Chapter 20: Uneasy to See...

"Don't be so stupid!" Yelled Jeff to Prudence who was gripping onto the flask. Her eyes narrowing to the floor.

"Shut up! I don't know what you are talking about!" She shot back. She knew Jeff didn't know about the poison... But he found a knife hidden under her pillow. He caught her cutting her wrists.

"Why would you do that... Why?" He was persistent in grabbing Prudence's arms, holding them to her eyes. She was crying now.

"I need to! You wouldn't understand!" She screamed. Jeff threw her on the bed. She instantly curled her knees to her chest. Still gripping the flask. She was becoming delirious and disoriented. Depressed and unaware. Her ignorance was not taken likely to Jeff and he wanted so desperately to keep her in his arms so she wouldn't harm herself any longer.

For the past couple of days she's becoming clinically depressed. She wasn't sure why... But all of her memories just keep being thrown at her. The bad ones mainly. And the ones of her family.

She took her hands and dizzily began to chew on her fingernails. Holding back the very tears that surged from the ducts of er eye lids.

She was wearing a long T-shirt and nothing else. (Besides her underwear and bra. The T seemed to cover what it needed to. She wasn't renewing her emotions like she was supposed to. Slender stood just outside the door of the room. Listening to the fight between the two of them.

"Please, Jeff! You don't understand-"

"PRUDENCE! You are depressed. You are sick... And we can't seem to help you without constantly finding you curled in the corner bleeding, or crying. It's hurting me... Especially Slender..." Jeff said going up to her and holding her head close to his. She closed her eyes. Her face red and wet from tears.

Slenderman was in shock and beginning to give up on what to do.

"I... want..." Prudence began... "To be happy..." Jeff was looking at her now. She wasn't giving any signs of her old self.

"Then why aren't you?" Jeff asked her...

"Because..." She sniffed. "I won't be happy until they are safe..."

"Who... Prudence. Who?" Jeff was still holding onto her face. She wasn't looking at him. Her mind was lost somewhere... She wasn't herself. She wouldn't even make eye contact with him.

"Slender and Jeff..." She said, as if not even talking to the same person anymore.

Jeff let her go. His eyes shift to the door. Slenderman put his hands on his face. Prudence...

"Get a hold of yourself, sweetie. You are losing all control of reality. This is making you insane. You must get rid of that poison. You can't do this..." Matt said to her. She was curled under the blanket of Scarlet's bed.

She didn't speak. Scarlet appeared and began rubbing the back of her head.

"Everything will be better... I promise..."

Why is everything so dark... Why is everything so cold. My body is warm... But I feel so cold... I feel so lost... But I am found... I want to die... I want to live. I can't make up my mind. I want him to hold me. I want him to kiss me. I want to hold his hand and I want to play with him like I use to. When I was young. I miss being young. I miss being... Prudence. I miss being Prudence...

Prudence was thinking to herself. She wanted to be comforted... She was still holding onto that flask of poison. Still searching and still feeling like she was ten feet underneath. Deep in remorse of pain and scheduled fear. When those reporters, people, hunters, police and government come for Him... That's when she will die. That's when everything must fall apart... So it can be pieced together.

"I don't understand..." Slender spoke with his hands in the air. Jeff looked at one of the proxies named Kurt, who exchanged a glance.

"Master... We can watch her..." Said Kurt. Slenderman waved for him not to.

"No... That's invading her privacy. We already stepped too far," Slender said.

"Yeah, but Slendy. She could hurt herself. Or worse, she might even kill herself if left alone any longer," Jeff said. His concern for Prudence intrigued Slender. He gave him the longest of gazes he's ever exchanged with anyone.

"I need to think..." Slender said. Jeff went breathless. Knowing Slender's pain was intense. He nearly fell over, watching the tall man become so out of sorts.

"I'm sorry... I tried..." Jeff spoke so softly. He placed his hands to his ears, trying to drown out the constant whispers of the masked proxies who spoke about Prudence so profusely and ignorantly.

Slender approached a tree... A weeping willow. "What can I do? I have so many things to take care of... Do I ignore Prudence? Do I save myself from being noticed?" He asked the tree. As if it were to answer back, the wind blew softly. Making the long branches sway gracefully.

"Do what's most important..." He said to himself. If he could just get inside of her mind... "ERRR UHHH!" Slenderman let out. His anger wasn't that of pure rage... But anger of worry. Anger of not being able to fix Prudence.

"Sl-Slender?" It was Jeff. Slender turned around to face him. His hands were locked together, dangling in front of him. He was looking down at the ground. Slenderman never seen him so innocent or child-like in all the years he's known him. Slenderman just looked at him.

"Yes, Jeff?"

Jeff look up slightly, Slenderman seen something he wished he hadn't. The expression on Jeff's face was hard not to interpret. He suddenly place his hands over his mouth. His brow creasing. His eyes watered and He tried to turn away from Slenderman before the tears began to form.

"J-Jeff?" Slenderman stuttered. Coming closer to the boy. Who he instantly remembered... Jeff is only still a boy. seventeen or eighteen. Still capable of emotions. Still capable of shedding a tear or two.

"I tried to fix her. I tried to protect her. I tried to keep you happy while making sure I kept a steady composure. I tried to act happy even though I knew she didn't love me. I tried to make her smile, even though she is dying inside... Slenderman... I tried. I tried... I want you to know that I tried my best... And... And I am so... So sorry..." Jeff said, not stammered. He was crying and the sounds that came from the boy set Slenderman back. he has never seen such a pitiful emotion escape the boy before. He was in pure anguish and all Slender was able to do was look at him. Jeff sobbed... He was sobbing. He fell to his knees, crouching, holding his face. Trying not to let Slenderman see his pain.

Slender slowly walked over to the boy. He clenched his hands around Jeff's forearms, pulling him up so he was standing. He was so small... So vulnerable. Jeff didn't fight Slenderman's grip. He then felt the taller man's arms wrap around him. Jeff looked up, his hands pressed against Slender's stomach. Slenderman held him there, rubbing his hair and soothing his pain... Jeff... Jeff liked it... He didn't mind it was his enemy to which comforted him. He was just relieved someone was there to help pick up his dignity and resemble the pieces that were breaking off his heart. Slenderman lowered himself so Jeff was able to wrap his arms around his neck.

How can a killer such as Jeff... Crumble and break so easily...? Slender thought to himself, still wrapping his arms around the boy's waist. Jeff's hands were around Slender's neck and he was crying in the tall man's shoulders and neck.

"I'm so sorry..." Jeff repeated.

"Sh Shhh... Jeff... It's okay... I promise... It's okay..." Slender whispered.

It was so uneasy to see Jeff this way... Especially if he was this way because of Prudence and other problematic situations this kid's been through. But regardless, Slender held him there... Knowing it was what Jeff needed...

"I'm a monster..." Jeff whispered. Slender shook his head and pulled the boy from him. Looking into his eyes.

"No you are not..." Slender didn't know why, but he put his forehead to Jeff's. "You are special... You're no different from me... We are just not fitted for society's perfect world... But we can be for Prudence's. We can be part of her world. To which she gracefully allowed us to enter... And if not... Then we have each other against the world... We have each other to fight the odds... Okay, Jeff?" Slender said. Jeff moved his head back to Slender's shoulder and rested on it. His arms fold to his chest and he clenched onto the soft skin of Slender's chest. Jeff and Slenderman did not share a specific relationship that indicated a sexual reference. But they were both unaware that they were closer then they think.

Jeff shut his eyes. Knowing that he did his best to protect Prudence... And Slenderman was there for him...