A/N This is a Collab between me and Dreamstar (formerly known as Stargazer) Check out her blogs here: Pen Post & FandomClan
“I realized,” Aiden began. “That I never told you the whole story. So. I’m using my second contact to tell you enough to convince you to wait. And I only have one more of these, so don’t argue with me.”
He waited for her to meet his eyes. “The shadow isn’t going to hurt anyone but you until I'm back in New York. You have to realize you and I are the ones in danger at the moment. And it’ll only attack if you provoke it, so I'm begging, Jay, begging that you stay safe. You can’t get rid of the Heart of Darkness without me. I’m what it wants. So wait… just until I can come back. Please?”
He was actually crying by the last word, which was a first for Jaiden. She’d never seen him cry before, he always managed to blink back his tears. That, her nightmares, and the fact that she didn’t have a plan made her nod. Just once, but Aiden’s projection looked so relieved that he actually sunk to the floor and started sobbing.
“Woah—are you okay?” she was suddenly on her feet, wishing she could hug poor Aiden.
He shook his head, “I'm fine— Just— Oh god, thank you so much.”
His voice was choked, and she started wondering what crazy punishments and mental breakdowns he was actually going through—all because he made an impulsive decision that saved their lives.
“Look at me,” she whispered. “When you’re back on the surface, first thing you do is come to my place and we are going to have a nice long talk about what you put yourself through. Because you need to talk about it and I need to know about it. Deal?”
He hiccuped and nodded. His image began to flicker and he hiccuped again.
“If— If you need me— you can send me a message through your watchers, okay? Find someone you recognize and ask them to pass it along. I’m sorry you got dragged into this, Jay, but I swear I'll make it right. I’m so sorr—”
The projection disappeared. Jaiden nearly cried, but she held back her tears. Sobbing didn’t help anything. She intended to keep her promise to Aiden, but that didn’t mean she would be confined to her house.
She glanced at her clock. One in the morning. She felt a twinge of annoyance at being woken up so early but decided that what Aiden had had to tell her was important enough to wake her up for. Unable to go back to sleep knowing what she did, Jaiden headed downstairs to the kitchen. She fixed herself a bunch of grapes and some chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk.
Nothing like a midnight snack, she thought ruefully. It was still dark outside, not a bird serenading the coming dawn, but Jaiden liked the peace. It was like a warm, dark blanket that was wrapped around her, protecting her from the outer world. Deciding that a little computer time wouldn’t hurt her, Jaiden opened up her laptop. Up popped the cat background picture. She clicked on her web browser, tapped on the chatting app, and saw a notification for a new message. It was from her father.
Hi honey, he’d typed, so sorry about this, but mom and I will be spending a few days in a hotel nearby. Sudden work trip. Ashley will be @ the house in about an hour. Have fun, stay happy. Love, Dad.
Jaiden remembered Ashley fondly. She was a college student, who babysat Jaiden for her parents’ more extended work trips. She was funny, mischievous, and very kind to Jaiden. Normally Jaiden would’ve been looking forward to seeing her old babysitter again, but not this time. The only person she wanted to see was Aiden, but he was who-knows-where. Jaiden sighed, responded with a simple, k dad, then got up, and went outside to sit on the steps. She missed Aiden. She missed Conner and Katie. She was even starting to miss Al. Nearby, she spotted Storm, meowing very quietly to something else in the darkness. Jaiden called softly to her cat. He didn’t come. Confused, Jaiden tiptoed closer, then her mouth fell open. Storm, sweet, calm Storm, was rubbing his head against a female cat's shoulder! She was a calico, with beautiful green eyes and a large, fluffy tail.
“How did you even get out,” she whispered, mostly to herself. Storm stopped rubbing and looked at her with something close to embarrassment. “And since when have you ever befriended other cats?” She bent down to stroke the calico. The cat responded by sniffing then rubbing her finger. Jaiden pet the newcomer for a while, thinking hard. Since she was waiting for Ashley to arrive, Jaiden seriously considered telling Ashley about the Shadow for a second, but she quickly disposed of that idea.
Aiden in danger was enough, she didn't want to put any other lives on the line. She wondered how she was going to survive the next few weeks, especially without contact with Aiden.
"Why are you out here in the middle of the night?" asked a college-age girl with black hair pulled back in a ponytail. She had a purple satchel across her shoulders, hands on her hips, and a loose black top accompanied by black sweatpants and black flip-flops. She looked like a spy from a movie, though casual.
"Sorry, Ashley," Jaiden mumbled.
Ashley smiled sympathetically. “I’m sorry your parents had to leave in such a hurry. Must be lonely here without them.”
She plopped down beside Jaiden and fixed her gaze on the two cats. “Storm’s got a new friend.”
“Yeah.”
“Given her a name?”
“How can I give her a name when I’m not even sure if she has an owner?”
