[indent][color=808080]The corridor outside was unexpectedly busy, with nurses and doctors moving briskly and the murmur of hushed conversations filling the air. Harper paid it no mind as she walked aimlessly, her hand hovering over a name in her contacts, her thumb hesitating just above the screen. She took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to summon the courage to make the call, to take that first step at reaching out as she had with Gil.

Just as she was about to make the call, she bumped into someone, her phone nearly slipping from her grasp. Startled, Harper looked up and saw Cass standing before her, his presence causing her heart to skip a beat. She quickly steadied herself, clutching her phone tightly. The joke she had been about to make immediately died on her lips as she took in his expression—grim and tense.

The older boy looked up, his green eyes studying Harper with a look of confusion before they lit up with familiarity. 

[color=#8aaceb]“Hey, Baxter!”[/color] Cass called over the din of the infirmary, making several quick strides towards her,[color=#8aaceb] “If you’re here to see Lorcán they’ve got him quarantined right now, I just texted Tyler, surprised you got here so fast.”[/color]

He looked at her again, his eyes intently studying the new haircut noting how it brought out her cheekbones. He hadn’t noticed just how slender of a jawline she had when the long hair had shielded either side of her face.

But that wasn’t exactly a priority right now.

[color=#8aaceb]“Uh sorry about the trial,”[/color] Cass deflected,[color=#8aaceb] “Must have really sucked being trapped in there, can’t imagine having my worst fears plugged into a machine that can bring them to life.”[/color]

Harper nodded, her mind too busy racing with questions about Lorcán. She glanced down at the phone in her hand, the screen still displaying the name there: [i]Aurora. [/i]She knew she’d wanted to- no, [i]needed [/i]to- get into contact with her. But now, it seemed, it would be for entirely different reasons.  Her eyes flicked back to Cass, her expression one of concern. 

[color=#8a9a5b]“Yeah, it was intense. And I was visiting a friend,” [/color]Harper managed, trying to brush off the reminder of her own experience. It wasn’t important now. [color=#8a9a5b]“What do you mean they have him [/color][color=#8a9a5b][i]quarantined[/i][/color][color=#8a9a5b]? What the hell happened?”[/color] Her voice was edged with unease, her eyes searching Cass’s face for answers. 

[color=#8aaceb]“No one seems to know,”[/color] Cass replied looking down the hallway he had come from.[color=#8aaceb] “Couple of my teammates found him out in the Northern peninsula, nasty scratch on his arm. Medics all say it’s already severely infected, they’ve got both him and the two girls quarantined until they can rule out that it’s contagious.”[/color]

He turned back to Harper.

[color=#8aaceb]“Heard one of them commenting on the smell too, apparently it reeks, like a tomb.”[/color]

Harper’s breath caught in her throat. The image of Lorcán, injured and isolated, filled her mind. [color=#8a9a5b]“Infected? Like a tomb?” [/color]she repeated, disbelief and dread mingling in her words. What did any of that even mean? [color=#8a9a5b]“So, what are they doing for him now, other than making sure whatever it is doesn’t spread? And what can [/color][color=#8a9a5b][i]we [/i][/color][color=#8a9a5b]do from out here?” [/color]Her voice wavered, the helplessness she felt seeping into her tone. She already knew the answer to that latter question. What [i]could [/i]she even do for her friend from here? She was no doctor, yet. Not even close. 

She swallowed, hesitant but needing to know. 

[color=#8a9a5b]“Does…does she know yet?” [/color]

[color=#8aaceb]“She?”[/color] Cass took a second before realizing Harper meant Aurora, [color=#8aaceb]“If she doesn’t already, she soon will. Uncle Aiden sent Ripley to get her and they’ve made sure the infirmary has her down as a caretaker so she can be here at all hours if,”[/color] He paused,[color=#8aaceb] “Once, he clears quarantine.”[/color] 

He flexed his hands, cracking his knuckles while stifling a small reflexive flare in his palm. 

[color=#8aaceb]“Other than that, all we can do is wait and hope the medics can do something, don’t much care for feeling this powerless. Just takes me back to a darker time in my life,”[/color] Cass replied, [color=#8aaceb]“But uh, if you weren’t here for Lorcán then I won’t keep you,”[/color] He stated, his eyes wandering upwards in the opposite direction.

