieved from the pain and had appeared to have passed out.

"I felt a lot of stress, anger, pain and anxiety. Mainly negative emotions rushing through her core, soul and mind being one of the many reasons I think could've caused it to crack. I suggest finding a way to lift this burden she's clenching onto before it takes hold of her again. I don't want to lose another promising timeline" Clockwork answered not really having full grasps of what could be causing this, but mainly he knew it was led by powerful emotions, and a somewhat burden or dark secret she is either suppress trying to for herself forget. A possible traumatic event maybe? Or something even more dark and frightening?