Author's note: Ages: Kai - 17, 'Jem - 12
He didn't understand why it was dark. It was never this dark, or this cold. Kai frowned as he turned to look behind him. Dimly, a few feet away, he could see water. A river, or an ocean, he wasn't sure. He might've been standing on sand, or dirt, or rocks.
Rocks. He wasn't standing, he was sitting on a rock, one that was bigger than he was. And it was up so high, on top of a cliff. He couldn't see the water anymore, but he could hear it, lapping against the cliff side. But it was still so dark, and cold, and his chest ached.
"'Jem?"
His voice fell flat, no echo. Kai shook his head, tried again.
"'Jem?"
He was willing there to be an echo, for there to be light. Instead the sound of the ocean fell silent, and when he opened his mouth again, nothing came out.
So quiet. So still. So cold.
Why was he-
"Kai?"
He started in surprise and fell off the rock, but the wrong way, toward the cliff edge. His fingers scrambled for purchase but found none, and then he was falling...
"Kai!"
His eyes shot open, staring wide above him. 'Jem was leaning over him, strands of blonde hair in his vision. After a moment he realized how warm he was, and that he couldn't move his hands. He flexed his fingers, felt 'Jem's hands gripping his.
"It's okay, it was a nightmare. You're okay."
He frowned up at her. Nightmare?
"You're sick, remember? A fever."
She loosened her grip on his fingers, slowly. "You were hurting again."
She didn't need to elaborate. He nodded, then cleared his throat.
"Things're okay?"
'Jem nodded, blue eyes calm.
"Yep. Don't worry."
"...Kinda hard to do with you around." Kai murmured, eyes closing again as 'Jem smiled.