The White Snake Reborn

[KelatheSkelicia]

It was an odd thing, for Jaycy to be knocking at Pslyder’s door. Maybe she didn't have a key to his house. Maybe she was just being polite. Either way, the jean- and bomber-jacket wearing gypsy set the bag of groceries on the doorstep and rapped swiftly on the wood, three times. The door creaked open, a weary crimson eye peeking around the corner, before throwing it open wide. Kelathe wore cut off jean shorts, and a tight tank top, hair tucked back out of her face with strip of cloth. She had some dirt smudges on her face and arms, and a cleaning cloth in one hand. “Morning!”

Jaycy’s brows lifted at the woman’s attire. Naturally, her gaze flicked swiftly down Kel’s body (she is, of course, appreciative of a fine figure) then she chuckled and leaned down to heft the bag. “Morning, Kel. I brought you a few things,” she said with a smile on her face. If you could tell by how full the bag was, it was slightly more than a “few things.”

“May I come in?” Maybe she had been knocking just for politeness’ sake.

Kelathe smiled, and moved aside, opening the door a little wider for Jaycy. “Thank you. Pslyder is a nice man, but I don’t think he’s been here in quite a while.”She laughed, and motioned for Jaycy to come on in.

Jaycy turned, and shuffled sideways through the door. Her cheeks had flushed slightly at Kel’s comment. “I think he was here a few days ago.” Well, they had been here a few days ago, on his couch. Then she’d left - and Psly had ended up at Seaside. He hadn’t “slept” here in a while, it seemed. At least a week and a half? Jaycy’s head tilted as she thought about it swiftly. A bit of a smile crossed her face. That may explain his lack of basic foods.

Jaycy shook her head to clear it of distraction, “I’ll just…take this to the kitchen.” The kitchen was on the left, and she headed that way. Kelathe nodded, padded along barefoot behind her. It appeared that a definite excavation had been underway. The fridge had been completely cleaned out, stove and oven scrubbed, dishes washed and put away, floors swept and mop. The only dirty dish was a coffee cup sitting at the table, where Kel had been sitting before she heard the door.

Jaycy’s first response was simply, “Wow.” She took a long look around, before placing the groceries down on the table. “How long have you been awake and busy? I thought it would take a week to get this kitchen taken care of.” She’d planned to do the cleaning herself, but then they’d started spending just so much time at the Manor. The need to clean his house had kind of faded into the background.

“A couple of hours, actually. It wasn’t as bad as it looked.” Kelathe’s white skin flushed. “The bathroom was horrible, though.” She made a face, sticking out her tongue, and squinching her eyes. She washed her hands in the sink, and dried them, and started unloading the bag of groceries. It was her turn to say “Wow.”

“These are a lot of groceries.”

In the bag were most of the important basics: a bit of chicken, beef and pork, not too much, but one of each because Jaycy didn’t know what Kel liked; milk, eggs, a small wheel of cheese; some fruits and vegetables in case Kel was a vegetarian; salt and bread.

Speaking of the bathroom, “I made sure to use a separate bathroom than he ever did,” Jaycy chuckled softly. She took another look around. “This looks good, Kel. Thank you.”

Kelathe’s face flushed a deeper red. “It was the least I could do. I mean, he didn’t ask me to pay him to stay here.” She bent over to put some of the cold goods in the drawers of the fridge. “I didn’t go into his bedroom, though. I didn’t think he would like it.”

Jaycy leaned back against the table, fingers curling over the edge of the wood. While Kel’s leaned forward, she’s ... appreciated. But the appraisal is swift and, by the time Kel looked back at her, she was innocently gazing elsewhere. Honestly, she was the one who appreciated Kel’s not going into the bedroom. She seemed nice enough, but... “I’ll say thank you for him. Did you sleep well? Or at all?”

A quick shake of her head. She said softly, “I don’t sleep well in new places.” Her crimson eyes glowed faintly a moment, and she began to massage her temples lightly. She closed her eyes tightly a moment, and bit her lip.

Jaycy’s brows furrowed, and she asked, concernedly, “Are you alright? I think Psly has something for headaches somewhere around here.”

