BELLA
I love Dakota, but seriously. We have sung through the entire Wizard of Oz soundtrack twice. She's my friend, but I might maim her if she starts it again. We have been on the hunt for the Healer for over 24 hours. It's been much longer since either of us has slept. In light of all that, we decide to camp out and catch up on some sleep so that we are fresh to continue the search. We find a tree that both Dakota and I like and bed down on a couple of limbs. I know it seems weird, but there is nothing as comfortable to sleep on as the right branch. That might have something to do with the fact that witches need to be in tune with themselves and the environment around them in order for their magic to function properly. Drifting off to sleep is not going to be hard because we are so exhausted…
Jen is calling to me from the ground. I turn to look at her. My face must betray my confusion because Jen smiles and shakes her head a little.
"If you have a question, why don't you walk with me and ask?" Jen suggests.
"…okay…" I respond as I land right next to her. We start walking in a random direction. I am so confused.
"Well?" Jen looks at me expectantly.
"Are you all better?" I ask, hoping for it to be the truth.
"No, sorry," she answers.
"I don't understand," I confess.
"You are dreaming and I am the product of your desire to deal with something," Jen says that like it should be obvious.
"What?" I don't know where this is going.
"Darlin', I am a figment of your imagination in your dream. Anything that I know, you already know. Bella, you need to ask the right question." She is right. I do know the issue at hand.
"Have I outgrown Edward?" I ask her…myself…whoever.
"What do you think?" she asks me in return.
"He is still hung up on the whole 'all-knowing protector' thing. I don't need a protector. I need an equal," I sigh.
"That makes sense. You need to consider what is best for you," Jen adds.
"Can't I just make him get over his issues?" I say, irritated.
"You know that if he doesn't get over them for real, it does not mean anything," Jen tell me what I already know.
"But, I love him and he is not changing," I protest.
"Well, Edward needs to take stock too. You also should consider what is best for him," she states.
"That is contradictory," I comment.
"In a relationship, you must consider the needs of you both. However, you should never just stay in a relationship because of the other person. It's not healthy for you to do that," Jen explains.
"I just wish we could get past this awkward stage. We are in love, but we seem to bring out bad qualities in each other," I can't help but whine a bit.
"Which leads us to another question, do you even want to be in a relationship with Edward again?" she asks a hard question. I guess I have been avoiding that one.
"Of course," my defensive mechanism kicks in.
"Come one, I am you. Be honest with yourself." Jen has a point…I mean I have a point…this is an odd situation.
"…I don't know…" I trail off.
"Don't you think this conversation is better had with Edward?" Man, even a dream Jen that is a product of my imagination points out the things that I want to avoid for as long as possible.
"I will sit down and have a heart to heart conversation with him right after Dakota and I bring back the Healer. I don't want you to die," I tell her, even though I know it is not really her that I am talking to.
"I know that you will. And don't worry, everything will work out," she even sounds like the real Jen.
"Bella," Dakota is shaking out of my weird, yet informative, dream.
"What?" I ask, groggily.
"We are about to have company. The Healer is almost here," Dakota answers me.
"How long have we been asleep?" I'm not sure I really want to know the answer to that.
"About seven hours," she replies.
Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the limb. Dakota seems just as tired as I still feel. We really need a few more hours of sleep. Oh well, I won't complain. This is the opportunity that we need to get help for Jen. The Healer comes toward us. He is tall and lanky with red curls and green eyes. We all stare at each other for a couple moments while Dakota and I process his appearance through our sleep-deprived minds.
"Who the hell are you?" the Healer greets us.
"I'm Dakota, a Seer, and this is Bella, a Hunter," Dakota answers him.
"Who the hell are you?" I repeat his question.
"I'm Nathaniel, a Healer," he responds.
"We need a Healer. You see, due to a complicated chain of events that would take many chapters to get to, I accidentally hit another witch with a curse. And now she is stable, but in no way improving. Do you think that you could help us out?" I get right to the point.
"Oh, and the three of us are training a witch that seems to have talents in Healing. She might want to be around to observe," Dakota adds. This is not when I would have brought that up, but she's the Seer. I just take care of immortal security threats.
"Of course I will do what I can to help you guys out," Nathaniel assures us.
"Don't Healers have to take an oath to come to any immortals aid when they need it?" I inquire like the cynic I apparently have become.
"Don't Hunters have to take an oath to protect the secrecy of all immortals, no matter what the cost is?" he counters.
"Touché, I think we will get along fairly well Nathaniel," I concede.
"That's good, because it would be a complete drag if you were a total bitch," Nathaniel says. He is snarky and that means he will have no problems with the motley crew that we are currently hosting.
"I'm glad that you can hold your own with Bella. That means that you will be just fine with the rest of the immortals at the safe house," Dakota informs him. She sounds excited to have him stay with us. I wonder if maybe she finds him attractive. This could lead to teasing when Jen wakes up. Hey, there is nothing wrong with teasing your friends like tweenagers every so often.
Nathaniel looks at us like we might be unhinged. Okay, he could be onto something there. But who doesn't seem a little crazy after what we have been through. I bet Eliot is sending the demented vibe to the vampires and other immortals he is forcing to search through endless sources of medical information on witches. And now I'm talking to myself. I could use about a decade's more sleep, but that will have to wait as Dakota and I lead the Healer back to the safe house with us. Maybe my conversation with Edward should wait until I am not so slap happy…