Fic: The Dreamkeeper (Part V)
Mar. 14th, 2015 04:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
boxxsaltzTitle: The Dreamkeeper
Author: Boxxsaltz
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Jessica Jung/TIffany Hwang
Summary: Before there was anything there was a dream
AN: Beta credit to Doucette/Douismain
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Author: Boxxsaltz
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Jessica Jung/TIffany Hwang
Summary: Before there was anything there was a dream
AN: Beta credit to Doucette/Douismain
Part V
The farmhouse was larger than Jessica expected. She walked along a winding gravel path up to the wrap around porch, eyes casting over to where a huge jug of sun tea sat catching the last evening sun rays.
Jessica lifted a fist to knock against the weathered, wooden door. She could vaguely make out the heavy pad of feet along creaking floorboards just on the other side. The door opened with a whine to a head of cropped brown hair and a pair of eyes that swept Jessica down quickly.
"You must be Jessica." Those sharp eyes peered back over her shoulder. "Did you come alone?"
"Yes."
"I’ll need your phone." Jessica cocked her eyebrow. "If you want this, you'll give it up. It'll only be a couple hours."
Slipping her phone from her pocket, Jessica handed it over. She watched as it was turned off and tucked into the woman's back pocket.
"Come inside. I'm Sunny, by the way." The door widened and Jessica stepped in. "Wipe your shoes on the mat, don't worry about taking them off."
Her eyes scanned the place as she knocked dirt off her soles. It was homey. The smell of dough and flour hung in the air with the warmth of a crackling fire.
"This way."
She followed Sunny from the entryway into a sitting room of mismatched couches and chairs each draped with its own hand knitted throw. Jessica noted a stand of trophies and ribbons off to the side just before she was taken into the dining area. At the table sat a woman, head bent over paperwork as her finger tapped in numbers on a counting machine and the other scribbled in notes with a dull pencil.
"Taeyeon."
Black hair whipped from her face as she looked up through her fringe. Jessica was nearly taken aback at how young she was. She couldn't have been much older than Jessica herself.
Taeyeon stared up at her, wrinkles forming in her brow the longer she gazed. "You look like her."
Jessica dropped her head, modestly.
"I'll finish this for you in the den." Sunny went over, taking up the paper work. Before she left, she kissed Taeyeon on the cheek. With it, Jessica saw Taeyeon's shoulders ease just a bit.
She cleared her throat. "We'll talk in the parlor."
Jessica nodded and waited for Taeyeon to lead the way.
They settled off into a room decorated in pictures, antiques and trinkets. Not a trace of what Taeyeon had once done lingered in this place.
"You said you were a Caretaker."
"Yes." Jessica sank down to sit on one of the wooden chairs at the gesture of Taeyeon's hand. "My patient is Tiffany-"
"-Hwang." Taeyeon sighed. She sat down with weight, eyes looking past Jessica. "That's why you called me."
"Her files are all a mess. There are holes."
Taeyeon nodded. "What exactly do you want to know?"
"Everything."
"Why?"
"Because I-" she stopped herself.
Taeyeon's eyes narrowed. "It's okay. All of us did."
With those words, Jessica remembered what Seunghyun had told her before he left.
"Don't let her get under your skin. I almost did."
"Did you two-"
"No." Taeyeon half smiled and Jessica blushed. "She's...one of a kind."
“What happened?”
Taeyeon let out a sigh. "I was an intern at the Dream Bank. I spent half my time there and the other half in school. I was fifteen when I met Tiffany."
She had been the Dream Bank's prized possession. Other than Jeongsuk, they hadn't met someone with that caliber of dreaming ability. But the doctors worked with Tiffany slowly. They had learned from Jeongsuk that they needed to be delicate. With Tiffany's younger age, it posed a bigger risk because she was still growing.
"When did Tiffany come to the Dream Bank?"
Taeyeon took a pause. Her voice grew serious. "What I'm about to tell you is classified information. When I left, they ordered me never to tell. I'm only trusting you because I believe you deserve the truth. You lost someone because of them."
And by the look in Taeyeon's eye, she had lost the dream of being what she had grown up always wanting to be.
"They pay my father too."
Taeyeon nodded. That was enough for her.
"When I was there, I learned Tiffany had been brought to them when she was ten."
The man claimed his daughter could dream like no one else. He used Tiffany's journal of drawings as proof, and from then, Tiffany was put into the hands of the Dreamologist.
"But it wasn't her dad,” Taeyeon said, disgusted. “It was a Scout. Someone who invests in finding Dreamers and illegally trades them in for money. They cheated him out of most of his share. They lied to him saying Tiffany wasn't as good as he said and they kept her."
Jessica’s brow furrowed. "She was kidnapped?"
"And hidden within the Dream Bank." Taeyeon looked down at her hands that nervously wrung her pale wrists. "At that age with her abilities, it's easy to make a child believe anything you tell them."
Reality from fantasy. Tiffany couldn't distinguish it anymore. And it was all because they forced her to switch the two as a child.
"They paired me with Tiffany because we were close in age and she was comfortable with me. I was working as an apprentice to another Caretaker, so I was made to learn everything she did. Tiffany would always ask so many questions." Taeyeon laughed to herself for a moment. She leaned back slightly in her chair, eyes far off. "During that time, they wouldn't let her outside so I showed her pictures or told her about going to school. I got in trouble and they removed me for a few weeks to undo the damage I had caused from filling up her mind with stories. When I came back, your mom was there."
Her daughters old enough, Jeongsuk made her return. She left Jessica to care for Krystal and everything went from there. At that age, Jessica wouldn’t have suspected a thing. But thinking back, replaying the hazy tapes of memory, she could see the whispers and secrets that had filled up her home for years.
"When Tiffany was younger,” Taeyeon continued, “they used to give her your mothers dreams to help with development. Tiffany was like a daughter to her. Her and another girl brought in occasionally by her mother."
"Sooyoung."
Taeyeon nodded. "When their Caretaker would go on break, I'd let them spend time together. At first the doctors didn't like it, but it was helping Tiffany and Sooyoung dream better...until Jeongsuk died."
When Jeongsuk died, everything in Tiffany seemed to die with her. Jeongsuk had mothered Tiffany in their days together. Aside from Taeyeon, and possibly the other Caretaker, Jessica's mother was the only other person she saw regularly, talked to regularly, had grown close to. But most importantly, she had seen the beautiful things inside of her head.
"Sooyoung's mother stopped bringing her too when she found out about Jeongsuk."
The Dream Bank faced huge issues in that time. Many had already begun to blame them for medical problems of their patients and a Dreamkeeper's death fueled the fire. Jessica wondered why Sooyoung came back. She wondered if it had to do with Tiffany or maybe even the money. Jessica realized she would never know. And like so many others, Sooyoung’s story would slip through the cracks with half truths tainting her life.
"They paid us to be silent." Just like her father. Just like Seunghyun must've been, check hidden in an envelope inconspicuously passed to his hand from Seohyun's.
“What happened then?”
"They fired your mother's Caretaker and brought me on bored.” Taeyeon shook her head. Frustration seeped into her face, wrinkling her brow. “I was too young then to understand, but as the years went on I started to see things. I knew too much. I knew the truth about Tiffany's past and others. The Senior Doctors started to get scared when authorities started to come around asking questions. Soon I was told to leave. Everything I worked for was lost in five years."
And she never looked back. However that was more due to the fact she was forced not to.
Jessica startled at the hand held out to her. She looked up at Taeyeon who now stood in front of her holding a tissue. She took it and dabbed at her eyes. She hadn't even realized she had begun to cry.
"Tiffany isn't just your patient, is she?"
Jessica shook her head, sniffling through her tears. The smile Taeyeon gave her was thick with apology.
There were more things to it than Tiffany being stuck in a place that ruined her. More than Tiffany being her patient. Tiffany had been broken. Tiffany’s years had been stolen from her and the burden of teaching her and showing her the world she had been closed to would fall onto Jessica.
