Always Mine

Chapter Twenty-Three - Fear

"Jade, I'm bored." Andrew whined as he threw a piece of popcorn at her from the other end of the couch. In response, Jade turned her attention away from the foreign film they were watching and glared at him. Whether it was mainly because of the whining or that he hit her in the face with a piece of popcorn she hadn't decided yet - they both broke her concentration, though she did smile as he yelped and turned his attention back to the television screen. After a few seconds she did the same.

Three more days. That's all she had to wait. It had seemed like much longer; minutes seeming like hours and hours seeming like days. She missed her best friend and her teacher. She longed to call them to make sure they were all right but surely someone would call if they weren't. Erick was pretty much close to indestructible anyway, there was no need to worry them about the dreams she had been having. Christa would never hurt herself, she wasn't like that, at least she never had been before.

"Andrew, let me ask you something." Jade didn't bother to look at him as she spoke. Through her long hair and peripheral vision she saw him look at her and slightly cock his head to the side, his long black hair falling off one of his shoulders the way a girls would.

"Sure, what's up?" If only he could see and feel what she could, it would make things so much easier.

"Do you think Christa would ever hurt herself or anyone she cared about?" The question sounded ridiculous, even coming from her. And judging from Andrews immediate response, no hesitation, she knew that he thought the same.

"Of course not, Jade. She'd never be able to forgive herself." He did bring up a valid point, but it still barely made a dent in making her feel better. She didn't dream, or at least remember her dreams up until a week ago. At first it started off with just Christa, her long hair flowing behind her as she ran through what she knew was Ericks vineyard. She would look back and smile, like it was Ericks' eyes she was being seen through. Then there was blood, tears, and despair; Christa lying in a bathtub with blood coming from her wrists. That was when Jade had always woken up, terrified with a cold sweat that seemed to pour off her. Without thinking, she stood up from the black leather couch and casually excused herself before walking into her room. The motion sensors triggered the lights as she closed the door and made her way to the unmade queen size bed in the middle of the room. The dark purple walls were a small comfort from her churning stomach as she pulled out her cell phone and hit the speed dial, not giving a shit about the major time difference. Thankfully, Erick answered on the second ring.

"Yes Jade?" From the sound of it, he didn't seem to happy. She imagined she interrupted something important and suddenly felt silly for even calling in the first place.

"I..." She trailed off, trying to find the right words that wouldn't make them worry, "Is Christa okay?" Jade silently begged for him to start laughing like he'd done in the past but when all she recieved was silence coming from the other end it felt as if her heart dropped.

"How did you know something was wrong?" He didn't sound angry anymore, just tired. She knew the feeling.

"I've been having dreams. What's going on, Erick?" More silence. Instantly, Jade wished she was there with both of them. "Please tell me she's okay." Her eyes started to sting, the first sign of the tears that threatened to come.

"She's been having nightmares. She won't sleep. I've tried putting her in a trance, she's tried medication but for the past week she's woken up screaming." He paused for a moment, she heard him take a ragged breath. "She's dreaming of suicide Jade, and I don't know what to do." At Ericks words she felt the first of what could be many tears start to fall, staining her pale cheeks red. She had to be there. She had to go to Italy.

"I've seen her dreams, Erick. I've seen her in the black bathtub with the clawed feet too, I've seen the blood flow from her wrists." Her voice cracked.

"That's our bathroom Jade. These dreams are taking a lot out of her, she's scared to sleep. I don't know what to do. I can't control her dreams like I used to." She wasn't used to hearing him scared.

"Let me come out there Erick. You can call the airline you used and I can be at the airport in two hours." She wasn't sure if he could understand her, which only made the tears fall faster. She needed to see him, she needed to see Christa before something happened. "Please don't say no on this." When she heard him sigh she knew she had won.