Let's Go Together

Chapter 3 - Motel

Hope stays awake, terrified that they will somehow miss their stop and end up on the other side of the country. And besides, staying awake means she gets to keep watching Josie. How she's glad that her friend can relax, and have a moment of peace. So really, it's not that bad. 

The bus finally arrives at their destination and Hope gently shakes Josie awake. She groans a little before opening her eyes. Josie lifts her head, entirely unaware of where it had been laying, of what position she's in, but when her lips brush against smooth skin. She blushes, moving away quicker than the speed of light. Hope either didn't notice or is choosing to ignore it, and for that Josie is grateful.

"Let's go," Hope says. She packs up her blanket and they get off. It's a random town in the next-door state that neither of them has ever head of, one that Hope picked because she liked the sound of it but also because a quick Google search showed there was plenty to do around there.

They walk along the streets in silence, enjoying how calm the world is at night. Both desperate to sleep in an actual bed, they chose the first place they come to. It's a motel, probably one of the nicer-looking ones Hope's ever seen, though still not quite five stars. They get to the front desk and Hope.

"Will we be wanting a double or twin room, ladies?" The receptionist asks, pushing her glasses further up her nose.

"Uh twin room, please." Hope answers with speed, saying they'd like to stay for seven days. She smiles at Josie, who still looks half asleep. The lady then hands them a key each and tells them where to go.

It's a room on the second floor, and inside the room are all of the basic things you'd expect; two beds, a tv, a bathroom, and some storage. They have a decent view of the surrounding area. Josie dumps her bag on one bed, claiming it as her own, and takes some things out. There's a painting hanging on one of the walls, bringing some much-needed color to the space they will be occupying for the next week. 

"I'm gonna get ready for bed in the bathroom." She says.

Hope spends a few minutes settling in, unpacking some of her things, and getting ready herself. Josie comes out and practically jumps on the bed, falling asleep almost immediately. The tribrid goes to use the bathroom to brush her teeth, then comes back out, the exhaustion from traveling having caught up to her. She checks that Josie is okay and then gets into her bed, drifting off to sleep shortly after

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hope!" Josie screams. She sits up abruptly, grasping at her shirt. Her heart thumps loudly, bringing in her ears. It feels like she can't breathe like something is pressing against her chest, blocking all air from entering her lungs. Images of her nightmare are still painfully clear. She can still hear herself saying 'I don't even think she likes you' as she lifted Hope into the air, and she still feels as though her mouth is shaped in the evil smirk it had been as her darker self watched Hope plummet to her death. She can still remember the painful screams she had made at her dark self from deep within her own mind, begging her to stop, to save Hope, to do anything. But she didn't listen, leaving Josie a prisoner in her dream. She remembers how far her alter ego had been from the truth, no doubt having said what she'd said to annoy the real Josie. 

Hope wakes in seconds. She rushes to Josie's side, assessing the problem. Her friend is just staring directly ahead of her, hyperventilating. Hope is familiar with being in this kind of state, of how it feels to be stuck between dream and reality, where the lines feel so blurred that it is hard to tell what's real and what's not. Of the moments where you still wonder if what had happened, happened. She grabs ahold of Josie, pulling her in close, whispering calming words into her ear. 

"I've got you, love." She brushes her left hand through Josie's brown locks, realizing that she'd let a nickname slip. She tries not to let it affect her, knowing that Josie needs her right now.  "You're safe. It was just a dream." Hope continues. Josie's eyes are blown wide, tears flowing freely. It takes a couple of minutes, but eventually, Josie registers the arms that are wrapped around her and she sinks into them. She cries, the emotions still having a strong grip on her.

"I-it felt so real." She manages to get out between sobs. "I-I saw you...hovering in the air, like on m-my b-irthday, b-but Lizzie didn't get th-there in time. I-I killed you, Hope." Her head rests below Hope's chin, pressed closely to Hope's chest. She grabs fistfuls of the fabric of Hope's t-shirt, trying to use it to ground herself, to calm her mind, to control her breathing...anything.

Hope pulls her closer, wanting nothing more than to be there for Josie. To be whatever she needs. If that means a shoulder to cry on, then so be it. If it means someone to listen as she rants, Hope is okay with that. All she wants is for Josie to be okay again, to stop anything that upsets her. To tear apart anyone who scares her. To protect her, no matter what.

"Hey, look at me." Hope creates some space between them without once letting go of her. She strokes Josie's cheek. "I'm okay, see? I'm fine, you're fine. We're safe. It was just a dream." Josie jumps straight back into her arms. She eventually calms down, with her breathing evening out. Hope is still stroking her air.

Josie has always been so focused on others, on making them happy, on what they need, that she had almost forgotten what it felt like to be held. To feel the warmth of someone else's body so close to her. And it feels nice, really nice. Especially nice when it is Hope. When she is embraced by Hope, she feels protected and loved (though not in the way she would like). In Hope's arms, Josie feels cared for.

When Hope is sure that Josie is okay, she gets up to go back to her bed but is unable to make it very far when she's pulled back by her wrist. She sees that Josie is still clinging to her, with a look that she has seen so many times before. A look that gives her a strange feeling that she can't quite name.

"Stay? Please?" Josie asks with hopeful eyes.

"Always." Hope jumps back into the bed and lets Josie cuddle into her side. If this is what the next week away has in store, Hope won't mind at all.