For disclaimer on The Spiderwick Chronicles, please refer to chapter one.

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Chapter Two,

In Which Jared Waits Impatiently to Visit Simon in the Hospital

Jared waited restlessly on a wooden bench outside of his younger twin's hospital room. Gripping onto the edge of the seat, he stared down at his sneakers. He anxiously shuffled the rubber toes of his shoes together, then he leaned back slightly and started swinging his tingling legs back and fourth like a little kid. There was nothing that he wanted more than to see his brother.

A twinge of pain shot through the palm of his right hand as he squeezed the bench tighter. Immediately, he let go to examine his bandaged hand. Jared mused on thought of when he gotten the injury. During the battle against Mulgurath, he had cut himself on the blade of a sword when he thrown it hilt-first towards his sister, Mallory.

He realized he did nothing more than wrapping it in a torn cloth, then later cleaning the gash with soap and water. If anything, he should have had an infected wound, not Simon. The only possible explanation the boy could think of was some sort of a reaction caused by the goblin who had bitten him.

The doctors questioned Simon's state and injury. They all believed that it was a attack by a small shark, or a reptile. For them, though it was nearly implausible, it seemed to be the only explanation for the bite marks. Really, Jared thought. A shark bite? In New England?

He scoffed, then tilted his head up and stared up at the ceiling. Feeling like he was on the brink of insanity, he screamed in his mind, I want to see my brother now!

Just then, the wide door swung open, and his mother sadly walked out. She nodded towards him, giving him a signal to go into the room. Jared stared at her for a moment with wide eyes, then swiftly stood up and hurried into the room.

He could see his brother, with numerous amount of tubes strapped to him, sleeping peacefully on the hospital bed. His fair skin looked paler than usual. A lavender tinge faded underneath his eyes; his lips also seemed to have a bit of purple hint to it.

Taking the wooden handle of the nearest armchair, Jared dragged it closer to the bed, and then sat down on the hard, scratchy-fabricated surface of the seat. He slipped his hand into his brother's, and rested his head on the side of the bed.

"Jared?" he heard a voice groan softly. Sitting up, the boy turned his head, and looked at his mirror image. The other boy sleepily blinked, his eyes open into thin slits.

"It's okay, Simon," the second Grace child responded. "I'm here."

"Jared," his twin murmured. "What's happening to me?"

"I- I don't know," was the feeble reply.

"Jared, I'm scared," Simon whimpered. He might have been a pacifist, but he was no wimp, push-over, or crybaby. But right then and there, tears started to stream down his face as he clutched onto his twin tightly.

It tore Jared up inside to see his brother like this. He held Simon for some reassurance, and murmured in his ear, "Simon, you have to listen to me. You're going to get better."

"But Jared, how?" Simon lightly sobbed. "The doctors don't even know what's wrong with me."

"No, listen to me. You are going to get better. And I'm going to make sure of it."

End of Chapter Two

Author's Note: If I was born a boy, my name would have been Jarred (with two Rs). No lie. My mom always liked the name, and would have used the name if she had a son... but all three of her kids ended up as girls. And let me tell you, I didn't even like the name until I read and watched The Spiderwick Chronicles.

Thank you to jaredfan, KittenDC, and JB-Forever for reviewing and putting story alert for the first chapter. Feel free to leave feedback and comments in your reviews, and also suggestions for the next chapters in your reviews, and/or PMs.

26 August 2008