Page 83 of Bones
Cloud followed us to all five of the sick kids, and some of that fear melted away in his eyes as he watched me heal his friends.
“How do you do that?” he whispered at one point.
“I don’t know,” I answered, too tired to come up with anything else. “I just can.”
"I wish I could do that too," he said and had to bite back the urge to tell him that no, he didn't want this.
“Well, you’re a big help taking messages and medicine for me,” I said instead, and when I glanced at him, he had a shy smile on his face.
On the last kid, Cloud sucked in a sharp breath, causing both Trey and I to look up at him.
“Your nose is bleeding, Bones,” he said, his voice rising in alarm.
“It’s ok.” I hoped I sounded reassuring. “I’m ok.”
Trey shifted beside me, pulling out a handkerchief. He met my eyes, his gaze concerned, but steady. “Ok if I get that?”
I nodded, feeling uncomfortable, but I didn’t want to let go and stop healing this last kid. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to start again. Trey dabbed at my nose, wiping away the blood in a strangely intimate gesture. Once I finished, I pulled my hands away and chills wracked my body. Cloud’s eyes widened further.
“She’s gonna be ok, Cloud,” Trey said, wrapping an arm around my waist to steady me. “She just needs some rest.”
“Cloud, go tell the other kids.” Gods, I was so tired. “Tell ’em to come back here right away if they don’t feel good.”
Cloud nodded and darted down the ladder. One of the kids I’d healed started to cry. I looked in her direction and started to stand, but Trey’s arm tightened around me.
“No, you’re taking a rest,” he directed.
“But—”
“Bones.”
“I should stay up and see if any more sick kids come.” I leaned on him, still shivering.
“You have to rest,” Trey chided. “Remember how sick you got when you burnt yourself out?”
I grimaced.
"C'mon. Let's go down the ladder, you can lie down, and I'll keep an eye on the kids, ok?"
I nodded. I hated resting with people still sick, but as I shakily made my way down the ladder, I couldn't deny my body was nearing burnout. Trey made sure I drank some water and tucked me in like a child.
“I’ll keep watch,” he murmured. “Just rest, ok?”
I tried to mumble in agreement, but I fell asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.
He let me sleep for three hours before he woke me back up and I started rounds again. It took just two days for hundreds of people to get sick. The more I healed, the more I believed this had to be the same disease that killed so many of the Reapers. Just like before, medicine had no effect. Only my healing powers made a difference. Last time I hadn't been able to use my powers on anyone besides Juck and Vulture. This time I saved almost everyone, but it took a huge toll on my body. I barely slept, dragging myself from shack to shack, healing until I reached the edge of burnout. We started taking a horse, usually Violet, with us on rounds because, by the time I finished, I couldn't even walk.
There was something sounnaturalabout this illness. Every other disease I’d ever healed felt natural, no matter how severe. I’d read about viruses and germs, and I knew they were made of the same materials as human bodies. This was different. It didn’t feel normal.It feltalien, like an oozing darkness, and when my healing power connected with that darkness, it fought back. Instead of healing a sickness, it was like I waged a battle every single time.
Zip fell sick a couple of days after Silver. When I healed him, I didn't miss how his eyes kept flicking to Trey waiting by the door before narrowing on me again with suspicion. I hadn't seen him since before he left, and I had to fight the feeling that I'd done something wrong. He didn't say anything, but unease still swirled through me the entire time I healed him. He demanded a kiss before I left, and I obliged, hoping it would ease the anger he'd voiced that I couldn't stay and take care of him. He made a show of it, kissing me while his hands roamed my body. I hated it, but I let him.
The muscle in Trey’s jaw ticked when we stepped outside, but he didn’t say anything as he wrapped an arm around my waist and helped me stumble over to Violet.
The sickness didn’t discriminate. Madame fell ill and so did all of the council. I bounced between the slums and the large nice houses and everywhere in between. I healed Madame with six of her men standing behind me with guns ready in case I got any ideas. I had plenty of ideas, but there was no need to threatenme.Trey standing in the room was all the motivation I needed to obey orders. I knew if I tried anything, Trey would do something stupid and heroic and end up dead.
I was healing Nemo when Trey swayed in my peripheral vision. I glanced at him to see a sheen of sweat on his pale face. He noticed me examining him and gave me a lopsided smile with glassy eyes.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me you were sick?” I snapped at him, still funneling my healing power into Nemo.