“Fair enough. I’ll check.” She pulled out her phone and pulled up a list of local missing animals.
“Nope! No female calico cats missing anywhere around here!”
“She could’ve come here from another city.”
“Highly doubtful, considering the state that she’s in.” The calico cat was very thin and was meowing weakly. “We should take her inside,” Ashley suggested.
Jaiden grinned. “Storm’s gonna love that.”
Ashley laughed, stretching out her finger for the calico to smell. The feline sniffed interestedly at Ashley’s fingers, then allowed the teenage girl to pick her up and take her inside. Jaiden and Storm followed.
“Had anything to eat, Jay?” Ashley asked, gently settling the calico cat on the couch, where she curled up, clearly exhausted. Jaiden nodded to answer Ashley.
“Okay. But for now, we should probably keep ol’ kitty for a few days, in case someone asks about her. Have any sardines?”
Jaiden took a can of sardines from the fridge, opened it, and offered it to the calico. She took a small bite. Jaiden tore the fish into pieces, then gave the cat a bowl of water.
“Good,” Ashley smiled. “It’s still really early, want to go back to bed?”
Jaiden bit her lip and shook her head. “I- I can’t sleep…” Ashley mercifully didn’t ask questions.
“Wanna watch a movie? Or are you just in a solitary mood right now?” She joked.
“Solitary.”
“Okie dokie! I’ll be in the kitchen or lounge if you need me!”
Jaiden smiled weakly. Ashley winked as Jaiden went back to her bedroom. Now the dawn sun was peeking over the buildings, filtering light into the room.
She decided to draw, maybe it would help clear her mind. She plopped down on her desk, drumming a pencil on the table. She began stroking her pencil across the paper, not knowing exactly what she was doing until the sketch was complete and she was reaching for her colored pencils.
By the time her piece was done, it was 9 AM and she was quite happy with her drawing. It wasn't her best, but it filled an ache in her chest she didn't realize was there.
The drawing was of her and Aiden, right before everything happened, when they were having fun and licking ice cream cones. When her biggest worry was the math test on Tuesday.
She sighed, covering it with the paper strewn around her desk.
She pulled on a hoodie, picked up her iPod, and shoved the earbuds in her ears, playing her 'sad' playlist. She pulled the hood over her head and shoved her hands in her pocket before shuffling out of her bedroom and into the kitchen. She'd hoped Ashley wouldn't be there, but the universe disappointed her.
"Feeling more up to company?" Ashley asked, yanking out an earbud. "How about inviting Aiden over, huh?"
She smiled as she said it, but her words made Jaiden feel even worse.
"Aiden can't come," Jaiden mumbled, keeping her eyes on the ground.
"Why not?"
Jaiden wracked her brain for a believable lie, settling for, "He's… not feeling too great." That was true, actually.
"Ah, okay. I made waffles."
Jaiden ate as much as she could before retreating to her bedroom, where she hid for most of the next three weeks. She only came out for meals and when she had to go to school, and even then it was against her will.
She was sulking and she knew it, but it didn't matter. She remembered the scars on Aiden's face, imagining horrific ways he'd gotten them.
It felt like an eternity before the two weeks were up and Aiden called her at 10 AM on a Sunday, saying he was coming over. He knocked on Jaiden's apartment door about an hour later, dark circles under eyes and fresh scars that were only half-healed. He also had a bandage wrapped around the top of his head. The sleeves of his jacket seemed overly thick, but maybe he was wearing a sweatshirt underneath.
Jaiden grinned when she saw him, squeezing him in a huge bear hug. He winced.
"Missed you too," he grunted, noticeably keeping his arms at his side. "But ow, could you please not?"
She just grinned herself silly at him, letting him into the cozy apartment.
"Aiden! Nice to see you again, bud," her dad called when he noticed the 16-year-old.
Her mom wandered into the room, wiping her hands on her apron. They noticed Aiden's scars and shared a look, before her mom gently asked, "Aiden, dear, is everything alright at home?"
"At home," he answered blankly.
"With your parents?" Mr. Lightning specified.
Aiden tilted his head, his face empty of emotion as he replied, "My parents are dead."
No one knew what to do with that information, so Jaiden nudged her friend, whispering, "Come on." They trudged to her bedroom.
Aiden plopped down against the wall as she closed the door.
"What's with the scars? You okay?"
He bit his lip for a second. "The council and I agreed that I should resume my training. It's… not fun."
"Oh…” She decided they'd loop back to what his training was and what it was for. “You can take off your jacket, it's not cold in here."
He bit his lip again and shook his head. Jaiden pouted, "Don't you trust me?"
He looked severely uncomfortable as he pulled off his jacket, revealing he was wearing a black tank top with his left shoulder and right upper arm in bandages.