Harper’s concern deepened, not just for Lorcán but for Cass as well. She could see the struggle in his eyes, the way he tried to mask his feelings with a brave face. [color=#8a9a5b]“Cass, I—”[/color] she began, reaching out to him, but he cut her off, his tone shifting to something more resigned.

[color=#8aaceb]“I uh, imagine [/color][color=#8aaceb][i]Gil[/i][/color][color=#8aaceb] will be happy to see you,”[/color] The words were bitter on his tongue, but Cass managed to spit them out while doing his best to control his disappointment.

His words were tinged with an edge Harper couldn’t quite place. She blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift. [color=#8a9a5b]“Cass, I came here to see Gil, sure, but do you really think [/color][i][color=#8a9a5b]that’s [/color][/i][color=#8a9a5b]important to me right now?” [/color]she asked, her voice gentle but firm. She reached out, touching his arm lightly. [color=#8a9a5b]“Besides, I’ve already seen Gil, and he’s exhausted. Right now, what [/color][i][color=#8a9a5b]I [/color][/i][color=#8a9a5b]want to know is how [/color][i][color=#8a9a5b]you’re [/color][/i][color=#8a9a5b]doing. Lorcán’s your family too…I can’t imagine any of this is easy for you.”[/color]

[color=#8aaceb]“Frankly,” [/color]Cass started,[color=#8aaceb]“I don't know how I am.” [/color]He replied, [color=#8aaceb]“None of it has sunk in, I don't know enough about the situation to know to be worried. He could sit up any second, fall out of bed flat on his face and still want to grab his board and go surf.”[/color] Cass changed his posture, mimicking Lorcán’s laid-back slouch as he slapped his feet along the tiled floor to imitate the flip flops.

[color=#8aaceb]“Sup, Paddlepuss, nice wipe-out on those mushburgers.” [/color]He said, using the nickname Lorcán had given Harper when she became a lifeguard.

[color=#8aaceb]“I just wish I had the full story, I can't help but feel someone is missing something.”[/color]

Harper groaned and rolled her eyes, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips. [color=#8a9a5b]“Ugh, not that nickname. It’s not my fault I’m not crazy enough to go out there against those waves. I have some sense of self-preservation, [/color][i][color=#8a9a5b]unlike [/color][/i][color=#8a9a5b]him.” [/color]She could picture her sweet but absolutely crazy friend now, charging into the surf with the recklessness she knew him for, his laughter carried away by the wind. Despite her grumbling, there was a hint of admiration in her tone. 

Her smile, however, faded slightly as she considered Cass’s last comment. Why [i]had [/i]Lorcán been on the Northern peninsula at all, especially after everything they had just gone through with the trials? Was this incident related to that somehow, or had Lorcán stumbled upon something-or someone- that posed a new threat?  

A shadow of concern crossed Harper’s face as she pondered the possibilities. The trials had been gruelling, testing their limits in the face of their fears. So, the thought of Lorcán facing yet another challenge unsettled her. Her mind raced with questions and scenarios, each more troubling than the last. Had he discovered something that could jeopardize their hard-won peace, or was he simply unable to stay away from danger? The uncertainty gnawed at her, making it hard to shake the feeling that something significant was unfolding where he was found. 

[color=#8a9a5b]“I wish I knew more, too,” [/color]Harper said, her voice tinged with frustration. She hated sitting by and waiting for answers, the same drive that she had with Haven during their investigation simmering beneath the surface, threatening to boil over. 

But look how well [i]that [/i]had turned out. 

[color=#8aaceb]“Rippers is going to start blowing up my phone if I don't get back, but uh,” [/color]Cass paused, [color=#8aaceb]“It’s not really a priority but I’m looking forward,” [/color]He hesitated again.

[color=#8aaceb]“I’ll pick you up Friday, I’m still taking you to the dance so wear something nice, or don’t, I don't care,” [/color]He forced a chuckle, hiding his excitement as he tried to ensure their date was still on for the dance.

Harper’s disappointment softened as she looked at Cass, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She appreciated his effort to lighten the mood, even if he seemed to be struggling to find the right words given the situation. 

