It was late at night, the sky outside the bedroom window almost pitch black. The soft rain was barely audible on the cabin's thatched roof, the pleasant smell of wet soil and the rumbles of thunder being the main reminders that it was still there.

Petra loved how peaceful the forest was in comparison to Beacontown and Champion City. If she closed her eyes she could imagine she was actually out there, facing the unknown again. Not laying in the guest bedroom in Lukas's cabin, too haunted by her thoughts to sleep.

It's only been a few days since Petra started staying at the cabin, and it's definitely been a pleasant change. She felt so much more at home than in the unfamiliar hospital room in Beacontown. And less alone. Even if Lukas wasn't by her side 24/7, she could always hear him working about the cabin.

But what happened with Jesse continued to weigh on Petra. The confusion over what truly happened, the guilt for not being able to help her friend... the pain of not knowing if she'll ever see her face again.

And things only got worse when bits and pieces began coming back to her in the form of nightmares.

Petra turned her head on the pillow, hearing something moving outside the room. She narrowed her eyes, noticing a dark figure moving past the open door down the hallway.

"Is it normal for writers to literally become nocturnal, or is it just you?" She asked out loud.

"What- Ow!"

Petra snorted softly as the confused response was followed by a thud. Lukas's footsteps became louder as he walked back in her direction.

"You just made me walk right into my own bedroom door." He grumbled, peeking inside the room.

"Hey don't blame me for your own clumsiness." Petra responded, grinning in the dark.

"Very funny." Lukas responded with a chuckle, leaning with his shoulder against the door frame. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No." Petra's face fell again, sighing softly. "Can't sleep."

There was a shuffle in the dark, followed by a light click and the lamp beside her bed flickering to life. Petra blinked a few times in the sudden light. She squinted for a moment, properly able to make out Lukas beside her.

"More dreams?" He asked, taking a seat on the side of the bed. There was a concerned look in his eyes.

"Yeah, but it's not just that." Petra said, sighing. "I'm almost certain I'm starting to remember things."

"Really?" Lukas asked, his blue eyes widening. "What do you remember?"

"Not a lot." Petra replied, biting her lip. "But I remember being out there... on the balcony. With Jesse."

"Do you remember what happened?" Lukas prodded gently.

Petra closed her eyes, trying to connect the dots between the blurred bits of memory. Yelling... harsh words... Her head was beginning to pulse.

"We were arguing." She said, not opening her eyes. "All I can remember is... Jesse, she..." Petra gritted her teeth slightly, ignoring the pain as she racked her brain for the memories. "...She was telling me to stop... and I didn't listen."

Lukas frowned, tilting his head to the side. A few strands of his blonde hair fell into his eyes.

"It hurts, I can't recall any more." Petra said, finally opening her eyes and shaking her head. "But Lukas, I think I did this to myself. Jesse's emotions were hanging by threads, you saw that. She didn't want to hurt me."

"Petra, this isn't on you." Lukas said softly.

"It's not on Jesse either." Petra said, looking up at him. "This is no different to when she burned my wrist, she probably wasn't in control of her actions."

"Petra, I don't want to be blaming Jesse." Lukas said, reaching up and brushing the hair from his eyes. "But she didn't even try to help or explain herself. Hell, she probably doesn't even know if you survived.

Accidentally burning you is one thing, but nearly killing you?"

Petra didn't say anything. It hurt, she didn't know how to feel.

"Jesse wouldn't hurt any of us on purpose." She said softly, sounding close to tears.

"I know it's hard." Lukas said. "And I know thinking about Jesse hurts less than thinking about yourself right now, Petra. But if you're going to get better, you have to let this go. It's a miracle that you're alive and not completely paralysed at that."

Petra didn't say anything, only nodding.

"Look, why don't you get some rest?" Lukas suggested. "I can stay with you, if you want?"

"I don't think I'm going to sleep any more tonight." Petra admitted softly. "I'm in this bed way too much, I get that I need the rest, but this isn't me. I'm used to being up and doing things."

"I forgot how stubborn you can be." Lukas said, chuckling. "But I get it, you're Petra. Getting up and doing things isn't much of an option, but we can talk some more?"

"I'd like that."

-------------------------

At first, her powers had gotten easier to hold back. Something about finally releasing all that pent up energy in her fight with Petra made Jesse feel better, much better. It felt like she could breath again, her strained muscles had relaxed. But it didn't last.

