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No one can confidently say that he will still be living tomorrow.
July 3rd, Friday night
Stumbling homewards along the bank of the river
I am not sure who is helping who to walk; Iago helping me or me helping Iago. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to grab him and take him over to La Fee Verte ... but he was mopey and it seemed like a good idea at the time.
Admittedly, I don't have the best track record with good ideas. We got drunk on absinthe. Then I thought it would cheer him up ever more, so we went to see the show at The Grindhouse. Then Daiyu happened. Before I could say 'boo', we were back in her trailer, chasing the dragon. What happened next is still rather fuzzy. I am pretty sure we didn't have sex, with either her or each other, but I am pretty sure we got a private viewing of her contortion act.
But now my head just hurts, and Iago's giggling madly and stumbling over his own feet, and I may just need to sleep this off. Maybe I just want to get back inside....
Shake my head to make that crawling feeling go away. I'm being silly, it's not like I am out alone, after all. Iago is babbling something about his cousins, and I can't follow any of it. "You are an absolute mess, do you know that?" I say, half sighing, half laughing. "Granted, I am an absolute mess too." We both stumble and barely keep each other from going down face first into the river.
"We are never telling Glass about this, right?"
(open to Iago and Marbas and Kaeli)
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"Can you do something for Lucien?"
Can I? The one I would ask is gone. It's no longer his place. Lucien's body is not yet cold. "I don't... I don't know," I say softly, placing my hand on Lucien's chest. There is no steady beat, blood no longer flows. I think of the dead rage filled thing in the cemetery and shiver at the thought.
Lúgh, is he with you now? Was it really his time? Would you have let it happen if it wasn't? They sat back and let so much happen. Like we were play things, only good for their amusement. He deserved better than this. He helped so many. It hasn't been that long, and there is not a god here to boost or save me now. I don't think it will be enough. But I have to try. I can't not.
Warmth flows from my hand like tea from a pot. The first flutter of his heart. I draw my hand back quickly and wait for a response. A sharp intake of breath, a moan. Nothing. My stomach begins to ache again, but the more I let flow into him, the more it subsides until it's gone.
A swoon rushes over me. So much so that I am grateful for Iago at my side. If it wasn't for him, I don't think I would still be kneeling here. My focus stays on Lucien, praying it's not too little or too late. My eyes lids get heavy as everything begins to wane. "No," I murmur, feeling Iago sway and shake. Its not enough. Is it his time?
Everything feels steady again. Just enough to open my eyes a little,directing it from Iago, to me, to Lucien. I hope it's enough. It will have to be for now, I don't have anything left.
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"I don't... I don't know."
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to find patience in myself as I don't want to snap at her, especially if she can do something for him. I make another plea to whomever might be listening, promising more on top of being nice to Kaeli in exchange for Lucien's life.
"Try anyway, Kaeli. This is Lucien we're talking about, not me." She may not be my friend but Lucien's on good terms with most everyone and hopefully that will spur her on to do something helpful. "...please."
I shift aside, keeping close to both of them as I watch her lay both hands on Lucien's still chest. She's concentrating and I'm taking that as a good sign but when she shakes her head, it's not encouraging. She''s not done yet though and I sigh half in relief as she leans forward, obviously trying again.
I place my hand on hers atop Lucien's chest, wishing for her success with all my will. Muttering to myself or perhaps to her, I say, "C'mon Kaeli. You can do it." And she does, paling while leaning forward and clutching at Lucien's red-stained shirt. I catch her around the waist, holding her steady as she continues to concentrate and I continue to silently plead.
The excitement and terror of this whole horrific situation must be finally getting to me because I'm feeling awfully sick to my stomach, worse than before, and light-headed as well. Kaeli's still focused on her task though so I try to keep doing my part of holding her up but it's becoming harder and harder to do. He's still not breathing and at this point, I'm having a difficult time with that myself.
I open my mouth to speak but suddenly and without warning, every nerve in my body is on fire. I try to catch my breath but I can't seem to find the strength. This can't be happening and immediately I try again. What the fuck? Maybe Underhill hurt me worse than I originally thought and fuck me, I don't need this on top of everything else. My chest aches terribly though and I pull at my ruined t-shirt.
But I can't distract her. She needs to fix Lucien first and then maybe, I'll ask about myself. The world shifts and if I was on fire before, then now I'm most certainly freezing. Blood roars in my ears and the night's gone white-bright with black edges. I fall back, laying down because it feels like the best thing to do and shit, I hope Kaeli's doing better than I am. Lucien too, and perhaps if I close my eyes, I'll be able to ignore how badly I hurt inside.
I try to take another breath but can't and had I more energy, I'd likely panic. Maybe I'm dying. Is this what it feels like? Glass is definitely going to be pissed, and I'm sorry I didn't get to tell her I love her once more. Our child will never know me either. God, this sucks. I guess I won't be at work tomorrow either. Someone needs to tell Verdi...