[color=#8a9a5b]“I’ll try to look my best, as always,” [/color]she replied, her voice carrying a hint of the playfulness she’d felt that night before the trials.

Harper watched him turn the corner, the hand she’d raised in a wave goodbye slowly dropping. Her smile lingered for a moment longer before fading, replaced by a more serious expression. Her eyes drifted back to the phone in her hand, the screen still displaying the name of her friend who was in God knows what kind of mental state. 

How should she even begin to approach this problem? The question echoed in her mind, bringing with it the same sense of helplessness as before. She wanted to be there for Aurora, to offer support and comfort, but she didn’t even know where to start. The thought of reaching out and saying the wrong thing made her hesitate, her fingers once again hovering over the screen, unsure of what to do next.

As if the heavens had decided for her, her phone buzzed in her hand, Aurora’s name lighting up the screen with an incoming call. Harper sucked in a sharp breath, her heart leaping into her throat. She stared at the screen for a moment, her mind blank, before her hands moved on their own, answering the call on the third ring.

[color=#8ecdb7]“Harps? I need you, [/color][color=#8ecdb7][i]please[/i][/color][color=#8ecdb7].” [/color]

Aurora’s voice was shaky, the recognition of it causing Harper’s grip on her phone to tighten, her own emotions swirling within her. 

[color=#8a9a5b]“I’m [/color][color=#8a9a5b][i]here[/i][/color][color=#8a9a5b], Aurora. And I [/color][color=#8a9a5b][i]know,[/i][/color][color=#8a9a5b]” [/color]she replied, her voice steady but her heart racing. She began to move, her feet carrying her in a direction—any direction—just to avoid standing still. The weight of her emotions threatened to pull her down, to make her sink into the floor if she stood still any longer. [color=#8a9a5b]“I’ll figure out a way to see you, alright? Just keep taking deep breaths. We’ll get through this together but…” [/color]She glanced around, her eyes darting from one indistinguishable landmark to another.  

[i]Where [/i]was she going?[/color][/indent]
[color=808080][CENTER][COLOR=8A9A5B][sup]__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/COLOR][img]https://i.imgur.com/defFT2x.jpeg[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/PU6Oqag.jpeg[/img][/CENTER][indent][sub][COLOR=8ECDB7][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]Infirmary[/I] - [I]Pacific Royal Campus[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=8ECDB7][b]Take On Me #3.021:[/b][/COLOR] [I]Daylight[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][center][COLOR=8ECDB7][SUP][sub]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sub][/SUP][/COLOR][/center][indent][sub][color=8ECDB7][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR] [I][color=#8aaceb] Cassander[/color] [@Lord Wraith][/I][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=8ECDB7][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [COLOR=808080][I]All Falls Down & By the Lives That Wove the Web[/I][/color][/right][/SUP][/indent][/color]
[indent][color=#808080]Aurora kept her knees hugged to her chest, back flush against the wall, while Harper’s comforting voice flowed through the phone. Her tears continued to fall, but more so now since she was relieved that the girl had answered her call as quickly as she did, especially given how she replied to her plea.[/color]

[color=#8ecdb7]“You’re- you’re here?” [/color][color=#808080]The redhead sputtered in between heaving breaths, wiping at her nose with her sleeve. The mere thought that her friend was close soothed her, and at her response, she sat up a bit straighter. Looking around for any markers or indications of the location she was sitting in, the girl’s baby blues landed on a placard affixed next to the door she had entered through. [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“I’m in Stairwell B. On the 2nd floor.”[/color]

[color=#8ecdb7]“C-can you come find me?”[/color]

[color=#808080]Harper’s heart clenched at the sound of Aurora’s distress. She gripped her phone tighter, her voice unwavering despite the turmoil she felt. [/color][color=#8a9a5b]“I’m already on my way, ”[/color][color=#808080] she reassured, her footsteps echoing through the sterile hospital corridors. [/color][color=#8a9a5b]“Just hang in there, okay? I’ll be there in a minute.”[/color]

[color=#808080]Harper moved with purpose, her mind mapping out the quickest route to Stairwell B. Her eyes flicked to the signs overhead, her pace quickening with each step. She pushed through a set of heavy double doors, the bustling sounds of the hospital fading as her focus narrowed to one goal: finding Aurora.[/color]