"Training," he mumbled when she gasped. “What, did they have you fight a water bear or something?!” “Water bears are microscopic.” “I was joking! Well, half-joking, but seriously, how did you get all of these, and why can’t the Healers heal them?!” Aiden gave a pronounced sigh. “When I say I’m ‘training’, I’m kinda… practicing-how-to-wield-darkness-but-I-know-that-doesn’t-make-sense,” Aiden said the last several words in a rush, as though trying to get them over with. “Okay, that makes negative five sense, but so has everything else I’ve experienced in the last three weeks, so you may continue,” Jaiden replied. Aiden sounded like he was going to laugh, then quickly stopped, clutching his ribs. He took a deep breath. “Most people have this stupid idea that you can fight darkness with light, but as long as there’s light, there’s always shadow. If we fight shadows with shadows, we can beat them at their own game. Training is painful, and none of Katie’s potions work on my wounds, but I have to keep at it. Plus, the Alchemists are working on a healing potion for wounds like mine, in case other people get them too. I’m not going to use their remedies, though. They’re not meant for me.”
“Why are you so hard on yourself?” Jaiden sighed, crouching in front of him.
“I have to be,” he replied blankly. “You still don’t know the whole story. You haven’t even asked why I’m the main target, haven’t even wondered why I can say my parents are dead like I'm telling you there aren’t any clouds in the sky today.”
“I- I’m sorry, I’m just really glad to see you. I promise I care, though.”
He smiled weakly at her, as she added, “I was worried about you.”
“Yeah?”
She nodded, standing up and crossing to her desk. “I- umm… I have something for you.”
She handed him five drawings, of five of the best memories they’d shared together. He smiled, shuffling through them, though it looked like it hurt him. “You’re a really great artist, you know? You should draw more.”
“Nu-uh, my hands cramp,” she flexed her fingers.
He glanced sadly at the drawing at the top of the pile. It showed a moment with Aiden standing in front of Jaiden protectively, arms spread out, face blank except for those eyes. They were filled with fire and every bit of that inferno was aimed at the older girl who’d made Jaiden feel bad about herself. It had meant more to her than he’d ever truly know.
“I’m so, so sorry you ended up tangled in this mess. If I had had it my way, you’d never even know about the stupid Heart of darkness.” “What’s done is done, but seriously, stop apologizing! It wasn’t all bad, meeting the Healers was really nice—"
Aiden gritted his teeth, "No, you only had to meet the healers because we were attacked!” Jaiden had to admit he had a point. “Well, I haven’t seen Ashley in forever, so that was good! Plus, Storm hasn’t been so happy to see me since we spent a month in Florida.”
“That was an interesting month,” Aiden leaned his head back against the wall. “The shadow got out the first week you were gone. Did I tell you that?”
“Hmm, must’ve slipped your mind,” Jaiden answered, laughing. It felt so good to joke with Aiden again. Her friend cracked a smile.
“When you said you were learning to wield darkness,” Jaiden started quietly, her voice barely a whisper as she sat down next to Aiden and hugged her knees against her chest. “What— what did you mean?”
He didn’t answer for a few minutes as he kept his gaze on the roof. He bit his lip, whispering, “I… Don’t know how to describe it. The only way I can think of for you to know would be to experience it… but trust me, that’s something you never want to do.”
“Why can’t you just tell me?”
“I’d have to show you,” he was shaking now. “And I don’t want you to see me like that. It’s horrifying. One of my roommates— Jace — supervised once, and they had to drag him away kicking and screaming because he tried to break into the room and get me out. He gave me this blank stare like he couldn’t see me anymore for the next two days. The only reason it’s not traumatic for me is that I was born to do this.”
“Not traumatic? You're talking like you witnessed a murder. Also, I’m going to be imagining all sorts of horrors, now, so it might be better to just ‘show me.’”
Aiden gave a convulsive shudder that nearly made him topple over, and did make him cry out in pain.
Jaiden gripped his shoulders to steady his shaking. “But you don’t have to, okay? If you don’t want me to see, that’s fine.”
He shivered, shaking harder as Jaiden jumped up and picked up the water bottle on her bedside table. She hadn’t opened it yet, so she pressed the opening against Aiden’s lips, coaxing him to swallow.
He’d drunk half the bottle before his eyes squeezed shut and he pressed his lips together. No more water. Jaiden gently pushed him into a lying-down position, and he curled on his side, hugging his legs.
“Aiden!” She shook him. “Wake up you idiot! My parents are home!”
His eyes blinked open and she sighed with relief.
“I should go,” he croaked. “I’ll come back tomorrow, ‘kay?”
She nodded, gripping his once-soft hand and leading him to the door. “See you.”
He smiled at her, and then he was gone.
Jaiden sighed, half-wishing she’d never asked how Aiden was training. He’d never acted so depressed and... secretive before, and it was making her nervous.
But… at least she had him back now. They could figure it all out together, and then everything would go back to normal. Hopefully.
Comments