She nodded, still massaging her temples. “I’m...fine...” Her teeth sounded gritted as she spoke. “Excuse me a moment...” Kel rushed from the room, headed towards the bathroom. A shock of snowy white had appeared in her ebon hair.

Frowning intently, Jaycy’s attention was distracted more by the woman’s sudden flight than by the change in hair color. After Kel was gone, however, she began to put away the nonperishables. She’d wait for Kel to come back, rather than chase after her. It was the polite thing to do.

From the bathroom came the sound of sobbing, and someone retching. Glass shattered, and a harsh voice began to speak. Another voice answered, terrified.

Jaycy’s gazed snapped up, and she dropped the pasta she was putting away. She turned at the sound of glass breaking, and dashed across the cavernous living room to get to the downstairs bathroom on the right side of the converted barn, calling Kel’s name. The sobbing continued, and Jaycy was confronted by door that was slightly ajar.

“Oh, hell.” Jaycy gathered up her nerve, and pushed the door open. She stepped into the bathroom, green-gold gaze snapping around the small area, trying to figure out what is going on. “Kel?”

Kelathe was tucked into the bathtub, her arms around her knees in a tightly curled ball. The mirror on the wall of the bathroom wall was shattered, and it is quite obvious that her hand was the weapon that caused the damage. Blood dripped from her hand, streaking the porcelain of the tub. White streaks marred the once completely raven hair. Her head lay against her knees, and she rocked back and forth, crying.

“Oh, gods.” Jaycy looked around, remembering that she had left first aid supplies in the bathroom, near the toilet. It held basic first aid items. She pulled out bandages, and even some alcohol. She carefully cleared any shards of glass, before dropping to her knees next to the bathtub. “Kelathe, what happened?” She meant, of course, aside from the obvious.

The woman peeked up over her arms, tears streaming from her eyes. Something was different about her face; it seemed softer, more broken.

“Jaycy….” She winced as she said the woman’s name, pain crossing her features. “I….can’t.” She flexed her hand a little, the pain of the wound letting her focus a little more. “I….need…help.” Her speech was stuttering, as if she were fighting for every word she said.

Jaycy had begun to reach for the bleeding hand to begin tending it, but she paused, and her hand dropped back into her lap. Green-gold gaze passes over the woman’s body more fully, in a much less sexual manner than before, as she tries to figure out what is going on. “What can I do?” She didn’t really expect an answer, but she knew at this point, for sure, it was something beyond the injury to her hand.

“Something.... bad..... trapped.....” She flinched, and flexed her hand again. Her teeth gritted, grinding audibly. Suddenly, Kelathe cracked her head against the wall, and slumped forward, unconscious.

“S***!” The first thing Jaycy did was lean forward, searching for a pulse. She stood up, leaning over the tub so she could assess the damage to her head. There was a little blood, but not much. Kelathe had cracked her head just hard enough to obtain unconsciousness.

Jaycy frowned, and stood up. She had already begun calling mentally for Psly, but the woman needed help now. She swiftly moved through the house, then outside, looking for assistance. “Someone, please help!”

A young brute of a man looked up, responding to her cries. He had been walking down the road, a large barrel hefted on his right shoulder. “Eh?” Jaycy turned her imploring gaze to him. “My friend is hurt, and I can’t move her!”

The man carefully set down the barrel, and headed towards the distraught gypsy. She, in turn, moved into the house and for the bathroom. The man followed, stepping around her and into the tiny room, while Jaycy waited outside. There wasn’t enough room for both of them. The man looked down at the unconscious Kelathe, and asked. “Where ya want ‘er?”

Jaycy frowned, and looked from the stairs, and then to the couch. “Can you get her upstairs?”

“I think so.” The man bent down at the knees, and reached to get his arms under Kelathe, and lift her up. The woman was completely unconscious, and she remained limp as a rag doll in the man’s arms. A low moan escaped her lips. The man staggered a little, off balance, as he lifted her. He carefully turned in the bathroom, careful to keep from hitting Kelathe’s head. He spoke to Jaycy: “Lead on, lady.”

Jaycy nodded, and turned, headed quickly for the stairs. She ascended swiftly, and made her way into the spare bedroom. Noting that the bed had been made up, she quickly turned the covers down before her helper set Kel down onto the smooth sheets.