"I know if it was Sunny in that room, I wouldn't be able to let her stay there knowing." Taeyeon looked her straight in the eye. Jessica could feel her pity through her stare. "Now you know the truth."
"I don't think she realizes what they've done."
"You're different than me." Taeyeon casted her gaze down into her lap. "I was too scared to do anything.”
“You were young.”
“So was she.”
Jessica wished she had the words to erase the guilt dripping from Taeyeon’s eyes. But she didn’t. The only way she could think to help ease some of it was to finally bring Tiffany out of that awful place.
“I’ll do everything I can.”
Taeyeon gave her a sad smile. “Thank you.”
-/-/-/-
Tiffany’s room was empty.
Jessica caught sight of Woobin making his way down the hall.
“Woobin,” she called.
He stopped.
“Have you seen Tiffany?”
He scratched the back of his head, eyes nervously zipping away from her then back. “She was moved to Sector Eight.”
“What? Why? What happened?” Jessica panicked.
Sector Eight was for patients in critical condition with a threat to themselves or others around them. There was round watch in Sector Eight. Round watch that should’ve included Jessica along with the other nurses. Even if she was off duty, she should’ve been notified immediately.
“Doctor Seo requested a rush Extraction after you left the other night.”
“She can’t do that,” Jessica gaped.
There were rules. There were reasons patients needed time off. There was a reason Tiffany had such a hard time bouncing back after being forcefully drained multiple times a day.
“You knew Tiffany wasn’t stable enough for another procedure. Why would she request that? Why would you let her?”
Woobin shrugged. Something about the way he acted told Jessica he hadn’t a choice. She bristled.
“Room S808.” He glanced over his shoulder. “I have to get back downstairs.”
He walked away.
Jessica rushed down the hall, bursting through the doors into the Sector Eight. The halls were dark, lit only by small beams of light coming from the ceiling. She counted the door numbers as she made her way through, slipping by nurses on watch.
808 came up on her and she swiped her badge to let herself into a room bathed in striking, blue light. It bounced off the white walls, turning everything royal and her skin an alien shade of indigo.
In the middle of the room, her eyes found a slab of a table. Splayed out along it was Tiffany, pasty skin almost glowing in the stark colors blaring down on her. Leather straps bound her wrists, arms, torso, legs, ankles down to the cold metal.
Needles protruded from her arms stringing different sorts of dripping IV’s into her veins that created riverlike patterns along her skin. A single machine blinked with her vitals.
Jessica stopped beside the bed, staring down in horror.
Tiffany’s face was blank, skin feathery delicate. Her thick, black lashes curled up long matching the charcoal color of her hair that framed her face in a disheveled mess. The only true color came out in the shade of her lips that looked fluorescent violet under the blue light.
Jessica touched her fingers to her cheek. She was freezing. Her hand fell away, knuckles whitening as she clenched her fist. “Tiffany…”
-/-/-/-
Pushing the door open, Jessica was met with two pairs of eyes. She hardly saw the second. Her only concern was Seohyun and what petty explanation she would have for Tiffany’s state.
“Doctor-”
“Nurse Jung. We were just talking about you.” Seohyun smiled up to her, hand gesturing to the unknown woman across the desk. Jessica finally looked to her. “This is Im Yoona, Dreamologist Specialist from the Center of Dreamology and Psychological studies.”
“Nice to meet you.” Yoona smiled. Jessica bowed to her stiffly. “So you’re the one responsible for Patient Hwang.”
“Tiffany,” Jessica responded, tightly. Seohyun’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, I am.”
“Can you give me a minute, Doctor Im? I need to have a quick word with Nurse Jung outside.”
Pushing up, Seohyun eased through the door in the hallway. Jessica followed her closely to the far end of the corridor.
“I know why you’re here.” Seohyun gave a heavy sigh as she turned to look down at Jessica. The look in her eye already said she wasn’t sorry. Jessica was simply wasting her time and breath but that didn’t stop her.
“This is the second time you’ve authorized a procedure without discussing it with me first, Doctor.
“Before Tiffany is your patient, she is my responsibility,” Seohyun responded, smartly. “I hold authority here, not you.”
“You could’ve put her into a coma,” Jessica pressed.
Seohyun gave her a dull look. “Dream Spikes are rare, I know you’re aware. I saw an opportunity and I took it.”
“Are you saying you risked Tiffany’s life over a couple irregular lines on a chart? She isn’t a machine, Doctor, she’s a human being, not some lab rat you can poke at and make do tricks for you.”
Seohyun’s eyebrows lifted warningly. “You’re out of line.”
“Am I?” Jessica cocked her head. “I’m not the one murdering my patients.”
“That’s enough,” Seohyun snapped, stepping forward.
Jessica glared as she was backed up against the wall. She watched as Seohyun took in a long breath, calming herself down before licking her lips. When she spoke, her voice was sickening enough to make Jessica want to vomit.
“You listen to me and you listen to me closely.” Seohyun took another step towards her, close enough for only Jessica to hear her hissing whispers. “Ms. Jung, you are nothing but a pawn in a larger game that you have yet to recognize. These people - these Dreamkeepers - if we don’t take action when opportunity arises, then we lose thousands - millions - of what we work so hard on investing in.”
Jessica titled her neck up enough to stare Seohyun in the eye. “You can’t keep doing this to her.”
“Tiffany isn’t yours, Jessica, and she isn't mine. She belongs to a system. We all do. Some are cut out for it and others aren’t.” Seohyun’s eyes looked her up and down. “I thought you were, but I guess I was mistaken.”
“What kind of person would think like that?”
“I’m a businesswoman, you know that.” Seohyun leaned in, breath burning against Jessica’s ear as she spoke harshly. “You’re disposable, too. Like Sooyoung, like Tiffany, like so many others you don’t even know the names of. If this ends badly, I won’t stand to protect you. So, please, don’t push me, Nurse Jung. Do you understand?”
Jessica tightened her jaw. “Yes.”
“I knew you would.” Seohyun leaned back, smiling sweetly. “Tiffany has been put into a drug induced sleep. She’ll come out of it in a couple of days. Take extra care of her when she does.”
“Yes, Doctor.”
Seohyun placed a hand on her shoulder giving it a small squeeze. “I knew I could count on you.”
-/-/-/-
She stood outside the room, observing Tiffany through the glass in the door. She was still, eyes occasionally moving behind her lids. Fingers moved with the occasional twitch. That was all Jessica watched Tiffany do for two days. Her rest had yet to be broken.
"She’s exquisite, isn’t she?”
Jessica glanced over to Yoona who approached her side. She no longer wore her lab coat so she stood in a simple pant suit. Her eyes were wistful as she stared at Tiffany. Like she couldn’t wait until the girl was awake for her to probe into her mind more, study her more, dissect her and examine all her parts.
“When I heard about the new developments in her dreams, I came right over. The last person I know documented with her range of ability was so long ago.” Yoona gave a sorrowful sigh. “I wish I could’ve met her, too.”
Jessica stiffened. She had heard those words from many mouths. Learning that it was her mother everyone spoke so vaguely about made her sick.
“I think we’re going to see less and less of her kind. Your own children’s children will probably think Dreamkeepers were only a work of fiction.”
“Maybe we weren’t meant to keep dreaming after all.”
“Maybe.” Yoona laughed softly to herself. Jessica could feel those same examining eyes land on her. “I’ve heard she’s taken a liking to you.”
“She trusts me.”
“Is that all?” Yoona’s head titled as Jessica turned to her. There was always something hidden and questioning in the way Yoona swept her eyes along anyone. Jessica wondered if she possessed the ability to look at anyone with sincerity. ”Dream Spikes don’t happen without reason. Intense emotion can cause huge leaps in dream activity.”
“Tiffany has always been emotional.” The flash of memory from the day Tiffany found out Sooyoung had passed came back to her. Jessica hadn’t noticed it before, but now she saw it just how Taeyeon had said. Something died in Tiffany that day.
