Hey all! Here's a new story for you. This story is one of my most emotional pieces for the Vince and Orwell relationship, but it's very different from my fluff so hang on tight.
I do not own The Cape.
P.S: My inspiration tag to the story is the song "If I die young" by The Band Perry. If you haven't heard it, I highly suggest either give it a listen, or read the lyrics. It's a very lovely song.
Gone
How would you feel if you lost something? More importantly, how would you feel if you lost something before you had the opportunity to greatly appreciate it? Vince Faraday cursed fate everyday for what had happened. He told himself that maybe he could have prevented it. Because of him, his partner was dead.
She was so young, how could this be right? The Cape beat himself up over it and probably always would.
*Flashback*
Orwell had been through a horrible day. That day had been the closest Peter Fleming had gotten to finding his daughter. She thought it would make her day better if she spent some time with Vince. The blogger had started to be able to talk to the vigilante about pretty much anything. Only this time, she was pushed just a little too hard.
Orwell busted into the Cape's hideout and instantly, he knew something was wrong. "Hey to you too, Orwell," he called out to her as she walked up to him without so much as a smile.
The blogger stopped in front of him and drug out a sigh. "I've had quite the day."
Vince stepped that much closer and looked down at her. "You wanna talk about it?"
Orwell hesitated to answer. Her eyes glistened back at him like the flicker of a flame. "I want to, but I can't."
"Why not? You know you can talk to me about everything right?" the Cape said, leaning back against a desk.
"Vince, I-" the blogger drooped her shoulders and stared ahead at open space. "It's for your own good if I don't tell you."
"For my own good? If I can't even help a friend, what good am I?" Vince asked, never averting his gaze from the brunette once.
"You'll help me by leaving it alone," Orwell warned, her tone had lowered to the point where the vigilante had to strain to hear her.
No matter how much he wanted to, he didn't try to press any further. Only, he didn't need to. The blogger had enough, she was about to lose all of her calm and she just couldn't break down in front of Vince.
Vince and Orwell held each other in a silent glance for a few moments before the blogger turned to walk out. "I need to get home and rest okay?"
The Cape felt as if his heart was being rung dry. He swallowed down the lump in his throat as he said, "You've got it."
Orwell smiled faintly, feeling her eyes swell up with unshed tears. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, tomorrow," Vince said as he resisted the urge to hug her and beg her to stay.
With that, the blogger left Vince's hideout for the last time. Driving back to her lair was difficult. There was a haze clouding her judgment, threatening to make it's next move. She sat in the complete silence as she drove. The only sounds she heard were the natural noises of the engine.
Orwell felt a lump form in her throat as she thought of Vince. She didn't want to leave him, she wanted nothing more than to tell him everything that was bothering her. The only thing that kept her from doing so, was the fear he would do something drastic and get himself hurt, or worse.
The brunette blogger clicked her turn signal on as she stopped at a traffic light. Orwell let out an audible breath as she waited for it to turn green. However, right as the light turned yellow, a massive truck came flying by from the opposite way of the traffic light. The blogger didn't have the time to swerve her way out of the collision. The truck slammed into her head on, cracking the windshield completely. Orwell's life flashed before her eyes; her time with her parents and family, and even her time with Vince. She didn't even have time to cry out before her world went black.
Traffic had been quite light, but a neighboring truck, who just witnessed the horrendous accident, pulled over and called 911. As the Police and EMTs walked onto the accident scene, they had to hold their breath at the severity of the accident.
The female of the two EMTs went over to Orwell's totaled car, whereas the male when over to the offender's truck. The female was a tall and lanky blonde. She shined the flashlight through the broken windshield and let her mouth hand a gape. The brunette inside the car was still alive; she was bleeding all over but she was alive. However, when the blonde pried open the driver's side, she noticed a fatal factor, Orwell had been pierced through the side by an object that must have been flying around when she crashed. The blogger was breathing, but would not be for very long. The blonde EMT rushed to the ambulance to retrieve a gurney from the back. Gently placing Orwell onto the stretcher, she wheeled her to get treated immediately. The blogger's pockets were searched, luckily the EMTs found her phone. The EMTs called the most recent number used in her contacts, in hopes to get in touch with her family before it was too late. Of course, her most recent call was made to Vince.
When the Cape saw Orwell's name pop up on his caller I.D. he thought it was too good to be true. However, when he answered it, his hopes were prematurely crushed.
"Hey Orwell, did you make it home okay?" Vince asked into the phone.
The EMT sighed as her heart silently broke for this guy. "Sir, is this your girlfriend or wife's cell phone?"
The vigilante's stomach flipped 360 degrees. "She's my friend, yes."