Jaycy thanked the man after he had laid her down. He nodded, and left, being nice enough to make sure the front door was closed behind him. Meanwhile, she frowned, moving to the bed. Jaycy touched Kel’s forehead with the back of her hand. Her eyes flickered a little, but didn’t open. Kel shook her head weakly, flexing her injured hand.

What Jaycy could do is take care of the hand and head injury. She left the room a few moments, returning with the first aid supplies from the bathroom. Once more perching on the edge of the bed, she reached for the injured hand to begin her ministrations, which unfortunately included pouring a bit of alcohol over the cuts. She dabbed at the wounds with a piece of gauze.

Kelathe’s eyes opened abruptly, and she grabbed Jaycy’s hand. Her look was intense, gaze boring into hers. She spoke only a single word. “Please…” She winced as she spoke. “Please…keep me asleep…find help…” Kel’s eyes changed, imploring the other woman.

Jaycy frowned at the hand that grabbed her. “Kel? What’s going on?” She did not pull away from the sudden contact, instead turning her green-gold gaze to met Kel’s crimson. Even while she’s talked, she tried to think of how to keep the woman asleep. She couldn’t do it with magic, and it seemed rather rude to violently knock her out so soon after her crack on the head. Her mind raced as she tried to keep the other woman calm.

Kel took a deep breath, her voice low and hurried. “I was gone….a long time. Something….is…in me. And it’s…not good. I don’t want anything else bad to happen.” This was probably the longest speech Jaycy was going to get. Kel’s eyes drifted slowly closed again, and her grip loosened, hand falling limp.

Jaycy’s swearing was a bit longer and more violent. She was very glad she had never invited the other woman to stay at the Manor despite having the space. She did have a young child there! Jaycy had a dawning realization. Psly had mentioned a small medical robot stashed in the wall of the living room. He had also mentioned that it was programmed to respond to her.

She left Kelathe laying there. The woman had grown abnormally still, her breathing heavy. Her eyes moved as if she were dreaming. Hurrying to the living room, she punched a few buttons on a keypad on the wall. A panel slid open, and a dusty little robot with many arms appeared. A glowing blue eye looked at Jaycy, and in a monotone voice, the robot spoke, “Please direct me to the patient. Orders?”

“In the bedroom. She needs to be sedated,” Jaycy studied the little robot, making a mental note that someone needed to clean the poor fellow up.

“Orders received. Processing.” A humming sound issued forth, and the robot proceeded to the stairs, and up it. It quickly entered the bedroom, heading towards the prone woman on the bed. Various probes and plates came from a center panel in the robot, and it began to examine Kelathe. The woman began to move a little on the bed, body shaking.

“Please restrain. Please restrain. Cannot fulfill orders until patient is stable.”

Jaycy rushed to the bedside, grabbing hold of her arm, and holding it still. The robot clicked and whirred a few more times, before tapping Kelathe’s arm. Finally, a small syringe appeared amidst all the other apparatus, and something was injected into the woman’s arm.

“Orders complete. New orders?”

Jaycy whispered, “Standby.” The robot retreated into a corner, becoming inert again. Jaycy turned her attention back to Kelathe, carefully studying her reaction. She was surprised to see that Kel was smiling, blissfully. A heavy sigh issued from the sedated woman, as if a burden had been lifted. She still looked as if she were dreaming, but it didn’t seem as if she were fighting so hard to keep herself still. Her hair became a complete, snowy white.

Jaycy sighed, and left the room again. She returned swiftly, carrying with her several lengths of rope. She didn’t enjoy doing this, but keeping the woman in the bed was necessary. The rope would probably not stop Kelathe if she really got it in her mind to run, but it would hinder casual “sleepwalking”. What she did was tie Kel’s arms and legs to the posts of the bed. It wasn’t tightly tied, of course, but just enough that her limbs couldn’t slip the casual restraints and enough so that Kel knew they were there.

[KelatheSkelicia]

The urgency of Jaycy’s mindcall reached Pslyder, even in the distant mountains he hunted in. He climbed to a staggering height, and powerdove towards his old house. Knowing that he was on his way and that Kel was safely tied up and sedated, Jaycy decided to fill the intervening time by cleaning up the downstairs bathroom. It’s still in the house, so she was close enough to keep some attention on whatever might happen. It was also more productive than just sitting there staring at Kel.

