“Do you want to shower first?” He asked as she shook her head but then she began to notice she was not in any usual place.

When she saw the sliding door behind her with the projector only then she realised she was at Jason’s home. Her gaze met with Jeremy’s as he smiled.

“I secretly refurbished the house so that Mum and you could daringly come back here to visit. I have switched his room into a guest room and your room remains yours. I’m sorry I didn’t discuss with you…” Ivy stopped him from explaining as she hugged him and sobbed.

“Thank you… For doing what I didn’t have the courage to…” She said before he smiled and excitedly tried to reach out for the remote on the table in front of them.

“Come, sit and watch this…” He urged as he switched on the projector and showed her his digital art overseeing a plains of iris. She recognised the hut from afar and the soft occasional chirps of birds followed by gushes of gentle breeze blew by captivated Ivy for a moment. It felt as though she was transported back into her paracosm.

“It’s pretty…” She chuckled in happiness as Jeremy hugged her.

“Alright then, now that you’re slightly happy and do not want to shower, we shall use a wet towel to clean up first, or else you will catch a cold.” She sneezed and sniffed when he said that. He stood to grab a blanket and wrapped her with it.

“You have to shower. You’re catching a cold. Listen, quickly shower and I will wait for you outside alright? Don’t think so much.” He said as Ivy tried bargaining with her pouts but he did not let her as he carried her into the washroom nearby. He turned on the hot shower leaving her all wet and squealing in annoyance before rushing out and closing the door in laughter.

He then went to take a really quick shower in her room upstairs to freshen up and rushed back down to find her drying her hair in the washroom. He quickly went to make a cup of instant chocolate drink before sitting on the sofa bed to check updates from Real or Chiang only to figure Charles still had not made a move but there was news on the funeral held in two days. Everyone was asked to attend as he sighed.

Ivy opened the washroom door to find him looking frustrated as she walked over and clung to him as though he was the only comfort she could get.

“Didn’t know you were this clingy though I had been warned. Here we need you to take some cold tablets first.” He said as he walked towards the first aid box.

“Cause you stole my brother away. And force me to shower.” She said in a sulking tone before continuing to hug him and enjoying the view on the projector.

“Ivy, have some warm stuff first…” He coaxed as she tried to sip the chocolate drink but her mind kept flashing bits of the scenes earlier which made her feel sick. She quickly ran to the washroom and vomited. Jeremy was extremely worried as he knew it was the aftereffects of her trauma as he monitored her.

“Vivi…” He gently rubbed her back and helped her wash up before she clung onto him again with several incoming refluxes.

He carried her back to the sofa bed and let her try another sip of the chocolate drink but she could not drink it. “I can’t…” She succumbed to her emotional rollercoaster as she covered her eyes with her left palm as though forcing herself to not break down again.

He gave up trying to feed her anything but instead had her take her medicine first with warm water. As a reward, he finally cuddled with her.

“You know you’re heavy?” He teased as she smacked him while he wiped her face dry.

“You did a good job last night. He still hasn’t made a move but soon… Seeing you’re sick, you will stay in bed.” He tried to keep her resting but she shook her head in protest.

“No, I will be fine in a few hours. I need to keep up the act. I know what you meant.” She said as she eased into his arms before coughing.

“Don’t push yourself…” He whispered. “I won’t.” She mumbled as she drowsily fell back to sleep without any dreams while he left the projector illuminating the room as a mini night light.

The next morning, Jeremy woke to a very hot heat by his side. Ivy was brewing with high fever as he quickly went to make some sweet porridge out of his own preference and woke her to have some so that she could take her medicine. However, he did not expect her to throw up once again.

“I can’t… I can’t take in anything…” She cried shakily in his arms. “Slowly…” He coaxed.

“Each time I try, I’m reminded of the bloody scene…” Jeremy’s eyes grew dark at her claims.

“I'm sorry.” He said when their gaze met as she weakly put on a smile while he carried her back to the sofa bed and she inhaled sharply seeing the view of the iris plains.

“Don't go. Stay.” She pleaded. “Is it the dream again?” He asked while sitting by her side as she shook her head.

“Whatever you are doing, just promise me not to do something stupid and be very careful. I want to keep this with me for a long long time.” She gently placed her hand on his heart.

He smiled and nodded feeling touched as he caught her lips for a lingering kiss.

“I don't deserve you.” He whispered.

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“Prove yourself worthy…” She mumbled as he smiled and held her close.

He let her rest the entire day knowing it was the best for her to recover while he accompanied her and worked on some new digital art for her since the activities in the warehouse had slowed down to make way to Xylo’s wake.

Maybe cause Ivy had been looking at the plains of iris art on the projector occasionally when she woke, it was comforting for her to dream of being back in it.

Standing here was good enough… She thought to herself.

“Really? Is it good enough? Do you know why you’re the princess of the seven swords?” A familiar voice was heard as she turned around to find Avinha standing behind her.

“I thought you were in the tower… No… You have forgotten…” Ivy blinked in confusion as a part of her wanted to back away but a part of her wanted to reach out to touch his face which was illuminated by his sad lonely smile. That was when she recalled Avinha had lost most of his memories.

“My dear, the seven swords were created to avenge your death which was in vain while trying to save me. It was too brutal of those nymphs to just let you die that way.” Avinha took a step forward closer to her as she let her tears flow freely.