“Yes, but,” Yoona’s fingers touched the glass of the window, stroking along it as if she were touching Tiffany’s skin. “The results were off the charts. Something must’ve triggered it. You wouldn't happen to know anything, would you Nurse Jung?”
Jessica’s stomach flipped thinking about the kisses past between her and Tiffany while her jaw tightened at the way Yoona grinned over to her, eyes like needles.
“What are you trying to say, Doctor Im?”
“Nothing.” Her finger tapped the glass once more before her hand dropped away. Inside Jessica saw Tiffany’s body give a twitch. “I guess it’ll have to remain a mystery. Have a good evening, Nurse Jung.”
“Goodnight, Doctor.” Jessica bowed as Yoona slipped away.
Hearing the hall doors click shut, Jessica finally let out a breath.
-/-/-/-
“I can’t let her stay in that place.”
Jessica took the tea cup handed down to her and sipped. The flavors erupted on her tongue erasing the foul taste Yoona had left in the back of her throat and warmed up her insides that felt colder than Tiffany's skin.
Hours and hours spent minding Tiffany’s room and condition had started to drive her a little crazy. She was impatient as much as she was angered at what they had done. What frustrated her more was that she truly couldn't do anything. She was still merely a doctor hopelessly taken with her patient made slave to a system.
Legs pulled up on the couch, Krystal leaned against the arm with her head propped against her hand. “Why do you care so much about her?”
“Because I…” Her tongue felt heavy and her fingers began to tingle when she realized what she was about to say.
Heat from the surge of emotion Tiffany created in her overruled that of the tea. Jessica felt a giddy sort of excitement when she remembered soft lips on hers. She felt light and at ease remembering the purity in the way Tiffany looked at her, touched her, spoke to her, loved her.
“Jessica?”
“It...just happened.”
Krystal frowned and she knew why. She understood without Jessica even having to explain. Her heart had been taken bit by bit before she had realized, and it was those first seeds planted that had built up roots so strong Jessica didn’t think she’d be able to cut them loose without ripping herself and Tiffany apart.
“I want to take her out of there.”
“What about the others?” Krystal said, practically. It was true Jessica had almost forgotten about the other Dreamkeepers amongst those halls. She had been so focused on one. “You can’t only help Tiffany and forget that there are more patients being wronged.”
“We help Tiffany first.”
Krystal sighed. “Jess-”
“Help me, Krystal.” She turned to her.
A new fire burned in her, sparked after Seohyun’s words. Tiffany did not belong to either of them, but Tiffany did not belong to the business either. No claim could be made on a life to anyone other than the person themselves. The life Tiffany should’ve had was stolen from her and forged into a commodity. And with it, along the way, she had been stripped of the few things she had given bits of herself to. Like Taeyeon. Like Jessica’s mother. Like Sooyoung.
Jessica couldn’t stand to let her face that again. She wouldn’t allow it.
“Please. I have to do something.”
“You don’t have to beg me. I’ve already started.”
Jessica blinked. “You have?”
Krystal grinned as she got up to retrieve her bag from the other room. Returning, she settled back onto the couch and dropped the satchel to the floor.
“When you had me look into Doctor Kim, I didn’t stop there. It wasn’t until dad told us the truth that I was put on the right track.” Krystal pulled out a folder and opened it along the low table before them. Jessica scooted to the edge of the couch to get a better look. “There’s been a number of lawsuits against that Dream Bank, all shrouded in false claims and buried unless you know what you’re looking for.”
Jessica’s eyes light up. “Now that we have Taeyeon’s side, we could go to court.”
“Not yet.” Krystal grinned. “I need you to give me as much information as you can about what goes on inside. I have a friend - maybe I can get someone to do a private investigation. If someone on the inside finally speaks up along with Taeyeon and other doctors-”
“Then we could win. We can get Tiffany out.”
“We’re not going to get Tiffany out.” Krystal turned to her. “We’re going to shut the entire place down.”
-/-/-/-
She forced herself to find comfort in the stiff chair beside Tiffany. Her eyes had adjusted to fit the blue light and it soothed her along with the rooms warmth that settled into her.
Slouched, Jessica leaned her forehead against folded arms on the edge of where Tiffany lay. She was growing tired. All her hours were spent at Tiffany's bedside. Whatever paperwork she needed to fill out, she did it to the sound of Tiffany’s breathing, her murmurs, the scratching of her gown as she twitched in her slumber.
A thick binder of files and documents, gone untouched for the past hour, sat in Jessica’s lap. She heard the soft taps of the watch nurses outside the door, but they wouldn't come in. They had stopped checking in when they saw Jessica had glued herself to Tiffany's side.
“Jessi?”
Jessica sat up. Her lashes fluttered against the off colored glow. “Tiffany?”
“Jessi…” A head of dark hair lolled over, but eyes remained closed. Tiffany’s brow wrinkled as her eyes pinched tighter, jaw tight as she clenched down. “Jessica.”
Jessica reached out, stroking along the curve of Tiffany’s jaw. “I’m right here. Come back to me. I’m right here.”
“Jess-” Eyes opened, unfocused and glossy. Tiffany gasped. “Jessica!”
Tiffany yanked at her restraints, chafing her wrists and ankles as she fought to get out of them. Jessica jumped up. Documents spilt all over the floor as she took Tiffany’s shoulders into her hands, trying to calm her down.
“You’re okay. You’re back.” Jessica grabbed her face, turning Tiffany’s neck so she had to look at her. “Look at me. You have to calm down.”
“Where am I?” Body stilling, Tiffany panted. Her eyes bounced around, wide and frightened around the room. “Jessi, where am I?”
“You’re in Sector Eight.” Jessica stroked along her cheek to ease her. Tiffany’s breathing slowly evened out, but nothing could erase the absolute terror that remained in her glassy eyes. “You’ve been out for a few days. I’m sorry I wasn’t here to stop them.”
Eyes rolled around once more before they focused up on Jessica. The dark circles around her tired eyes broke Jessica’s heart. Tiffany looked completely different than the last time she had seen her. Like the life had been drained out of her and she was stuck here trying to grasp at the last bits of string left of her sanity.
Tiffany’s lip trembled. “Is this real?”
Jessica’s stomach dropped.
The coolness of Tiffany’s lips sent an instant shiver throughout her. She pressed into the kiss, holding on until she knew Tiffany could not mix up reality with fiction.
Pulling back, she hovered breathless over Tiffany's mystified face. “I’m awake.”
Jessica smiled, kissing at her cheek. “I’m going to get you out of here.”
Tiffany nodded as Jessica worked to undo the restraints.
If only Tiffany could understand how much she meant those words.
-/-/-/-
Arm around her neck, Jessica hoisted Tiffany from her wheelchair into her bed. The mattress creaked from days of non use as Jessica laid her out and pulled at the covers to drape over cold skin.
Eyes drooped beneath the dim glow of room. Tiffany's cheeks looked too pale. Jessica smoothed her fingers along them. A weak hand lifted up just enough to show the blue veins on the insides of Tiffany's wrists that snakes down along her arm. Jessica took her hand and threaded their fingers together.
"How are you feeling?" She asked from where she sat on the edge of the bed.
Tiffany held her hand close, cheek pressing against the back of it. She looked so tired and so beat. There was a risk of taking her off the IVs, but there had been more damages done from leaving her in such a sleep for so many days. Taking Tiffany outside of the Dream Bank right now was out of the question. She wouldn't be strong enough to handle it. Not in her state.
"Do you need anything?"
Tiffany nodded.
"What is it?"
"You."
Jessica's stomach fluttered as Tiffany tugged on her hand. Pushing back the blankets, Jessica eased herself beneath them. Tiffany gravitated to her instantly, frigid meeting burning. Jessica shuddered at the press of Tiffany's body against her.
