Chapter two
Penelope was losing it. A witch, a vampire and a tribrid shouldn't be having this much difficulty finding one single girl in a goddamned forest. But here they were an hour into searching the forest and not a step closer to finding Josie. They found Josie's tracks in the beginning of the forest but lost every single trace of her since.
"Anything?" She demands when MG and Hope come running towards her in the middle of the forest.
"Nothing," Hope replies looking worried herself. MG shakes his head indicating he hadn't found anything either.
"How is it that we can't find her. All that power between the three of us and we can't even find one girl in a stupid forest!" Penelope yells beside herself with worry.
"It's a big forest," MG says hesitantly. "I don't think we've covered half of it.
"So we keep looking," Hope replies looking at Penelope steadily. "We're not giving up."
"Off course not," MG responds. "We'll keep going until we find her."
Penelope nods unable to speak. They needed to find Josie soon. It was getting dark and the forest could hold some unpleasant surprises at night. They divide the forest in sectors and split up again to continue their search.
About a half an hour later Penelope is startled by a bright light.
"Josie," she murmurs breaking out into a run towards the light hoping her ex hadn't found trouble for herself but knowing instinctively she had. "Please be okay. Please be okay."
She arrives at the place where she thought she saw the light not seeing anything at first. Penelope begins to look around frantically when suddenly she notices a still form lying a few feet from where she is standing.
"Josie," she whispers running to get to the unconscious form and once she gets closer noticing that it is indeed Josie. "Josie!" She yells out turning the other girl onto her back and looking her over for injuries. She's still breathing but not moving. "Josie!" she yells again shaking the brunette slightly hoping to wake her.
"You found her," Hope exclaims relieved.
"Is she okay?" MG asks hesitantly.
"I don't know," Penelope exclaims. "I can't see any injuries but she's not waking up."
"We need to get her back to the school," Hope says.
"Let me carry her," MG suggest knowing he's the fastest.
"I… Yeah okay," Penelope replies not wanting to let Josie out of her sight again but knowing MG can get her to school and to help much faster than she ever could.
"Maybe MG could carry her and you could get on his back," Hope suggest softly realizing Penelope is still extremely worried and knowing that she herself isn't as fast as MG.
"Of course," MG responds immediately picking Josie up with ease and turning so that Penelope can get on his back.
"Run fast," Penelope whispers into MG's ear.
"Your wish is my command. I'll get your lady to the help she needs in no time" MG responds and starts running as if his life depends on it.
If you would ask Penelope anything about being on MG's back while he runs at full speed she wouldn't be able to answer at all. All she's aware of in the minutes it takes MG to get them to the front of the school is Josie. Beautiful Josie lying so incredibly still in MG's arms while they leave the forest behind.
They're met with Alaric, Lizzie and some of the school's staff near the border of the forest.
"Josie!" Alaric calls out relieved. Lizzie had come to him about a half an hour ago telling him she hadn't seen Josie since she ran off. They had put together a search party and had just started looking through the forest when they saw MG, Josie and Penelope.
"What happened?" Lizzie growls looking at Penelope suspiciously.
"I went looking for her," Penelope replies hopping off MG's back and looking at Lizzie with hard eyes. The implication that she did while Lizzie didn't loud and clear.
"Where did you find her?" Alaric asks looking over his daughter in MG's arms not seeing any injuries.
"In the middle of the woods. I don't know what happened. She was unconscious when I found her. I tried to wake her up but she's not responding," Penelope replies her anger at Lizzie leaving her being replaced with worry for Josie easily.
"We need to get her to the infirmary," Alaric says decisively. "Go," he tells MG who runs ahead to the school building.
"Tell me everything," Alaric asks Penelope while they run back to the school themselves.
"There's nothing medically wrong with her," the doctor says to Alaric, Lizzie, Penelope, Hope and MG.
Penelope lifts an eyebrow at this and says: "There's nothing medically wrong with her? She's not waking up and you say there's nothing medically wrong with her? You think it's normal for a teenage girl to be asleep at seven PM? You think it's normal we can't wake her up?"
"Penelope," Alaric sighs in a warning tone.
"Normal? No but from what I understand the young lady has had a difficult day. All the emotions from today could have exhausted her to the point that we're not able to wake her. Her mind probably needed the rest so she sleeps until her mind is rested. I would like to keep her overnight just to be sure. I'm certain she'll be awake by tomorrow morning," the doctor says looking at Alaric.
"Okay," Alaric nods looking at his daughter's sleeping form in the bed at the infirmary of the school.
"I'm not leaving," Lizzie states in a huff and drops down in a chair next to Josie's bed.
