Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Depressive Aftercare

Chapter 10:

Depressive Aftercare

Jace finally unlocked his door. His depression still settled deep inside of him. However, he knew he couldn't stay like this forever. Nadine's words helped to settle his chaotic thoughts for the moment. Though they still persisted.

Liana was on the other side of the door as it opened. Her soft smile greeted him, warming his heart. He expected anger, only to receive a hug he didn't think he deserved. An embrace of warmth that caused tears to well up in his eyes once more.

Liana pushed her way past him afterwards, looking around his room with hands on her hips. Her nose turned up at the smell as she looked towards him with a raised eyebrow. Shrugging sheepishly, he hugged the blanket around himself. He wanted to hide, but instead of saying anything, Liana simply began to open the windows to let air through.

"...Thank you, Jace," Liana spoke softly as she turned from opening one of the windows.

"F-For what?" He muttered, unsure what he did.

"...For letting me in," Liana's smile was warmer than he deserved, or so he thought, "Now, come."

Liana grabbed him gently and dragged him to the shower, pushing him inside as she took his blanket.

"Wash up, you stink," Liana teased him, "Your blanket and fresh clothes will be waiting."

"But-" Jace began to protest.

"No buts," Liana stared him down, "Unless you want me and Kiera to help you?"

She smiled teasingly, causing him to blush slightly as he shook his head. He was grateful for her pushing him to clean up. He had not showered in a long time.

He held onto the words Nadine said. It wasn't up to him what he deserved, but it didn't stop him from thinking he didn't. He could only go along with it for now. Truthfully, he felt a tug in his heart. It took him a while to realize what it was.

As he stepped into the shower after Liana left him, it was refreshing. Feeling the grime and dirt wash away, it was like a new him stepped out of the shower. Clothing himself, he found his blanket waiting for him just like Liana said.

A small smile crossed his lips as he wrapped himself back up in it, finding it had been washed in the time it took him to clean up.

"Liana asked me to clean it," Kiera stated, drawing his attention to her, "So be grateful."

Her words sounded harsh, but she said them in a way that wasn't. A playfulness to it as he saw her cleaning his room. Liana nudged her as she moved to take his arm, a coy smile on Kiera's face. Leaving Kiera to clean, Liana helped him out to the table in the other room. Sitting him down, she began going through his fridge and cupboards. As if she was looking for something.

"I-I don't really have..." His words trailed off as she pulled from what he thought were empty cupboards, food that wasn't there before, "L-Liana?"

"I saw you had nothing," Liana eyed him as she rolled up her sleeves, " So, I stocked up. I knew you'd be hungry after you came out. So, just sit there and wait. I'll try and make it quick. I'm sure you're hungry."

"But..." His stomach interrupted him as it growled, causing him to blush and hold his blanket to himself, "I-I'll repay you...Thank you."

"No, you won't," Liana said firmly, "You'll repay me by eating what I make. Understood?"

"...Y-Yes, Ma'am," Jace smiled his first genuine smile she saw since he entered his room, warming Liana's heart.

"Good," Liana nodded, turning back to her task at hand.

As he sat there watching her, he felt guilty letting her do all the work. However, if he moved even an inch from his chair, she'd shoot him a glare that kept him in place. He felt rather sheepish at this treatment but didn't hate it.

"Jace..." Liana glanced over him as she cooked, her tone soft, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Jace responded quietly, "You can ask me anything."

"Is that so?" Liana smirked, taking a breath as she suddenly grew sullen, "Tell me...was it my mother you were talking to?"

Jace's heart froze in his chest as she asked her question. His mind racing a million times an hour. He tried his best to control himself, but Liana's eyes were sharp.

"So, it was," Liana smiled, stirring the food in the pan, "You're surprised, right?"

"I-I mean...yeah," Jace watched her cautiously, unsure what to say, fear ran rampant in his heart, "How'd you know?"