While Kel continued to suffer from some internal battle, Jaycy carefully swept up the glass on the bathroom floor, and wiped off the surfaces with available soap and water to get rid of any possible blood.

The wind rushed past his draconic body and his nostrils flared as he dove. His eyes caught sight of familiar grounds, even at his distance, and he simply tucked his wings a little more, adjusting his descent with the flick of a claw, the twitch of his tail.

In the house, low moans began to issue forth from Kelathe. She bit her lip hard enough to make it bleed. Jaycy’s task kept her busy, and the moans were not loud enough for her to hear.

The shape of the barn grew, as did the definition of the ground. Finally, at that last moment, his wings flared out with a loud crack, and he backwinged furiously. The winds of his landing bludgeoned the structure, causing it to creak and groan. The crack made Jaycy look up, and she dropped the sponge she had been cleaning with in the sink. She stepped from the bathroom, and simply waited.

Pslyder’s form shifted even as one foot touched the earth. His booted feet pounded in his rush to get to the door, and he burst through, yelling, “JAYCY!!” He didn’t mean to be quite that loud, but it was a rushed change, after all, and Jaycy’s mind call had not been very detailed.

Jaycy cringed. “I’m right here. She’s sedated.” She was a bit more calm that she initially was when she called for Pslyder. However, that is all she says, before turning and moving swiftly back up the stairs.

Pslyder coughed, toning his voice down a little, and said as he followed. “What the hell happened?” As they climbed the stairs, Kelathe’s moans became more audible, as did the sound of sobbing.

Jaycy swiftly shared all that went on with him through the link. She even had to spare a thought as to how efficient that was. There’s a fleeting smile at that thought, but she didn’t look back to him.

One could almost hear the grinding of gears in Pslyder’s head. Suddenly he cursed under his breath. “Cut me loose….she’s fraggin’ possessed?”

Jaycy moved into the spare bedroom, and shuffled aside to let him in. She didn’t move closer to the bed, though, or try to touch the tied up woman. “It sounds like. I…don’t know what to do.”

Psly did, however. He strode forward, his eyes shifting to take a clearer “look” at the woman lying on the bed. Tremors wracked the woman’s body, as if she were struggling merely to hold herself still. Psly let loose a low growl, before speaking, his voice quiet and deadly. “Exorcism, I don’t know. Dealing with more tenants than one body should rightly have, that’s something I do know.” He knelt down next to the bed, even though it still seemed that he loomed over the bound woman. “Kel? Kel! Can you hear me?”

Jaycy was at a loss. “Tell me what you need from me,” she said softly. Really, she was clueless. Death, incapacitation, those she could do. She could not deal with the otherworldly, however, and possession was definitely otherworldly.

Kel’s hair shifted to deep ebony black, strands glistening in the low light. It streaked with white, and then turned black again, as if responding to her inner struggle.

Without turning, Psly said to Jaycy, “Just back me up here. Kel? Answer me if you can hear me.”

Jaycy wasn’t sure what he meant by backing him up, but she moved forward, ready to hold Kel down if the need arose, but she was still not quite touching her.

Pslyder focused his will, then, staring with those slit-amber eyes at the woman. Kelathe’s hair became snow white again, and her eyes barely opened. She nodded, briefly, but didn’t speak.

Psly, in his haste, had dismissed the accent he affected. “Kel? Kelathe, you need to fight this.”

Black threaded through her hair again, and a snarling voice spoke. “Shut your face, dragon-ken! No one asked you!” The voice was menacing, yet childish in its rebuke, like whoever produced it was afraid.

Psly snarled, without flinching, and spoke again. “No one’s asking you either.”

A softer voice spoke up, one even more frightened. “Help…I can’t… MAKE IT STOP!” The last was nearly a shriek.

Jaycy whispered, “Oh, hell.” She stepped in close, leaning over to try and press her hands over Kel’s shoulders to keep the woman down. She was completely at a loss, except as a pair of hands.