"I need you to come to Barlow Avenue. There's been a terrible accident."
"Accident?" Vince asked, the lump in his throat finally returned.
"Yes. Your friend has been badly hurt. There isn't much time," the EMT spoke as gently as she could.
"I'll be right there," the vigilante spoke, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach as he hung up the phone.
Almost clumsily, Vince walked out of his hideout and made his way to the destination at hand. Barlow Avenue was only about 5 minutes away after all, and he knew he could use the walk. The California heat clung to Vince as he tried to walk. The closer he got to Orwell, the more panicked he became. When he actually approached the accident scene, he felt nervous tears form behind his eyes. He saw his partner's car and instantly thought he would be sick. When he looked over to the other vehicle, he saw a white sheet covering a body. He had the worst feeling that it was Orwell under that sheet. His Orwell. Vince frantically turned his head to see the ambulance, fortunately, with the blogger sitting up in the gurney. "Orwell," he spoke dryly as he rushed over to the ambulance.
Only, he couldn't have braced himself for the condition his partner was in. The EMTs tried their best to keep the blood loss to a minimum, but it wasn't working. Orwell was a pale, bloody, fragile mess. When he came up to the ambulance, she was barely conscious. Vince didn't know whether to hug her or kiss her. When he walked up to her, he settled for a loving hug. He wrapped his arms tighter around Orwell than he ever had any other person. Vince backed away a bit and took her battered hand. Looking to the EMTs for comfort, one said, "Talk to her, she only has a few minutes."
"Can she hear me?" Vince asked, now looking at Orwell with tears in his eyes.
The EMTs nodded and walked away for a moment to collect the deceased driver.
The vigilante almost couldn't hold himself together. "Orwell, can you hear me?" he felt a light squeeze from the blogger.
Orwell slowly moved her head and formed a tiny smile at Vince. "Hi," she said weakly.
"Hey," Vince spoke, smoothing down his friend's hair. "How do you feel?"
"Everything's… wonderful," Orwell said with a lighthearted laugh.
"I wish everything was wonderful," Vince said as his breath hitched in his chest. "I'm so sorry, Orwell. I should never have let you leave."
"I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I never was able to tell you how I felt," the blogger said.
"How you felt?" the Cape repeated. He could sense her hesitation to which he called out again, "Orwell?"
The blogger's breath crackled as she breathed in. "I love you Vince," the way she said it made it seem so final. So final, it freaked the vigilante out.
Vince smiled down at her and let a few tears trickle down his face. "I love you too."
Orwell spent the last bit of energy she had left to pull Vince down to her level for a passionate kiss.
When the Cape pulled away from the kiss for a breather, Orwell's eyes slowly shut and he felt as her hand that was in his, fell limp. Vince took her hand and placed a kiss on it before placing it back on her stomach gently.
As the EMTs came back, they looked at the broken man as he murmured something and covered his friend with the white sheet.
*End Flashback*
Orwell's funeral was no easier. In fact, it was worse than when she died in his arms. Vince had dressed in a nice suit just for Orwell. The gathering to say goodbye to their beloved blogger was small- just the Cape and the Carnival. Vince had figured she wouldn't have wanted anything big. It was at that point though, he wondered where her real family members were.
The blogger's funeral was held by a river. She was dressed in a gorgeous white gown with matching pearls.
As the vigilante approached his love to express his final goodbyes, he could feel his chest becoming heavy. Though, it wasn't until he stared down at the satin laced casket, and the beauty that was inside, that he lost all of his composure. Vince took a deep breath and felt someone put a hand over his shoulder. He looked over to see Max with a solemn look on his own face.
"We all lose someone special, Vincent," Max said.
The Cape returned his glance back to the brunette in the casket. "Why'd it have to be her, Max. She was…" Vince paused and tried to hold back the tears he needed to shed.
Max watched as Vince looked up from Orwell's body. Tears began to stream down his face as he walked away for a moment. The magician turned his head to see his crew members in a circle, each of them had a different degree of sadness on their faces.
The sound of the water rippling against the shore was the only sound Vince and the carnies could hear.
A few moments later, the vigilante came back with a few roses. The Carnival watched him as he approached Orwell's body once more. Vince smiled down at the blogger and opened her dainty hand, placing the roses in her grasp. The Cape then leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips before he whispered, "I love you," down at his partner.
The wind picked up; the tree's full limbs blew around, just as the waves rippled on the river.
Vince would never be the same again. Orwell's death left an impact on his life that could never be repaired. He lost his best friend, his companion, he may have even lost his one true love.
Alright everyone, that's it for me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to busy myself with writing my fluff!