Leave The Light On //Sam&Dani
WHO: Dani Harper, Sam Evans
WHEN: June 23rd 2019
WHERE: Sciron Square, Dani&MarleyĀ“s Room
WHAT: Sam returns to Campus and tells Dani about their missing friends.Ā
WARNING(S): depression
Sam:
Sam really didn't know how to comprehend anything that happened. Everything was still a whirlwind inside his head, threatening to spill over and cause him to scream out in frustration. The feeling of something disturbing inside his stomach was unidentifiable. Was it from swallowing the water or from the cold fear of even more people being missing? Missing. It was just supposed to be a clean up. How did it come to this? Could they ever just get a damn break? He could go to his dorm, take some healing potions, and go right to sleep. But he couldn't. Because he had to tell her. If she found out some other way, he wouldn't forgive himself. His eyes closed as he leaned against Dani's door, knocking twice, unable to get his friend's face out of his head, the last time he caught a glimpse of her. Tears of frustration and sadness threatened to seep out and he took a deep breath to hold himself together.(edited)
Dani:
Dani knew something was wrong. She couldnĀ“t exactly tell what it was, or why she was feeling this way, but she couldnĀ“t shake it. And she couldnĀ“t sleep either. SheĀ“d been meaning to go to the clean up, but things had been busy. SheĀ“d been meaning to catch up on some studies and when she had been done it had been too late to join everyone. Or maybe it hadnĀ“t been considering they still werenĀ“t back. When she heard the knock on the door she frowned, shaking her head slowly. Since when did Marley knock? Surely, things had been a little rocky lately, but she didnĀ“t need to knock. Swinging her legs out of bed she moved towards the door. "You donĀ“t..." Stopping in her tracks when she saw Sam of all people she could feel her heart stomach turning slightly. "WhatĀ“s wrong?"
Sam:
Sam gulped when Dani opened the door, feeling his stomach churn violently. This feeling was definitely related to the water, or not, but he had to get through this. He didn't want to tell her in the doorway so he cleared his throat. "Can we talk inside?" Once he was in, he turned to face her, and took a breath. How could he begin to explain what happened when he wasn't there? He didn't even know why they went missing. All he knew was they were. It was like New Year's Eve all over again and it somehow felt even more gut wrenching. "I- I don't know where to begin, so much..." He shook his head. "Stuff happened. Like always with us. We split up into groups and...one group was Quinn, Santana, this new girl Brittany, Joe, and- and Marley" He choked at her name. "Kurt wasn't in their group but...but somehow something happened to them and they're missing. We can't find them."
Dani:
"Missing." Dani spoke the word before things could really sink in. "What do you mean, missing?" Of course she understood the general meaning of the word. But how had this happened? "No. No. This canĀ“t be true. It was supposed to be a clean up. Nothing dangerous. But then again when was anything in this god damn place ever NOT dangerous? "Why didnĀ“t you save them? Why didnĀ“t anyone do anything? Did you guys tell anyone? We have to do something." She tried to ignore the way her stomach turned at the thought of Marley, and the others, missing. No, she wasnĀ“t going to lose anyone again. She simply couldnĀ“t.
Sam:
Sam knew she wasn't really blaming him, she was just upset and scared. It still hurt to hear and he had to keep it together. "The Boulder's putting together a search party, he told the rest of us to stay out of the forest in case anything else happened. We were all in different parts of the forest so we didn't even know until everyone met up. I...I was with Tina, Kitty, this kid Kevin, Dave, and Coleman at Mermaid's Drowning. They had gone to the west part of the forest. Blaine and...the rest to the east.. Something...happened there too, and with us." He shook his head. "I came here straight away to tell you what happened. Then I was going to make some flyers, try to figure out...how to find them." He closed his eyes, trying to fight the urge to vomit.(edited)
Dani:
Nothing he said made sense, not in the long run anyways. Why had they all split up? In a forest that was obviously dangerous. Dani wasnĀ“t blaming Sam for that decision, obviously, but it seemed like they always managed to get themselves into dangerous situations. And she hadnĀ“t been there. She hadnĀ“t been there to help Marley, or to protect her friends. She could feel tears stinging in her eyes as she nodded at the bed. "Sit." She managed, swallowing hard. Did they just expect everyone to sit by and wait? "Are you okay?"