Psly’s eyes narrowed, and his voice was hard. “You can. You must. Find your strength. Use it. Fight it!” Kelathe’s breathing was shallow, and she shook her head from side to side. Tears streamed from her closed eyes. Psly decided it was time to take a chance, and he reached out to put his hands on Kel’s temples, concentrating fiercely

Jaycy pushed her thoughts towards the woman, thinking the woman’s name. She pushed, but the problem persisted. Jaycy was not a telepath. Anything she could do mind-to-mind was because of her connection with Psly, because of some random happenstance. But Jaycy hoped that the essence of the real Kel could find her feeble efforts, and come to them.

Kelathe screamed, shortly after Psly touched her. She tried to buck, but Jaycy and Psly held her firmly. The woman who was latched onto a faint voice, calling her name. Jaycy really had no clue what she was doing. She just tried, struggling to keep the woman pinned. Crimson eyes, fashioned like a snake’s, opened wide, meeting Jaycy’s gaze. Her look is terrified, almost like a wild animal. Her hair is now more white than black.

Psly utilized the connection from Jaycy, through him, to Kelathe, their voices calling mind-to-mind. We stand with you, we fight with you. Help us to help you. And fight, dammit!

Kelathe latched on to that call, trembling more as she fought the thing within her. Seeing the room she had been trapped in, she began slowly, inexorably, forcing the creature into it. In their minds, the roar of a dragon, the image of mantled wings, and a feeling of fierce determination.

The demon fought her with everything it had. It showed her visions of her mother, imploring her not to lock her away. Some of the people she killed, one after another, the blood soaking their clothes as they pleaded for their lives. Yet still, Kelathe fought.

Jaycy almost broke eye contact with her in surprise, but she manages to keep green-gold gaze locked with the crimson. “We’re here for you.” That seemed to be her mantra, thinking at Kelathe as hard as she could. She couldn’t produce anything like Psly’s dragon, but she thought of a sword – of light, of thought.

What Jaycy didn’t realize was that this was not something Pslyder produced, it was simply him. What he was now, without illusions. We fight with you, Kelathe. Take our strength, and use it with yours.

Somehow, Kel heard him. Her hands and arms, to the elbows, turned intangible, and she reached for them, through them, pulling their strength into the battle. Psly almost reared back, as he was reached for, and through. His breath hissed out in a rush, as he felt his strength flow into Kel. Linked with the two, she fought even harder.

Psly almost reared back, as they were reached for, reached through. His breath hissed out in a rush, as he felt his strength flow into her. Jaycy was pulled along, the least talented of the three. Of course, that meant that she understood the least, and struggled the most, initially.

Years of intensive training kicked in for Kelathe. Even as she was fighting the demon, she sensed Jaycy’s uneasiness. Mentally, she did the best she could to calm her, without taking too much of her attention away from the fight.

Kelathe could see the open door in her mind that she had forced her way through, see the dark room behind it where she had been forced to stay. It was close behind her foe, and she knew she was almost there. Jaycy had stopped struggling, and was waiting, ready. A shadow aspect – feline – in their mind overlaid the mental vision of the red-head with a sword.

A sudden surge, and Kelathe shoved forward, in her mind shouldering the creature into the dark space where she had been locked away for at least a year. Psly and Jaycy looked on, watching the woman’s struggle as if in her mind with her. Pslyder snarled in their combined minds, exalting in Kel’s sudden action. He did not speak, instead, he concentrated.

Kelathe ran at the demon, leaping into a spin, and kicked it hard, finally forcing it into the room. A scream of rage from the creature, cut short by her slamming the door behind it. The woman leaned against the door, breathing heavily. She simply stared at the two who now shared the confines of her mind. She reached out her hands for them.

Pslyder reached out with his own hand, ignoring the blossom of pain beginning in his head. Jaycy lowered her guard, reaching out to take the hand that Psly doesn’t. He spoke: Now, lock it down so it can’t escape. You know that if it could, it would. And it will destroy you if it does.

Suddenly, the door glowed red behind Kelathe, its edges slowly disappearing into solid wall. A hissing sound issued, as if it were sealing in heat. She took their hands, and pulled them closer, holding them close to her heart.

