Happy Holidays!
Again... I'm sorry for the long wait. My friend/editor stole the notebook I write this down in before I type it up and wouldn't give it back. This chapter is a bit short but I figured you had waited long enough for an update.
Enjoy! (I don't own Rise of the Guardians)
Jamie had been thrashing for nearly two minutes; Kalo and Bunny were covered in blood, and North and Asteri had yet to reappear. Cupcake had tears pouring down her face as Sandy finally put her to sleep; Fawn glared at him, her expression asking 'what took you so long?'
A scream tore from Jamie's throat and the trashing lessened but he was still shaking. "Revenge is sweet, isn't it Guardians?"
Jack snarled as he heard Dracula's words in Jamie's voice. "Get out of his head you, monster!" Dracula chuckled but was cut off as Jamie's back arched, then hit the bench and didn't move.
^^^^ROTG^^^^
Dracula's eyes snapped open, a disconcerted and faintly annoyed expression on his face. "He forced me out…"
"Who? One of the Guardians?"
"No… Jamie… it appears I've underestimated him."
^^^^ROTG^^^^
For some reason, Jamie's sudden calm was even more worrying than anything else. Kalo and Bunny cautiously let go and Kalo began searching for a pulse. "I think he's catatonic… but I'm not sure…"
North and Asteri finally entered the room. Asteri sidled up next to Kalo. "Are we too late?"
Kalo shook his head; "No, but you're cutting it close."
Asteri pulled a necklace from the folds of cloth she held in her hands; a miniscule cylindrical vial – glowing with the colors of the dawn – hung from a leather cord. "I hope this works, because we don't have time to come up with anything else."
"What is it?" Chroma asked, watching as Asteri slipped the cord gently over Jamie's head.
"A single drop of day. No more can be captured safely, but this should be enough to keep Dracula out of his head."
They all watched for a change in Jamie's condition, but, when a minute passed with no affect, Jack's shoulders slumped forward and his frosty-blue eyes fell to stare at Jamie's limp hand. "Please Jamie," he muttered pleadingly, "don't do this to me. We still need you. Wake up."
"Maybe it just takes a little more time…?" Tooth suggested, trying to make Jack feel better.
"No. If he doesn't wake now, he won't ever…" Kalo spoke truthfully, if not helpfully. "He's lost too much blood already."
Jack looked up at the different legends around him, searching for a look of hope, but found none. They stood in silence, no one knowing what to say next, until Tooth gasped, making everyone jump. "He moved! I swear! I saw his eyelids twitch!"
"Just stop Tooth!" Jack shouted harshly and Chroma pulled him into a tight embrace. "It's hopeless…" Jack's voice broke.
"No, it's not!" Kalo exclaimed; he had grabbed Jamie's wrist when Tooth had spoken. "His pulse is strengthening!"
Immediately the atmosphere lightened and everyone fell into some sort of job. Ten minutes later, Jamie was awake and already looking like his normal self. It was hard to tell who tackle-hugged Jamie first, Cupcake or Jack; though Chroma joined the group hug seconds later.
"How are you feeling?"
Jamie considered for a moment. "Exhausted. And a little dizzy."
"Not surprising. You lost some blood."
"How much do you remember?"
Jamie leaned into Jack's arms. "Not much – most of it's a blur – it hurt, though." What Jamie didn't tell them was the part that he remembered with perfect clarity; and the main reason he came so close to dying. Those last few moments when he had somehow forced Dracula from his mind.
"What will we tell his mom?" Asteri wondered as Jamie started dozing in Jack's arms. "She's looking everywhere for them."
Jamie shifted and opened her eyes. "Take Cupcake and me to the basement of the house. We'll get Sophie to cover for us."
Jack snickered, "You want you seven year old sister to cover for you?" Jamie raised his eyebrows. "Oh, you were serious?"
"You'd be surprised at how devious that little girl can be. And Mom believes her 99% of the time." That got a laugh form everyone as Jack and Chroma took their friends home.
Ehehehe... Sophie is a little mischief maker!
Hope you liked that.