Hi there, here is the next chapter hope you like it and review it. I know everyone wants more Raffe as do I and I promise the next chapter has plenty of that sexy angel. Sorry I couldn't bring him in sooner, I tend to write too much and the story line didn't allow any room for him until chapter 5

Chapter 4

I felt a little awkward as Cammy wrapped my tender wrist in a bandage. She was a natural at this whole business of taking care of others but I wasn't used to people fussing over me. With my free hand I held a cold bag of some type of blue substance to my cheek but it kept slipping from my grasp.

"You're still shaking, can I get you some tea or a glass of water?"

Cammy thought I was rattled because of the fight and a tiny part of me was, but mostly out of embarrassment, I hated to be seen as weak. In reality my nerves were a jumble mess because the little hours of sleep I'd accomplished every night were filled with horrific nightmares that left me breathless and fogged up my mind.

"I'll be alright." I shrugged off her offer as nicely as I could.

"You know they're all just scared of the unknown, is nothing against you."

"Sure feels like is against me. Aren't you scare?" I wondered.

"I'm scared, but I also have faith and I know somehow we'll make it out of this." She says without hesitation. "People just act out of fear and fear is a powerful emotion." She certainly was right about that. I knew all about fear but I didn't let it control me or made me act out against people.

"I have faith too, just not sure in what at the moment." I say, letting out a short, sarcastic laugh.

She laughs too, attaching a metal thing with tiny teeth to keep the bandage together.

"You know your mama, she asked me to help her." I snap my head up in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"She...well she knows that you and Paige need her, honey. She wants to do better by you. She told me she suffers from a mental illness. I'm not an expert in that field but I did have doctor colleagues who treated patients with similar conditions and I know the medications needed for the treatment. I gave Cap a list and he brought back a few bottles on the supply runs, your mom started taking them a few days ago."

I didn't know what to say, it made sense the sudden change I'd seen in her but she'd been on meds before which helped a great deal but she still had her moments of nonsense babble and delusions. Delusions that in the world after seemed as real as the ground we walked on.

"I'm sorry if we didn't say anything before, I think she wanted to do this on her own and not put anymore pressure on you."

I had been stunned into silence which was uncommon for me.

"There, all done, that should set your wrist right up, can you move it okay?"

I carefully moved my wrist in a round motion and the bandage felt tight but comfortable at the same time.

"Thank you."

She dismissed my gratitude with a friendly gesture of her hand.

"All in a day's work honey."

"I don't just mean about my wrist. I mean about my mom too and for letting Jake spend time with Paige, I know that can be scary for a lot of people."

She smiled kindly, everything about Cammy was soft and kind, down to her pale blue flower print dress.

"Paige is a wonderful little girl, Jake is lucky to have her as a friend and your mom is proud to have such amazing daughters, don't ever doubt that honey."

I smiled.

"Can I ask you something?" I've been afraid to voice this out loud, practically my entire life but given the recent turn of events, I had to ask.

"My mom's condition, is hereditary right?" She stared at me for a moment without answering. Then opted for a nod.

"How would someone know if they have it?" Something flashes across her eyes. Pity?

"Well, the most common symptoms are: delusions, isolation, fear of persecution. Why do you ask?" I was pretty sure she knew why I was asking.

I hesitated for a minute, chewing on the inside of my lip.

"Would...would nightmares be an indication?"

"Nightmares?" I nod.

She makes herself busy by putting away the supplies she used on my hand.

"Not to my knowledge, lots of people experience bad dreams especially if they've suffered something traumatic." She looked at me then.

"Is that happening to you?"

I nod again, hating to have to ask this questions.

"That's common in situations like this honey, I'm sure half this camp is having nightmares of some magnitude, I know I've had them. Do you want me to give you something to help you sleep?"

That made sense, I imagined it was much like a soldier going through Post traumatic stress-a side effect of war. God at least it helped to know that I wasn't alone in this, that maybe I wasn't going crazy after all.

I reluctantly took the pills she gave me, I wasn't' keen on taking unnecessary meds but she explained it was more of a natural blend and very mild. I really needed to sleep and the prospect of resting had me feeling almost giddy.

It was late afternoon as I trudged through the halls of the school, people avoided my eyes as they hurried past me. Whether it was out of shame or guilt or whatever crap emotion they were battling, I really couldn't care at the moment. I had left the cold pack with Cammy even though she'd insisted on me taking it but I wasn't about to walk through the halls of this place with that thing on my face as a cruel reminder of my weakness.

My cheek was still throbbing a little but not as bad, the cold had sort of numbed it. I turned down the east hall that led to the stairs to come face to face with DeeDum-both sporting cheshire cat smiles as they stood in the middle of the hallway blocking my path.

"What happened back there Young? You lost some major street cred in that pathetic excuse of a fight."

I rolled my eyes, shouldering past them. They followed along unconcerned with my obvious unwillingness to engage in conversation-one on either side of me like my own personal, scrawny bodyguards. If someone attacked me, they could talk them to death.

"Nice welt by the way."

"Thanks, does it count as street cred?" I said glumly.

Dee or Dum laughed mockingly.

"Battle wounds only count as street cred if there's blood, a bruise just doesn't cut it."

"Brilliant." I grumbled.

"So what say you, about giving Excalibur a lift?"

"No thanks, in case you missed it my hand is shot to hell." I lift by wrapped wrist for emphasis.

"And no one feels worse than we do about that," Answered Dee or Dum, I really needed to learn how to tell them apart.

"but, is a fascinating fact of life that most humans have two hands." It was the other one talking now, he twisted his hands in the air to make his point.

"You know is kinda creepy when you complete each other's sentences."