Pslyder let himself be pulled forward. He smiled at her, even as his image in her mind echoed what happened over the bed. A trickle of blood appeared from one of his nostrils. Jaycy was not smiling as she was pulled forward, but there was a soft rumbling purr. Her features blurred, and a large snow tiger stood, allowing the frail human to hold one of its paws.

Kelathe tilted her head, staring at Psly. Suddenly, they were back in the bedroom. Kel still held Psly’s hand, but, to the surprise of Psly and herself, she also continued to hold the paw of a snow tiger. Kel looked, concerned, between the two of them, trying not to register shock at the changed appearance of Jaycy. Her once completely ebon hair was now liberally streaked with white. A balance had been struck.

[KelatheSkelicia]

Psly’s eyes remained closed, still fluttering, two more drops of blood spattering against his jeans. He seemed unsteady. Jaycy, white fur streaked with black, had not quite realized the change in her concern for him.

Pslyder spoke softly, seeming to wobble just a little more. “Fraggin’ ow…”

Jaycy turned her head towards Psly, feline eyes watching him with concern. Kelathe glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, murmuring “Beautiful.”

Several thoughts and emotions began to swirl in his head: elation, pride, pain, companionship. Even love. The trickle began to slow. Jaycy acknowledged the love quietly in her mind, a feeling of happiness and well being filling her. Kelathe retreated, sensing both of their emotions as if they were her own. Tears trickled down her face, and she crossed her arms in front of her.

Jaycy was full of concern for both of them, and weariness. She looked at Kel, tiger-like face managing to smile. Green-gold eyes are the only color to the otherwise black and white.

Pslyder’s eyes flicked open then. “You…did real good there…Kel..” Then, his eyes rolled up in his head, and he fell over onto the bed.

Jaycy panicked, her concern for Pslyder overruling everything else. She attempted to pull his head into her lap, only then realizing that she was no longer in human form. Her panic grew, and she retreated to the corner of the room. Kelathe watched her go, her concern for Pslyder dragging at her attention. She touched the side of his face, and grimaced, looking to Jaycy. “He’ll be alright. It’s just strain.”

She continued to study Jaycy, trying to decide what to do. Jaycy huddled in the corner. She concentrated, speaking to Jaycy in her mind. Can you hear me? The tiger form yowled. The woman had spent most of her life having no one in her head, and now, apparently, she had two. The unexpected change to her form, as well as the mental pressures involved with sharing her thoughts and emotions with two people caused her to panic even more.
Kelathe sat a little helpless on the bed, directing her thoughts at Psly. Please. Wake up. I need your help. Jaycy needs you.

Pslyder’s eyes flickered open again, retreating pain shimmering in them even as they flowed from slit-amber to deep green. Out loud, he spoke, “Did I miss something?” Kelathe simply pointed in Jaycy’s direction. Psly sat up slowly, even as streaks of a darker shade, this time red, appeared in his hair as well. His gaze snapped back to the tiger, and he nearly fell off the bed in shock.

Through the link, he whispered. Jaycy, you’re a little fuzzy. Kelathe nearly laughed, and said out loud. “Yes, she is.” Psly turned a moment to eye Kelathe, acknowledging her in his mind.

Psly spoke again, with the link. I’m sorry, Jaycy. But you’re not alone. I’ve been right where you are now.

The stress of their joining had surely created this change in her, and she trembled in the corner, afraid. Fear flowed through the link to both Kelathe and Pslyder. Psly crouched beside the bed, holding his hand out to the changed woman. Jaycy shrank back away from it.

Psly spoke soothingly, “Easy, Jaycy. You’ve got to calm down. Please, trust me.” Warmth and acceptance flowed over the link. Kelathe felt what Psly was doing, and added her own sense of warmth directed towards Jaycy, as well as admiration.

“It’s alright, Jaycy. It will be alright.” Psly still held out his hand. Fear flowed through the link from Jaycy. She was terrified of remaining like this. It took her a few moments, before she slinked forward on her belly, a full sized tiger, and stretched her nose out towards him. Pslyder let her sniff his hand, smiling now. “If you calm down, you can change back. I know it.”

