Chapter 18

I: Zack was in so much pain that he could barely open his eyes. He began to cough, not knowing how long he was in bed or how long he had been asleep. He did remember coming back to the Institute but everything else was a complete blank. He shivered a little, sweat on his forehead from his pain affecting him. He began to flutter his eyes open so he could possibly see better. He looked over and saw Jess and his eyes went wide.

"What's wrong? What- are you hurt?" He winced and grabbed his side as the pain rushed to him and he reached to grab her hand tighter. "Are you alright?" He breathed heavily but his strength failed him, and he fell back down to the bed. He realized he was in the infirmary and God help him, he hated this place. "Why am I in here? I have to...to get out of here..." He struggled to get out of the bed.

B: Jess jumped when Isaac spoke. She rushed closer and grabbed a towel and patted at his face. "Shhhh. Isaac, I am fine. Rest. I will explain everything. Seth helped me carry you here after you went on a hunt and got badly injured. They were lucky to save you. They thought you would not pull through this." She sobbed softly. "I thought I lost you." She grabbed his hand and held it tightly.

"Please promise me to never go on a hunt without me. I could have helped you." She looked at him, her bright green eyes full of fear. Her heart had been breaking with each passing minute that he was asleep. "Please?" She begged.

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I: Zack took a deep breath, but even that made him hurt. He shut his eyes and winced as the pain slowly subsided the moment he lay back. He swallowed hard as Jess gently padded his head.

"Jess...don't...cry." He pushed the words out and attempted a smile. He lifted his hand to touch her cheek and he could feel the warmth of her face in his palm. "Please don't cry, Jess."

He placed his hand further to her face and he brought her head close and he placed a kiss to her forehead. "I won't go without you, I promise Jess." He whispered to her. He looked around and inhaled deeply. "I have to get out of here. I'm not...a dead man." He leaned upward and held his side. "Help me, Jess. Please help me get out of here." Zack shivered as if he was afraid. He looked around and it made him sick to see the infirmary. He stood and held his injury and leaned on her.

He stumbled beside her back to his room, holding himself up while only slightly leaning on Jess. Once inside his room he collapsed to the bed and breathed heavily. He was covered in bandages, his body weak, and cold. He reached to his waist and pulled his Stele out of its holster.

Zack looked at the ceiling and heavily panted as he prepared himself. He lifted his Stele to his chest and removed the bandages. He took a deep breath and began to carve a rune on his body, and he hollered in pain from it. He stopped halfway and breathed deeply, sweat pouring down his face. He continued to draw the rune for pain on his chest and once it was done, he fell back to the bed. The pain was subsiding, and he took a deep breath of only slight relief.

"Don't leave me Jess...please don't go." He whispered and clutched her hand. His eyes rolled dizzily. "Don't...don't go..." He passed out and lost consciousness, his trembling hand finally stilled as he clutched her to be sure she didn't leave his side.

B: As she helped him to his room, she looked at him with pained eyes. As he asked her not to go, she smiled and crawled into the bed next to him. "I won't go, Isaac. Just rest, my love." She whispered softly and she curled around him but did not touch him much. She lay next to him and slowly drifted off to sleep.​

I: The next morning when Isaac woke up, he stared down at her with sadness. She had truly been here the whole time and he felt really bad to make her stay. He leaned upward, most of his pain gone, and he pulled her into his arms in a hug. "Thank you for staying Jess. I was afraid to be alone. Funny how a guy like me actually has a fear."

He sighed and winced a little as he sat up. "You said yesterday that you and Seth both helped me to the infirmary? How is Seth? Does he know you slept here? I talked to him and promised not to take advantage of you, and it seems I did anyway. I'm sorry about that."

B: Jess woke when Isaac pulled her into his arms. She smiled at him and blushed. "Well I did leave for a brief moment to get food." She smiled at him. "Seth knows I slept here. He also understands that you are not well, and I wanted to take care of you." She looked at him and smiled. There was more to that little story, but Isaac did not need to know.

~The Night before~

Jess was walking to the kitchen to get food when she bumped into her brother Seth. They talked about where Isaac had gone, and She explained. He got upset and tried to get her to go to her room, so she had sparred him in the hallways and pinned him with his hands behind his back and whispered darkly in his ear. "I will do as I please, Seth. I get that you love me and are trying to protect me, but if he tries anything, I don't like I will hurt him. I'm not the little girl I was years ago." She let him go and walked off.