[color=#808080]The sight of the stairwell sign brought a surge of determination. Harper took the stairs two at a time, her breaths coming in short, determined bursts. She reached the second floor, her eyes immediately spotting Aurora’s familiar red hair, the girl huddled against the wall, looking small and vulnerable.[/color]

[color=#808080]Without hesitation, Harper rushed to her friend, dropping to her knees and enveloping Aurora in a tight, protective hug. [/color][color=#8a9a5b]“Aurora,” [/color][color=#808080]she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. [/color][color=#8a9a5b]“I’m here. It’s okay. You’re not alone.” [/color][color=#808080]She held her friend close, feeling Aurora’s sobs against her chest, offering silent comfort through her embrace.[/color]

[color=#808080]They stayed like that for a few minutes, the redhead letting all of the fear and helplessness she had felt building finally bubble over. It was cathartic to let it all out. She’d tried her best to keep it together in front of Lorcán’s parents, in front of Cass, and especially in front of Ripley, but if she had learnt anything from her years on campus, it was that she didn’t always need to be the strong one. Life had dealt her a shitty hand, and yes, the majority of the time she still tended to muscle through things on her own, but she had people to lean on now, and it meant everything to her to be supported.[/color]

[color=#808080]Aurora’s tears began to subside, her gasping breaths and hiccups starting to lessen, and she found herself able to form sentences once more. [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“I need him to be okay, Harper, I [/color][color=#8ecdb7][i]can’t[/i][/color][color=#8ecdb7] lose him.” [/color][color=#808080]She whimpered, another choking sob following her words. [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“They don’t know what’s wrong with him,” [/color][color=#808080]The girl moved to look at Harper through her overflowing eyes, [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“I’m so[/color][color=#8ecdb7][i] [/i][/color][color=#8ecdb7]scared.” [/color]

[color=#808080]Harper’s eyes, so stoic and guarded since the trials, softened with deep empathy as she held Aurora tighter, feeling the tremors, every ounce of her friend’s anguish, against her own chest. She could feel Aurora’s fear and pain as if it were her own, and it made her hold on even tighter as if her embrace could shield Aurora from all the hurt. If she could completely absorb some of it, and take on just a little more, she would do it in a heartbeat. [/color]

[color=#808080]Because Aurora didn’t deserve this. Not one bit. [/color]

[color=#808080]And Lorcán, ever so loyal and brave, definitely did not deserve to be in this state. Her mind flashed back to the memory of him snapping her out of her misery when she’d been stuck in her own mind, lost in a sea of despair. She remembered the way his voice had cut through the fog, grounding her, pulling her back to reality with the firmness of not just a leader, but a friend. [/color]

[color=#808080]Harper had yet to pay him back for any of it, and the thought gnawed at her every being. [/color]

[color=#808080]He [/color][i][color=#808080]needed [/color][/i][color=#808080]to pull through. He just had to. [/color]

[color=#8a9a5b]“I know,” [/color][color=#808080]Harper whispered to Aurora. [/color][color=#8a9a5b]“I know you’re scared. It’s okay to be scared.” [/color][color=#808080]Her words were gentle, each one carefully chosen to offer comfort and reassurance. [/color]

[color=#808080]With a tender touch, Harper gently brushed a few stray strands of hair away from Aurora’s tear-streaked face. Her fingers moved lightly, almost reverently, as if she were handling something fragile and precious. Her precious friend. She wanted Aurora to feel her presence, to know that she was truly there for her. [/color]

[color=#8a9a5b]“But you’re not alone in this,” [/color][color=#808080]she continued, her voice filled with unwavering conviction. She leaned in slightly, her eyes locking onto Aurora’s, ensuring that her friend could see the sincerity in her gaze. [/color][color=#8a9a5b]“I’m here for you. So is the team. We’re [/color][i][color=#8a9a5b]all [/color][/i][color=#8a9a5b]here for you, and we’re going to get through this together. Whatever happens.” [/color]

[color=#8a9a5b]“We’ll find out what’s wrong,” [/color][color=#808080]Harper continued, her voice filled with quiet determination. She squeezed Aurora’s shoulder gently, her touch firm yet comforting. [/color][color=#8a9a5b]“And Lorcán is sure to receive the best care possible. You’re [/color][color=#8a9a5b][i]not [/i][/color][color=#8a9a5b]going to lose him, Aurora. I…I promise.” [/color]