Uncertainly, Jaycy slinked closer. They were both calming her down. Kelathe’s eyes were shut, sending out calm to the woman who had helped save her. She slid down on the floor next to Psly, slowing extending her unhurt hand as well. Jaycy came the rest of the way. What she wanted to do is curl up on them, both of them. That was her favorite place to be for comfort, in someone’s lap. She usually was small enough for it. Of course, now she was several hundred pounds of cat.

Kel, tentatively, reached out to stroke her fur, mentally inviting her to at least lay her head in her lap. As she calms, Psly’s prediction came true. Slowly, she began to shift back into human form, butting her head into Kel’s hand, for petting. She became lighter. Fur pulled back into her body. Eventually, she ended up curled between them, human once more, over both of their laps.

Kelathe continued to stroke her arms, her face, her shoulder, running her fingers through Jaycy’s hair. She means this to be calming. Her hand shook a little, more from the exertion of her previous mental efforts than anything else.

Jaycy was still afraid, though the fear seemed to be receding. Except for the fear that she was too crazy for even them – both of them. Gratitude flowed through the link – at Psly’s being right and at Kel’s help in calming her, thus far accepting her in the link. Pslyder continued to stroke his hands down her sides, still smiling down at her. He tried to pull her in closer. Kel responded to Jaycy’s thought of being too crazy, and reminded her mentally that she had been imprisoned in her own mind by a demon for at least a year. Some of Pslyder’s own memories of having two minds in one body came through the link.

I’m sorry. Jaycy sent mentally to both of them. Kel boldly tilted Jaycy’s chin up, making her meet her eyes. She thought to her Never be sorry for what you can’t control.

Red streaks and highlights in his hair shifted in the light as he looked down at Jaycy. He continued to stroke her gently. Nothing to be sorry for. Nothing, whatsoever.

Jaycy spoke aloud. “Are …are you both alright?”

Pslyder sighed, chuckling a little. “I’ll admit to being a little tired, but otherwise, I’m fine.” He asn’t lying, because even his headache was retreating, albeit slowly.

Kelathe said nothing. Pain leaked through the link, however, and horror. Some relief and curiosity at these two people came as well. Jaycy shifted in their laps, trying to sit up between them. She was pressed snug there. Kel let Jaycy sit up, keeping one arm around her. The other hand she used to hold her own head, tucking her knees up. Pslyder simply opened his arms, to hold them both close.

Kel didn’t go into Psly’s arms, simply unsure. Comfort was not something she was used to. Alone, however, was something she knew.

Jaycy whispered, reaching for her, “We don’t blame you, Kel.” She leaned in and brushed a featherlight kiss over Kel’s lips. Kel leaned into the kiss, a delicate flush filling her cheeks. She leaned into both of them now.

Psly chuckled again. “It’s alright, Kel. But it’s sure been one hell of a night.”

Jaycy sent a thought directed at Pslyder, a silent question, inviting Kel to bed with them. Not to share in their bodies, but for cuddling and comfort. Psly’s arms enveloped them both, and he gave silent agreement. That would be a good thing, I think.

Jaycy spoke out loud, softly, to Kel. “Do you want to…stay with us?”

In an even softer voice, Kelathe replied, head still down and staring at the floor. “Please?”

Pslyder spoke in a whisper, “Done.”

Jaycy looked to Psly. Whose bed is bigger? A ghost of a smile, the question directed at him. He showed them both an image of his room, which was actually cleaner than would’ve been expected. The bed there was larger, by a bit, than Jaycy’s at Seaside. A flash of their shared memories of the bed there caused Kel to shiver a little.

Jaycy’s cheeks flushed, looking between the two of them. Can we go to bed? Kel leaned over, and kissed Jaycy’s cheek. Nodding, she pulled herself to her feet, shakily, and held her hands out to her. Psly would wait until Jaycy was up before trying to stand himself. At least he knew that their destination wasn’t far. Jaycy took the woman’s hands, and stood as well, staggering only a step or two. Kel snaked her arm around Jaycy, steadying the two of them, before holding her free hand out to Psly. Jaycy’s hand also extended for his as well. He took it, the assistance very welcome at this point. He was understandably wiped. As were they all.

In moments, they would all be nestled within the thick comforters that covered his bed. For some, this meant finally sleeping peacefully, for the first time in a long while.