Aaaah…a no homework weekend…lots of time for writing, which is good because this chapter is very important. Oh, and some of you may have noticed my new C2 archive…when you review tell me if you want to be a staff or if you have a good NatKitty story to put in it! I'm gradually putting stuff in.

In this chapter, Nathaniel and Kitty and Bartimaeus (doesn't that have such a great ring to it?) start their big trek (again) to the tower where the amulet was in my last story. Kitty tells Nathaniel about her visions but then sees something that frightens her…

Disclaimer: The Trilogy belongs to Jonathan Stroud, and I had no part in writing it.

Do Not Struggle

"Try not to get worried,

Try not to turn onto

Problems that upset you…"

- Everything's Alright (Jesus Christ Superstar)

Kitty tried to push the strange matter of the girl Kathleen from her mind, but it was like trying not to think of green polar bears; you just couldn't help it. And Nathaniel…what was he still hiding from her? The problem was, she could hardly ask anyone to divulge their secrets without giving up her own. Bartimaeus was constantly watching her, and she knew he was wondering what she would reveal.

Nathaniel. Why had everything become so much more complicated when she'd got here? The plan had been simple for Kitty: go to the island, find Nathaniel, and bring him back. She hadn't expected anything to go wrong.

But perhaps she had better come clean first.

"Nathaniel," she said, coming up beside him, "I need to tell you something."

He looked at her, his uneven steps slowing so that Kathleen and Bartimaeus walked slightly ahead of them.

"What is it?"

"I don't know exactly how to explain why, but – well – I didn't come here on a hunch."

"I guessed that there was something else…"

"There is." Kitty drew a deep breath. "I've been having visions."

Nathaniel stopped dead and stared at her.

"Excuse me?"

"Visions, Nathaniel. I've been having visions, gradually more consistent, and all of you."

"But -" The younger boy looked astounded. "That's impossible! No human being and not many spirits even, are capable of mental powers such as premonitions…"

"That's not exactly true. I saw some parts of the past and present when I was in the Other Place." He frowned.

"That's different. How could such a power develop so quickly? And why?"

"I don't know, that's the problem! But remember, it's been months on Earth…"

"What's your point?" Nathaniel stared at her nonplussed. "There is a certain time isolation on the island…" He stopped.

"What is it?"

"Does your head ever hurt afterwards?"

"Yes," said Kitty nervously; Bartimaeus had asked her the same question and dropped it soon afterward. Nathaniel stroked his chin in a brooding, scholarly way that almost made her laugh. Most seventeen-year-olds would never consider adopting such a ridiculous expression.

"It is said," he recited, as if from a book, "that there are certain areas of the human brain which are never used; areas that may have strange functions, such as telepathy and precognition. Perhaps your time in the Other Place activated these areas, causing them to work much harder than they would ever have."

"So…what are you saying…my head hurts because I've pulled a brain muscle?"

"I have no idea." Nathaniel looked concerned.

"It's fine," Kitty said quickly, "I just wanted your opinion."

They walked in silence for a moment, each deep in their own thoughts. Then she thought of something.

"Nathaniel…" she began, feeling absolutely inconsiderate, "are you still hurt? Because we can rest if you -"

"It's fine." He didn't meet her eyes, though, and she wondered why he wouldn't have healed by now. But Phasma Mortuus seemed to have rules of its own, different in many ways from both Earth and the Other Place, and she didn't really want to ask. Kitty had paid enough of a price for knowledge in her lifetime.

Nathaniel glanced at Kitty once again; luckily, she didn't notice, or more awkward questions might be asked. He remembered all too well her common practice of slapping him across the face…not that that would hurt him any more.

Don't think about that, he told himself sternly for what seemed like the fiftieth time that day…if it could be counted as a day. For all he knew, it had already been a month on Earth since Kitty got here.

Ahead of them, Kathleen and Bartimaeus walked in as heavy a silence as the two of them. Not for the first time Kathleen almost seemed to be a spirit herself, although he knew it couldn't be true. Bartimaeus would have said something…there was no advantage in the djinni keeping secrets from him.

The beach seemed to go on and on, and it was some time before he could see the trees again. It almost seemed as if the island itself was playing around with him, catching him off his guard, making him suffer…

Kathleen looked back at him suddenly, her green eyes wide. He smiled at her unconvincingly, wondering if Bartimaeus made her nervous. The little girl's eyes settled on Kitty for just a moment, and then her head turned back to the front.

Beside him, Kitty's hands went to her temples. He looked at her.

"All right there? I think we're almost at the forest."

"Yes, I'm fine…I just thought I felt…" Kitty broke off.

"Kitty?" Bartimaeus turned around to look at them, his expression suddenly wary.

Kitty cried out suddenly, her eyes squeezed shut. Nathaniel dropped his staff and tried to catch her as her legs gave away. He fell to his knees, wincing as he tried to hold her.

"Kitty? Kitty!" He tapped her cheeks, her frozen expression of pain and terror unnerving him.

"Did she tell you?" Bartimaeus asked, hurrying over as Nathaniel gently laid her on the sand, unable to hold her weight for long because of his weakness.

"Yes, but – is that what this is?"

Kathleen had stopped and turned around, her eyes wide as she stared at Kitty. To Nathaniel then it seemed almost as if she were looking through the older girl's prone body.

Please, Kitty thought desperately, please…I've found him, I'm doing my best to save him…can't you just leave me alone?

The vision took hold of her mind, and a picture formed before her eyes…

They stood in a desecrated forest, the dragons all around them as she remembered from before…but this was no memory. Nathaniel stood tall, erect, ghostly white; before him was a black dragon with golden eyes. He shouted a challenge that was not heard in her ears; the dragon responded in kind, roaring its defiance to the skies. Then the dragon opened its mouth wide and let forth a burst of fire. Nathaniel was lost to her eyes.

You can't do this! She cried out in her dream. I won't let him die, I've come this far!

Then, for the first time, Kitty heard a voice responding to her pleas.

Do not struggle…

"Kitty! Wake up! Please wake up!"

Nathaniel had been yelling into the poor girl's ear for half a minute, but it seemed it was enough; Kitty's eyes fluttered open, wide and afraid. I helped her to her feet, Nathaniel appearing to not be in any condition to get up by himself, let alone supporting her. He knelt on the sand, breathing hard, before reaching for his makeshift staff.

We both looked at Kitty, and I wondered –

"What did you see?" Nathaniel asked desperately.

Exactly that.

Kitty backed away from the two of us, her face pale and terrified; this alone unsettled me somewhat, as she had never seemed this scared after a vision. What could possibly –

"Nothing," she said wildly. "I didn't see anything!"

Well, at times like this, I wonder if humans ever tell the truth…

Sorry for the extremely short chapter, but I have it all planned out and I just needed to catch up on things. SO…any new theories? Please tell me, I love the theories…I'm so evil, I know. New chapter coming up right away!