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T h e H o l l o w s I n 
O U R F R E E D O M
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The credits were rolling when Jace began to wake up. I glanced over at him, before sitting up. He grunted, slowly opening his eyes. I watched him with a small smile forming on my face.

But when he started to sit up, I had to pretend like I wasn't smiling. Like I wasn't in love with him.

"What happened?" He asked, confused, taking in his surroundings and peering at the rolling credits.

"You fell asleep." I told him, watching him come to terms with that. I smiled, not being able to stop myself. "And you think you could've had a room to yourself?" I retorted. I tried to speak softly—sometimes I have a harsh voice. Like rude, or just loud. At times, I wish I had Sky's voice—it's  so soft and delicate; it could calm a murderer if she tried.

He stifled a laugh, swallowing as he sat up. "Maybe not." He admitted, smiling at me. He looked hot when he was disheveled.

"Do we have any water?" He asked. I snapped out of my head and hummed in question. "Water. To drink." He elaborated. I frowned, but then finally got myself together.

"Um," I said, jumping off my bed. "Let me see." I checked the hampers first, finding small 250ml bottles of water in each. I threw one to him, before realising what I had done. I froze as I watched him catch it.

He quickly snapped open the lid, before frowning over at me. "What?" He asked, hesitating.

"I just–I thought you wouldn't catch it." I told him honestly, scratching my left arm.

He scrunched up his face. "How could you doubt me that much?" He asked, taking a swig of his drink. I didn't respond, but I did smile to myself.

I found a small fridge on his side of the bed and kneeled beside it. I pulled the fridge open and was welcomed by six bottles of water, along with other refreshments.

"We have much more than water in here." I observed, pulling two one litre bottles out of the fridge. I felt Jace slip off the bed and join me at looking into the fridge.

"Alcohol," he acknowledged. I nodded. "I don't think you're of the legal age to drink." He said. My mouth fell open as I turned to shoot daggers at him, it was then that I realised that he was joking.

"That was mean." I said, shoving his shoulder. I watched him grin, showing that he had an expression that wasn't his therapist face, nor his Sky loving face. Just him.

I watched him open the litre bottle of water and take a sip. "Did you want to open the alcohol?" He asked, gesturing to the fridge once more. I stared at him. I think he was being serious. He wasn't trying to mock me, he just wanted to know. Like he does in his therapy sessions.

I shook my head. "I have to stay mentally present in this line of work." I told him, picking up my water and strolling around to my side of the bed. Mentally present my arse; nothing that difficult is possible with Jace around.

He didn't respond for a while, and instead closed the fridge door and joined me on the bed. "So your job has its negatives?" He asked.

I smiled. "Does yours?" I responded. He frowned.

"I guess." He told me. I smiled, picking up the television remote.

"I've never really had anyone respond to my questions with questions." He said.

I shook my head, smiling. "It's probably because you're scary." I joked, seeing him gape in the corner of my eye.

"I'm not scary, am I?" He asked. I turned to look at him. Oh, no, you're gorgeous.

I cleared my throat. "That's subjective." I responded. I was glad I could keep my cool somewhat physically if I couldn't mentally.

He ran his hand through his hair whilst he watched whatever was playing on the television. Then he turned to look at me once more, those magnificent eyes staring into my less than adequate eyes.

"Do you think I'm scary?" He asked me. I swear to God, he is trying to provoke something in me.

I gazed at him for a while. "No," I said, "I think you're..." What? What do you think, Lexi? Shit.

"What on earth are we watching?" I broke out of the trance to ask, casually bolting uptight to look at the tv screen. I switched between the channels nervously, feeling him staring at me. My heart sped up as he leaned forward. He placed his hand over mine and withdrew the tv remote.

I swear I went into cardiac arrest.

He brought up the menu, saying, "it's easier this way." I hummed in agreement, even though I wasn't quite processing what he was saying.

"I'm going to go get ready for bed." I said, suddenly jumping off the bed. "Sky gave us hampers with some stuff in, so..." Okay, cool, Lexi, you look like a twat.

After staring at his confused face for a moment longer, I picked up my hamper and shut myself in the bathroom. I found the mirror and instantly gave myself a mental lecture.

After I was done learning my lesson, I went to the toilet before picking up some makeup wipes from the hamper. I started to wash off my makeup. Then I halted. My makeup.

I exhaled; I had never been nervous about showing a bare face to people before. As a Guardian, makeup just wasn't an option, so I spent most of my time without makeup. This shouldn't be any difference. Except, I was pretty sure that Jace hadn't seen me without makeup yet.

I hope he wouldn't be horrified. It was a weird thought, since I knew that I didn't look as bad as I was anticipating. I am, after all, very confident with my appearance. It's healthy to be, right?

Once makeup free, I decided that I wanted a shower. I found the toiletries and a towel before carefully peeling my not so appealing dress off my body. I folded it and left it on the side, before getting into the shower.

