Black Butterfly

Chapter 36

"I know I seem like a heartless bitch," I grinned a little at that, "But I care about my family more than I care to admit. I know nothing has been going our way lately, but we're trying. I'm trying." Ivy said. 

"I know." 

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ivy asked suddenly. "About the nightmare?" 

I sucked in a breath. "I woke up back inside a cell. I was so afraid that I hadn't been rescued and that I was still locked away." Ivy took my arm and led me to a bench by the wall. She pulled me down onto the dark wood and gestured for me to keep talking. My throat started to burn as I tried to keep my voice steady.

"I-I found Mason." Ivy put a hand on my back and I gulped. "He looked so fragile." I shook my head. "There was someone else there. It was me, but not."

"What do you mean?" Ivy questioned. 

"It didn't start out as me. It was a boy first and then it morphed," I shuddered. "It took on a hundred different shapes before landing on me." My jaw hurt from holding back tears. "I couldn't do anything to save him. I stood there, frozen, and he was feet away from me." 

I shook my head. "He's dead isn't he?" My voice broke. "Mason's dead. It's all my fault." Tears were streaming down my face and Ivy grabbed my hands and clasped onto them tightly. "He went in to rescue me and I let him down." 

Ivy pulled my head to the crook of her shoulder. "Mason went back in there by his own choice. He knew what it could cost him. And we don't know he's dead." She huffed a small laugh. "For all we know he could've charmed the pants off of a guard and could be getting all the free bourbon he wants." 

I chuckled a bit, but he was still somewhere out there, far away. 

 "It hurts." I whispered. 

"I know." A confirmation. Not sympathy or pity, but grim understanding. Ivy was going through the same thing I was. "And we'll find him, come hell or high water." 

I unglued myself from Ivy's shoulder and wiped my face. "I'm sorry, I-"

"Shh." Ivy said. "If you ever need anything, ever, you come to me. Okay?" She smiled. "But don't expect me to coddle you, or to start actin' all warm now." 

I smiled and nodded. 

"Good. Now, let's get you into something other than jeans. We're up before the roosters." 

Ivy led me upstairs and into a richly furnished room. I stepped into the middle of the space, a four poster bed sat against the wall in the middle, some chairs and a couch sat on the left and a desk remained on the right. The whole room seemed to be a tomb. Nobody bothered to change anythign after the last resident. A familiar smell enveloped the room and I breathed deeply. 

"This is Mason's room." Ivy confesses.

Abruptly the smell was identified. Mason. Suddenly I could see everything that had happened in this room. I could see him sitting on the couch or in one of the chairs, drink in his hand. I could see him at the desk, writing or reading something over. I saw him sleeping in the bed, arms spread like an eagle taking flight. 

A small smile crept onto my lips as I imagined him sleeping, with no worries, no fears. 

"There are clothes in the dresser," Ivy motioned to the block of wood next to the bed, and the pointed to a door off the the left. "There's a bathroom in there." 

I turned to her. "Thank you, Ivy, for everything you've done for me tonight." 

She nodded and reached for the handle. "Good night." 

I don't know how long I stood there after she'd left. I drank the room in and when I finally decided to move I headed for the shower. 

Four shower heads? Good lord. I grinned slightly and stepped in. 

The hot water relaxed my muscles and seemed to relax the tightness in my chest too. I leaned my head against the wall and exhaled. 

We will find him, if only so I can make fun of him for having four shower heads. 

I grabbed a t shirt from the top drawer in his dresser and after peering through his other drawers, I decided I definitely wanted to see what he looked like without his jeans and leather. 

Mason's sheets nearly smothered me as I climbed into the bed. The smell of him was overpowering here, but I felt completely wrapped in warmth and safety. 

God, I miss you. I thought into the darkness of his room. Come back to me. Please. 

I felt one hot tear make its way down my face before I fell into a dreamless sleep.