The Host *Accepting*

Jami

Ocean comes down and sits next to me. “Whats wrong?” He asks placing his hand on my shoulder.

“Jake has night duty and I am so worried about him. What if he gets hurt?” I say. “I would never be able to live with myself if he got hurt and I was not there.” I lay my head on his shoulder. He tenses up, but them lays his head on mine.

“It was be okay.” he says. His voice is soothing and relaxing.

“What if I get hurt? I have never been alone with out Jake in these caves. I do not feel safe at all.” I say, but I do feel safe when Ocean is here. I can not bring myself to tell him that.

“ I will be right here if you need anything.” he says.

Brigid

When my watch shift was over, I walked back over to the storage caves, where Jeb was keeping Skyler. Jake was the guard--he was sitting outside, playing absentmindedly with a stone. "Whatcha doing?" he asked.

"I was wondering if I could see her," I replied. "I knew Skyler a little...just wanted to see if...she's still there."

"Well," Jake began, getting to his feet. "I can't let you go in, but you can stand in the doorway. Just stay where I can see you."

I stepped forward and stood halfway in the storage caves, just far enough in so I could see Skyler. She was huddled against the rock face, her silver eyes fixed on me, wide open.

"Hey, Skyler," I said. She didn't reply; she just continued to stare at me.

"Or do you go by something else now?" I continued. When she still didn't answer, I kept talking. "I know a Seeker named...Leaves...something. Or maybe it's the other way around. Anyway, she used to be my sister. ...I like to think that Iris is still there, even if no one can tell. ...So...I guess my point is...Skyler, if you're still there, hang in."

I turned to leave, but then paused. "Skyler," I said. "Ocean's okay, too. He still misses you, but he's okay."

I walked out, giving Jake a little wave as I left.

Casper/Skyler

Tears rolled down my face as I watched the girl leave. Skyler had known her, she'd showed me pictures of her. They'd been friends, close even, until everything had turned into a nightmare for every human left on Earth. I'd never expected to see so many people from Skyler's past all in one day, all humans and still alive. I felt bad because I was in her body now, controlling her every move. If I was gone, I could give them back the girl they missed, I could make them all happy.

The truth was, they hated me, and I'd come to terms with that. Most of them even wanted me dead, but that didn't scare me much anymore. I'd been thinking, I mean, what else was I supposed to do with my time?

The thing that scared me the most though, was Ocean not accepting me. I knew he'd hate me, I'd known that when I'd first started my journey here. I also knew Ocean was young, and I was scared that he'd hate me forever, no matter what I tried to tell him, even though I wasn't even speaking to anyone yet. I was scared that he'd never care about his sister the same if he knew that I would always be there, keeping them apart.

I sat there, eyes squeezed shut, and cried for the first time since being taken prisoner by humans. I was pretty sure I whispered his name a couple of times, but I couldn't be sure which was a sob escaping my lips and which was Ocean.

Sorry to see you go, but I understand completely.

Ocean

“I will be right here if you need anything," I find myself saying.

Her head lays on my shoulder, my head on hers. A comfortable silence covers us and I wonder just what I'm expecting to get out of this. She takes my mind off my sister, makes me feel better about everything, but what's there to make out of it? Aren't we all screwed anyway?

I take a deep breath and glance down at her, finding her peacefully asleep. I lay her on the mattress and draw the covers over her, hesitating before standing and walking to the door.

I said I'd be here...

I sit against the wall, far enough away for when Jake returned but close enough to technically still be here. The last thing I want his her brother on my case, followed closely by her perceiving me as a liar.