[color=#808080]The redhead continued to calm down as the company of one of her closest friends soothed her, her breathing returning to a normal pace, eyes slowly drying out. She swallowed, throat strained, and although her heartbeat remained elevated, it wasn’t racing as it previously had been. For as long as she’d known her, between her actions and her words, Harper always made Aurora feel safe. It was a quality the girl never overlooked, always appreciated, especially in this moment. [/color]

[color=#808080]Her tremors quieted, and she leaned back from Harper’s embrace, resting her body against the wall once more. Reaching up with the sleeve of her sweatshirt, she wiped at her face to cleanse herself of the tear stains and mucus that came with such an emotional break. [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“You can’t promise something like that Harper,” [/color][color=#808080]Aurora knew her friend meant well with the statement, but the logical side of her brain understood there was no way of ensuring such a thing. [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“They said the infection wasn’t like anything they’d ever seen, even went so far as to say it wasn’t of this [/color][i][color=#8ecdb7]Earth[/color][/i][color=#8ecdb7]. How are they supposed to care for him when they don’t understand what they’re dealing with?” [/color]

[color=#808080]She sighed, but it came out more like a wheezing, and the girl coughed to clear out whatever remained. [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“He’s everything to me, Harps, and there’s a very real chance he’s not going to make it through this.” [/color]

[color=#8ecdb7]“I don’t want to live in a world without him in it.”[/color]

[color=#808080]Harper immediately felt a pang of regret for her impulsive words. The promise she had made was indeed fragile, fraught with the unknown, and she knew it. Still, she wanted to be the rock Aurora needed, just as her sister had been for her all those years ago. She reached out, gently squeezing Aurora’s hand, hoping to convey some measure of comfort through her touch.[/color]

[color=#8a9a5b]“I know,” [/color][color=#808080]Harper said softly.[/color][color=#8a9a5b] “I [/color][color=#8a9a5b][i]know [/i][/color][color=#8a9a5b]I can’t promise that, and I’m sorry that I did.” [/color][color=#808080]Her eyes met Aurora’s, blinking away the tears that had begun to form.[/color][color=#8a9a5b] “I just…I want to give you hope, even if it’s just a little bit.”[/color]

[color=#808080]Aurora nodded, understanding completely that her friend only had good intentions which drove her choice of words, and had she not experienced such loss in her life before, she wouldn’t have commented on it. But the redhead was no stranger to grief, her mind instantly flicking back to the Trial and the illusion that her teammates were exiting without her. The numerous foster placements she bounced from, a suitcase that always remained packed. Her mother [/color][color=#808080]dropping[/color][color=#808080] her off in the pitch black of night and leaving her behind.[/color]

[color=#808080]This situation may have been different from the rest, it was not of Lorcán’s own volition that he found himself at risk of departing too soon. But to Aurora, the cycle continued, no matter the means in which it occurred. The story changed, but the premise was always the same.[/color]

[color=#8ecdb7]“No one ever stays,” [/color][color=#808080]She spoke out loud, more tears brimming. [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“And I am so [/color][i][color=#8ecdb7]tired[/color][/i][color=#8ecdb7].”[/color]

[color=#8ecdb7]“I thought if I kept him at arm's length, if I managed to keep my feelings at bay, then I wouldn’t get hurt or disappointed when I lost him like everyone else.” [/color][color=#808080]She started talking and couldn’t stop, years of yearning and unresolved tension coming to a head, tears overflowing from her eyes once more even though she was under the impression she had nothing left to cry. She’d been stewing over this for days, since the night they shared in the tent, since staying over after the Trial, things finally having come into focus for her. [/color]

[color=#8ecdb7]“But the way I feel about Lorcán is [/color][color=#8ecdb7][i]consuming[/i][/color][color=#8ecdb7], Harper, and he might die before I ever get the chance to tell him.”[/color]

[color=#808080]Harper leaned in closer, her eyes never leaving Aurora’s face. Each word that fell from Aurora’s lips seemed to echo around them, resonating with a feeling of sorrow that Harper could almost touch. The years of buried emotions and unspoken fears were now laid bare, and Harper felt the full weight of her friend’s anguish pressing down on her own heart. Her fingers intertwined more firmly with Aurora’s, a silent vow of unwavering support and presence. As always, for her. [/color]

