A/N: Hi everyone. So Carmilla Season 3 was quite the ride wasn't it? Anyway, as awesome as the series finale was, I felt like there could've been just a tad more closure in it, so I started this story up to provide some. Also, if you haven't watched Mel's Season 3 Podcast Sub-Series, do that first as this story picks up right after the final podcast.
It feels like it's been a lifetime since Mel saw the light of the day. The first time that she could talk without fearing that one of The Dean's forces might be listening to her. The feelings of relief and the sun on her skin were so relaxing that Mel nearly forgot to record one final podcast, so what listeners she had would know the world wasn't coming to an end.
The world's not coming to an end. That's something you wouldn't expect to deal with at college, Mel thinks as she thanks the Summer chapters that eventually showed up to provide aid for those trapped in the pit.
After that, she ran through a quick summary of the final events that happened in the pit including Laura's death and resurrection, which thankfully did not come with a set of fangs, bid farewell to Wanna Buffy herself and her violently protective (and also now alive) girlfriend once Papa Hollis arrived on campus by helicopter, and closed things off wondering if maybe there's Summer material in Laura before disregarding it. She's just about to end her podcast when she hears a welcomingly familiar voice behind her.
"Hey Mel," Elsie greets in a seductive voice. "Do you wanna go get dinner?"
"Oh, hello," Mel giggles as Elsie hugs her from behind. "Yeah. I could eat," she says; innuendo dripping from her words as she ends her podcast.
Nothing could possibly ruin this moment, she thinks.
"Hey Mel!"
I stand corrected, she groans in her mind hearing Kirsch's voice call out to her. "You go ahead Elsie. I've got one last bit of closure to deal with."
"Alright. Just don't keep me waiting long," Elsie replies with a wink and walks off. Mel feels her cheeks starting to blush, but quickly shakes her head to stifle them as Kirsch approaches her.
"Hey Bromeo," Mel says.
"Hi Mel. Look who I've got." Mel glances down and sees Kirsch dragging Theo's unconscious body behind him.
"You took him out of the pit?" She asks as Kirsch reaches her.
"Yeah. If I left him there, he'd eventually wake up and find a means to slip away unnoticed. That's not gonna happen on my watch. This opportunistic Judas deserves every last bit of karma that the world can muster," he says while glaring at Theo with his fists balled up.
Mel is taken aback by this side of Kirsch. She's always seen him as this harmless, but well meaning fool. But this could be the spark of something terrible.
"Kirsch, look at me," she says. He turns his face back to her. "Theo will get what's coming to him, but it can't come from you."
"Why not? I had this whole 'Inigo Montoya, you killed my friend' speech prepared and everything. Well, she's not dead anymore, but you know what I mean."
"It's because I've seen what revenge does to people. You're a good, if somewhat misguided, person. I don't want to see that get poisoned."
"Like Peter Parker in Spider-Man 3." Kirsch references.
"Yes. Exactly like that. Um, not that I follow those types of stories," Mel tries to cover.
"Yeah, right," Kirsch chuckles with a knowing look.
"So, what's next for you?" Mel asks to change the subject.
"Finish out my last year here at Silas and try and get into contact with Danny if I can."
"What happened to her anyway?"
"I don't know. After she saved me, she left on some important journey of self-discovery."
"I still can't believe she saved you to be honest."
"Why not? You saved me," Kirsch reminds her.
"That was different and it was not supposed to leave that cave chamber!" Mel exclaims in a hushed voice. She takes a deep breath, composes herself, and continues. "Sorry," she apologizes; Kirsch standing there like she hadn't just snapped at him. "Do you even think she wants to be found?"
"Probably not, but after everything that's happened, I think she could use a friend. I…I was wondering if maybe you'd like to come with me."
"What? Why?"
"Well, you're seriously baddest chick ever," he compliments.
"I know. Don't try buttering me up."
"And you were a pretty good tracker during the Adonis Hunt. Trying to kill me aside," he continues.
"Yeah, sorry about that-hey! I said don't butter me up," Mel says and gives Kirsch a push, but it's more of a playful one. Kirsch laughs and Mel feels a laugh bubbling to the surface in her.
Oh my God. I'm really chatting it up with a Zeta. So, why don't I feel bad about it? I'm supposed to be the perfect Summer. Summers don't get along with Zetas. But Lawrence saved him. I saved him. Wouldn't be the first time I helped out a Zeta either, but that was before I crossed paths with Tythia. So what makes this different?
"Mel? You ok?" Kirsch asks waving a hand in front of her face.
"Hm?" She asks coming out of her train of thought.
"You were kind of just standing there with this thousand yard stare on your face. Were you having Pit PTSD?"
"Uh, no. Nothing like that. So about helping you find Danny. I'll think about it."
"That's good enough for me," he accepts and extends his hand to her. "Bros.?" He asks.
Mel looks from Kirsch's hand to the goofy grin on his face. She feels a smile tug at the edge of her lips and before she can stop herself, she takes his hand and shakes it.
"Friends."