Liana looked at the food she was cooking with a gentle gaze.

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"My ears are sharp," Liana shook the pan, adding in some more ingredients, "It's not the first time I've heard you. I asked Kiera about ascended abilities. If one of them was...well, talking to the dead."

Jace looked away in shame and discomfort. "She knew?..." He felt so many emotions in that moment. Most of all was confusion as it replaced his fear.

"Why...didn't you say anything?" Jace asked her quietly, glancing back over at her, "If you knew...why didn't you get angry? Or ask me about it, or-"

"Jace," Liana interrupted calmly, "I had just lost my mother. You just lost her. You'd talk sometimes, alone in a room. I thought perhaps it was your way of dealing with her loss. You'd stop speaking the moment anyone entered the room."

She wasn't wrong. He did his best to keep it hidden out of fear, but it seems Liana's senses were keener than he gave them credit for.

"I didn't bring it up, because I felt like you needed it to cope," Liana began to prepare plates for the food, "However, after a while I grew suspicious. As I said, I asked Kiera about it...she stated it was possible you had a unique gift."

"So...you're not angry?" Jace asked, concern in his voice, pain in his heart as he waited for her to say she was, but it never came.

"No," Liana shook her head, "It was enough to know she was still around. I knew that one day...you'd tell us."

"I would, yes...but why ask now?" Jace wondered, his heart slightly relaxing.

"I guess..." Liana shrugged as she carried the food to the table, "I got tired of waiting, but...it warms my heart that she came to you in your hour of need."

Jace looked at the food before him, and as Kiera came in at the smell of food, he began to realize something else. Nadine wasn't the only one who came to him.

"So did you..." Jace reached for the utensils as he dug into the very delicious stir-fry she had made, "All of you...I'm so sorry...for keeping it secret. I'm sorry...for shutting you out...I..."

"Nothing to be sorry about," Liana told him, taking the chair opposite him, "Now, shut up and eat."

She spoke playfully, smiling with a tender gaze as she watched him eat. Tears streamed down his face as he scarfed it all down. Kiera made her way next to Liana, a hand on her shoulder as she shared in watching Jace with a tender smile.

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"It...was my fault," Jace stated as he ate his third dish of food, "If I hadn't-"

"No," Liana shut him down immediately, "My mother made her choice. I do not blame you, nor should you blame yourself. You really think my father and I didn't know?"

Jace was dumbfounded as he stared at the food. "They...knew why she died?"

"Jace, you're family," Liana told him for the millionth time, "She chose to help you. I know it hasn't been easy every time we talk about her...and how she overdid it."

"I...always felt so guilty," Jace slowly took a bite of food as he mulled his thoughts over, "I thought that if you knew it was me...that I was the reason she overdid it, I'd lose you both...the last thing I had."

"Nonsense," Liana told him, "You wouldn't lose us, I...we care about you. Mother made the choice. I admit, it's our fault for speaking the way we did about it, but we just didn't want to see you throw away the life she gave."

It made sense to Jace now. Why they were always so concerned. They knew about Nadine's sacrifice. It didn't make Jace feel any better, but it put things in perspective. They were seeing him overdo it and were seeing him throw away his life. The life Nadine saved.

"I...Don't know what to say," Jace mumbled, playing with his food, "I feel awful now..."

Exchanging a look between herself and Kiera, Liana reached over to his hand. Taking it in hers, she smiled sympathetically.

"What I'm saying, Jace," Liana told him, "Is that you are important to us. Just as your mother is important to you. It is...comforting knowing she's still around. Maybe one day I'll even be able to see her again."

"...Yeah, maybe," Jace held Liana's hand gently, "She said something similar, so maybe it might be possible..."

Liana squeezed his hand, smiling warmly before urging him to continue eating. She felt relief in her heart to know her mother was watching over Jace. She had a feeling that things would work out this way. It was good to have it all out in the open now. To clear the air.

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