Seeking out Tiffany’s hand, Jessica twined their fingers together. She could feel the quake in Tiffany’s body ease another fraction and she moved closer still, body turning to curve into Jessica’s side. In the back of her mind, Jessica wondered if she should’ve taken Tiffany to one of the other medical rooms. Her state scared her, but Jessica knew Tiffany wouldn’t want to be anywhere other than in this bed trapped against trustworthy heat.
She reasoned to stay up and monitor Tiffany through the night. The thought of leaving her alone hooked to machines again made her uneasy.
"I couldn't find you," Tiffany muttered against her shoulder. A hand draped over Jessica’s stomach and she scooted so not a fraction of space was between them. "I was so scared. I couldn't find anyone. Everything was dark. I couldn't see - I couldn't dream.”
Jessica turned her neck enough to kiss the top of Tiffany’s head hoping to sooth her.
"I kept saying your name over and over and over."
"You're awake now." Jessica turned onto her side. “This is real. I’m here.”
Finger pushing at her chin, Jessica guided Tiffany’s eyes to meet hers. Up close Jessica could see everything. She could see the age twisting the corners of her eyes and the awful discoloring of purple and blue that had seeped into the skin beneath them. But past all of that Jessica could see Tiffany's beauty. Her swirling irises brown with life though so much had been sucked away from her.
It was that flicker that drew Jessica in.
Tiffany’s kiss was as cold as it always was. It made Jessica’s chest swell and her fingers splayed along a fine cheek holding her in place. And as lips smoothed along hers Jessica thought Tiffany tasted better than perhaps any dream that could ever be put into her mind.
"Come live with me." The words left her mouth in a sigh.
"How?”
"I can't let you stay here like this." Not this false life. It wasn't living. "I don’t ever want you to go through this again.”
Tiffany reached up to hold Jessica’s hand against her cheek. "I'll go wherever you go."
Jessica sealed the promise with another kiss and held Tiffany close until their breathing evened out and fell asleep.
-/-/-/-
The buzzing of her phone pulled Jessica awake.
Beside her, Tiffany remained in slumber, mouth parted slightly as she dreamed. Jessica touched at her cheek, relieved to feel a bit of warmth back in her cheek. The violent buzz of her phone sounded again and Jessica reached into her labcoat. Seeing her sister’s name on the screen, she answered.
“Krys?” Her voice was hoarse and heavy with sleep.
“I have someone who can help us.” Krystal sounded frantic and excited. Jessica pulled the phone away from her ear to check the time. It was already morning. “Can you meet us at dad’s?”
She took another glance at Tiffany only to find brown eyes watching her. Jessica reached for her and Tiffany took her hand as if it were second nature.
“I’ll leave as soon as I can.” She told Krystal before hanging up. “I have to meet with my sister. Will you be okay?”
Tiffany nodded, but Jessica still felt uncertain. She hated to leave Tiffany this way, weak and vulnerable.
“Go,” Tiffany urged. “I’ll sleep.”
Jessica bit her lip. “I”ll be back in two hours.”
Her lips touched Tiffany’s forehead before she got up.
The wind was nearly knocked out of her when she came face to face with Seohyun outside of the SCS. Hovering behind her was Yoona, eyeing Jessica with a curious sort of amusement.
“Go on to the lab, Doctor Im. I’ll meet you there shortly,” she instructed. Yoona dismissed herself with a bow and padded away. Seohyun’s eyes fell back onto her, voice dipping to a harsh whisper. “You’re walking a very thin line.”
Jessica panicked. “She was terrified after what you did to her. I didn’t want to leave her alone.”
Seohyun’s grin was vile. “Of course you didn’t.”
“We’re not-”
“I already know.” Seohyun cut her off. “Do you think I would’ve let you still be here if I didn’t know what the true reason behind all of this was?”
Jessica heart hammered. She had been dumb to think the observant eyes of Seohyun could not pick up on what was happening right beneath her. The Dream Spikes were probably the last confirmation she needed to know the nature of Jessica and the patient she entrusted into her care.
“Be careful. If you’re caught there’s only so much I can do.”
Jessica hardened. “I’ll leave.”
“No, you won’t.” Seohyun grinned. “Goodbye, Nurse Jung. It’s time you start counting your days.”
Jessica waited until Seohyun was out of sight before she headed for the elevators. They didn't move fast enough and neither did the cab she jumped in to take her across town.
The fatigue that had clung to her upon waking up had faded away with the rush to her destination and the chill of the outside winds. By the time she reached the front door of her old home, her nerves were on end.
“I got here as fast as I could,” she said, following her father through the house.
Entering the living room, Krystal stood first followed by a man who extended an arm.
“Zhoumi. Private Investigator. You must be Jessica.”
She shook his hand. “I am.”
“Both your father and sister have explained to me everything regarding your mother.” Jessica glanced over to Krystal who nodded in reassurance while her father took a seat on the chair by the study. Zhoumi continued. “I’m very sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you.” Jessica moved to sit down. “So what’s the plan?”
“Cases against the Dream Banks aren’t new,” Krystal explained. Her laptop cracked open along the coffee table and Jessica moved to sit down on the cushion opposite side of her. “My professor gave me access to a few case files and that’s where I found Zhoumi.”
“My fiance is a Dreamkeeper,” he said, sadly. “She was only subject to procedures when she was younger but they had a lasting effect. I did all I could to expose what these extractions do to people, but what I had wasn’t enough. With your story, Tiffany, and the former dreamologist, Doctor Kim, I think we have a chance to win.”
Jessica felt excitement bubble in her stomach. She swallowed it down for now. “How can you be so sure?”
“We’re not the only ones the Dream Bank has silenced. Zhoumi was too and he knows others.” Krystal placed a hand onto Jessica’s leg giving it a comforting squeeze. “We might not be able to completely shut down the Dream Bank yet, but maybe we can claim custody of Tiffany.”
“It’ll be the first wave of the plan,” Zhoumi started from Krystal’s otherside. “Her testimony could save others. More could be willing to come forward.”
“Do you think she’d talk?” Asked her father.
Jessica’s mind drifted back to Tiffany lying next to her. She was not only fragile in body, but she was also fragile of mind. The pieces of her life were distorted and warped. They had been for so long that Jessica wasn’t sure if they would take her story as credible or if she would even want to dig that far back into the darkest parts in her mind she was better off not remembering.
“I-” she was cut off by a knock on the front door.
Glances passed between them before her father got up. Jessica sat back with her sister and Zhoumi as they waited, listening to the low voices that passed between the two at the door.
Feet moving back into the living room Jessica’s mouth parted in surprise.
“Taeyeon?”
“I didn’t want to do this over the phone so I followed the only address I knew.” She looked around the room with nervous eyes. “I’m sorry for intruding.”
“No, it’s okay,” said Jessica. “What is it?”
Taeyeon looked to Zhoumi. “Maybe I should come at a different time.”
“He’s here to help,” Jessica assured and explained everything that they already knew. Taeyeon’s eyes widened in astonishment. “We’re going to get Tiffany out together.”
“And more,” Zhoumi interjected.
Taeyeon’s gaze fell on Jessica. “I made a copy of this when I found it.”
Jessica got up, taking the folder from Taeyeon’s hands. Cracking it open, her eyes scanned the old pages.
“It’s Tiffany's contract,” Taeyeon pointed out. Zhoumi stood up, crossing to read the information over Jessica’s shoulder. “It was signed by the person who brought her in, but he didn’t have custody over Tiffany.”
Krystal’s brow furrowed. ”But the Dream Bank has her contract.”
“Forged,” said Taeyeon. “Half of the documents are forged to evade scrutiny. Tiffany wouldn’t have been able to sign for herself until she was eighteen. She would have to sign again for them to keep her there. But I know Tiffany. She never would.”
“This doesn’t help us if it’s a copy.” Zhoumi frowned, holding one of the papers in hand. “They could claim you tampered with evidence.”
