Invisible (Updated Version)

Part 2

"Right." The doctor smiled but Jace gave Bree a confused look. He knew from experience people, especially Elites, tended not to shy away from having their bars measured. Normally it was a thing people enjoyed having done just to be able to show off. When he was a kid he'd asked his father just about every week to get bar measured just to see if his powers had come in because every little kid wanted to be the strongest Elite in the Academy.

"Don't like bragging?"

"Huh?" Bree snapped her head towards Jace, choosing instead to focus on his chest rather than meet his gaze.

"You don't want you're bars measured. That's a little odd. Normally people like to get them measured and brag about them afterwards. I know my friends won't shut up about them."

Bree tensed. She was aware of what most Elite their age did. They got the bars measured as often as possible on the off chance they'd gone up and were always bickering over who had the highest rating. If she remembered correctly Jace was one of the highest bars the Academy had seen in years. So good at throwing heavy weights around that the guard had scouted him two years early. "Guess I'm not one for bragging." She finally bit out. Jace could immediately see he'd hit a never in some way but with Dr. Jones watching his every move he decided to drop it. Bree Michael's motives for keeping her bars to herself were none of his business, for all he knew she may have just barely made it into the Elites and was a little embarrassed. His job was to test her and to prove to the doctor that he belonged in the medical wing not to worry about some girl.

Finally the doctor filled on last tube of blood and declared that he was done for the day. Bree immediately hopped off the table only to wobble and be caught in what felt like iron bars. In reality, she realized, it was actually the hard press of Jace's muscles around her. One she regained her balance and mumbled a thank you to the doctor without making eye contact she skittered down the hallway. In between all the prodding she'd convinced the doctor she felt well enough to go home for the night. Somewhere in the back of her mind she was aware of her muscles shaking with the sudden exertion but she forced herself forward determined to make it back to her apartment before she collapsed. She was about halfway down the hallway that led out of the medical wing when she felt long fingers reach out and wrap around her wrist. Instinct has her panicking. Yanking her wrist away with all the force she had left Bree used the momentum to swing her elbow back viciously into her attacker's face.

"Man! What the hell!?" Jace was lying on the floor clutching his nose wearing a tight white t-shirt which Bree realized was quickly staining with blood. "Jeez, now I know why you're an Elite. I was only bringing you your sweater, didn't have to go all Kung Fu on me. Good thing you just woke up from a coma, otherwise there'd be a dent in my face!"

Bree felt her cheeks flame. Way to go under the radar, Bree. "S-sorry. You, um, you surprised me." She offered limply.

He ignored the hand she offered and hoisted himself up. "Here," he said, handing her the sweater. "I guess I'll back to the infirmary. You've clearly got things covered here. See you around." Bree watched his back for a minute with a longing she didn't quite understand gnawing deep in her chest and then headed home with a sigh.

Back in room 103 Jace stripped the sheets and got the room ready for a new occupant while Dr. Jones watched him carefully from the door way. "I don't know, Doc, you should have seen her." After Jace had gotten back from his run in with Bree Doc had fixed his nose up before walking with him to change over her room.

"I figured that little one had some fire in her somewhere." The doctor said with a chuckle. "You had to have been expecting a little kick, Jace. After all she's spent the last month proving how strong she is to you."