“Gracie! Where are you!?” James waited a moment but heard nothing. His heart started pounding quicker. Did something take her and he didn’t notice? He started running around the area, looking for any signs of her. He saw nothing.

“Gracie!” He repeated. His brows furrowed, something or somebody must’ve found her and taken her without him noticing. Anger poured through him. His reservoir was threatening to burst, his crimson specks reacting to his emotions. The fire within him wanted something to burn. His entire being was worried for her, propelling his actions into desperation, scanning his surroundings for tracks. When I find them their deaths will be slow and miserable.

Spotting tracks a short distance from the bear, he took off running. Allowing a little bit of energy into his channels in case he needed to react. His adrenaline was pouring into his veins, priming his trained muscles for combat. He would obliterate whoever took her.

His channels were filled with energy. The particles were moving erratically, causing him to heat up and steam to form, rising off of him. The prints turned around a tree and he rushed to turn it, bolting into a full sprint. He heard Gracie’s whimpers and was ready to punish the culprit, a high-intensity torch appeared between the gap of James’ clenched fist, the roar of the torch screaming his kill intent deep into the woods.

Gracie sat pressed up against a tree sobbing. She hated herself for being so useless. She wasn’t as smart as James or as powerful, all she’d done was heal him. That felt so minor to her, it was a basic duty to help those you could help, she’s contributed nothing outside of that. She knew James appreciated it, but she needed to do more.

She hated herself for how she was acting right now, she was being so childish.

“You think just because you got into college I’ll be proud of you? You’re becoming a veterinarian, Gracie. You’ll barely earn anything.” Her memories drifted to what her mom told her after she got into college. She sunk down more on the tree, cradling her head in her arms. Losing her mom was the hardest part of all of this, she wished she at least had her respect before she lost her. She cried even harder into her arms, trying her best to stop but she couldn’t.

She wanted nothing more to be useful to James and she was being even more of a burden, but he couldn’t let him see her like this. Her wails were her entire world, nothing else was processed. She couldn’t pull herself together. She was hyperventilating, falling into a full-blown panic attack.

James stared wide-eyed at Gracie, crying on the ground. Looking around he saw nobody. “What happened to you!?” He yelled, his breaths still deep and uneven, shaking from too much unused energy in his muscles fueled by adrenaline.

Gracie looked up at him, her breathing still rapid and her mind unable to focus. What met her was James shrouded in steam, with eyes full of primal anger. She had never seen so much rage in her life. A crimson torch extended from his enclosed fist as if it was a dagger held in reverse, ready to slash whoever had hurt her. She couldn’t get her mouth to move to respond.

His rage-filled eyes scanned her, a moment of disbelief vanishing as his eyes shifted to relief, breathing a huge breath to banish his nerves. She must be upset about something she remembered, he thought.

He couldn’t help but feel aggravated with her lack of communication. More than that, he was perplexed by his own reaction. Why he suddenly reacted like that was a mystery to him. He knew he just couldn’t lose her.

He remembered when he was alone how he used his training to distract himself, but there were moments it broke through the cracks, and the weight of his solitude crashed down on him. She was the only thing bringing him peace, his only sense of connection to humanity in this changed world. She was the exit to his lonely existence. He couldn’t go back there again.

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The fire dagger in his hand dissipated as wisps into the wind preventing a full-blown panic she felt welling up inside her. She felt even more foolish, this entire situation was her fault. She had to explain herself.

“I’m sorry.” Was the only utterance was able to get out while she calmed herself down, James only looked at her with narrowed eyes.

“I felt so useless. I just needed somewhere to go to get away. I didn’t want you to see me like this.” Tears kept falling down her face. James felt the anger boil up again, falling off the tightrope of control he was treading.

“Are you kidding me!? I was worried sick about you! I thought something happened! You felt useless!? I already told you, you saved my life! What more could you have possibly done than that? I’ve been happier with you than I’ve been in years since my father died even despite what’s going on! If you walk off you tell me!” James was screaming at her, his anger transferred to her unwittingly.