“I have the original. Before Tiffany’s Caretaker was fired, she gave it to me. The real one. I made a copy for now but the original is hidden.” Taeyeon frowned as she found Jessica’s eyes. “I couldn't help her when I was there. Maybe you can.”
Jessica looked back to Zhoumi who gave a nod.
“I think we can.”
Part VI
The farmhouse was larger than Jessica expected. She walked along a winding gravel path up to the wrap around porch, eyes casting over to where a huge jug of sun tea sat catching the last evening sun rays.
Jessica lifted a fist to knock against the weathered, wooden door. She could vaguely make out the heavy pad of feet along creaking floorboards just on the other side. The door opened with a whine to a head of cropped brown hair and a pair of eyes that swept Jessica down quickly.
"You must be Jessica." Those sharp eyes peered back over her shoulder. "Did you come alone?"
"Yes."
"I’ll need your phone." Jessica cocked her eyebrow. "If you want this, you'll give it up. It'll only be a couple hours."
Slipping her phone from her pocket, Jessica handed it over. She watched as it was turned off and tucked into the woman's back pocket.
"Come inside. I'm Sunny, by the way." The door widened and Jessica stepped in. "Wipe your shoes on the mat, don't worry about taking them off."
Her eyes scanned the place as she knocked dirt off her soles. It was homey. The smell of dough and flour hung in the air with the warmth of a crackling fire.
"This way."
She followed Sunny from the entryway into a sitting room of mismatched couches and chairs each draped with its own hand knitted throw. Jessica noted a stand of trophies and ribbons off to the side just before she was taken into the dining area. At the table sat a woman, head bent over paperwork as her finger tapped in numbers on a counting machine and the other scribbled in notes with a dull pencil.
"Taeyeon."
Black hair whipped from her face as she looked up through her fringe. Jessica was nearly taken aback at how young she was. She couldn't have been much older than Jessica herself.
Taeyeon stared up at her, wrinkles forming in her brow the longer she gazed. "You look like her."
Jessica dropped her head, modestly.
"I'll finish this for you in the den." Sunny went over, taking up the paper work. Before she left, she kissed Taeyeon on the cheek. With it, Jessica saw Taeyeon's shoulders ease just a bit.
She cleared her throat. "We'll talk in the parlor."
Jessica nodded and waited for Taeyeon to lead the way.
They settled off into a room decorated in pictures, antiques and trinkets. Not a trace of what Taeyeon had once done lingered in this place.
"You said you were a Caretaker."
"Yes." Jessica sank down to sit on one of the wooden chairs at the gesture of Taeyeon's hand. "My patient is Tiffany-"
"-Hwang." Taeyeon sighed. She sat down with weight, eyes looking past Jessica. "That's why you called me."
"Her files are all a mess. There are holes."
Taeyeon nodded. "What exactly do you want to know?"
"Everything."
"Why?"
"Because I-" she stopped herself.
Taeyeon's eyes narrowed. "It's okay. All of us did."
With those words, Jessica remembered what Seunghyun had told her before he left.
"Don't let her get under your skin. I almost did."
"Did you two-"
"No." Taeyeon half smiled and Jessica blushed. "She's...one of a kind."
“What happened?”
Taeyeon let out a sigh. "I was an intern at the Dream Bank. I spent half my time there and the other half in school. I was fifteen when I met Tiffany."
She had been the Dream Bank's prized possession. Other than Jeongsuk, they hadn't met someone with that caliber of dreaming ability. But the doctors worked with Tiffany slowly. They had learned from Jeongsuk that they needed to be delicate. With Tiffany's younger age, it posed a bigger risk because she was still growing.
"When did Tiffany come to the Dream Bank?"
Taeyeon took a pause. Her voice grew serious. "What I'm about to tell you is classified information. When I left, they ordered me never to tell. I'm only trusting you because I believe you deserve the truth. You lost someone because of them."
And by the look in Taeyeon's eye, she had lost the dream of being what she had grown up always wanting to be.
"They pay my father too."
Taeyeon nodded. That was enough for her.
"When I was there, I learned Tiffany had been brought to them when she was ten."
The man claimed his daughter could dream like no one else. He used Tiffany's journal of drawings as proof, and from then, Tiffany was put into the hands of the Dreamologist.
"But it wasn't her dad,” Taeyeon said, disgusted. “It was a Scout. Someone who invests in finding Dreamers and illegally trades them in for money. They cheated him out of most of his share. They lied to him saying Tiffany wasn't as good as he said and they kept her."
Jessica’s brow furrowed. "She was kidnapped?"
"And hidden within the Dream Bank." Taeyeon looked down at her hands that nervously wrung her pale wrists. "At that age with her abilities, it's easy to make a child believe anything you tell them."
Reality from fantasy. Tiffany couldn't distinguish it anymore. And it was all because they forced her to switch the two as a child.
"They paired me with Tiffany because we were close in age and she was comfortable with me. I was working as an apprentice to another Caretaker, so I was made to learn everything she did. Tiffany would always ask so many questions." Taeyeon laughed to herself for a moment. She leaned back slightly in her chair, eyes far off. "During that time, they wouldn't let her outside so I showed her pictures or told her about going to school. I got in trouble and they removed me for a few weeks to undo the damage I had caused from filling up her mind with stories. When I came back, your mom was there."
Her daughters old enough, Jeongsuk made her return. She left Jessica to care for Krystal and everything went from there. At that age, Jessica wouldn’t have suspected a thing. But thinking back, replaying the hazy tapes of memory, she could see the whispers and secrets that had filled up her home for years.
"When Tiffany was younger,” Taeyeon continued, “they used to give her your mothers dreams to help with development. Tiffany was like a daughter to her. Her and another girl brought in occasionally by her mother."
"Sooyoung."
Taeyeon nodded. "When their Caretaker would go on break, I'd let them spend time together. At first the doctors didn't like it, but it was helping Tiffany and Sooyoung dream better...until Jeongsuk died."
When Jeongsuk died, everything in Tiffany seemed to die with her. Jeongsuk had mothered Tiffany in their days together. Aside from Taeyeon, and possibly the other Caretaker, Jessica's mother was the only other person she saw regularly, talked to regularly, had grown close to. But most importantly, she had seen the beautiful things inside of her head.
"Sooyoung's mother stopped bringing her too when she found out about Jeongsuk."
The Dream Bank faced huge issues in that time. Many had already begun to blame them for medical problems of their patients and a Dreamkeeper's death fueled the fire. Jessica wondered why Sooyoung came back. She wondered if it had to do with Tiffany or maybe even the money. Jessica realized she would never know. And like so many others, Sooyoung’s story would slip through the cracks with half truths tainting her life.
"They paid us to be silent." Just like her father. Just like Seunghyun must've been, check hidden in an envelope inconspicuously passed to his hand from Seohyun's.
“What happened then?”
"They fired your mother's Caretaker and brought me on bored.” Taeyeon shook her head. Frustration seeped into her face, wrinkling her brow. “I was too young then to understand, but as the years went on I started to see things. I knew too much. I knew the truth about Tiffany's past and others. The Senior Doctors started to get scared when authorities started to come around asking questions. Soon I was told to leave. Everything I worked for was lost in five years."
And she never looked back. However that was more due to the fact she was forced not to.
Jessica startled at the hand held out to her. She looked up at Taeyeon who now stood in front of her holding a tissue. She took it and dabbed at her eyes. She hadn't even realized she had begun to cry.
"Tiffany isn't just your patient, is she?"
Jessica shook her head, sniffling through her tears. The smile Taeyeon gave her was thick with apology.
There were more things to it than Tiffany being stuck in a place that ruined her. More than Tiffany being her patient. Tiffany had been broken. Tiffany’s years had been stolen from her and the burden of teaching her and showing her the world she had been closed to would fall onto Jessica.
"I know if it was Sunny in that room, I wouldn't be able to let her stay there knowing." Taeyeon looked her straight in the eye. Jessica could feel her pity through her stare. "Now you know the truth."
