FicWad

Chapter 8: Wake Me Up

We all live-
We all die-
That does not begin to justify you
It's not what it seems
Not what you think
No, I must be dreaming
It's only in my mind
Not in real life
No, I must be dreaming

"I Must Be Dreaming" or "Bleed" By Evanescence

a/n: Sorry about the long wait for whoever's reading this! Man, I love these author's notes. I mean, you can be an idiot and no one knows who you are. It's awesome. I have no excuse for the long wait, except I have been busy at work, moving to a new house, and of course, gaming and friends. I would once again like to thank fruit_addict for editing these chapters for me. Now it's more free of grammar/spelling errors. Thanks, fruit_addict, you rock! Now, here's this chapter:)

All Myst could do for the walk back to Jake was swear mentally, and sometimes mutter it quietly under her breath. She was feeling weaker and weaker with each step she took thanks to her element partner, Shadow, looking after Jake. It was like life was playing with her mind. Hurting someone she loved and cared about. Now she was pissed.

"Myst, slow down!" Josh begged.

Myst stopped for a second. She had forgotten that Sky, Kalvin and Josh were with her. She was just worried about Jake. And having Shadow out wasn't helping her.

"You must really care about Jake to have Shadow out this long and still run this fast!" Sky said between pants.

"I don't care for him," Myst denied.

"Yeah, she's soulless!" Kalvin commented.

"I'm not soulless! I still have a piece of my soul or I wouldn't be alive, you idiot!" Myst hissed

Sky shivered, holding herself. "I can feel Jake's presence being drained from him..."

"Huh?" Myst voiced, confused.

"I can feel the presence of magical people and life," Sky explained.

"Oh."

About five to ten minutes later the gang finally reached their destination. Kalvin and Josh basically had to drag Myst along, since she was so tired. Sky opened the door, creaking as if it was announcing they were home, and Myst pointed to where Jake laid.

Jake was fast asleep. Shadow acted like no one was beside her. She damped a cold wet green washcloth and placed it on Jake's forehead.

Jake was cold. And pale. So pale. He looked lost under the big white fuzzy blanket.

"Thanks, Shadow," panted Myst. "Return!"

Shadow made a crying noise before disappearing from sight. Myst was starting to look and feel better already.

"Guys, help me move him to my bed," demanded Myst, "I just put him on the couch for now because I was too tired to move him anymore."

Josh grabbed Jake's arms, and Kalvin grabbed Jake's legs.

"Which room?" Josh asked.

"Fifth to the left," answered Myst.

"Whoa, even though this looks like a cabin, it's big," commented Sky.

"One, two, three," said Kalvin before they lifted Jake up.

They carried Jake carefully to Myst's room. When they were done, the girls came to join the guys.

The room was small, a plain wooden room with a brown couch and a big queen sized bed.

"We should get some sleep," said Myst, "we've all had a long day."

"Where do we sleep?" Kalvin asked.

"Now, for your guys rooms. Kalvin, take the room fourth to the left, Sky, third to the left, and Josh, second to the left. There, we're all beside each other."

"Where are you going to stay?" Sky asked. "Jake's in your room."

"I'm going to sleep with him...-" began Myst, until Josh and Kalvin burst out laughing.

"Perverted males," muttered Sky under her breath, but she couldn't help but smirk.

"Not that way!" Myst cried out. "Just on the couch in my room, just in case he wakes up worse or something."

Josh had never been happier. Even though Jake was in danger, he was still happy. He hadn't slept in a normal bed WITH blankets and pillows for about...what, five days? Josh lost track of how long he was in his game "Virtual Reality". He was sick and tired of waking up in the middle night, cold and on hard ground.

Would he ever get home? Who knows? But...if he had the choice, would he go back to the real world? I mean, back home, he was a nobody. A computer nerd stuck in his room who only comes out for school. Here, he was probably a Chosen Child. Who would give this up? He always wanted life to be like a game, and he finally realized it -he got his wish.

Everyone exchanged good-nights, and where off to bed. In the middle of the night, Myst's eyes were getting heavy, and was about to fall asleep. The little green couch was very uncomfortable. A spring was jabbing into her ribs. Out of exhaustion, she was almost asleep. But she was wide awake when she heard Jake give a loud yelp. At first, Myst thought she was imagining things. But she realized she wasn't when she saw Jake's arms going flying in the air.