Gracie began to cry harder, terrified by James’ shifting emotions. He wasn’t being the calm collected James she had gotten used to. She knew what he was saying was true, but his display was terrifying. The steam coming off of him got thicker, she couldn’t formulate a response. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but the entire situation was too much. From dealing with her feelings of uselessness to now James' outburst, she just wanted to escape more than before. She was so sick of the emotions she felt.

James’ face softened as he saw her face away from him and burst into another, harder wave of tears. He lost control of his emotions once again, disappointment in himself hit him like a rock. He looked back down at the tracks and saw there was only one set of footprints. With a sigh, he realized if he had calmed himself and bothered to analyze the situation before, he would’ve noticed there was no attacker, avoiding all of this.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled.” He crouched down on her level so he wasn’t towering over her and scaring her more. He understood what she’d been through had deeply affected her, but she needed to get past this. They were in a dangerous world now.

“You’re basically better than a doctor Grace, do you realize how highly Doctors are valued in survival situations? Besides that, whether you’re useful or not doesn’t matter to me. I care about you and I want you around. You saved my life, don’t you get that? I would’ve died of infection out there. You saw how badly I was wounded. I have a lot of appreciation for you even if there’s nothing you could do for me ever again. My father taught me a lot of what I know, I didn’t pick up everything myself. Just focus on doing better and be kind to yourself, would you treat someone else in your situation like you treat yourself?” James’ rant was spoken firmly and tenderly, a habit he picked up from his father.

Warmth spread through her as James spoke, his words cutting through the fog of her self-doubt. He had a point, she wouldn’t treat someone else like she treats herself. Her parents constantly moving expectations and standards for her made her lose all her confidence in herself, and the burden weighed heavier on her sense she lost them both so suddenly and horrifically. Her face tightened resisting tears, I won’t cry, I won’t cry, she repeated to herself in determination.

She felt acceptance wash through her. She wasn’t over it, far from it. But she wouldn’t let her parent's words or loss hold her back anymore. She wouldn’t do this to him again. She needed to move forward, both in her outlook and with her getting in the way of skinning the bear. She did become a burden, and it was because of being overwhelmed by feeling like one. Ironic, the thought brought a sadistic smile to her lips.

His reaction to her disappearing showed how important she was to him, he couldn’t have been lying. She could tell by the rage in his eyes and the flame at his hand he was ready to kill somebody because he thought she was hurt. She blushed, why is he so endearing?! She shook her head to clear her thoughts, she couldn’t let herself be wrapped up in emotions. Everything was too raw for her. But she had no reason to doubt his words anymore.

Taking her mixed display of emotions as continued doubt in herself, he continued. “You’re a great healer, you can save many lives. Knowing my dumbass, you might just save me again.”

James smiled at her and offered a hand. Although he had no basis to go off, he saw no harm in saying she was a great healer. After all, she did save his life, and it was true she may have to do it again considering his goals when he got to the city.

She smiled back at James. She felt so much better, James had this genuine tenderness she never felt from anyone else, even her parents. She was truly protected by him, not that macho act guys do to try and impress girls. She was done wasting his time. Wiping her tears, hopefully, for the last time, she took his hand and used it to balance herself as she stood up. Whether or not James wanted it, she would be useful to him. She’d find a way.

She hugged him, trying to show her thanks. She relished the feeling of his warmth against her, contrasting with the icy, morning air. She savored any comfort she could find. Her comfort was interrupted though, catching a whiff of body odor, her nose wrinkled. The undertone of James’ natural musk of earthy woodland did little to improve it.

“You need to bathe,” Gracie said, dramatically holding her nose.

“You don’t smell like roses either, just I’m polite enough to not point it out.” James stuck his tongue out at her playfully.

Is she bipolar or something? He thought to himself, James knew her humor was a coping mechanism, but the sudden changes in her mood was just plain weird.