"We know" They both said at the same time.

"That's creepy too."

They both winked. Ugh.

"So wanna give it a try with the lefty, I'm sure it'll make Bodden red in the face if you can lift it." I could see how that part about Bodden could be interpreted as tempting for me but I was too tired to take the bait. My legs felt like cooked spaghetti and my brain was on a fog.

"Nah, I'm good." I started towards the stairs.

"Oh come on, you owe us." That got my attention. I turned to look at them, eyebrows raised.

"How do you figure?" I asked half serious, crossing my arms over my chest.

They both moved closer, leaning against the door frame that led to the stairs-flanking me on either side.

"Well…" said Dee or Dum or whoever. I decided that Dee was to my right and Dum to my left.

"Remember how we totally saved the people from Alcatraz after getting your note."

I let out a mocking laugh that sounded kinda like a snort.

"You can't hold that over me, the debt has been paid. I came back here to warn you all about the attack, so there."

"Maybe you'll change your mind if we told you what we found out there today." They continued baiting me.

"Unless you found a sleep number bed and is in my room right now, I'm not interested."

"Sorry princess, no mattress but we have some classified info."

Second time I've been called a princess in less than twenty four hours, really? Would a princess have a sword strapped across her back ready to use it, or a welt on her face the color of a tomato or sleep on a crap mattress in the attic? Okay, so that last one was debatable.

I exhaled leaning against the wall for support. As much as I want to fight sleep, the lack thereof is taking its toll on me, I was ready to crash.

"Why do you want me to pick up the damn sword so badly?"

"First," Dum-the one to my left-lifted his finger.

"Its name is Excalibur." The one on my right-Dee finished.

"Right…" I don't argue but I do wonder, vaguely, if that was its name now since it was in fact an angel sword and a new owner meant a new name.

"Second, we can't help but notice how similar Excalibur is to that sword you carry around inside the bear." Dee tilted his head slightly pointing his chin towards Pooky Bear who was just peeking its head from the top of my shoulder.

"So." I say dismissively.

"There are hundreds and hundreds of swords that look practically the same." I argued, not sure of where they were headed with this conversation.

"Yeah... but come on oh-Young one, it's us you're talking to. We know that sword you keep hidden belongs to Raffe-the angel, aka-your boyfriend." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, moving his fingers in the direction of Pooky, I smacked his hand away with a glare, but there was no real anger behind the gesture.

"Anyway." He snickered.

"Angel swords can only be lifted by angels right?" He didn't wait for an answer.

"But, you can lift Raffe's." I kept turning my head from left to right as the conversation switched between the twins. I rubbed my fingers to my temples, feeling a migraine coming on.

"Does this conversation have a point guys?" Cause my brain was about to short circuit.

"The point is that, due to its-magical-like ability to weigh more than a concrete boulder, Excalibur must be an angel sword, which means you can lift it."

I wasn't really surprised that the twins figured out Pooky bear was Raffe's sword, they were smart. Anyone who paid the slightest bit of attention could figure it out.

I sigh.

"There is one problem with your theory boys, say 'Excalibur' is indeed an angelic sword?" I made quotation marks with my fingers around the name.

"It doesn't mean I can lift it based solely on the fact that I can lift Raffe's. You see the swords are sort of sentient, it decides who gets hoist it."

I tried to sound indifferent about the whole thing, which wasn't hard. I really didn't have much of a will to care about anything other than putting my head on a mattress at this moment. The pills were definitely kicking in.

"Huh? Well that explains a few things." Dum replies, touching his index finger to his chin, in thought.

"Explains what?" I yawn.

"So that's why…?" Says Dee, making a flip motion with his hand.

"Yep." answered Dum. If my hand wasn't throbbing and my head spinning and my knees buckling I would've hit them.

"Hello, care to share with the audience?"

"Calm down, angel killer. You're so grouchy lately." Dum mused. I exhaled, asking for the patience I was so obviously lacking.

"It explains how we were able to pick up the sword before."

My eyebrows came down, that was odd.

"You did?"

"Yeah, we traded it. This guy had it with him in a grocery cart. He seemed more than willing to part ways with it."

"Or maybe it was the offer he couldn't refuse, ha bro?" They both laughed and high fived each other, in a congratulatory manner-boys.

"And this guy was able to hold it too?"

They nodded in synchronization.

"So why can no one lift it now?" It was more of a question for me. I knew the swords could make the decision of leaving their owner if it felt wrong doing but going from person to person, that was very odd indeed.

"Don't know, as soon as we came into the camp and dropped it, no one else has been able to pick it up. That's why we need you to do it."

"Why the pressure boys?" I asked suspiciously. The both smirked.

"Well, let's just say that after everyone out there failed miserably, all bets are on you angel killer or angel…"

"Finish that sentence and it'll be the last thing you say for a long time."

Dee raised his hands in surrender, a knowing grin lifting the corner of his mouth.

"I was gonna say angel groupie, what did you think?" His tone and the smirk on his lips implied mock innocence.

I narrowed my eyes.

"What's in it for me?"

"Glory, not to sound too insensitive but you kinda lost your badass rep back there, not to mention that Bodden is riding the gloat train."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"Bodden can ride that train until the wheels fall off, I don't care." I said acidly, turning on my heels and began to walk away.

"Alright, I can see you drive a hard bargain." One of the twins had his arms over my shoulders and slowly turned me back around.

"But don't be so quick to dismiss our offer, remember we also have valuable information and a stash of chocolate which we are willing to split fifty fifty with the winner."

I threw my head back in exasperation and let out a long sigh.

"Fine, I'll do it tomorrow, now tell me what you know."