The guilt the attack left Jesse with steadily turned into fiery emotions of it's own, that had fresh flames dancing on her finger tips. All her thoughts and worries about her friends continued to swirl around her head, fueling the power within her.

The only way Jesse found to control the storm, was to keep busy, to keep walking. She didn't know where she was going, if she was even headed anywhere or if she was just going around in circles. After the first few days, all the trees of the forest looked the same.

Simply putting one foot in front of the other, and focusing her gaze on the grassy ground ahead of her. Keeping her mind distracted from everything eating at her, or more accurately, trying to keep her mind distracted from everything eating at her.

As much as Jesse tried to push the thought away, the question of whether her best friend was still there or not, gnawed at her.

Petra hadn't been there when the rest of the Order broke the news to Beacontown. Jesse had tried not to think about it, but her horrible suspicions had increased that they. She was terrified, terrified that she might have killed one of the most important people in her life.

Every time the thought came up, Jesse shook it out of her head. She gritted her teeth and continued to walk. Trying everything in her power to ignore the increasing amount of emotions that tore at her heart.

But it was impossible not to worry about her friend. And as Jesse lay on the grass, staring up through the tree branches, the thoughts had tears trailing down her pink cheeks.

It's been days since she walked away from Beacontown, probably well over a week. She's walked so many miles through the forest, the thick soles of her boots was beginning to look worn through. Her overalls were stained with dirt, her chestnut hair tangled.

Jesse closed her eyes, inhaling shakily as she felt the warm sunrays beat down on her face.

She's finally grown tired of the walking. Not physically tired, she hadn't felt physical exhaustion since obtaining her new powers. But the walking was starting to get the best of her, and she needed to stop. Let her mind rest.

Maybe I should consider finding myself a new home. Jesse thought to herself.

Even if she had to live in isolation for the sake of those around her, she couldn't keep wandering aimlessly for the rest of... well, eternity. Otherwise she was going to lose her sanity in a worse way than Romeo did.

Tilting her head to the side on the grass, Jesse looked around her. Taking in the tall green grass, that would be replaced by a carpet of leaves during autumn, before shrivelling away to nothing for the winter, and sprouting up from the bare ground again in the spring. The beautiful dark oaks that created a canopy of leaves above her head, allowing just enough light in to keep the forest safe. The birdsong, the light breeze that ruffled the leaves, the rustling of a rabbit moving about beneath the shrubs.

It was such a magical place. Before the Witherstorm, she lived in one of those trees. After becoming Beacontown's Hero in Residence, it remained one of her favourite getaways. A place she and her friends went horseback riding together in the early days, a place where she watched the sunset alone the last few months. A place where she could forget her worries, and feel like herself again. A place she felt free.

And quite frankly, Jesse didn't want to be anywhere else.

--------------------

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Petra?" Lukas asked, uncertainly.

Petra gritted her teeth, nodding stiffly as sweat trailed down her skin. Her breaths were laboured and unsteady, slightly breathless as she clutched the side of the couch. Her legs were shaky beneath her, but she was standing.

"Let me go, I can do this." Petra pleaded, feeling Lukas's hand on her arm.

"I know you can." He responded gently. "But you're barely standing again, it won't hurt to wait before trying to walk. Especially since you're refusing to touch your crutches."

Petra bit her lip, promptly pulling her arm away from Lukas. Walking wasn't going to mean anything to her until she could do it by herself, so she stubbornly refused any help.

Lukas was holding his breath as Petra shakily transitioned her weight onto her legs. She was still holding onto the couch, but using it more for balance than anything else. Her heart was racing inside her chest, hands slowly letting go.

It genuinely felt like learning to walk all over again. Having to hold her arms out to both sides to remain standing, even though she was flat, solid ground. Petra was swaying slightly on the spot, breathing in shaky, almost raspy breaths. She gulped thickly, the corners of her mouth flickering upwards for only a second. She was standing, slightly hunched and off balance, but she was standing by herself!

Locking her eyes on the stretch of wooden floor in front of her, Petra began mustering up the courage to lift up her foot and take her first step. She wasn't scared of falling – even though she didn't accept his help, Petra knew Lukas was watching her every move and he'd be able to grab her no problem.

"That's it, Petra." Lukas breathed, almost slightly astonished, as he watched his friend take her first, staggering step forward. "You're doing it."

Petra's teeth was gritted, sweat trickling across her pale face as she took another, unsteady step forward. Her posture remained slouched, her arms still slightly out to the sides, but she was managing it. One step at a time.