[color=#808080]She had already suspected the depth of Aurora’s feelings, but hearing them articulated with such raw honesty was a revelation. The name Lorcán hung between them, heavy with unspoken history and emotion. Harper’s thoughts raced, piecing together the fragments of Aurora’s confessions, understanding now the profound impact Lorcán had on her friend’s life. An impact so big that…if the other was to lose him. [/color]

[color=#808080]She did not, could not, dwell on that thought. [/color]

[color=#808080]Instead, Harper’s voice was gentle but firm as she spoke, her eyes searching Aurora’s for any sign of reassurance.[/color][color=#8a9a5b] “I know it feels like the world is falling apart right now,” [/color][color=#808080]she began, her tone filled with a quiet strength. [/color][color=#8a9a5b]“And I can’t imagine how scared you must be. But you have to hold on to hope. Lorcán is [/color][i][color=#8a9a5b]strong[/color][/i][color=#8a9a5b], and he’s fighting with everything he has right now. Just trust in that.”[/color]

[color=#808080]Harper’s voice softened, filled with a tender urgency.[/color][color=#8a9a5b] “And when Lorcán wakes up,”[/color][color=#808080] she said, her eyes still locked onto Aurora’s,[/color][color=#8a9a5b] “you’ll have the chance to tell him everything.” [/color][color=#808080]She could see the flicker of hope mingling with fear in Aurora’s gaze.[/color][color=#8a9a5b] “He needs to hear it, Aurora. He needs to know how much he means to you. You’ve carried these feelings for so long, It’s time to let them out, to share them with him. He deserves to know, and you deserve to be heard.”[/color]

[color=#808080]Even amongst the agony she felt, to voice her deepest thoughts out loud felt freeing. Her heart was just a bit lighter having confided in Harper the secret she’d scarcely thought she’d tell and it allowed her at least some control in a moment where she previously had none. Aurora sniffled, she didn’t even want to think about how pitiful she looked right now. She gripped onto her friend’s hand tightly as she spoke, anchoring her in the present.[/color]

[color=#8ecdb7]“He may be a fighter, but we have no clue what he’s up against.” [/color][color=#808080]The image of Lorcán lying in his hospital bed was at the forefront of her mind. [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“You didn’t see him Harps, but he looks [/color][i][color=#8ecdb7]awful[/color][/i][color=#8ecdb7]. It’s bad.” [/color][color=#808080]She candidly stated. [/color]

[color=#808080]The redhead took a shaky breath, [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“I-I slept over at his dorm the other night because I didn’t want to be alone, and he was telling me how much the Trial scared him because he thought he was going to lose [/color][color=#8ecdb7][i]me[/i][/color][color=#8ecdb7]. He said everything that he went through in there was to get [/color][color=#8ecdb7][i]me[/i][/color][color=#8ecdb7] back, that he didn’t know what he’d do if anything had happened to [/color][color=#8ecdb7][i]me[/i][/color][color=#8ecdb7].” [/color][color=#808080]She was an open book in that moment, not caring about her previous reservations, spewing words like a broken fountain much like the tears that still threatened to fall from her eyes. [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“I should have told him then, [/color][color=#8ecdb7][i]why[/i][/color][color=#8ecdb7] didn’t I tell him then? I missed my chance.” [/color]

[color=#808080]She hung her head shamefully, [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“And then in the morning, god Harps, I woke up in his arms and it felt so [/color][color=#8ecdb7][i]right[/i][/color][color=#8ecdb7], but you know what I did? I [/color][color=#8ecdb7][i]left[/i][/color][color=#8ecdb7]. I teleported out of there so fast that I threw up when I got home.” [/color][color=#808080]Her exhale was heavy, as she continued to carry the weight of her actions. [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“It was so real at that moment, and it terrified me.” [/color]

[color=#8a9a5b]“Rora… it’s okay to be scared,”[/color][color=#808080] Harper replied softly, her voice filled with understanding. [/color][color=#8a9a5b]“Love is… it’s huge, and it’s overwhelming. I can’t say I’ve felt it the way you do…but I understand fear. I understand how it can make you run, even when all you want is to stay.” [/color]

