Present Day

12:30 – Day 2

Nobody said a word. They were all just sitting there, taking everything in slowly. The more Jesse had told, the more everything had come flooding back to everybody, until every last gap of information was filled.

It was hard to tell who looked more devastated. Shocked. Horrified. Scared, even.

"What do we do now?" Olivia finally asked, after a long silence.

"We could pick up where we left off." Lukas said. "We may not have a map any more, but we know the general direction in which we need to head."

"It would definitely be smart if some of us could set out there and maybe send help back for the others." Petra added. "Like Jesse and... Axel, if he's still okay. Neither of them would be able to go there on foot."

"What about Radar?" Jesse's voice was a mere whisper. "Could he be out there?"

"Jesse... The fact that Axel and I made it through that accident, is a miracle." Olivia said softly. "Even Axel got really hurt, the only reason I didn't was because he shielded me and took the hits instead. Radar..." She gulped, trailing off.

Jesse gave a small nod, before slowly burying her face into her knees. Nobody said anything, knowing no words would really soothe Jesse's grief for her intern. Lukas put out a hand, gently rubbing Jesse's back.

"Okay, time to make a plan." Petra said through gritted teeth. "We're not going to sit around and loose any more lives here."

"For once, I can one hundred percent agree with you." Olivia said with a firm nod. It wasn't every day the organised engineer and reckless warrior saw eye to eye.

"If my sense of direction is working the way it should, we should head west from here." Petra said, gesturing with her hands as she spoke.

"What about Axel?" Olivia asked anxiously.

"As soon as the blizzard outside clears, we're setting out for him." Petra said firmly. "Olivia, you know the location, so you'll have to be there as a guide. I'll come with you, it'll definitely take the two of us to get Axel back here. Worst case scenario, I should also be able to track this place again, and I can somewhat wield the knife against a wolf." Petra pointed over at Lukas and Jesse. "Lukas, you'll be looking after Jesse while we're gone."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Jesse asked softly, lifting her head off her knees. She quickly reached up to wipe her eyes on her sleeve as she did.

"No, but we don't exactly have a long list of options." Petra replied matter of factly. "The only other route would to be leave Axel behind, which-"

"-we're not doing." Olivia finished firmly. The other three all nodded in agreement.

"When we're all together again, we'll decide who's most fit to head out and get help." Petra decided. "Jesse and Axel will one hundred percent be staying back here, with either Lukas or Olivia staying with them. Whoever decides they are up for one mega long walk, will accompany me."

"That's the best plan of action we have to far." Lukas said. "You and Olivia can set out for Axel the moment this blizzard calms down. Which should hopefully be soon, taking into account that it's quieting down already."

"I do not like the sound of any of this." Jesse whispered, her voice having dropped worryingly low.

"Me neither, but... We don't really have another choice." Olivia said, her voice fearfully wavering.

"Now, we just have to play the waiting game." Petra said with a sigh, sinking back down on the couch beside Jesse. Almost on instinct, she wrapped her one arm around Jesse in a reassuring matter.

"Right, well lets try and be smart about this." Lukas said, getting up from the couch. "The blizzard may be too much to travel in, but it's no longer life threatening. We can bring in some snow, melt and boil some water, so you and Olivia have something better than soda to keep you going on the road.

I also think I should walk back to the shed I spent the last night in, it's not far at all. It was stocked with spare firewood."

"That sounds great." Petra responded. "I'll get a start on-"

"No." Lukas cut her off. "If you're going to be going out with Olivia to get Axel, you're getting some rest back."

He turned to Olivia. "You should rest as well. Maybe start on bringing in some snow, while I run for the firewood, so there's somebody awake to just keep an eye on Jesse. But once I'm back, you should certainly recharge a bit as well."

"I mean, I'm not complaining, if you want to give me less work, so be it." Petra said, smirking slightly.

"Is there really nothing I can do to help?" Jesse asked softly.

"It'd be safer if you rest." Olivia pointed out. "It's clear that the effects from Stella's healing potion is long gone."

Jesse's shoulders sagged a little, but she nodded. Petra subtly tightened her grip around Jesse.

"I hate to say this." Jesse whispered as Olivia and Lukas disappeared off in the direction of the door. "But I'm really scared about all of this."

She looked up at Petra, tears glinting in her brown eyes. "What if the past repeats itself? We think we have a plan, but anything can throw that out the window in a split second, be it a falling tree or a deer darting across the road."

