The Replica // l.t.

Chapter Fifteen ❄ [edited]

Jaime couldn't help but laugh. "All right, continue, continue."

"I don't remember much of my life in that time. There isn't anything left from that period to remember anything, regardless," Charlie said this almost bitterly. But he quickly continued talking as if it never bothered him. "I remember the day it all ended. Fire rained from the sky. There was terror and chaos... even the biggest of the creatures were terrified. We were... We were planning different ways to hide from the fire and the destruction when it came. The shaking of the earth and the bigger fires that we didn't escape from."

Jaime tightened her fingers around Charlie's when she felt his hand trembling. Words escaped her and it was the only comfort she could offer. No matter of "it's okay," or "it's all right," will change what happened, and she knew that.

"My home became the skies we looked up to at night. My people and I have our purposes," he pursed his lips, almost as if there were things he couldn't say after this. But a sigh passed through his lips and he continued. "We watch over you humans, watch you live, evolve, and change. You all are extraordinary beings. I have never seen souls so capable of so many things over the years. It is amazing to watch and protect over you. This is something I will never tire of."

For a couple minutes, no one said anything. Their hands never moved, their fingers stayed entangled. But Jaime was taking everything in.

That's how he knew my wish, she realized. That could also be the reason for him turning up in her house with nothing covering him.

Her cheeks darkened considerably at the memory. Suddenly, she was thankful it was dark in the little guest room. Charlie wouldn't see her blush.

Drowsiness began to seep in. Her eyelids began to feel heavier and heavier until she swore she was going to pass out any moment. She opened her eyes long enough to see that Charlie was already asleep.

A small smile was brought to her lips before her eyes fluttered shut and she drifted into a dreamless sleep.

She woke up, hours later. A deep sigh escaped her lips as Jaime buried her face into the pillow while inhaling its freshly laundered scent. It took her a few minutes to realize the space next to her felt empty and her hand was no longer entwined with someone else's. Her hand was tucked safely underneath her pillow.

Jaime lifted her head, glancing around the bedroom. In the corner was the black dress and heels she wore last night, where she left them. But Charlie was nowhere in sight. She shut her eyes for a fraction of a second before opening them and pushing the thick blankets back.

Without bothering to change out of her sweats and too-big t-shirt, she walked into the living room where Charlie was sitting, focusing on some book in his lap. Louis was leaning forward, eyes focused on his laptop.

Rubbing her forehead, Jaime stumbled to the couch and sat down. "What time is it?" she asked quietly.

"It's twenty after ten," Lou responded, not glancing up from his laptop. His eyes furrowed down in concentration and he didn't speak after that.

After a moment, Jaime heaved out a sigh and rose from the couch. She retrieved her phone from its charger in the bedroom and flipped through the contacts. Macy's name was one of the first on the list. Jaime's finger hovered over her name, wondering if it was a good idea to call her or not.

Her finger pressed down on her name, and then the little green phone call button, before she could regret it. Pressing the phone against her ear, she heard the sound of ringing a few times before someone answered.

A male voice answered, "Hello?"

"H-hey, Seth," Jaime stumbled across her words, feeling her stomach bundle up in nerves, almost as if her stomach completely went past butterflies. "Do you happen to know where Macy is right now? I need to speak to her."