The Soul-The Host Fanfiction

Chapter 30: Held

Chapter 30 Held

Ian returned alone. "Jared went to get clothes for both of you. We have to wait here for a bit so Jeb has time to clear out the garden room. Then I'm taking you two to the river room to get cleaned up. Jared will meet us there." Ian explained. His face was tight, eyes worried as he scanned me. I tried to give him a reassuring smile, but based on the look on his face it wasn't very effective. He came to stand next to me and I leaned into his chest. It was easier not to think when he was here, holding me. I suddenly understood why Melanie and Jared had grown so close so quickly. It was comforting to have someone beside you when the world falls apart. "Thank you for keeping her safe." I could feel Ian's voice rumble in his chest, but the words weren't for me. He was looking at Melanie, who was watching us with warmth in her eyes.

"Always." I could feel some significance in the words, and it was echoed in the look they shared. I had the feeling they were both thinking of the same thing, though what it was I didn't know. Melanie had told me before about when she woke up in Doc's hospital, her body her own again; how she'd fought Jared when she thought he'd killed me (I was aghast at the violence on my behalf, but a small part of me felt good that she cared that much), how she clung to my cryotank when she found out I was safe. She told me she didn't want her body back until she knew she could use it to protect me. She had also told me about her first interactions with Ian; how he had looked when he realized she was not me. How she had reassured him that I was fine, had brought him to me. I wondered if that was what they remembered now.

We sat in silence for a while, Ian rubbing soothing circles on my back. My hand found Melanie's and I squeezed her fingers, trying to ground myself in the touch of these two humans who loved me as much as I loved them. After a while, Ian squeezed my shoulder. "We've probably waited long enough. Let's go." He started to pick me up again, but I scooted away.

"I think--I can walk." I decided. I wanted something to distract me in the darkness of the southern tunnel. If that something was concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, that was fine with me.

Ian looked uncertain, but he didn't argue, just took my hand and steadied me as I stood. I clung to him.

Not matter how much I focused on my shaky footsteps in the dark, I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened in the hospital. My mind kept dredging up images that made me shudder. I was relieved when we finally broke into the light of the garden room. The huge, cavernous space was empty. Jeb had cleared everyone out mid-harvest; abandoned tools were scattered about like debris. I frowned. I hoped we hadn't disrupted the harvest too much. Even with me to go on raids for the supplies we needed, our little society depended on the crops we grew. I shook my head. Jeb knew what he was doing. If pausing the harvest would cause too much trouble, he wouldn't have done it. Still, I was glad to avoid a crowd of staring humans. I glanced at Mel. She seemed to be thinking the same thing.

We made it the rest of the way to the river room without running into anyone. It was eerie. Jared was already there. He was waiting for us just outside of the bathing room, a bundle of clothes gripped in each hand. As soon as he saw us his shoulders relaxed. I could tell he was worried about Melanie, but he was trying not to smother her with his concern.

Jared held out the bundle in his right hand to Ian. "There's clothes in there for you, too, O'Shea." he told him, eyeing the bloody hand prints on Ian's shirt. Sure enough, I recognized one of Ian's dark brown t shirts in the bundle. "I wasn't sure what you'd want, so..."

Ian nodded in recognition. "Thanks," he cleared his throat awkwardly.

Jared nodded, too. Things were still a little tense between them at times, but I could tell they were getting used to being friends, now that Melanie and I were our own people again. He moved to drop his and Melanie's clothes in a pile by the exit to the bathing room, then took Melanie by the hand and lead her into the darkness.