THE CHOICE

Part I. The room stood quiet as recently spoken words hung in the dense, still air, all gazes fixed squarely on the fading determination in the browning eyes of the succubus. Her shoulders and chest rose and fell with every heavy breath as clashing voices cried out in her mind, desperate to make some sense of what was happening. It had been minutes - minutes since that smirk formed on his thin lips, his dark, poisonous words spilling out, clouding the minds of those who remained - and still she had not moved to respond. No, her thoughts still fought, scenario by scenario falling away as the realization of hopelessness hit her, just as a sharp gasp cleaved through the weighty silence.

"Hold on," a distant voice spoke through the rasp of crippling sobs. "Hold on, Tammy." Kenzi glanced to the succubus, pure rage shining in ice blue orbs. "Bo! Do something!"

Bo moved her gaze to the left, tears streaming down her face as the reality of the situation returned. "Tamsin." The valkyrie's trembling body lay in the arms of the succubus' best friend, Kenzi's small body rocking slightly as she gripped tightly to the weak blonde. Red poured out onto the pristine white ground, staining and puddling beneath the pair. Bo wanted to move, to run to Tamsin, to save her… but her body instead stood frozen, each breath growing heavier as the seconds dragged on.

"Bo." The succubus turned to her right, her sorrow growing tenfold as her gaze rested on Rainer's gentle, pleading eyes. He took a step forward, his hand outstretched, beckoning to her.

"I can't…" she breathed, choking back a sob as she stumbled backwards and spun around to face the dark, shadowed figured that hovered calmly in the room. Her father towered above her, his sadistic smile calling back the determination that she'd all but lost. "You can't make me choose. I - I won't do it."

"Yes you will." The voice did not belong to Him, and Bo couldn't help but let out a light sob as she brought her hand up to her mouth.

"No…" she cried. "I can't." The succubus turned back to her left, taking a small step forward. "Tamsin-"

"No. Stop that." Tamsin paused, her eyes clenching shut as a wave of pain shot through her torso. "It doesn't matter what we want… Bo. This i-isn't about me, and it's not about… beardy, over there-"

"Tamsin! You're not-"

"He's not going to let this go, Succulette. You h-have to choose." The valkyrie's body shook as it grew increasingly difficult to breath - to speak. She let her eyes fall shut, the grip on her body growing tighter as Kenzi's forehead pressed against hers.

"But I c- I can't!"

"Of course you can, Bo." Her father came up behind her, resting his strong hands on her small shoulders, squeezing gently. "You're my daughter, and this is your test."

"Why?" she asked, her will no longer strong enough to make her pull away. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"Because only one of them is truly your destiny. You can only walk your true path with the strongest warrior at your side."

Bo watched sadly, tears still spilling from her eyes as Tamsin feebly pressed her lips to Kenzi's hairline.

"I'm sorry, Kenz," the blonde spoke softly, her words followed by a muffled groan.

"This isn't the end, Tamsin. It just - it can't be. I know it-" The small human fell silent as the valkyrie's head shook.

"No. This is goodbye." With that, her hand grasping Kenzi's, she looked back to Bo. "Listen to your heart, Bo. You've already chosen," she rasped sadly, her pale green eyes shifting from Bo to the sturdy figure to her right - to Rainer, whose uncertainty could be seen in his fearful gaze.

"Bo," he breathed again. "I will always stand by your side. You know this."

"She'll die," the succubus responded, her voice void of any clear emotion.

"And what of me?" He strode forward, stepping up to Bo. "I will not lose you. I can't be sent back there, Bo. It will be final."

"I know-"

"Tamsin!" Kenzi cried.

All eyes turned to the human-valkyrie pair, pleasure, near indifference, and panic featured independently on each of the three onlookers' faces. The blonde's breaths grew increasingly light, each seemingly more difficult than the last as her grip on Kenzi's hand began to weaken.

"No." Bo's shoulders broke free of her father's grasp, her body subconsciously pulling forward - away from Him, away from Rainer. She collapsed onto her knees beside the valkyrie's stilling body, the puddle of blood beneath her knees soaking in

through her leather pants. "Tamsin," she sobbed, pulling the valkyrie from the human's arms, holding her tightly to her own heaving chest.

"So you've chosen," He spoke, the smirk that had recently claimed his lips now fading. "How unfortunate that she might be your choice."

"Save her!" Bo cried. "Please. Save her. You promised." She looked up towards her father, watched as the disappointment betrayed his cool and collected demeanor, Rainer taking a stance beside him.

"What now?" the ex-wanderer asked, his serious gaze fixed on the scene before him as Tamsin's eyes shut.

"I swore to my daughter - my blood - that I would honour her decision. It's clear to me now, Ysabeau is not quite ready for the path that she must walk."

Anger now replaced desperation as she gentled handed the fast-fading valkyrie to Kenzi, rising to her feet in one swift motion. "This was all a game, wasn't it?" she asked, the question directed at her father, though she stepped dangerously close to Rainer, bright blue, vengeful eyes locked onto his. "He was never an innocent."

"You should really listen to your so-called friends more, Ysabeau. They're quite perceptive," He spoke, his expression lightening a bit. "Fear not. Our business is not done. You will stand by my side one day." He paused for a moment, his gaze settling on Tamsin's pale, weak form. "You'll have to move quick, but I will release you and your friends. The valkyrie's life is in your hands once that is done."

Bo's expression grew more dangerous as she glanced at her father. "Do it. Now."

With one last broad, mischievous, and satisfied smile, the succubus' father leaned forward slightly, giving his daughter and her companions a small bow. "As you wish."

A/N: I was gonna make this a one-shot, but I'm lazy and I have to do real life things, so I'll tie this knot up tomorrow and make it a sort of two-shot. Also, this was just a moment of weird inspiration… I don't even know. Just the idea of having Bo make some ultimate choice, blah blah, I like angst, blah. Also, valkubus.

(Btdubs, I have not forgotten my other story at all… if you even care. I've been working on it steadily, as per the pointed demands of a certain someone on twitter with the initials of R and K. Hopefully I'll get to posting that here soon.)

ALSO, I totally didn't edit this, so if you find a mistake, live with the knowledge that I regret things in life. Like spelling and grammar errors. Sob.