I felt my muscles relax as the warm water hit my bare skin. Finally, some relaxation. I lathered the shampoo into my hair, feeling it rejoice at the idea of being clean. Or maybe that was just me.

Once done, I began rifling through the hamper for some night clothes, clad in only my towel. I found a nightgown and a long top and shorts. I mean, do I really seem like a nightgown girl to you?

I discarded my underwear, finding some clean ones to put on. Once dressed fully, I threw my hair up into a towel, before looking into the mirror. It was kind of fogged up, but I could make myself out.

I blew out a breath, before taking my hamper and my discarded ball gown and exiting the bathroom.

"This cooking show is pretty good." Jace commented as I entered the room, outstretching his arm to gesture to the tv screen.

I peered at the screen. "You're watching a cooking show?" I asked him with surprise, setting my hamper down.

He laughed to himself, shrugging, "I don't know," he said, turning to look at me, "sometimes I–" he faltered when he saw me, almost doing a double-take between me and the screen. I mean, my hair was up in a towel, I was dressed in a long top—which covered my shorts—and my face was makeup free. I didn't think I looked too glamorous. Maybe he was just surprised at how fresh and clean I looked. Well, it had been some time since I had last washed.

He cleared his throat, "sometimes I put them on." He finally finished, turning away to look at the screen once more.

As I went to join him on the bed once more, he rose, "I'm going to shower too." He told me.

"Okay." I responded, smiling to myself as he closed the door.

I didn't change the channel, even though I found cooking shows boring. Instead, I listened to the sound of the water running and continuously played the moment where he had faltered in my mind, over and over again—until he came back into the room.

He wore a navy t-shirt and black joggers. Although I liked his usual formal wear, he looked damn hot in his, more laid back, nightwear.

As I had done, he placed his hamper down, before checking out the curtains—even though I had closed them earlier.

"I don't like there to be any interferences when I sleep—including light." He explained, as he huffed, realising there was no way to block out the light that would burst through at sunrise.

He glanced between me and the tv before turning it off by the box. When he saw that I was still watching him, he smiled at me. My heart jumped.

"Are you ready for bed?" He asked, pulling me out of my trance.

I hummed in question, before being able to form words. "Oh yeah, yeah I am." I told him. He smiled, though frowned at me.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"You need to get off the bed so I can pull back the duvet." He told me. Oh. Oh.

I slipped off the bed, my face probably flushing with embarrassment. Jace stifled a laugh, but wasn't rude about it. He threw the covers back and switched off the main light.

And we were thrown into darkness.

I suddenly became hot and flustered, my heart beating wildly in my chest. My breathing became laboured as I fumbled around me, reaching out and trying to find my lamp switch.

Something creaked behind me, and then someone clutched my arm, the same time a light switched on.

I yelped, jumping around, ready to fight.

But it was Jace.

Still panicking, I backed away.
Shit.

Why did I have to do this?

He frowned at me. "Lex?" He asked, a bout of concern flooding his eyes for a moment. "Are you okay?" He asked hesitantly. I reached up to switch the main lights back on, even though the lamp on my side was on.

I nodded frantically, trying to slow my breathing.

"Lexi," Jace paused. I couldn't bear to face him, not after the disaster that had just ensued. "Are you afraid of the dark?"

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I legit forgot to post yesterday lmao and I'm really trying to post more 😭👍🏼

I mean I said it wouldn't be guaranteed, but at least I'm posting today!!

So either way it's three times a week 👍🏼

Anywho

Not a lot happened in this chapter butttt

Thoughts on Alexi's confidence?
Thoughts on Alexi (w/ suspicion of being scared of the dark)?
Thoughts on Jace?
Thoughts on Lexi and Jace?

The end

FABULOUS SONGS

Songs that played when I was writing this chapter (in order):
Way Down We Go - Kaleo
Tilikum - Benjamin Francis Leftwich
Oh My My - Ruelle
Insomniac - Amber Run
One Last Time - Ariana Grande
Airplanes - B.o.B
Praying - Kesha
In Safe Hands - Badly Drawn Boy
Notice Me - Alli Simpson
Walls - Elle Watson
Game Of Survival - Ruelle
Thinking Bout You - Ariana Grande
Motel - Meg Myers
Fools - Lauren Aquilina
Red - Taylor Swift
Viva La Vida - Coldplay
Broken Strings - James Morrison

END OF FABULOUS SONGS

(btw are y'all digging fabulous songs?? I guess it could be helpful for readers, motivation for writers and just like you could steal the songs too, bc they're obviously good songs 👑)

If you make it to this point in each chapter, you are a dedicated cheese sandwich and deserve the entire book right this minute

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Next update: Friday
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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN SPOILER:

Our fears lie in the shadows of our past.