Xander's POV:

I thanked the slave as I took the tray I had ordered from him.

I didn't know exactly what would help but figured she could tell me what she wanted to eat after we go and see Nico.

So for now the best I could come up with was tea.

Some sort of lemon, honey peppermint thing.

Both iced and hot.

I knew she preferred her drinks iced, but the warm one might be better if her throat hurt.

Turning on my heels, and with my hands full, I kicked the door shut behind me.

Only realizing my mistake a second too late, and foolishly trying to skid my foot back to try to catch it before it shut.

Although all I succeeded in doing was kicking it again, faster.

Making it slam shut even harder.

I winced at the loud sound, that regret only deepening once I heard Doe finally jolt awake with a gasp.

Her eyes wildly searched the room as she gained her bearings, her head finally whipping towards the door with unprepared panic.

Her breaths came heavily through her mouth, the blanket that was over her now being clutched tight to her chest.

Layla always slammed the door when she came in.

And it didn't take a genius to pick up on certain things that unnerved Doe.

As much as she tried to hide it, moments like this... moments when I accidentally catch her off guard told me enough.

Her shoulders dropped soon after she realized what had happened, and that it was just me in here.

And in a quick attempt to lighten the mood, I sent her an awkward apologetic smile.

Her forehead met with her hand as she leaned forward, a small groan rising from her throat.

I just barely noticed the one arm that was holding her up was trembling, matching the new tremor in her breath

They stayed about as heavy as they did when she was asleep maybe a bit more so now.

"Sorry," I amended, beginning my walk of shame over to her.

Her hand drew down her face, eyes peering in a slight glare through her hair at me as I approached.

She carefully shifted as I did, pushing herself up into more of a sitting position.

I set the tray on the coffee table in front of where she was before sitting myself on the other side of the couch.

The hardness of her gaze stayed on me, switching quickly towards the drinks I presented her, before opening her mouth to speak.

Though her voice came out as nothing but hoarse, strained air.

Almost immediately, her eyes squeezed shut in a wince as her hand reached up to her throat.

It matched almost perfectly with the hand mark staining her skin.

I felt my brows pinch together as her sudden action caused the blanket to fall from her shoulders.

Oh god.

Could she have bruised her vocal cord?

I guess given the location... it was entirely possible.

Her eyes opened, a tinge of worry building on her face as she looked back at me.

She drew in an inhale for a second attempt at speaking.

"Don't." I stopped her before she could try, "Not yet, at least drink this first."

Thankfully she listened, her mouth closing with a disgruntled furrowing of her brows along with it.

"They're both the same, just different temperatures," I explained as she looked between the two of them, "I wasn't sure which you'd prefer with your fever and all..."

She began to maneuver herself again before reaching out towards them.

Debating for a moment, her hand settled on the condensation covered glass.

The ice clinked repeatedly against the glass in her trembling hands as she brought it closer to her, eventually nursing it by her chest before taking a small sip.

Her knees bent closer to her chest while her back rested against the armrest, her body now facing me.

Through her movements, I realized the tremor in her body wasn't just a tremor, but she was shivering.

And If I didn't know any better, I think she was trying to hide it.

Shivering while her body was so unnaturally warm...

And I'm no expert in humans but I'm pretty sure that's not a good sign.

"I'm gonna take you to Nico's here in about an hour to look you over."

Her eyes rose to me, a single brow rising.

Clearing her throat, she managed to speak in a gravely whisper.

"I thought he was done with that."

"I thought so too, but since what you're going through right now isn't related to blood loss, I somehow got him to agree."

She just blinked at me for a few seconds.

"It's just a fever, you didn't have to bug your brother about it. I'll be fine."

I think she too knew how much I didn't like asking him for things.

"Doe you're practically burning and you can hardly move, I don't think you're fine," I stated.

Her eyes turned to the side, raising her cup so it was nearly covering her face.

"That and your throat...," my voice trailed, eyes planting on the mark on her neck yet again.

A harsh, discouraging sigh left my mouth, "God, why did you do that last night?" I asked quietly, partially just asking myself.

Doe let out a single, raspy laugh.

"Right," She began with scorning contempt, "I forgot I was the psychopath in last night's situation,"

"You know that's not what I meant," was my routed reply.

I gave myself a second to calm my voice down, "the way you challenged her with your stance and that smirk."

I knew how Doe thought about these things, how she didn't want to be the type to cower away, but that...

That could have been so much worse.

"Did I really? She asked with another slight laugh and an almost prideful grin.

Which caused me to just gawk for a moment.

She can't be serious.

"Doe-"

"Oh come on Xander, you know that I won't go down without a fight," She took another sip before continuing," And if she took such offense from one single look from one measly human, that's kind of embarrassing on her part."

"She could have killed you!" I exclaimed.

How was she not worried about this?

About the status of her own safety.

She knows this. She knows how Layla thinks when it comes to certain things and what ticks her off enough to make her want to kill.

There was a point last night where I was sure that was her intention.

Layla doesn't take disrespect easily, especially from humans.

Which is why her's never last long.

One slip up is all they have.

One mistake before it becomes their last.

Doe swirled the glass in her hand, causing the remaining liquid inside to swirl with it.

She stared at it with an almost distant look in her eyes.

"With the way things are going now, I'm sure she's going to succeed with it soon," She paused for a moment, both her words and her movements, "Maybe that's why I did what I did."

My eyes widened as I realized what she was referring to.

She thinks that with the last of Nico's aid, her demise is bound to happen soon.

And if she's so adamant about not going down without a fight, then predicaments like last night occur.

"You're not dying anytime soon, Doe," I assured her, watching her chug the rest of her tea.

"Oh yeah?," She didn't believe me, "What control over that are you willing to have?"

The venom those words carried made me rethink my answer.

The spite. The anger she's held towards me.

And the way she worded it.

'willing'.

I tried swallowing the tightness in my chest.

"I told you I'm trying to figure that out," I began, keeping my voice soft, "I think I'm close to getting what I want from her, so please just trust me until then."

The look in her eyes told me she had a response to that, a look I only knew because it had happened too many times like this.

Something along the lines of how what I was aiming for was hopeless.

But this time she held her tongue, and I mentally thanked her for it.

My hope that things would go my way was slowly diminishing by the second, and for how long I've been keeping this up, I didn't allow myself to dwell on that matter.

That and I didn't think her body could handle her anger.

As much as she tried to hide it, I could see how weak she was in this state.

She didn't have the energy to carry out this conversation the way that I could only assume she wanted to.

"Anyway," I stood, taking a step towards her and extending my hand," You should rest until we have to leave. Do you want me to get you more tea?"

She didn't meet my eye, instead kept her gaze lowered.

Still, her empty glass found my hand.

"Please."