There's a definite chill to the air as Jesse wakes; her eyes are half glued shut and it takes a bit of rubbing to get them open. She doesn't wake to what she expects—which would be her treehouse, under her favorite quilt, with Reuben at her feet—instead, she wakes to Reuben acting as her pillow, Olivia and Axel huddled up together, and the fire out.

It wasn't some crazy dream. This was real, the Witherstorm was real.

With a heavy sigh, she pulls her dirt stained fingers through her hair. It's tangled and surely to mat if she doesn't get a brush through it soon, but with the circumstances, she's pretty sure that's a luxury she can't afford. Her hands drop to her sides and she looks out among the sea of trees—at least what she can see from her seated position. She can smell the morning dew and see the sky beginning to lighten. It'd be morning soon.

She rises to her feet with a stretch, trying her best not to wake Reuben, and walks two paces before stopping. She finds Lukas, hunched over the railing of the treehouse, head in his hands. He must be engrossed in thought, she thinks, because when she approaches and leans into the railing with him; he doesn't move, or make any indication that he knows she's there. It isn't until she clears her throat that his eyes rise and he blinks at her, startled.

"Um," she laughs nervously. "sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"Nah, you're fine," Lukas straightens, giving a strained smile. "getting lost in thought is a bad habit."

"Yeah," Jesse returns the smile awkwardly. "don't want a mob to sneak up on ya."

Lukas laughs. It's a polite sort of laugh that makes Jesse want to bury herself in the sand on the shoreline she can see from here. She rubs sheepishly at her neck, sharing the laugh with him.

"What—uh—what are you doing up?" it's an attempt to make things less awkward. Jesse appreciates Lukas for it.

"Um, couldn't sleep anymore?" Jesse shrugs, snickering at the raised eyebrow she gets from Lukas. "I know that sounds like a stupid excuse, but I just—woke up. Can't explain it, won't try to."

"At least you got sleep, I—" he pauses looking out among the blanket of leaves. Jesse can spot a few sluggish zombies, and even more antsy skeletons from their vantage point. "couldn't."

Jesse frowns and swallows against the odd tightening in her throat. "Is it—" she pauses as she catches his eye. "is it because of your friends?"

"Them," he says and his face tightens in pain. "and Petra."

"Petra will be okay." Jesse says. She must be. The redhead was too much of a warrior to go down because of some monster, even one as frightening as the Witherstorm.

"I appreciate the optimism Jesse, but…"

"She will be. That's the only possibility I'm willing to think of." Her words a sharper than she means to convey them and Lukas's frown feels awful as he scrambles to take back what he said.

"I didn't mean it like that— I just…" he shakes his head. It's quiet for a beat. "you guys are close, huh?"

Jesse snickers and Lukas gives her an odd look. "No, we're… friends," Jesse shrugs leaning more into the railing and looking out. The sun was beginning to rise; the sky turning from black to grey-ish blue. "I met her maybe… Four years ago? We needed something for a build."

"Oh," Lukas perks a bit and smiles. "that's how I met her."

"Really?" Jesse leans on her elbow that is propped up on the railing and smiles.

"Yeah." Lukas says. "I think it was our," he pauses a moment, hand on his chin, thinking. "fourth year competing—your guys' second—and we needed… I think it was slime balls for the pistons in our build."

"Oh!" Jesse straightens up, pointing at Lukas as the year comes back to her. "Was it the year you guys built that obsidian and cobblestone generator?"

"Yeah!" Lukas shakes his head. "That thing was horrible. 'm still surprised we won."

"Better than some lousy chicken-powered light fixtures that blew up!" Jesse retorts. The blonde boy snickers, putting a hand over his mouth.

"Oh, yeah!" he's still laughing and Jesse does all she can to fight the grin worming its way onto her face… and fails. "There—there were feathers everywhere. And—" he pauses. She's surprised he hasn't entirely cracked up. "and chickens running amuck."

"It was feathery chaos."

That does it. Lukas cracks and covers his mouth. The bubbly laughter is a welcome change from everything and Jesse lets herself melt into it even though there are two people sleeping not too far away.

It's with gasped breaths and red faces that the two finally quiet down. Lukas wiping away tears and Jesse holding her sides. They catch eyes again and laughter threatens to resurface. So, Jesse looks away, still gasping for air, and her breath hitches. The sun is just coming up over the horizon and the kaleidoscope of colors that mix and mingle and match is a breath-taking vermillion rose. She straightens and a breathy laugh is released.

"That's gorgeous…" Lukas remarks, leaning into the railing. Jesse nods, leaning her head into her hand again.

"Absolutely stunning."

She feels something warm rub up against her legs before she hears the other voices.

"You got that right, dude." Axel says. Jesse turns and smiles. It's the first time since yesterday she's seen him relaxed and Jesse can appreciate that.

"I never thought a sun rise could look and feel so… renewing." Olivia says, coming in between Lukas and Jesse as the latter stoops to pick up her piggy friend. He snorts contently settling into her arms. Olivia leans her head over onto Jesse's arm and Jesse leans hers onto Axel's—who had taken his place on her right side. She looks over at Lukas who looks lonely and then embarrassed when she catches his eyes, but she only smiles at him. And he smiles back

Everything was going to be okay; they were going to find Petra, defeat this storm, and everything was going to be all right. Jesse has to believe that. She has to make sure everyone believes that. And right now, as they all stand here together…

She can believe it.