"I don't think she realizes what they've done."
"You're different than me." Taeyeon casted her gaze down into her lap. "I was too scared to do anything.”
“You were young.”
“So was she.”
Jessica wished she had the words to erase the guilt dripping from Taeyeon’s eyes. But she didn’t. The only way she could think to help ease some of it was to finally bring Tiffany out of that awful place.
“I’ll do everything I can.”
Taeyeon gave her a sad smile. “Thank you.”
-/-/-/-
Tiffany’s room was empty.
Jessica caught sight of Woobin making his way down the hall.
“Woobin,” she called.
He stopped.
“Have you seen Tiffany?”
He scratched the back of his head, eyes nervously zipping away from her then back. “She was moved to Sector Eight.”
“What? Why? What happened?” Jessica panicked.
Sector Eight was for patients in critical condition with a threat to themselves or others around them. There was round watch in Sector Eight. Round watch that should’ve included Jessica along with the other nurses. Even if she was off duty, she should’ve been notified immediately.
“Doctor Seo requested a rush Extraction after you left the other night.”
“She can’t do that,” Jessica gaped.
There were rules. There were reasons patients needed time off. There was a reason Tiffany had such a hard time bouncing back after being forcefully drained multiple times a day.
“You knew Tiffany wasn’t stable enough for another procedure. Why would she request that? Why would you let her?”
Woobin shrugged. Something about the way he acted told Jessica he hadn’t a choice. She bristled.
“Room S808.” He glanced over his shoulder. “I have to get back downstairs.”
He walked away.
Jessica rushed down the hall, bursting through the doors into the Sector Eight. The halls were dark, lit only by small beams of light coming from the ceiling. She counted the door numbers as she made her way through, slipping by nurses on watch.
808 came up on her and she swiped her badge to let herself into a room bathed in striking, blue light. It bounced off the white walls, turning everything royal and her skin an alien shade of indigo.
In the middle of the room, her eyes found a slab of a table. Splayed out along it was Tiffany, pasty skin almost glowing in the stark colors blaring down on her. Leather straps bound her wrists, arms, torso, legs, ankles down to the cold metal.
Needles protruded from her arms stringing different sorts of dripping IV’s into her veins that created riverlike patterns along her skin. A single machine blinked with her vitals.
Jessica stopped beside the bed, staring down in horror.
Tiffany’s face was blank, skin feathery delicate. Her thick, black lashes curled up long matching the charcoal color of her hair that framed her face in a disheveled mess. The only true color came out in the shade of her lips that looked fluorescent violet under the blue light.
Jessica touched her fingers to her cheek. She was freezing. Her hand fell away, knuckles whitening as she clenched her fist. “Tiffany…”
-/-/-/-
Pushing the door open, Jessica was met with two pairs of eyes. She hardly saw the second. Her only concern was Seohyun and what petty explanation she would have for Tiffany’s state.
“Doctor-”
“Nurse Jung. We were just talking about you.” Seohyun smiled up to her, hand gesturing to the unknown woman across the desk. Jessica finally looked to her. “This is Im Yoona, Dreamologist Specialist from the Center of Dreamology and Psychological studies.”
“Nice to meet you.” Yoona smiled. Jessica bowed to her stiffly. “So you’re the one responsible for Patient Hwang.”
“Tiffany,” Jessica responded, tightly. Seohyun’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, I am.”
“Can you give me a minute, Doctor Im? I need to have a quick word with Nurse Jung outside.”
Pushing up, Seohyun eased through the door in the hallway. Jessica followed her closely to the far end of the corridor.
“I know why you’re here.” Seohyun gave a heavy sigh as she turned to look down at Jessica. The look in her eye already said she wasn’t sorry. Jessica was simply wasting her time and breath but that didn’t stop her.
“This is the second time you’ve authorized a procedure without discussing it with me first, Doctor.
“Before Tiffany is your patient, she is my responsibility,” Seohyun responded, smartly. “I hold authority here, not you.”
“You could’ve put her into a coma,” Jessica pressed.
Seohyun gave her a dull look. “Dream Spikes are rare, I know you’re aware. I saw an opportunity and I took it.”
“Are you saying you risked Tiffany’s life over a couple irregular lines on a chart? She isn’t a machine, Doctor, she’s a human being, not some lab rat you can poke at and make do tricks for you.”
Seohyun’s eyebrows lifted warningly. “You’re out of line.”
“Am I?” Jessica cocked her head. “I’m not the one murdering my patients.”
“That’s enough,” Seohyun snapped, stepping forward.
Jessica glared as she was backed up against the wall. She watched as Seohyun took in a long breath, calming herself down before licking her lips. When she spoke, her voice was sickening enough to make Jessica want to vomit.
“You listen to me and you listen to me closely.” Seohyun took another step towards her, close enough for only Jessica to hear her hissing whispers. “Ms. Jung, you are nothing but a pawn in a larger game that you have yet to recognize. These people - these Dreamkeepers - if we don’t take action when opportunity arises, then we lose thousands - millions - of what we work so hard on investing in.”
Jessica titled her neck up enough to stare Seohyun in the eye. “You can’t keep doing this to her.”
“Tiffany isn’t yours, Jessica, and she isn't mine. She belongs to a system. We all do. Some are cut out for it and others aren’t.” Seohyun’s eyes looked her up and down. “I thought you were, but I guess I was mistaken.”
“What kind of person would think like that?”
“I’m a businesswoman, you know that.” Seohyun leaned in, breath burning against Jessica’s ear as she spoke harshly. “You’re disposable, too. Like Sooyoung, like Tiffany, like so many others you don’t even know the names of. If this ends badly, I won’t stand to protect you. So, please, don’t push me, Nurse Jung. Do you understand?”
Jessica tightened her jaw. “Yes.”
“I knew you would.” Seohyun leaned back, smiling sweetly. “Tiffany has been put into a drug induced sleep. She’ll come out of it in a couple of days. Take extra care of her when she does.”
“Yes, Doctor.”
Seohyun placed a hand on her shoulder giving it a small squeeze. “I knew I could count on you.”
-/-/-/-
She stood outside the room, observing Tiffany through the glass in the door. She was still, eyes occasionally moving behind her lids. Fingers moved with the occasional twitch. That was all Jessica watched Tiffany do for two days. Her rest had yet to be broken.
"She’s exquisite, isn’t she?”
Jessica glanced over to Yoona who approached her side. She no longer wore her lab coat so she stood in a simple pant suit. Her eyes were wistful as she stared at Tiffany. Like she couldn’t wait until the girl was awake for her to probe into her mind more, study her more, dissect her and examine all her parts.
“When I heard about the new developments in her dreams, I came right over. The last person I know documented with her range of ability was so long ago.” Yoona gave a sorrowful sigh. “I wish I could’ve met her, too.”
Jessica stiffened. She had heard those words from many mouths. Learning that it was her mother everyone spoke so vaguely about made her sick.
“I think we’re going to see less and less of her kind. Your own children’s children will probably think Dreamkeepers were only a work of fiction.”
“Maybe we weren’t meant to keep dreaming after all.”
“Maybe.” Yoona laughed softly to herself. Jessica could feel those same examining eyes land on her. “I’ve heard she’s taken a liking to you.”
“She trusts me.”
“Is that all?” Yoona’s head titled as Jessica turned to her. There was always something hidden and questioning in the way Yoona swept her eyes along anyone. Jessica wondered if she possessed the ability to look at anyone with sincerity. ”Dream Spikes don’t happen without reason. Intense emotion can cause huge leaps in dream activity.”
“Tiffany has always been emotional.” The flash of memory from the day Tiffany found out Sooyoung had passed came back to her. Jessica hadn’t noticed it before, but now she saw it just how Taeyeon had said. Something died in Tiffany that day.
“Yes, but,” Yoona’s fingers touched the glass of the window, stroking along it as if she were touching Tiffany’s skin. “The results were off the charts. Something must’ve triggered it. You wouldn't happen to know anything, would you Nurse Jung?”
