Chapter 14

Author's Note: HOLY SHIT. I did it again- Leaving my stories for a ridiculous amount of time! I feel like the biggest piece of shit, and I am so, so, sorry. (Again.) I tried to make this chapter long, but it turned out... Filler-y. I'm sowwy :( It's going to be wrapped up soon though, as long as the procrastination monster doesn't take me hostage. (Again.)

I fell asleep before finishing. My eyes closed, and I literally felt myself falling… falling…

I breathed in heavily. These aren't my sheets, no… Where am I? Why is Cliff next to me? I pushed on his shoulder. "Cliff? Cliff?!" I shrieked, getting no response. Finally, after what seemed like forever, his ponytail shifted and he turned to face me.

"Cliff?" He asked, smirking. With one swift movement, he pulled off what was apparently a clip-on ponytail accessory and revealed the hideous, evil face of the doctor. I gasped and recoiled, but Trent was too fast. He grabbed me and pinned me onto the bed. Shaking and crying I shouted but nobody was around to hear me, for the foreign bed had melted into the floor of a forest. Trees surrounded the landscape and as far as I could see the only life was in the plants.

Hot breath harassed my cheek, and then Trent snarled, "Jill… Come on, don't you love me?"

"No!" I yelled, tears uncontrollably cascading from my eyes. "I hate you! I don't love you!"

The doctor then looked concerned all of a sudden. He prodded my arm. "Jill? Jill? Why are you screaming? Jill?"

"C'mon, Jill, it's just a dream! Stop crying," I opened my eyes to see Cliff over me. His arms cinched around my waist. "You don't love me?" He teased while wiping the tears from my cheeks.

I laid in stunned silence. "So… It didn't… The doctor… Not real?" I choked out in broken sentences. Cliff shook his head and pulled me into a warm embrace. I felt so sloppy in his oversized clothes whereas he had barely any- Just worn pants. I blushed, but then thought of Skye and felt down. More tears came, and I just played it off as fear from the nightmare but now I just really missed Skye. I wondered if he was looking for me, or if he even cared. Of course he does! Stop being so pessimistic, I tried to console myself.

Cliff brushed my hair off of my sweaty face. "Are you okay?" He asked.

I shrugged. "I guess. What time is it?"

"Four-thirty in the morning. And you really need sleep, you've had a rough few days and a late night."

I sighed. "I… I'm not ready to go back to sleep." Cliff nodded and said he'd stay awake until I fell back asleep. "So…" I began, hoping for a conversation.

"So…?" Cliff replied. "Where'd you get your bracelet?" He asked curiously, pointing to my wrist.

Uh-oh. I could already feel the future crack in my voice just thinking about Chelsea. I already had to explain all of this to Skye; why did I have to explain it to Cliff? I inhaled and kept my face down, but I told Cliff nonetheless since we were best friends and I knew he would be compassionate about it. "Uh, well… My best friend made it for me. Her name is- Well, was Chelsea. She lived on an island. Well, I mean, I used to live there too. It was nice. We were both ranchers. And we hung out every day, and became best friends. I was even best friends with her husband, a fisherman. Um, but, one day she… She got really sick. And it got worse. And… and… she d-died." My voice was barely above a whisper on the last sentence. I hated reliving that day; watching her die and not being able to do a thing.

Once the first tear dropped, I looked through my eyelashes into Cliff's sympathetic brown eyes. They were getting misty, and he let me bury my head into his chest. "I'm so, so sorry, Jill. That happened to my friend, too."

"It did?" I sniffled.

The boy nodded. "Yeah. That's why I came here with no money, no home, no family. I understand completely what you went through. Even now, visiting my family; all it does it remind me of him. But… he was killed while on a boat during a storm. Everyone died." Warm and salty water plopped onto the top of my head, but I didn't mind. We just sat there clinging to each other; trying to cope.