I must be hallucinating because I hear Verdi laughing and what the fuck's so funny, bitch... More laughter and it doesn't fit in with anything, not with the blood, not with this night and certainly not with me or Lucien. It's not your time... I hear another voice whisper, "No," before the pain sizzles through me, fast as lightning and twice as bad as anything I've felt yet. When the cold finally returns, I don't mind so much anymore and exhausted beyond words, I close my eyes.
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everything is light. Lighter than I have ever been. It occurs to me that I should be concerned about... something? Someone? Devil if I can remember, and I am not really bothered to try to. Just keep walking homewards...
There is a arbor ahead, right in the center of the path, and someone is there. They look familiar... like I should know them... her? Them... the figure keeps shimmering in my vision, even as I draw nearer. Familiar, yes... Just a few more yards and I'll---
It shoots right through me, the pain in my chest. White hot and sharp. I fall to my knees, clutching it, gasping. "But it hurts there...where I was..." I moan and the fire spreads through me. Not like before, when there was fire, this is different, but it still hurts. The light grows stronger, bleaching the fields and the town and the gate starts to fade from view and I smell apples and stoudt and there's more light and someone laughing and people calling me back as the white overcomes all and ---
I gasp, eyes flying open as my lungs fill with air and my heart thumps hard in my chest. I try to sit up, but it doesn't happen. Finding moving very painful, hell! Breathing is painful but---
Breathing. I wasn't! I was--- Marbas--- Oh God... IAGO!
"Iago?" I croak, trying to move my head at the least. "Iago, you there?" Oh God, answer me!
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My throat feels like it's full of shards and I manage to say, "Yeah, I'm here." It occurs to me that the voice talking to me is not female and mustering a miniscule amount of excitement, I ask, "Lucien?" I pick myself up enough to lean back on my elbows and continue, "Goddamn, it's good to see you awake and alive again."
He looks like a bloody mess and I smile wide at how bad he looks. He looks like I feel. and I say, "You look like death warmed over, which is alright I suppose, since you did die." Kaeli's body is laying across his and I cheerfully continue, "Look at what you did. You wore Kaeli out. Me too." My grin returns and I add, "I always knew you had it in you."
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"You look like death warmed over, which is alright I suppose, since you did die."
Groan at that a little, only because trying to laugh hurts like a son of a bitch. "Fuck, again? Wasn't that much fun the first time around..." I am sure I will laugh about this more later.
"Look at what you did. You wore Kaeli out. Me too. I always knew you had it in you."
"Kaeli?" I rasp out, and raise my arm to touch my chest, coming in contact with hair. "Oh, so that's why I can't move." I wonder idly is Marbas called her, or if Iago had the wits about him to remember she could heal. "Kaeli, you are a lifesaver..." Chuckle a little now at my own bad joke. "Thank you for thinking of this before I turned into a shambling zombie..." Laugh now, at our private joke about that, and wait for her to join me.
But she doesn't.
"Kaeli?" I shake her a little, but still no response. "Iago... little help here?" Shit, SHIT, SHIT!!!
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My chuckle's cut short as I cough briefly. "Are you going for a record? I say go for something else, something easier, like shark wrangling."
I mention Kaeli and as I hear him murmur to her, I take the opportunity to pick myself up a bit more. Gingerly, I make to my knees, panting from the exertion. This shouldn't be this difficult but it is and I wipe the dirt and sweat from my brow before glancing at Lucien and Kaeli.
"Iago... little help here?"
He gets a mock-glare before I shake my head and manage a weak laugh. Teasing, I say, "And here I was hoping you'd help me instead. You're fortunate you just died, otherwise I might insist you do your job." Reaching over to Kaeli, I check her pulse and grin at him. "She's alive, Lucien, and tougher than she looks, thank fuck."
Shifting her body off his, I gather her up and settle her next to him instead. He's piqued my curiosity with one of his comments and I ask, "What's this about shambling zombies? Do you two have hobbies I don't know about."
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"Oh for fucks sake..." I moan. I doubt very much I could manage to unroll gauze, let alone make informed decisions about others mediccal care. Thankfully, Iago has enough in him to pull her gently off me and check her pulse.
"She's alive, Lucien, and tougher than she looks, thank fuck."
Once Kaeli's off, I find moving... well, not much easier, but something that can be attempted. I force myself to sit up and fuck ot hurts, but I have a feeling it should be hurting much more than it is. Check Kaeli's pulse myself, and find it relatively normal, maybe a tad weaker than I'd like, but it's there. I try to check her pupils, but it's too dark, dammit all.
"What's this about shambling zombies? Do you two have hobbies I don't know about."
"What? Oh... I am sure you heard about that." I say, trying to stand, but that's pushing it right now. Sitting is good. "Kaeli, Tez, a midnight trip to the graveyard. They re-animated a corpse, then your wife appeared with a shovel." Find I'm grinning over that. "I wasn't there, and sorry I missed it." Pat Kaeli's cheek. "C'mon, wake up and tell Iago about it." I coax, hoping she will... but she doesn't.
"We're gonna have to get her back to my office." I try to stand again, but merely plop back down on my ass. "Which may prove problematic."
