Despite the fact that she wasn't even close to getting back the rest she needed, Petra didn't sleep a wink that night. Eyes wide open, she took turns between tossing from one side of the bed to the other, to staring up at her bedroom ceiling as if she was looking for answers between the cracks in the wood.

All she could think about was Jesse, and the state their friend had been in. Where had she gone that day, and what happened to her? Why did she look like somebody who had been to hell and back that day?

Petra turned her head to the side on her pillow, gazing out of the window. She usually kept her curtains drawn while she slept, but she had accepted that sleep wasn't coming that night and pulled them open to give herself something to look at.

It was still dark outside, but the sun had begun peeking it's head over the horizon. She guessed it was about 5 am.

Rolling over onto her side, Petra wrapped her arms around herself beneath the covers. She wanted to talk to Jesse, she wanted Jesse to talk to her. But the shorter girl's door had been locked tight all night.

Petra didn't like admitting it, but she was afraid. Not of Jesse, Jesse's new powers didn't frighten her like it did the others.

She was scared that what Olivia said was true. What if Jesse really had died in the terminal zone that day? What if their friend truly was gone, a monster left in her place?

No.

Petra shook her head to herself, grinding her teeth. The person she embraced after the battles was Jesse! The person she talked to the previous night was Jesse! The person they saw that afternoon was Jesse...

She was still Jesse, and they had to help her. Jesse didn't choose to be turned into an Admin! All she wanted was to save everybody, her people, her friends. The world.

She was a hero, and didn't deserve to pay for that.

Jesse wasn't dealing any better with her emotions that morning. Much like the previous night, no sleep or even a smidge of exhaustion came. She was left between the four walls of her bedroom with just her emotions to keep her company.

What happened with friends the previous day haunted Jesse. She never intended to use her powers against them!

It was hard to describe what she had been feeling. Trapped, cornered, surrounded. Even though they were there to help her, it had felt like they were predators closing in on their prey. And when she raised her hands, the shove came without her doing as much as thinking about it.

Sighing, Jesse leaned her head down onto her knees. She was sitting on the ground, her back rested against the cold bedroom wall. Sweat soaked the clothes she's been wearing since the previous morning, beads collecting on her pale pink skin. Both physically and mentally, she was an absolute mess.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Jesse pushed herself to her feet. She had to at least try. It wasn't her friends' responsibility to dig her out of this hole.

It took every last bit of willpower Jesse had to stay on her feet instead of sinking back into a miserable heap. She looked down at the clothes she wore, fabric drenched in sweat and smelling of smoke.

I guess I can start there.

Her feet dragged across the wooden floor as she trudged up to her closet, pulling open the door. Jesse's eyes lifelessly moved over the heaps of unsorted clothing, not really having a preference for anything. Finally she reached in, pulling out an old pair of denim overalls and a soft, breathable yellow t-shirt to go with it.

While the change of clothes made Jesse feel a little better, her chest still ached with the strain of holding back the storm of emotions within her. The glow had not faded from her eyes.

She wanted to get out, she wanted some space to herself. But after the previous day, she had a feeling her friends weren't going to let her step foot outside the order hall.

Petra wasn't sure how much longer she just lay there in bed, staring ahead lifelessly as thoughts swirled through her head. While she wanted to get up, it didn't feel like she had the energy.

Stop moping. Petra finally scolded herself, sitting upright in bed. "You're not the one dealing with new admin powers."

For a few moments Petra just sat there on the side of her bed, gathering the courage to start the day. Reaching up she pulled her bandanna over her uncombed red hair, and got to her feet.

It's probably going to be another long day in the library. Petra thought grimly as she walked out of her room.

She didn't bother to get properly dressed, really just focused on how much she wanted a coffee to start the day with. Once she had some energy back in her limbs, she'd focus on switching out her sleepwear for something else and seeing if taming her hair was a remote possibility.

Petra had nearly reached the staircase when she stopped, catching a glimpse of movement from the corner of her eye. She turned her head to the side, noticing the door to the balcony hung ajar.

For a moment Petra was about to ignore it, but then she hesitated. Could it be...?

Puling back from the stairs, Petra made her way down the hallway. She stopped outside the door, taking a deep breath before pushing it further open.

As expected, there was Jesse. Her back was facing Petra, resting with her elbows on the wooden railing. Her chestnut hair blew subtly in the breeze behind her.

"Go away." Jesse said softly, not bothering to look back and see who it was.

"You can't keep avoiding us, Jesse." Petra said, her voice somewhat pleading. "Please, talk to me at least."

Jesse didn't say anything, leaning her head down onto her arms. Petra slowly approached, stopping a few metres behind Jesse.

"You're not doing yourself any good by keeping these feelings to yourself." Petra said softly, yet seriously.

"How would you know?" Jesse suddenly growled, swinging around to face Petra.

Her eyes were glowing brightly, her expression a mixture of anger, fear and sorrow.

"Because I've been there, you know." Petra responded, taking a step closer to Jesse. "And you saw where distancing myself got me! Don't make the same mistakes I did, don't dig yourself into a ditch you can't climb out of."

