|7|

“Jessica! Jessica!”

“Jung! Stay awake, Jung!”

“Cover us! Don’t delay! We have to get Jung to safety!”

Bullets whizzing past, the sound of guns barking a series of shots, grenades exploding, the shouts of her comrades – it was all that her muffled hearing could register. Her eyes were blurry. She could only see the looming darkness as everything faded into oblivion.

And then, the ominous silence. She tried scrambling for help, her hands reaching out as she screamed for assistance. She felt like falling, falling in a dark vortex that seemed endless.

“Help! Help me!”

+++

“Sica!”

“Sooyeon-ah!”

“Wake up, Sooyeon.”

Voices. Familiar voices. She opened her eyes to reality. It was dark, but she could make out the silhouettes of familiar faces looming over her sweat-laden form.

Thank God for Taeyeon and Sunny.

She got up, eyes teary. Taeyeon’s and Sunny’s worried eyes bore into her blurring ones. Then, she heard herself sob.

“Shh, it’s all right now. It’s just a nightmare, Sica.” Taeyeon cooed, summoning Jessica’s all-too famous moniker.

Jessica felt hands rubbing circles on her back while another supported her around the waist. She was scared. Her body was trembling from the fear brought about by her nightmare, a dream that had been real. She had just relived her ordeal back then through her dream.

“Want me to get you some water, Sooyeon?” Sunny asked.

“Please, don’t leave me,” was her reply, “I’m scared.”

“I’ll be here,” Taeyeon responded, “Soonkyu won’t take long.”

And with that, Jessica leaned into Taeyeon’s embrace as Sunny got up and scurried to the kitchen to grab a glass of water for the distraught young woman.

“Don’t cry now, okay?” Taeyeon cooed.

Jessica burrowed herself deeper into Taeyeon’s embrace.

“Sooyeon-ah, here’s your water. Drink some.” Sunny said, once she was back in the room with a glass of water in hand.

Jessica thankfully took the glass from the CEO and slowly sipped on the cool liquid. It felt refreshing to and Jessica was soon ready to go back to sleep. She felt Sunny climb into bed and make herself comfortable beside her, carefully draping an arm over her. Jessica felt another arm snake over her waist once more. Surely, it was the person who watched over her for days when she was unconscious.

+++

"Jessi."

A whisper of her name.

She wondered. Was she dreaming, or was the whisper real?

"Jessica."

Guess it is real.

Jessica opened her eyes. A face began to take form as she blinked the sleep off.

"Jessi," an all-too familiar monicker. Very endearing. The voice calling her name was very much unique in tone.

Very… Tiffany.

Jessica smiled.

A beautiful face with an all too lovely smile graced her sight.

Tiffany's come home.

"Good morning, Jessi." Tiffany said, her pearly whites still being flaunted.

"Hmm."

Jessica replied in a muffled tone. Her face half buried in