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My eyes dart over Kaeli's unconscious body and the rather impressive amount of blood around us. I look in the direction of Lucien's office and sigh heavily. "Problematic is one word for it." I cough a bit, trying to not laugh as Lucien falls back on his ass. "There's always crawling but if someone sees us, that'll take some explaining that we might not yet want to do."
I glance at Kaeli again. "She looks light though and I believe I could carry her. All I have to do is get up." It's not as easy as it sounds and my muscles and joints protest with every movement but eventually I stand, albeit a bit shakily but I'm standing nevertheless.
"Alright, I'm up. Need a hand?" I offer a hand up and say, "Lucien, how are we going to explain this? And who should we tell, if at all?" I pause, pondering the possibilities. "Certainly Mab and the deputy, but beyond that... Glass?"
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Iago agrees that us moving ourselves is bad enough right now, let alone Kaeli. I mean... if we could fashion a sort of stretcher I suppose we could act as sled dogs... but he's right. How the fuck would we explain that, in conjunction with all the blood?
"She looks light though and I believe I could carry her. All I have to do is get up." I watch him dubiously, but color me shocked; he gets to his feet.
"Need a hand?" I wave it away. "No, if you can do it, I suppose I can get my sorry ass off the ground. Besides, I'm heavier than you think..." Groan loudly, and I must look ridiculous; but I manage it. I'd hate to have pulled you back down." I sigh, pushing bloodied hair from my eyes.
"Lucien, how are we going to explain this? And who should we tell, if at all? Certainly Mab and the deputy, but beyond that... Glass?"
"Glass? I mean... she see the raising of the dead or the meddling in the affairs of a corpse a massively bad thing. She may get pissed off that Kaeli managed to bring me back. And trust me; I. Was. Dead."
Look around, somewhere between glad no one's found us and irritated no one heard us. "Can't explain the why of what just happened... but the who? That just happened to be the demon I got yanked out of me. We'll have to tell Mab that Mr. Underhill, should he show his face again, should be shot on sight." Like that will work. Rub my face, feeling beyond exhausted.
"C'mon. Let's get Kaeli back to my place. Between the two of us I think we can manage it. Each of us take an arm, carry her upright between us?"
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Nodding in agreement, I say, "I'll follow your lead and perhaps Kaeli might not suffer undue stress. As for Underhill, yes, telling Mab should be first." I'm exhausted but I certainly can't be worse off than Lucien and I heft Kaeli up, leaning most of her weight on me before saying, "I believe if we go slowly, I'll be able to carry her and more so, if you can manage yourself, we should make it." I stagger a step or two but regain my balance before trudging back to Lucien's office.
After what seems like an eternity, we make it to his front steps and I try not to pant overly much before saying, "Mind opening the door for me? And I'm claiming dibs on the couch as this is my last stop tonight."
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I help Iago get a still unconscious Kaeli off the ground, and I am eternally gratefully when he takes the lions share--- I really don't care for that turn of phrase right now--- when he take's most of the burden on himself.
We do go slowly, and I find I have to help Iago steady himself and Kaeli more than once. Finally, oh thank you whoever still likes me! the office is there and we've made it!
"Mind opening the door for me? And I'm claiming dibs on the couch as this is my last stop tonight."
It takes a few fumbles and a lot of cursing, but I manage to get my key into the lock and open it. "You can have the bed. She get's the hospital bed in the room next to the office," I point to the dark room off to the left. "...and I'll take my couch in the office. I want to be near enough to hear her in case she wakes." Granted, I am not sure a stampede of elephants could wake me up after I drop into exhaustion.
We gingerly deposit Kaeli onto the hospital bed, and I grab a warmer blanket to cover her with. She'll be okay for about twenty minutes on her own, I'm sure.
I lean against the wall, and take a good look at both of them. They look like hell... I don't even want to imagine what I look like.
"I'm claiming first shower rights though." I say with a faint grin, then heading for the stairs and waving for him to follow.
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We make it inside after some stumbling and near-falls but my claim to the couch is challenged. I lay Kaeli on the hospital bed before asking in an amused tone, "Isn't Lannie in your bed? Does she come with your offer?" I chuckle before coughing lightly. "Fuck, I need something to drink. My throat's raw as hell and as loathe as I'm to say it, I'd like some water."
He heads off to the shower and if he hadn't just dropped dead, I might argue with him. I don't have the energy though, not after our mini-trek and armed with nothing but my stellar sense of humor, I say, "Your house so you get to shower first but I'm next. I feel like shit anyway so I'll just lay here for a bit 'til you get back."
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"Kitchens that way. Water, juice...whatever you want." I wave towards the kitchen and go into the bedroom. Lannie isn't here, and maybe it's for the best. Can barely think, imagine trying to explain this to your girlfriend who can turn into a wolf when pissed off.
Stip off the ruined clothes and start the shower. Clothes my eyes so I can pointedly ignore the water running red off of me. Finally realize I am snoring when I choke on the water getting into my mouth. Right. In long enough. Get out, dry off, find a pair of sweat pants...
and Iago is snoring away in the overstuffed chair that serves as a couch. Lean over and shake his shoulder; me wet hair dripping on his face.
"Your turn. No Lannie, so feel free to drop in the bed once you're done."