"I'm not leaving either," Penelope replies looking at Lizzie and Alaric as if she's expecting them to argue.
"No! You're not staying! This isn't any of your business. You're nothing to Josie anymore either so there really is nothing for you here," Lizzie protests.
"Any of my business? I'm the one that found her! I'm the one that went looking for her. If it wasn't for me and making it my business she would still be lying unconscious in the middle of the forest! If anything it's not your business. You're the one that upset her and you're the one that she was running from!" Penelope hisses unknowingly hitting a sore spot and making Lizzie's eyes widen.
As Lizzie opens her mouth to respond and to continue arguing the doctor speaks up: "If the two of you are planning on staying with my patient you're going to have to be quiet. The girl's asleep because she needs rest. What she doesn't need is her loved ones fighting over her unconscious body. I doubt that's the sort of peaceful environment she's going to want to wake up in."
"You can both stay but there will be no more arguing. If you can't promise me that you'll have to leave," Alaric agrees looking at Penelope and Lizzie until the fight goes out of both of them and they give him a nod of agreement.
"Alright doctor since Josie's in good hands," Alaric says shooting a look at Penelope and Lizzie again making sure they're not going to start another argument. "I'm going to be leaving. I'll be in my office. Keep me posted if anything changes."
The doctor nods and Alaric leaves the room. MG and Hope stay in the infirmary a while longer before also leaving to their rooms.
"Let us know when she wakes up," MG murmurs giving Penelope a quick hug before going over to Lizzie and squeezing her shoulder not daring to hug her as well.
"Take care of your girl," Hope whispers into Penelope's ear as she hugs her as well feeling the other girl's body go stiff at her words. Hope releases Penelope and looks her in the eye. Penelope gives her a quick nod and then both MG and Hope leave Penelope and Lizzie alone with Josie's unconscious body.
Penelope takes a seat on Josie's other side and is determined to ignore Lizzie's presence so that she doesn't get kicked out of the infirmary for arguing. She's not leaving Josie for anyone. She can't. She's definitely not leaving Josie because of her psychotic twin sister. She takes Josie's hand into her own needing the contact. She sees Lizzie roll her eyes at the movement but Lizzie doesn't say anything and Penelope doesn't want to respond to the eye roll knowing that it would just lead to another argument.
Hours later Josie awakens with a jolt. She hastily takes in her environment as if she is supposed to be on the lookout for trouble but she realizes quickly she's inside the school building. She isn't in her room though and apparently she isn't alone. It's still dark in the room but there is some light shining through the semi-closed curtains. Penelope is sitting on her right side lying with her head against Josie's hip. Josie's eyes widen. What was Penelope doing here and why is she so close to her. Josie takes a minute to study the sleeping features of her ex. Penelope had always been beautiful but never more so than in sleep. When asleep Penelope looked soft, innocent. Something the other brunette wouldn't allow herself to be when she was awake.
Josie has the incredible urge to run her fingers through Penelope's hair when she's startled by the sound of someone shifting. That's when she notices Lizzie sitting next to her on her left side. Lizzie is fast asleep as well sitting up in a chair and looking ridiculously uncomfortable. Jose felt like she was in the Twilight Zone. Lizzie and Penelope were sleeping in the same room without being forced to? How did that happen?
Then the sight of Lizzie brings back the memories of what happened the day before. Finding out about the Merge, running, ending up alone and crying in the middle of the forest. Josie feels herself becoming upset again. The Merge was a real thing she and Lizzie were going to have to deal with and Josie really really didn't want to deal with it. Then the rest of the memories from the day before filter through. Seeing a blinding light, finding an injured woman. Finding Nora. Hearing about the Unknown and taking part in a ritual that was supposed to transfer the powers of an Unknown to her. That's the last thing she remembers. The ritual. What happened after? What happened to Nora's body? How did she get back to the school?
Josie frowned. All these questions were giving her a headache. She wants to go and talk to her dad to get some answers. Josie hesitates unsure if she's going to be able to leave the bed without disturbing Penelope. She isn't as worried about her sister knowing the blonde slept like a log but Penelope is lying so close to her and she knows it will be difficult to leave the bed without disturbing her. If Josie's honest with herself she doesn't really want to leave. She wants to stay and enjoy the closeness. It's been too long since she's had Penelope sleeping so close to her and a big part of her just wants to stay and enjoy it. But the more responsible and worried side of her wants to get out of the bed and go to her dad. To be reassured. Josie sighs. Her decision made as she shifts and slowly gets out of the bed without disturbing Penelope.