Jessica’s stomach flipped thinking about the kisses past between her and Tiffany while her jaw tightened at the way Yoona grinned over to her, eyes like needles.
“What are you trying to say, Doctor Im?”
“Nothing.” Her finger tapped the glass once more before her hand dropped away. Inside Jessica saw Tiffany’s body give a twitch. “I guess it’ll have to remain a mystery. Have a good evening, Nurse Jung.”
“Goodnight, Doctor.” Jessica bowed as Yoona slipped away.
Hearing the hall doors click shut, Jessica finally let out a breath.
-/-/-/-
“I can’t let her stay in that place.”
Jessica took the tea cup handed down to her and sipped. The flavors erupted on her tongue erasing the foul taste Yoona had left in the back of her throat and warmed up her insides that felt colder than Tiffany's skin.
Hours and hours spent minding Tiffany’s room and condition had started to drive her a little crazy. She was impatient as much as she was angered at what they had done. What frustrated her more was that she truly couldn't do anything. She was still merely a doctor hopelessly taken with her patient made slave to a system.
Legs pulled up on the couch, Krystal leaned against the arm with her head propped against her hand. “Why do you care so much about her?”
“Because I…” Her tongue felt heavy and her fingers began to tingle when she realized what she was about to say.
Heat from the surge of emotion Tiffany created in her overruled that of the tea. Jessica felt a giddy sort of excitement when she remembered soft lips on hers. She felt light and at ease remembering the purity in the way Tiffany looked at her, touched her, spoke to her, loved her.
“Jessica?”
“It...just happened.”
Krystal frowned and she knew why. She understood without Jessica even having to explain. Her heart had been taken bit by bit before she had realized, and it was those first seeds planted that had built up roots so strong Jessica didn’t think she’d be able to cut them loose without ripping herself and Tiffany apart.
“I want to take her out of there.”
“What about the others?” Krystal said, practically. It was true Jessica had almost forgotten about the other Dreamkeepers amongst those halls. She had been so focused on one. “You can’t only help Tiffany and forget that there are more patients being wronged.”
“We help Tiffany first.”
Krystal sighed. “Jess-”
“Help me, Krystal.” She turned to her.
A new fire burned in her, sparked after Seohyun’s words. Tiffany did not belong to either of them, but Tiffany did not belong to the business either. No claim could be made on a life to anyone other than the person themselves. The life Tiffany should’ve had was stolen from her and forged into a commodity. And with it, along the way, she had been stripped of the few things she had given bits of herself to. Like Taeyeon. Like Jessica’s mother. Like Sooyoung.
Jessica couldn’t stand to let her face that again. She wouldn’t allow it.
“Please. I have to do something.”
“You don’t have to beg me. I’ve already started.”
Jessica blinked. “You have?”
Krystal grinned as she got up to retrieve her bag from the other room. Returning, she settled back onto the couch and dropped the satchel to the floor.
“When you had me look into Doctor Kim, I didn’t stop there. It wasn’t until dad told us the truth that I was put on the right track.” Krystal pulled out a folder and opened it along the low table before them. Jessica scooted to the edge of the couch to get a better look. “There’s been a number of lawsuits against that Dream Bank, all shrouded in false claims and buried unless you know what you’re looking for.”
Jessica’s eyes light up. “Now that we have Taeyeon’s side, we could go to court.”
“Not yet.” Krystal grinned. “I need you to give me as much information as you can about what goes on inside. I have a friend - maybe I can get someone to do a private investigation. If someone on the inside finally speaks up along with Taeyeon and other doctors-”
“Then we could win. We can get Tiffany out.”
“We’re not going to get Tiffany out.” Krystal turned to her. “We’re going to shut the entire place down.”
-/-/-/-
She forced herself to find comfort in the stiff chair beside Tiffany. Her eyes had adjusted to fit the blue light and it soothed her along with the rooms warmth that settled into her.
Slouched, Jessica leaned her forehead against folded arms on the edge of where Tiffany lay. She was growing tired. All her hours were spent at Tiffany's bedside. Whatever paperwork she needed to fill out, she did it to the sound of Tiffany’s breathing, her murmurs, the scratching of her gown as she twitched in her slumber.
A thick binder of files and documents, gone untouched for the past hour, sat in Jessica’s lap. She heard the soft taps of the watch nurses outside the door, but they wouldn't come in. They had stopped checking in when they saw Jessica had glued herself to Tiffany's side.
“Jessi?”
Jessica sat up. Her lashes fluttered against the off colored glow. “Tiffany?”
“Jessi…” A head of dark hair lolled over, but eyes remained closed. Tiffany’s brow wrinkled as her eyes pinched tighter, jaw tight as she clenched down. “Jessica.”
Jessica reached out, stroking along the curve of Tiffany’s jaw. “I’m right here. Come back to me. I’m right here.”
“Jess-” Eyes opened, unfocused and glossy. Tiffany gasped. “Jessica!”
Tiffany yanked at her restraints, chafing her wrists and ankles as she fought to get out of them. Jessica jumped up. Documents spilt all over the floor as she took Tiffany’s shoulders into her hands, trying to calm her down.
“You’re okay. You’re back.” Jessica grabbed her face, turning Tiffany’s neck so she had to look at her. “Look at me. You have to calm down.”
“Where am I?” Body stilling, Tiffany panted. Her eyes bounced around, wide and frightened around the room. “Jessi, where am I?”
“You’re in Sector Eight.” Jessica stroked along her cheek to ease her. Tiffany’s breathing slowly evened out, but nothing could erase the absolute terror that remained in her glassy eyes. “You’ve been out for a few days. I’m sorry I wasn’t here to stop them.”
Eyes rolled around once more before they focused up on Jessica. The dark circles around her tired eyes broke Jessica’s heart. Tiffany looked completely different than the last time she had seen her. Like the life had been drained out of her and she was stuck here trying to grasp at the last bits of string left of her sanity.
Tiffany’s lip trembled. “Is this real?”
Jessica’s stomach dropped.
The coolness of Tiffany’s lips sent an instant shiver throughout her. She pressed into the kiss, holding on until she knew Tiffany could not mix up reality with fiction.
Pulling back, she hovered breathless over Tiffany's mystified face. “I’m awake.”
Jessica smiled, kissing at her cheek. “I’m going to get you out of here.”
Tiffany nodded as Jessica worked to undo the restraints.
If only Tiffany could understand how much she meant those words.
-/-/-/-
Arm around her neck, Jessica hoisted Tiffany from her wheelchair into her bed. The mattress creaked from days of non use as Jessica laid her out and pulled at the covers to drape over cold skin.
Eyes drooped beneath the dim glow of room. Tiffany's cheeks looked too pale. Jessica smoothed her fingers along them. A weak hand lifted up just enough to show the blue veins on the insides of Tiffany's wrists that snakes down along her arm. Jessica took her hand and threaded their fingers together.
"How are you feeling?" She asked from where she sat on the edge of the bed.
Tiffany held her hand close, cheek pressing against the back of it. She looked so tired and so beat. There was a risk of taking her off the IVs, but there had been more damages done from leaving her in such a sleep for so many days. Taking Tiffany outside of the Dream Bank right now was out of the question. She wouldn't be strong enough to handle it. Not in her state.
"Do you need anything?"
Tiffany nodded.
"What is it?"
"You."
Jessica's stomach fluttered as Tiffany tugged on her hand. Pushing back the blankets, Jessica eased herself beneath them. Tiffany gravitated to her instantly, frigid meeting burning. Jessica shuddered at the press of Tiffany's body against her.
Seeking out Tiffany’s hand, Jessica twined their fingers together. She could feel the quake in Tiffany’s body ease another fraction and she moved closer still, body turning to curve into Jessica’s side. In the back of her mind, Jessica wondered if she should’ve taken Tiffany to one of the other medical rooms. Her state scared her, but Jessica knew Tiffany wouldn’t want to be anywhere other than in this bed trapped against trustworthy heat.