Sam:
Sam was grateful to be sitting down and he closed his eyes, trying to quell the nausea. He looked up at her and shook his had. "No...no, definitely not." He shuddered. "I failed her. I failed them. I failed- everything." he shuddered. "We saw an Undine at Mermaid's Drowning. She was trying to tell us something important and...I don't know what all of it was...she was mainly talking to Kitty because Kitty went in the water first and we followed...but Coleman, he...I don't know what the fuck he was thinking." His eyes were furious as he recalled what happened. "He did something with the water and...the Undine was killed. I tried to save her, but my magic doesn't work underwater since I can't talk and...it was all just so fucked up." He looked up at her. "I'm sorry, I know I don't make sense, I'm just...I want them all back and I feel like I'm going to be sick and...I really hate this feeling of not being able to save them. I know it's not my job but...our friends needed us and we weren't there." He whispered finally.
Dani:
"Hey, this isnĀ“t your fault. YouĀ“re not supposed to save everyone by yourself." Dani didnĀ“t blame him. Though a twisted, small part of her wondered if people could have done more. But then again she also blamed herself for not going. She could have done those essays some other time. Could have finished reading the book a different time. She could have followed them once she was done. But no. Now her friends were missing, or worse, and she tried her best to push that thought away. "Hey, you listen to me, okay?" She then added, reaching out to rest a hand against his cheek. "ItĀ“s not your fault. WeĀ“ll find them. And theyĀ“ll be fine." If she trusted anyone to find their friends then it was The Boulder.
Sam:
Sam could hear her words and knew what she was saying was true. But he still blamed himself and he was sure she was too. The one person they both were connected with was gone, and he could have easily gone with her, protected her. But would that mean he would be missing as well? He had no idea. Sam just knew this situation was not something they should ever have to deal with. He took the hand on his cheek and squeezed it. "I hope so. We can't keep losing people." He chuckled bitterly. "It's all so screwed up."
Dani:
He was right. They couldnĀ“t keep losing people. Surely, she wasnĀ“t really friends with all of the missing people, quite the opposite with some really, but that didnĀ“t mean Dani didnĀ“t care. As much as she tried not to, she still did. And she couldnĀ“t imagine how things would be if all of the missing people just...stayed gone. She could feel her stomach turning again at the thought and pushed the thought aside as best as she could. "Hey. IĀ“m glad youĀ“re okay." She eventually managed, though her voice sounded almost defeated. What were they going to do? "YouĀ“re staying here tonight." She then added with a nod, pulling back the covers.
Sam:
Sam smiled weakly, wanting to say thank you but not really able to convey the words. When she offered the bed to him, he almost said no. But he was so tired, the healing he had given himself earlier was starting to kick in a bit more, and frankly, he didn't want to be alone. He didn't want her to be alone now. So he nodded his head. "Okay." He slipped under the covers but even though he was laying down, he didn't know if he would sleep that night. How could he sleep when all he could see was Marley's face in his head? See all their faces.
Dani:
Sleep wasnĀ“t something that had come easy to Dani during these past few weeks. It had been a little better the moment Marley had returned, but now that her girlfriends was gone, missing, she wasnĀ“t sure sheĀ“d sleep. But she wasnĀ“t going to be alone. And she wasnĀ“t going to let Sam be alone either. Laying down beside him she pulled the covers over them and held back a sigh. "Why didnĀ“t you call me?" She then asked into the silence. It wasnĀ“t a judgement, just...a question. Maybe she couldnĀ“t have done anything anyways, but she sure as hell would have tried.
Sam:
Sam closed his eyes, when she asked why he didn't call. He didn't even know the answer to that. There was no way he could give an answer that would even be acceptable. "I didn't want you in danger too. Between Coleman and the others, I...I wasn't going to let anyone else be caught up in that." He looked over at her. "Marley would probably throw thorns at me if I led you into danger." He said, trying to not choke as he said it.
Dani:
"True. You should have done it anyways." Dani replied with a sigh. "ThatĀ“s what this is for, right?" She reached for the pendent around her neck. "WeĀ“re supposed to protect each other." And of course heĀ“d been trying to do just that with not calling her, but part of her wished she would have been there to help. "Just...next time...call me, okay?" She then added. It was sad that she was more than sure that there would be a next time, but...she simply had to know that heĀ“d call her if he needed help. If...Marley needed help. Closing her eyes she sighed again, wrapping her arms around him.
Sam:
Sam nodded his head. It was true, their pendants were for that reason. He would call her next time, no matter what was happening. He looked at her. "I will. I'll call you." There couldn't be a situation in which he decided not to call her. Because she could help and that was what she was there for, to back him up. He snuggled against her, closing his eyes, not really sleeping, but not wanting to see anything.