“I patiently waited for your rebirth only to have your destiny changed and intertwined with the inklong tribe. I was proud of you for saving the calamity with my brother but again I wasn’t satisfied that you had to be the sacrifice.” He took another step closer to her to reach out to her hand.

“You know this time round I really wanted us to be together. I fought my way through and made it this far. I was glad you’re a twin of Phoenix in this rebirth…” Avinha pulled Ivy in for a hug.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Why did you have to succumb to evil just to be here… No, you’re not here, aren’t you? You’re still in the tower…” Ivy questioned amid her tears. “I hate that tower of reflection…” She concluded.

“My dear, I will always be here…” He gently touched her heart as they let go before he gradually disappeared into thin air leaving her wailing in the middle of the iris plains.

That night, Jeremy accidentally dosed off till night and the house was dark as the projector was turned off on timer. Ivy’s sobs startled Jeremy awake as his heart ached watching her tearing in her sleep.

What surprised him was she woke with a paralysis. She struggled to move her muscles as Jeremy panicked.

“Vivi, breath…” He switched on the night light before hugging her and gently rubbed her back but he could sense she was trying hard to move her muscles so he had to pinch her cheeks at the end. When she finally felt her senses, she rushed to the sliding door for more lights and forced herself to not cry.

He held her as he made her sip some warm water to calm down.

“I'm sorry. You should sleep.” She said when she met with his worried gaze as she gently fiddled with his fingers.

“And you?” He asked while gently combing her hair.

“I can't sleep after something like that.” She said while swallowing a lump in her throat. He sat with her on the sofa bed to coax her.

“Just close your eyes. I will be here.” He coaxed as she gently blinked studying every feature of his face.

If you’re really Avinha from my paracosm, then aren’t you getting your wish granted? She questioned as a smile appeared on her face.

“You really can’t sleep?” He asked as she nodded shyly.

He decided to take her on a drive to his favorite late-night hideout; a cross street with lots of street lamps, and sat with her in the car. It was pouring outside and he ensured she was well wrapped in his coat as he increased the temperature of the airconditioner.

“What are we doing here?” She asked, watching the rain which was calming.

“A surprise after the rain…” He smiled, finally hearing her voice as he climbed behind while helping her to climb over as well.

As she snuggled with him, he gently patted her shoulder. “Things will get better Ivy. You need to constantly do what you do and trust in yourself.” She searched for his gaze and took a very deep breath before nodding.

“This reminds me of many nights I sat with Jason after his emcee job and there was once with Nick too,” Ivy said randomly.

“Tell me about the days before you met my brother… How was it?” Jeremy tried to get her satisfied with his curiosity.

“It was just me thinking I would be alone when grandma left… I had Andrew and Sandra. Yes, Auntie Soh too. They were all like family but it felt different. It felt borrowed. I guess that’s also the reason my sleep paralysis began to run wild.” Ivy explained sadly.

“Vivi, sometimes survival of the toughest requires oneself to endure the harshest turbulence of time. And you did it triumphantly.” He comforted as Ivy smiled.

“I guess I did. Thanks to your brother for slowly pulling me back too. And finding me my family. But…” Ivy sighed at the chaos it led to.

“Everyone walks in and out of another person’s life for a reason… He lived a really good life and it would make him proud to see how far you have come.” Jeremy said as Ivy hugged him tighter.

“Then I wouldn’t be able to meet you without him… I would never know that in this world, anyone can hurt anyone for the sake of money and power even family members. I would never know that my actions could lead to so many consequences for others. I always thought I had put the company in a better place and the decision may seem to not be in line but in actual fact, there are backup plans so it would be fine. But I would never have thought I would cause you and Ray trouble. What’s worse, I might lose all of you like I am going to with my mother. I cannot imagine putting myself back to the past… Alone, wondering if something were to happen to me who would care…” Ivy explained while hugging him tightly. She did not want to let go after the dream for fear that she would lose him.

“I will always be around. I promise. You won’t be alone even if I can’t be close. I promise too.” He comforted her as she began to rest her head on his chest while clinging to him thinking he meant he would always be by his side but Jeremy had already thought of letting her with the help of Ray to look after his children when everything is over and he had to service jail time. That way it would distract her from focusing too much on himself.

The rain began to subside a little and the bright lights on the window shield caught her attention. It was rays of rainbows forming under the street lights due to the reflection which mesmerised her. She instantly got excited as she opened the passenger door and ran out to record it under the drizzles. Jeremy was smitten as she squealed in joy. He brought an umbrella to shield her.

At that moment when Ivy saw his cool, relaxed, and gentle look by his side, she could not help but keep grinning at the scenery she had in front of her coupled with the rainbows. She found herself slowly falling for him even more.

“You know your stares could bore a hole in me soon.” He said without looking at her. She quickly looked away, pretending to check the pictures and videos she had just taken while grinning from ear to ear.

“There’s another place where I would like to take you to watch the same sight but it’s not the season yet till next month.” He said while they finally met each other’s gaze.

She held his waist under the umbrella. “Promise you will take me there?” She asked excitedly as he beamed and was reminded she was only a teenager after all who finally got the chance to act like one.

“Certainly…” He stole a kiss but she deepened it.

I wish I could fulfill this promise before I succumbed to my fate in jail, Vivi. He said in his mind while holding her in his arms gratefully.