Bloodhearts

Chapter six: New Life.

Cory comes in, looking like his leg is bothering him. Despite that and the day we've had, though, he congratulates Jason enthusiastically when hearing the good news and squeezes my shoulder.

"You know," Jason punches me lightly on the knee to get my attention. "Me and Elena were wondering if you two would like to be the godfathers?" He looks from me to Cory with a hopeful expression.

"Yes!" I answer instantly, completely taken aback.

"Of course! we'd love to!" Cory says, agreeing.

"Good," Jason replies smiling brightly. "We thought you'd be a great choice."

Jason's eyes sparkle with joy and I put my arms around him, congratulating him again. I try to ruffle his hair a bit, but my arm gets stuck in place and I need Jason's help to get it down again. He doesn't comment, knowing what to do, and knowing that I hate to talk about things like that.

After that much needed highlight, Cory and I are sent back home by my dad. We walk in silence, Cory limping on his good leg, saving the bad one. He refuses any lifts and any help, only having accepting the crutches as help. I know he is mad at me for believing it was Marc who poisoned me. But I still don't trust the guy. There's something fishy about him. But like Cory, I'm too proud to admit that I've done anything wrong. Of course, this is far from being our first argument and not nearly the worst. But it's probably not over yet. If I'm not much mistaken, Cory has more to say.

When we arrive at the house, another surprise awaits us in the form of Peter and Michael waiting for us outside the house. Cory groans in annoyance, but stays otherwise stays quiet. My eyes follow Michael's every move. Both he and Peter look like little boys who's caught in some kind of mischief. I'm not exactly jumping up and down at the sight of them, either.

"Jay..." Peter's voice is begging. "Before you say anything, please listen to what Michael has to say, will you?"

I glance at Peter, then look back at Michael who only dares to meet my gaze a few milliseconds at a time. I nod.

"I'm really sorry," Michael tells me. "I don't know what happened. It's a bad excuse for doing what I did, I know that. I just had a hard time wrapping my head around all this. Being dead is usually permanent, you know... so when it suddenly wasn't, I got scared. I really am incredibly sorry. Of course, I know you won't hurt us."

Even though Michael's words are earnest, my stomach turns horribly. He believes them, but I'm not sure I do. What if he is right? What if I really could hurt someone again? What if this overdose of medication isn't just about scary hallucinations? What if I'm experiencing another side effect of the cure? What if it isn't really possible to come back to life when you're supposed to be dead? What if the dose I got doesn't last forever?

My thoughts are swirling and I accept Michael's apology, but don't want to shake his hand. He understands and Peter mumbles a 'thank you' to me before they leave.

I have another terrible nightmare that night. I wake up drenched in sweat and try to understand why my subconscious keeps showing me images of people I hurt. Images, I really would do anything not to see again. I decide I have to act. There must be something wrong with me.

I get up from the bed and try to put on my shoes as silently as possible, so I don't wake Cory. But it doesn't work out so well. He hears me and lifts his head to see what I'm doing. He sighs when he sees my shirt, getting up to. I just shake my head and begin to walk out and away from the house with Cory scrambling to follow me.

"Where are you going?" he asks breathlessly. Before, I was the one scrambling to keep up with him.

I don't answer and keep on walking until l reach a certain part of headquarters. It's where my dad keeps a room outfitted with three prison cells. I ask the guard to open one of them and place myself in there, asking for the door to be locked. The guard looks perplexed, but follows my orders in front of an incredulous Cory.