Restore Me

Warner hurries to the infirmary, blaming himself for leaving Juliette unprotected. He blames Nazeera and Haider until Juliette explains how Nazeera saved her. Even so, Warner distrusts Nazeera. Healers Sonya and Sara cannot touch Juliette themselves to heal her, given Juliette’s lethal touch powers, which may be active while she recuperates. Warner then uses his superpower to borrow others’ abilities to heal Juliette himself. Warner worries over what would happen to Juliette if she were injured when he was unavailable to help heal her. He thinks of all the ways he should have helped Juliette more.

When Castle approaches, he argues that Juliette is too young and inexperienced to be supreme commander; he thinks Warner should take the job instead. He cautions Warner that if he really cares for Juliette, he will “stop her before they do” (155). Castle warns that Juliette’s parents will arrive, claiming that the reports of their long-past death were falsified. He urges Warner to remember Juliette’s older sister, Emmaline. Castle claims Warner has met her many times, though Warner has no such recollection. Castle urges Warner to recall what Anderson made Warner do in exchange for granting him control of Sector 45, which Warner desired to stay close to his ailing mother. Warner is shocked that Castle has so much information.

Castle reports that Juliette and Emmaline were held by The Reestablishment as “part of an ongoing experiment for genetic testing and manipulation” (159). When Warner summoned Juliette from the asylum to Sector 45 (in the first novel, Shatter Me), this was another of Anderson’s manipulations; he allowed his son to think he was secretly rescuing Juliette. Castle does not yet know the identity of Juliette’s parents, though he knows they willingly gave their daughters up for The Reestablishment’s experiments.

Castle pleads for details about Emmaline’s incarceration, but Warner doesn’t know; his task was to show loyalty by acting without question. Castle urges Warner to try to remember, citing Emmaline’s importance to The Reestablishment, but Warner grows distraught. Warner recalls that he supervised Emmaline’s torture in exchange for being given command of Sector 45. Castle advises Warner to tell Juliette the truth before she finds out in other ways. He cites her past outbursts, such as when, in Unravel Me, she nearly destroyed the Omega Point hideout in a misguided attempt to protect Adam.

Warner fears that Juliette will not forgive him if she learns that he was involved in harming her sister. Castle argues that the only way he can earn Juliette’s forgiveness is if he tells her the truth himself.

An excerpt from Juliette’s journal in the asylum, which she wrote in Unravel Me, talks about the “abyss” she feels inside herself. Still, she is not convinced that she is “a monster,” despite what she has been told from herself.

In the narrative present, Juliette wakes. Her physical pain reminds her she was shot; when she cannot easily move, she flashes back to being in the asylum. She thinks of the other cellmates, whom she has not thought of since her freedom, and dreams of birds, something that represents freedom and personal growth in Unravel Me and Shatter Me. She drifts in and out of consciousness as a mysterious voice asks her what she saw before she was shot. The voice, who she will later recognize as Nazeera, warns her that she cannot trust anyone. As she falls back asleep, she thinks that she cannot escape her past, even if she tries to forget it.

Warner looks through his father’s papers, seeking evidence of Castle’s claims. He learns that The Reestablishment considers people with abilities “Unnaturals,” and that they have been placed in asylums across the globe. Those with “useful” skills were forced to do The Reestablishment’s bidding, which secured its worldwide power. Emmaline, who had psychokinetic powers, was the first to be tested and used by The Reestablishment.

Juliette, who had not yet shown powers, was taken on the assumption that she would share traits with her elder sister. She was dosed with drugs that affected her memory and assigned a name and false memories so she could be monitored by The Reestablishment. Warner realizes that the other supreme commanders’ patience with Juliette’s new rule is merely an extension of this longstanding observation and experimentation.

Before his death, Anderson described Juliette as a “failed experiment” and recommended she be killed. His logs, shared with other supreme commanders, described Warner’s affection for Juliette, as well.

He recalls Emmaline, who has been held captive for 12 years in an underwater tank that keeps her alive via machines. When assigned to supervise her, Warner understood her captivity was meant to torture her, though he did not ask any further questions. He fears telling Juliette the truth and how he let her sister’s torture go unchecked. He fears the effect of losing her love on his well-being.

Another excerpt from Juliette’s journals reflects on her desire for a friend and her curiosity about the other inmates in the asylum.

In the narrative present, Juliette wakes, feeling sick and sluggish. Sonya and Sara don’t know why she is hallucinating the bright sun when the day is actually gloomy; they don’t know how long the effects will last or what poison affected Juliette, either. She wishes to get back to work, but Warner, visibly worn down by fear and stress, tells her he needs to speak with her as soon as she is clean and dressed.

While Warner waits for Juliette, he encounters Adam and James, who still does not know he is Warner’s younger brother. James’s insistent questions about Warner’s apparent dismay irritate Warner and amuse Adam. As Warner and James bicker in a brotherly way, Warner grows sad that James may never know of their relationship.

Warner returns to his room, where he finds Juliette coming out of the shower. Though he knows he should tell her the truth first, he embraces her when she begins kissing him.