"This is different!" Jesse's voice was rising quickly, tears swimming in her eyes. "You have no idea what I'm going through, stop pretending like you do!"

"I'm just trying to help you!" Petra exclaimed, throwing her arms out to the sides. "Why have you got to be so damn stubborn?" She could feel herself getting more and more desperate. "This isn't easy for me either!"

"Just leave me alone." Jesse was beginning to back up again, her back meeting the wall behind her. "Please!"

"I can't help you if you keep chasing me away!" Petra continued to approach.

"I don't want your help right now!" Jesse was practically screaming, tears gushing down her rosy cheeks.

Petra froze in her tracks, her mouth halfway open. Her hands were curled into fists at her sides, heart beating rapidly inside her chest.

"I know this hurts!" Petra exclaimed. "But stop being so selfish!"

Jesse shook her head, grasping handfuls of her chestnut hair as she tried to hold back the storm raging inside her.

"This isn't like you, Jesse!"

"Stop it!" Jesse screamed, shaking her head and gritting her teeth.

"No, you need to hear this!" Petra insisted, stepping closer once more. "I'm not giving up on you, Jesse!"

"Please, stop!"

"Even if you're willing to give up on yourself!"

"I said STOP!"

Jesse lunged forward on the last words, her hands shooting out at Petra. The redhead immediately backed up, but to no avail. Before she had time to blink, she was thrown backwards by an invisible grasp. Her shoulder met the ground first, crying out in anguish as she rolled a good few feet back.

Jesse's eyes were obscured by glowing clouds of red, her emotions having taking all control of her body and mind at that point. She wasn't the one in control as she attacked the person in front of her again.

Petra barely had a chance to suck in some air before she was flung back again, screaming as her body collided with the concrete wall of the building, bone shattering. Red seeped through the fabric of her clothes as she dropped to the ground, coughing and heaving. Blood poured from her mouth.

"Jess... Jesse..." Petra tried raspily, practically choking in her own blood.

But her words fell on deaf ears as Jesse lunged forward with one last burst of power. An invisible blow sending the already injured redhead flying like she barely weighed anything.

The crack of the balcony's wooden rail snapping, brought Jesse back to her senses.

Her heartbeat was echoing in her ears, her breath racing wildly. Her eyes were wide and round behind the red glow, locked on the shattered wooden remains. Her friend, now no longer in sight, was completely silent.

"No..." Jesse breathed, realisation of what she done washing over her like a wave.

Her knees threatened to buckle beneath her, suddenly feeling like she was going to throw up. What had she done?

"What's going on up there!?"

Jesse's head shot up, hearing voices calling from inside the building.

"Petra, was that you?"

"What happened?"

Jesse looked around desperately. She had to get to away, she needed to run!

Tears ran down her face as she desperately searched for a way out, wishing more than anything she could be somewhere else at that moment. How was she going to get out of there?

Footsteps began approaching from inside.

Jesse's breaths sped up, backing away until she was against the wall. She wanted to be anywhere at that moment, anywhere but there.

The door swung open and Jesse found herself staring right into the large blue eyes of Lukas.

"Jesse?"

And then her powers obeyed her desperate wish, Jesse disappearing from sight and leaving nothing more than a few golden particles where she had been standing.

Lukas had to blink a few times, unable to believe what he just saw. Did Jesse actually teleport?

But then his gaze switched from where she stood to the state the balcony was in. The blood coating the walls and floor, the shattered railing. Without thinking, Lukas ran forward and skidded to a stop at the balcony's edge.

It felt like his heart completely stopped beating, the colour draining from his face the moment his eyes landed on limp body metres below him.

Ripping himself back to reality, Lukas bolted back into the Order Hall. He nearly crashed right into Axel and Olivia who had also been drawn by the horrific screams.

"Lukas, what happened?" Olivia called after him.

"Just call an ambulance!" He shouted back at her, already halfway down the stairs. "Petra's hurt!"

It was an enormous understatement.

Outside Lukas dropped to his knees beside the limp redhead, immediately searching for a pulse. Despite the amount of blood coating the scene and the obvious hits she had taken, she was still alive.

As much as Lukas wanted to lift Petra up and carry her to safety, he knew he couldn't move her.

"Oh my god, Petra, just hold on." Lukas breathed anxiously, looking around desperately, blue eyes searching for the attacker. "Just hold on, we're going to get you some help."

He gulped thickly, looking upwards at the balcony Petra had clearly been thrown off of, after already being injured. A horrible realisation had knotted together in Lukas's gut, one he couldn't accept.

All evidence was pointing straight to Jesse.

___

This probably confirms me being absolutely insane, but I had way too much fun writing this chapter, and reliving it through editing was a blast.

Now you all know what Jesse had done to Petra, although all the consequences are still unknown. Well, fortunately for you, the Cliffhanger Queen is feeling generous and will give you the next chapter in just a few days time!

I'm bursting to hear your guys' thoughts though - Was this what you were expecting? What was your thoughts reading this? What do you think will come from this? Most importantly...

Do you think Jesse can come back from this? Or is it too late for her?

More questions will be answered in Chapter 6!