[color=#808080]Harper’s mind flashed back to the countless moments when fear had gripped her heart. She remembered, in particular, the look in her sister’s eyes when she’d discovered Harper’s abilities. She had always thought it was hatred, but now, thinking back to their previous conversation in the motel, she realized it might have been fear. Fear of losing Harper, fear of what could happen to her. Her sister had [/color][color=#808080][i]loved[/i][/color][color=#808080] her, and that love had been wrapped in fear.[/color]

[color=#808080]But she also knew that love, no matter what form it took, was worth fighting for. That she knew for a fact. Love was a powerful force, capable of overcoming even the deepest fears. And it was probably the best thing, really the only thing, that Aurora could hold onto at this moment. [/color]

[color=#8a9a5b]“Fear is a part of love…or at least I think they’re two sides of the same coin,” [/color][color=#808080]Harper continued. [/color][color=#8a9a5b]“I’ve been afraid too. Afraid of losing the people I love, afraid of what might happen if they knew the real me. But I’ve learned that the love we have for each other is stronger than that fear. And it’s worth facing whatever comes our way.” [/color]

[color=#808080]The redhead slipped back into old habits for a moment, the four-letter word Harper used causing her to recoil and prepare herself to backpedal. But for once, Aurora stopped and embraced the discomfort.[/color]

[color=#808080]Because she did love Lorcán.[/color]

[color=#808080]What originally started as friendship had blossomed into something much more profound over the years she had known him. It was why she felt safe in his presence, the reason she trusted him inherently, the meaning behind her actions. Not just because they were best friends, but because she loved him. [/color]

[color=#808080]The feeling had been there all along, even when she hadn’t realized what it was.[/color]

[color=#808080]And it was that which made this situation all the more dire, the cause of her reacting in such a visceral way. The boy that she [/color][i][color=#808080]loved [/color][/i][color=#808080]was in critical condition, fighting for his life down the hall, and she was at risk of losing him. [/color]

[color=#808080]Aurora looked into Harper’s eyes and saw the recognition there, a gentle affirmation of what she was voicing and a wordless support of her current emotions. Her friend was compassionate and loyal, and it was moments like this that she was thankful she came into her life. The redhead's tears slowed and subsided as she beheld the gravity of her words.[/color]

[color=#808080]As scared as this feeling made her, and as daunting as that four-letter word was, Lorcán was worth it. He always had been, and always would be.[/color]

[color=#8ecdb7]“If he wakes up- [/color][color=#8ecdb7][i]when [/i][/color][color=#8ecdb7]he wakes up, I’ll tell him.” [/color][color=#808080]Aurora declared, wiping the moisture from her cheeks.[/color]

[color=#808080]Harper smiled, a warm, encouraging smile that lit up her face. [/color][color=#8a9a5b]“Good,” [/color][color=#808080]she said, her single word carrying a world of support and confidence. [/color]

[color=#808080]The redhead managed a sad smile back, but the weight of her current situation dragged it down quickly, her expression morphing into something neutral once more. [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“Thank you,” [/color][color=#808080]She cleared her throat, [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“For being here for me.” [/color][color=#808080]Aurora understood that right now they were all going through it - between this and the implications from the Trial - and it meant everything that Harper had still shown up for her in her moment of need. [/color]

[color=#808080]She looked up to the door and let out a deep sigh, [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“I should get back, I don’t want them to notice I’m gone for too long.” [/color][color=#808080]Bracing herself on the railing, she stood up and extended a hand down to Harper to help her to her feet. [/color][color=#8ecdb7]“I know you guys aren’t allowed to visit him, so I’ll try to keep everyone updated.” [/color]

[color=#808080]Harper clasped Aurora’s hand, rising to her feet. [/color][color=#8a9a5b]“Thanks. And if you need anything, anything at all, just call me, okay?” [/color][color=#808080]Harper’s voice was steady, but the slight quiver in her tone betrayed her worry. [/color][color=#8a9a5b]“Even if it’s just to talk.” [/color]

[color=#808080]Aurora nodded before pulling her friend in for another hug, squeezing tightly.[/color]

[color=#8ecdb7]“I’m so lucky to have you, Harps.”[/color][/indent]