She reasoned to stay up and monitor Tiffany through the night. The thought of leaving her alone hooked to machines again made her uneasy.
"I couldn't find you," Tiffany muttered against her shoulder. A hand draped over Jessica’s stomach and she scooted so not a fraction of space was between them. "I was so scared. I couldn't find anyone. Everything was dark. I couldn't see - I couldn't dream.”
Jessica turned her neck enough to kiss the top of Tiffany’s head hoping to sooth her.
"I kept saying your name over and over and over."
"You're awake now." Jessica turned onto her side. “This is real. I’m here.”
Finger pushing at her chin, Jessica guided Tiffany’s eyes to meet hers. Up close Jessica could see everything. She could see the age twisting the corners of her eyes and the awful discoloring of purple and blue that had seeped into the skin beneath them. But past all of that Jessica could see Tiffany's beauty. Her swirling irises brown with life though so much had been sucked away from her.
It was that flicker that drew Jessica in.
Tiffany’s kiss was as cold as it always was. It made Jessica’s chest swell and her fingers splayed along a fine cheek holding her in place. And as lips smoothed along hers Jessica thought Tiffany tasted better than perhaps any dream that could ever be put into her mind.
"Come live with me." The words left her mouth in a sigh.
"How?”
"I can't let you stay here like this." Not this false life. It wasn't living. "I don’t ever want you to go through this again.”
Tiffany reached up to hold Jessica’s hand against her cheek. "I'll go wherever you go."
Jessica sealed the promise with another kiss and held Tiffany close until their breathing evened out and fell asleep.
-/-/-/-
The buzzing of her phone pulled Jessica awake.
Beside her, Tiffany remained in slumber, mouth parted slightly as she dreamed. Jessica touched at her cheek, relieved to feel a bit of warmth back in her cheek. The violent buzz of her phone sounded again and Jessica reached into her labcoat. Seeing her sister’s name on the screen, she answered.
“Krys?” Her voice was hoarse and heavy with sleep.
“I have someone who can help us.” Krystal sounded frantic and excited. Jessica pulled the phone away from her ear to check the time. It was already morning. “Can you meet us at dad’s?”
She took another glance at Tiffany only to find brown eyes watching her. Jessica reached for her and Tiffany took her hand as if it were second nature.
“I’ll leave as soon as I can.” She told Krystal before hanging up. “I have to meet with my sister. Will you be okay?”
Tiffany nodded, but Jessica still felt uncertain. She hated to leave Tiffany this way, weak and vulnerable.
“Go,” Tiffany urged. “I’ll sleep.”
Jessica bit her lip. “I”ll be back in two hours.”
Her lips touched Tiffany’s forehead before she got up.
The wind was nearly knocked out of her when she came face to face with Seohyun outside of the SCS. Hovering behind her was Yoona, eyeing Jessica with a curious sort of amusement.
“Go on to the lab, Doctor Im. I’ll meet you there shortly,” she instructed. Yoona dismissed herself with a bow and padded away. Seohyun’s eyes fell back onto her, voice dipping to a harsh whisper. “You’re walking a very thin line.”
Jessica panicked. “She was terrified after what you did to her. I didn’t want to leave her alone.”
Seohyun’s grin was vile. “Of course you didn’t.”
“We’re not-”
“I already know.” Seohyun cut her off. “Do you think I would’ve let you still be here if I didn’t know what the true reason behind all of this was?”
Jessica heart hammered. She had been dumb to think the observant eyes of Seohyun could not pick up on what was happening right beneath her. The Dream Spikes were probably the last confirmation she needed to know the nature of Jessica and the patient she entrusted into her care.
“Be careful. If you’re caught there’s only so much I can do.”
Jessica hardened. “I’ll leave.”
“No, you won’t.” Seohyun grinned. “Goodbye, Nurse Jung. It’s time you start counting your days.”
Jessica waited until Seohyun was out of sight before she headed for the elevators. They didn't move fast enough and neither did the cab she jumped in to take her across town.
The fatigue that had clung to her upon waking up had faded away with the rush to her destination and the chill of the outside winds. By the time she reached the front door of her old home, her nerves were on end.
“I got here as fast as I could,” she said, following her father through the house.
Entering the living room, Krystal stood first followed by a man who extended an arm.
“Zhoumi. Private Investigator. You must be Jessica.”
She shook his hand. “I am.”
“Both your father and sister have explained to me everything regarding your mother.” Jessica glanced over to Krystal who nodded in reassurance while her father took a seat on the chair by the study. Zhoumi continued. “I’m very sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you.” Jessica moved to sit down. “So what’s the plan?”
“Cases against the Dream Banks aren’t new,” Krystal explained. Her laptop cracked open along the coffee table and Jessica moved to sit down on the cushion opposite side of her. “My professor gave me access to a few case files and that’s where I found Zhoumi.”
“My fiance is a Dreamkeeper,” he said, sadly. “She was only subject to procedures when she was younger but they had a lasting effect. I did all I could to expose what these extractions do to people, but what I had wasn’t enough. With your story, Tiffany, and the former dreamologist, Doctor Kim, I think we have a chance to win.”
Jessica felt excitement bubble in her stomach. She swallowed it down for now. “How can you be so sure?”
“We’re not the only ones the Dream Bank has silenced. Zhoumi was too and he knows others.” Krystal placed a hand onto Jessica’s leg giving it a comforting squeeze. “We might not be able to completely shut down the Dream Bank yet, but maybe we can claim custody of Tiffany.”
“It’ll be the first wave of the plan,” Zhoumi started from Krystal’s otherside. “Her testimony could save others. More could be willing to come forward.”
“Do you think she’d talk?” Asked her father.
Jessica’s mind drifted back to Tiffany lying next to her. She was not only fragile in body, but she was also fragile of mind. The pieces of her life were distorted and warped. They had been for so long that Jessica wasn’t sure if they would take her story as credible or if she would even want to dig that far back into the darkest parts in her mind she was better off not remembering.
“I-” she was cut off by a knock on the front door.
Glances passed between them before her father got up. Jessica sat back with her sister and Zhoumi as they waited, listening to the low voices that passed between the two at the door.
Feet moving back into the living room Jessica’s mouth parted in surprise.
“Taeyeon?”
“I didn’t want to do this over the phone so I followed the only address I knew.” She looked around the room with nervous eyes. “I’m sorry for intruding.”
“No, it’s okay,” said Jessica. “What is it?”
Taeyeon looked to Zhoumi. “Maybe I should come at a different time.”
“He’s here to help,” Jessica assured and explained everything that they already knew. Taeyeon’s eyes widened in astonishment. “We’re going to get Tiffany out together.”
“And more,” Zhoumi interjected.
Taeyeon’s gaze fell on Jessica. “I made a copy of this when I found it.”
Jessica got up, taking the folder from Taeyeon’s hands. Cracking it open, her eyes scanned the old pages.
“It’s Tiffany's contract,” Taeyeon pointed out. Zhoumi stood up, crossing to read the information over Jessica’s shoulder. “It was signed by the person who brought her in, but he didn’t have custody over Tiffany.”
Krystal’s brow furrowed. ”But the Dream Bank has her contract.”
“Forged,” said Taeyeon. “Half of the documents are forged to evade scrutiny. Tiffany wouldn’t have been able to sign for herself until she was eighteen. She would have to sign again for them to keep her there. But I know Tiffany. She never would.”
“This doesn’t help us if it’s a copy.” Zhoumi frowned, holding one of the papers in hand. “They could claim you tampered with evidence.”
“I have the original. Before Tiffany’s Caretaker was fired, she gave it to me. The real one. I made a copy for now but the original is hidden.” Taeyeon frowned as she found Jessica’s eyes. “I couldn't help her when I was there. Maybe you can.”
Jessica looked back to Zhoumi who gave a nod.
“I think we can.”
Part VI
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