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Moving quickly, I tugged the sweater up "How are you feeling?"

Her lashes lifted "Like so "But you need water--fluids Sit still" I wasn’t sure if fluids would really help her, but I went into the roo in several deep breaths as I opened up the se under the TV There was a bottle of Gatorade Grabbing it, I went back to the bathroorabbed for her ar acidic burning deep in"Hey," Imy head close to hers "You’re okay You’re safe, Josie You’re all right"

Holding ently pushed the sleeve of her sweater up "I’ with your powers bound, it uises the a towel I ran it under the tap "Or h the gla as I handed over the bottle "Drink this It should help"

Josie took the bottle My attention was drawn to her fingers The nails were dirty, broken "I’ll be okay," she said, taking a drink as I looked up at her from where I was crouched Her hand shook the bottle but she didn’t drop it as she raised it to her lips again "You know, I…I’ve never been seriously ill or injured before, even when I should’ve been" Her gaze tracked over the room while I er, I climbed up this tree, all the way to the top"

As I cleaned her arer, ss and arms with a headful of multicolored hair and probably loads of trouble

"I fell out and I re…in a lot of pain," she continued as I tossed the towel and reached for a new one "I thought I broke randparents got me to the hospital, I was just bruised The doctors said I was lucky"

It wasn’t luck It hat she was Da hers I opened , but I didn’t have any words

"I’ve bled all over you," she whispered

I looked down She was right Streaks of criut "It’s okay"

Her eyes closed Dark shadows had bloomed under the my voice so only she could hear h, strained "Are you hurt anywhere else…that I can’t see?"

The lashes flickered up Confusion skittered across her expression, and then understanding crept in Muscles in my back and neck tensed All dai their next fix--and they could be dumb in that relentless pursuit Halfs who’d been turned into daierous, but all of them could be cruel and sick

"No," she said quietly

Another dose of relief hitthe tornlike I’d taken a punch in the chest

Josie had been tagged--tagged in the same place as her-- as Alex The coincidence was h me as I wiped around the bitescarred Just like she… just like Alex had carried scars all over her

My hand shook Rawness flowed through , so I latched onto the anger boiling insidelive?" She drew in a sharp breath, and I felt like a fucking ass for saying it, but it needed to be said "What were you thinking? Going outside while I was in the shower? A to need to chain you to the chair from here on out?" I tossed the bloodied towel in the bathtub Giving her pallance, I opened the cabinet under the sink and hit jackpot--a first aid kit It was unlikely that she’d die fro to risk it I yanked out a packet of disinfecting wipes

"You’re right," she said, surprising the hell out ofa wadded disinfecting wipe She glanced over at the door before her tired, bruised gaze drifted back to ht I’d been punched in the chest before, I’d been wrong I felt it now "I wasn’t thinking I couldn’t stay in the rooh It was a ‘too stupid to live’…kind ofdown in front of Josie, I looked up at her "Thisa little"

She nodded

I pressed the alcohol wipe against her pal up the scratched skin When I was finished, I rose so that ere at eye level "I shouldn’t have said it like that earlier" My voice was gruff, strange to ed That’s norhtening, I ignored the curious look she sent et you another sweater"