Finally Petra reached out and grabbed the edge of the dining table, breathing out a large breath of relief as it supported her weight. If she had more steps to take, her legs would have buckled beneath her. She barely made it.

"Petra, you did it!" Lukas cheered, breaking into a large grin.

Petra only nodded shakily, not resisting as Lukas helped her into the nearest dining chair. She leaned forward, breathing heavily. It had been exhausting.

"I'm not gonna lie, I'm so proud of you." Lukas said, wrapping an arm around Petra's shoulders and hugging her. "You're recovering so well."

Petra managed a breathless smile, resting her head against Lukas's chest as he hugged her, and closing her eyes. Despite how she physically felt at that moment, she was happy about what she managed to accomplish.

"This really took a lot out of you." Lukas said, finally pulling away from Petra, and giving her a worried look. "It hurt, didn't it?"

"If I told you, you would have stopped me before I could do anything." Petra said breathlessly, gritting her teeth as her nails dug into in the fabric of her pants. "But yeah. This hurt like hell. My back, my ribs, my right leg in particular... god, so much pain."

"You are pushing yourself a little soon." Lukas pointed out, walking around the table to the fridge. "I don't think you have to worry, you just have to give your body some more time to heal."

Petra didn't respond, leaning over against the table. She hated how tired she was from that little bit of effort, she hated how much her sides throbbed, she hated the weak, jelly-like feeling of her legs. What was she expecting, for walking again to be easy? No, no she didn't, but... she didn't expect it to be quite that difficult.

"Hey."

Petra lifted her head again, looking up at Lukas. He was holding a glass of water out to her, smiling reassuringly. There was a sympathetic look in his eyes.

"It's only going to get better from here on out, you know?" He said when Petra accepted the glass with shaky hands.

"That doesn't make it easy." Petra whispered, lowering her head so Lukas couldn't see the inevitable tears collecting in her blue eyes. "And no matter how hard I try, I'll... I'll never completely recover, you said that yourself."

"Petra..." Lukas began.

"You don't have to sugar coat it, you know?" Petra exclaimed, her head snapping up so she was looking Lukas in the eye again. "I can feel it. Walking is going to be difficult for me, no matter how much I practice it." Her head drooped again, a single tear dripping from her cheek. "My right leg is weaker, I realised that the first time I was able to stand up. In fact I think I knew it, deep down, back when I could barely sit up by myself. I was able to feel my left leg long before it."

Lukas didn't say anything, his own gaze directed down at the wooden floor. It hurt, hearing how hopeless the warrior sounded.

"I know, I should be happy that I can walk. And I am." Petra said softly. "But... But..."

"But for somebody as athletic and agile as you, that isn't enough." Lukas said softly. There was an understanding tone to his voice. "You want to be able to run and move like you used to."

"More than anything." Petra whispered.

"Nothing is set in stone yet." Lukas said, sitting down on a chair opposite Petra and reaching out to take both her hands in his. "Let's take this one day at a time. Today you walked, and that's what we should be celebrating."

"I guess you have a point." Petra said softly, looking up to meet his eyes again.

Lukas smiled back at her.

"And we're in this together. Both of us."

___

I remember how much I enjoyed working on this part of the book- We jumped around a lot this chapter, but I like how it turned out nonetheless!

Jesse and Petra both have it difficult in their own ways at the moment. Jesse's being emotionally torn up by the new admin powers inside of her, while Petra struggles to cope with her condition after the fight. Things will look up for Petra eventually, but what about Jesse?

Thoughts and theories welcome!

Now, I should probably address why I haven't posted for... close to a month? Well, as most of you know, I'm currently preparing for my finals - in less than two months from now, I'll be done with school for good! I honestly can't wait, but until then, I'm going to be slightly on and off. I have had no motivation for writing related activities, for the sole reason that I've just been too tired mentally. Bear with me for a while, and I'll eventually be back to posting regularly again when I'm finally free!

Also just, thank you so much for all the support guys! I haven't kept up with answering comments, because there's been hundreds coming in the past while - I'm not exaggerating, I'd turn on my phone and it'd be like "Wattpad - 80 new notifications"!
While I don't always get around to responding to your guys' comments, please know that I absolutely love them! It means so much to me to know that so many people are still enjoying my work despite how small the fandom has gotten, and to see people even reading my older, more poorly written books. It genuinely makes me so happy - thank you!

On another note, I want to give a very big thank you to @x_Melilky_x for the brand new cover!