She quickly threw the red blankets off her in a rush, ran to his aid, sat beside him on his bed. ---this is interesting... this sentence reminds me of my favourite author, Ted Dekker.--- She then pulled him into a sitting position, which was very hard. He knocked her on the face at least two or three times. She pulled him into a hug, put his head on her shoulder. ---again Ted Dekkerish!--- She held him like a little child. Myst then heard him crying and whispering:

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I now must pay for my sins..."

"Jake?" she whispered.

She tried to shake him out of his unconscious hell, he only screamed more, saying he'd do better.

"Jake, what sins? Jake, wake up!" she demanded with worry in her voice.

Myst then felt his forehead. His fever was getting worse. Then it came to her-- he must have been hallucinating thanks to the fever. He must have been half-conscious. Jake continued to cry in Myst's shoulders. She wondered how many tears could be in one person's body. She then started to play with his hair with on hand, while holding him in her other hand and patting it, making comforting words. "Jake, I'm here. You're okay, you're safe. You're not a sinner and you have nothing to worry about, okay? I would be nothing without you. Remember that."

Jake let out a final sob before he relaxed in Myst's arms. He then slowly opened his eyes, and let out a tired moan. "M-myst?" he asked weakly.

"Yes, it's me," Myst told him, till rubbing his back. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he said while panting, trying to give his lungs air after all his crying, "thanks to you."

"What are friends for?"

Then she did it. For the first time in a long time, she gave a smile. Not a smirk. Not a sarcastic smile, but a real smile. She couldn't remember the last time she had smiled for real.

"Try to get some sleep, okay, Hun?" Myst told him.

"Okay," replied Jake obediently.

He let Myst lay him down. "Thank-you, Myst."

"Don't mention it."

Myst tucked him in, like a mother would do for her little child. She was about to get up and go to sleep in the couch, but Jake quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

Myst gave a little gasp in surprise. She then looked at Jake's emerald eyes. He looked so helpless and weak, with those pale eyes. They were still a bright green and she could never say no to those eyes.

"Please," Jake begged, "please stay with me. I don't want to be alone."

Myst couldn't help but smile. "Of course."

He lifted the covers off of him -weakly- and let Myst sleep beside him.

"Ergh, I didn't realize how cold this room is," Myst muttered.

"I can't tell," complained Jake, "if I'm hot or cold."

Myst couldn't help it- she gave a little laugh. Jake loved her laugh. It was rare if she did laugh or smile for real.

Jake pulled her beside him, his arms around her waist. "Better?"

"Much better. Thanks."

Moment of silence.

"Jake?"

"...Yes?"

"You're not a sinner. And there's no reason for you to be sorry."

"You...you think so?"

"Yes. I mean, you joined the Bloodhounds to try to save me, but I wouldn't listen to you, and I'm sorry."

"Why don't you just leave, then? Come on, join Josh, Sky, Kalvin and Me."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"He's my brother. I'm not as strong as you, Jake."

"You are strong," encouraged Jake. "We're much alike, you know that?"

Pause.

Myst and Jake never did break their eye contact, yet.

"Yeah, we are," Myst agreed.

"Promise me you'll think of joining the others and me," said Jake, his eyes full of determination, "not for the others, not for me, but for you."

"I'll think about it, but I give no promises," Myst said. "Now get your sleep. You're sick and you need your rest."

"HEY! Who's the healer here?" joked Jake.

Myst laughed, and lightly hit him on the chest playfully.

"Apparently not you."

They both laughed until they heard a "BANG, BANG, BANG!" from the other room.

"HEY!" shouted Kalvin from the other room, "shut-up, will you? Some of us are trying to sleep!"

Jake and Myst couldn't help but laugh a little bit again. Myst fell asleep in Jake's arms. Jake smiled, barely, since he was weak, but a little one. He brushed her bangs out of her eyes with one hand, then, carefully and quietly so she wouldn't wake up, he gave her a little kiss on the forehead. Then he blushed, closed his eyes, and tried to sleep.

But what Jake didn't know, was Myst was awake and felt his kiss. Without opening her eyes, she smiled. She didn't want to embarrass him by letting him know she was awake.

It's true, the way I feel
Was promised, by your face
The sound of your voice
Painted on my memories
Even if you're not with me
I'm with you
With you

"With You" By Linkin Park