"Let's talk about something more… Happy," I suggested, trying to smile. Cliff nodded in agreement. "So, how did you become so good at cooking?" I asked.

Cliff smiled. Cooking was his thing; his forte. He was damn good at it, and he sure knew it. Could he cook fancy breads, delectable cakes, feasts fit for royalty, and the most delicate of pastries? Yeah, he sure could. "When I was little," he began, "my mom would always ask me to help her cook. And it was little things, like rolling cookie dough or slicing up an apple, but it sparked my interest in food. When I got older, I started doing classes. And once I hit high school and my mom told me that cooking impressed girls… Well, I think that's when I really took it seriously."

I giggled. "But you're so shy, Cliff!"

He blushed. "I know. I think that's why I got so into it- Because I didn't have the balls to talk to any of the girls; at least not to impress them with witty jokes or even the confidence to have a very meaningful conversation. So I cooked for them. And it actually kind of worked."

"Well, I'm happy for you, then," I said. "Wanna take a walk? This room is kind of stuffy. And I don't want to deal with an angry Gray if we wake him up."

Cliff and I quietly left the room, snuck down the stairs, and stepped into the cool breeze of the night air. Funny, considering Cliff had taken a walk just a few hours ago. I'd feel bad if he didn't seem so eager. "Do you want to see the pond?" Cliff asked. I nodded.

The moonlight made it easy to navigate to the pond. I guess that's how Skye can manage to be so stealthy late at night- He stays under the moon's warm gaze. Not to mention he sweet-talks every female he encounters. I wonder if he still does that… Would that irritate me? Hm. The walk was silent, but soon enough we were at the pond. There were so many beautiful flowers and small nocturnal animals were singing songs to each other. I smiled. "It's… beautiful!" I exclaimed and sat on a rock.

"Like you…" Cliff mumbled, but I pretended I couldn't hear him. I have Skye. I need Skye. Cliff is just my best friend. But I do feel bad… "Do you hear that?!" Cliff asked suddenly.

"Wha-" Cliff threw his hand over my mouth and told me to listen. Sure enough, I heard a faint… whimpering? I stood up and gave Cliff a look that told him to stay put. I was much more graceful. Poking through overgrown grass, I found a small clearing on the opposite side of the pond. Luckily nobody would have heard me coming, as the frogs' croaking was so loud.

I tip-toed through the clearing until I saw a dark shape. The outline looked so… Human. And I could've sworn there was a familiar glimmer to the silver hair running down its back. But what's to say I wasn't just imagining things? Hell, this could be another dream. I sat down.

The figure's back was heaving, and suddenly it sobbed, "Oh, Goddess, don't let her be dead! Don't let her be hurt… Oh, I've looked everywhere. I just, I… I love her! And I need her! And I can't stand this pain. This is the worst thing I've ever been through. Goddess… Save me… Save her…"

I put my hand over my mouth. Skye?! "Jill?" A voice huffed into my ear.

This time, it was my turn to put a hand over Cliff's mouth (Who said he could follow me, anyway? Creeper much?) And I ran to the figure. "Skye!" I yelled.

Skye turned around with the most shocked look on his face. "Jill… You're okay?! Oh my God, I was so scared! Are you hurt?"

"Nope!" I cheered, deciding to not mention the slapping now. "Cliff found me!"

Skye walked over to Cliff, who was kicking a stone. "I cannot thank you enough, Cliff. I owe you my life. You… you protected my life, actually, as she's right here with me now. Oh, if you ever need anything- Just, thank you."

I was in the air in no time, being held up by Skye's muscular arms and held to his chest. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he passionately kissed me over and over and over. I smiled in the kisses, making them sloppy, but who cared? I was back with Skye. "I love you so much Jill," He said into my lips.

I returned the kiss and said, "I love you too, Skye!" He spun me around, and I was face-to-face with Cliff. Who had the most depressed, heartbroken expression on his face. Shit, what have I gotten myself into now?