I'm sorry

Petra didn't know what happened. Why did she look like she just emerged from a battle? Why was she wielding her sword covered in blood? Why did Jesse look so shocked?

Suddenly the pieces clicked together, horror dawning on the redhead warrior. She caused this. How? Why? Why Jesse of all people? Just... why?

Petra watched just how Jesse stared down at the wound on her stomach, completely dumbfounded, gasping for breath. Her skin looked like it had become a few shades paler and she looked like she was about to collapse.

"No.", was the only thing Petra uttered at the moment. Her mind pulled a blank, panic brewing in her. As the girl opposite of her started falling down, a scream tore free from her throat. "JESSE!"

In a instant, Petra had dropped her sword on the ground and caught her friend before she touched down. They slowly lowered to the floor, the redhead holding Jesse close.

"Jesse? Jesse, look at me. I'm here, hang on, ok? Don't go!", she blurted out, trying her best to keep tears from falling. Jesse was still alive but was slipping away quickly, life fading from her eyes. Her breathing was shallow and laboured, trying to say something, just to end up to mutter incoherent stuff.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I didn't- I- I-", Petra trailed off, a lump forming in her throat. She blinked away some tears. "I'm going to fix this, do you hear me? Don't you dare die on me, Jesse! Everything's going to be ok."

At this moment it was more like she was trying to convince herself about this. The redhead gently placed Jesse on the floor and started putting away the damaged armor. That's when the seriousness of the situation hit hard, like a million anvils.

The wound was a very grave one. With both entry and exit, probably half the girl's blood had spilled out. Not even a potion of healing would do much help now. It was all her fault.

Petra breathed through gritted teeth. If she didn't act now, Jesse would die. And the warrior didn't even want to think about the others' reactions if they learned that their best friend was dead, especially when it happened by her hand. Not someone else's. Hers.

Tearing some fabric from her own clothing, she began tying the wound as tightly as she could but not that much as to cause even more damage than there already was. The girl's expression twisted to one of pain, crying out.

"I know it hurts, it's going to be fine."

Jesse managed to choke out a single word. "Petra..."

"It's ok, Jesse. I'm here."

"H-hurts..."

"I know, I know. Just... Just think something good. Think of... Axel and Olivia. Lukas too. Think of your friends!"

After that, the wounded young woman just let her eyes close, groaning in pain. She didn't say anything else. Petra didn't even try hiding her tears at this point.

"This... This is my fault. It's all-all on me! Jesse, please. You can- you can hate me all you want in the end, I don't care, JUST DON'T DIE ON ME, JESSE! Please."

Petra kept pressing down at the wound for what felt like forever, and the bleeding just wouldn't stop. Jesse was still unresponsive. Why? Why it had to be her? Just... Just why? The redhead checked for a pulse every little while to make sure that her friend was still there. The beating was still there, small and very weak, but what mattered was that it was still there.

The warrior casted her gaze around in a panic. There was something she could do, there had to be. Maybe there was some potion in the room that could help.

"Jesse, I'll look for something that can help.", Petra said, Jesse stirring ever so slightly and opening her eyes to look at her. Then she started coughing. It was blood. She sat the girl up against the wall. "Try to put pressure on the wound. I'll be right back!"

Petra took off and started looking around, rummaging through everything in her path.

"Petra-"

"Only a moment, Jesse."

"Pet-", coughing cut her off.

"Hang on, Jess."

What came out of Jesse's mouth next, she could of never predicted it. "Petra, stop."

Petra wiped around in an instant, eyes wide. "W-what? Jess, what are you talking about?", she stuttered making her way towards her.

"It's- it's effortless."

"Don't talk like that!", the redhead said putting her hands on her Jesse's shoulders. "You're going to make it."

"Listen to yourself... You know... That isn't true."

"Jesse, please. We still need you here. What about- what about your friends? What am I going to tell them if you die?"

"You tell them... that they are the best friends I could ask for."

Petra stared at her in disbelief. She then shook her head and frowned. "Say what you want. I do not intend on stopping. I'm not letting you go. Not like this."

After a while, the warrior looked up from her work and to Jesse who was struggling to stay conscious. "I don't understand you... You're bleeding to death and it's me who's freaking out."

"I'm scared too.", the girl said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"What?"

"I'm scared too. Dying isn't something everyone is ready for... But it happens anyways, no matter... what you do, it... still comes."

"You're hanging out with Ivor a lot...", Petra muttered.

"Petra... I don't want to go either... but I can't do else. From the beginning it was obvious that... It was obvious that..."

"Shh, don't talk."

"No, I... I have to keep going... From the beginning it was obvious that I wasn't going to make it."

Tears began rolling again. "I'm so sorry, Jesse..."

"It's not your fault, Petra..."

"B-but it is! I stabbed you, I did it, I didn't mean to, it was- it was accident, ok?! I never wanted to hurt you!"

"I know that... Hurting people you care about is- is the last thing one would want."

The next few moments of silence were only broken by Petra sobbing. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she had actually cried. She never really was that sentimental of a person, but this was different. Jesse was one of the first people she would actually and proudly call her friend. She was always there when she needed her... Not for much longer though.

"Peets?"

"Yes Jesse?"

"Do you... Do you promise that... you guys won't be moping over me for the rest of your lives?"

"Jesse, I can't- you can't-"

"P-promise?"

"Jess..."

No more words came from Jesse. Petra looked up to see her, deathly pale, totally still. Checking for a pulse wasn't needed. The girl's green eyes were dull and blank, staring into nothingness.

Petra chocked back a sob that threatened to escape her. Jesse was gone.

"I promise."