"I know." Petra replied with a soft sigh. "I wish I could say that everything will turn out fine, but you're right. Literally anything can happen."

She pulled Jesse slightly closer to her, the two of them locking each other in a tight embrace.

"Listen." Petra said after a few seconds, pulling away. She took Jesse by the shoulders, looking her in the eye. "No matter how bad things get, we're in this together, okay? All of us. Nothing but death will pull us apart."

Jesse gave a shaky nod, trying to put on a determined expression in agreement with Petra. But there were inevitable tears welling up in her eyes, a distinct tremble to her breath.

Petra pulled Jesse closer to her again, protectively holding her friend close. The warrior's blue eyes were fogged with her own fears and worries, something she always tried to hide.

But as Petra sat there in he abandoned cabin, clutching her ill friend tightly, not knowing whether they were going to make it, she knew there was no use hiding the fact that she was scared.

While everybody in that group shared an unshakable bond with each other, Jesse was the one Petra was most afraid for. Simply the thought of losing her oldest friend, the first person who had ever accepted her for who she was, was enough to summon fresh tears to Petra's eyes.

Hearing the door creak open, Olivia's footsteps becoming audible, Petra simply shut her eyes. Her strong instinct for hiding her emotions not easily leaving her.

Placing the pot of snow down in front of the fire place, Olivia's eyes drifted over to her two friends on the couch. Enveloped in a tight hug, both their eyes closed. Petra's breaths were restless and anxious, while the calm rhythm of Jesse's breathing indicated that she had drifted off to sleep.

Jesse and Petra were both incredibly strong people. Seeing them both so broken, so scared...

It really proved just how little hope their group still had left.

--------------------

Jesse wasn't sure for how long she slept after falling asleep with Petra. The redhead hadn't left her side, simply staying on the couch with Jesse until she eventually drifted off there as well.

Jesse was resting against Petra as she slept, the fingers on one of her hands still loosely intertwined with Petra's. She woke up as she felt her friend start to move.

Feeling her friend's warmth beneath her head suddenly replaced with the couch's cushion, Jesse's eyes were quick to force themselves open. She sleepily looked up, wanting to know what was happening around her. "Guys?"

"Sorry Jesse, we didn't mean to wake you." She heard Lukas say as she sat up properly, rubbing her eyes until her vision snapped into focus.

"The blizzard cleared outside." Petra explained as she unzipped the backpack. There was still a tired look in the warrior's eyes, no doubt she had been woken up for their journey to start.

"I wish we knew how late it was." Olivia said softly, fiddling with a string of her black hair. "What if the darkness catches up to us?"

"I can't say I have a clear view of the sun, so don't quote me on this -" Lukas said. "But it seems to be about noon. As long as something doesn't hold you up unnecessarily, you should make it back in time."

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Petra agreed as she tipped out the backpack's contents. "We'll have no weight slowing us down, besides, well, Axel."

Placing the empty backpack back down, Petra quickly placed the water bottles into it for her and Olivia, along with a few other items that might be needed.

Jesse's eyes moved over to the window, seeing the quiet, snow covered valley staring back at her. The sky was a gentle grey, no falling snowflakes.

"Well, I guess this is it then." Petra said softly, slipping the backpack onto her back. "Ready Olivia?"

"Ready as I'll ever be, I guess." Olivia responded softly.

As a last farewell before each other, the four friends fell into a tight group hug.

"We'll see you again in a few hours max." Petra said as they all pulled apart.

"Please be safe. Both of you." Jesse said softly.

"We will." Petra reassured her, before turning her gaze to Lukas. "You look after Jesse, okay?"

"Of course." Lukas responded with a nod, instinctively placing an arm around Jesse's shoulders. "Good luck, you two."

Everybody looked at each other for a final moment, silently preparing themselves in case it was the last time they ever saw each other again.

And then they parted ways.

___

Back in the present time, and the plot is about to get rolling again!Now that the past have been filled in, the situation is considerable more... dark. 

The book is crawling towards the end, but we still have a good few chapters left to go, chapters I'm very excited for!

*cough* ya'll got tissues?

I don't have a ton else to say about this chapter, so let's keep this A/N short. After all, I have a feeling I'll have a lot to blab about in chapter 20's author's note-

If you have any theories about how this is all going to play out, I'd love to hear them!

Will Olivia and Petra be able to find Axel?
Will Axel be okay?
Will the two parts of the group get back together safely?

Questions for you to sit with for five days, until I see you all with Chapter 20!