Disclaimer: I own naught- I just play in several sandboxes.
A/N- I just thought I might do an accompaniment to my third drabble in 'SP drabbles'. China/ Vengeous and China/Vile pairing.
"Madam?"
China looked up briefly, snapped out of her pensive thought. Her newest helper was holding a cup of tea for her. Graciously nodding her thanks, she accepted the cup and returned to her musings. So, Vengeous had escaped. Well, it was going to happen one day. She'd hoped, tried to convinced herself that the cell could hold him, but in her heart she knew. Knew that only one cell could hold him; but even Death would have a titanic struggle. Knowing Vengeous, Oh, and you knew him very well, didn't you? He'd probably come back just to spite them. Bit like Skulduggery, in that sense. Oh, yes, she pondered, they are quite like each other. How ironic, that in different circumstances, they would have been as close as brothers. Apart from one vital difference; another voice had evidently decided to offer his opinion: You never loved Skulduggery. And he never loved you. Thank the higher powers for that, she thought fervently. I have the ever-enhancing suspicion that a love-struck Skulduggery would be bloody difficult to get rid of. But I never really loved Vengeous, did I? He was just another beautiful mark in a mission that was well accomplished. Why don't I just forget about him? It's not that easy. Vengeous was an important part of my life during my childhood, and even when I left, when I went undercover, he was still an extraordinarily beautiful mark. Just not as pretty as Vile. Yes, well. The other voice snapped, annoyed.
Her mind was as tangled as a ball of wool- it appeared easy to unwrap, yet truly it had mazes and knots that Fort Knox would be proud of. Soon, she had once more lost herself without a map in the spider's web of tangled thoughts and intricacies. As she was close to organising her thoughts so that they seemed only reasonably tangled, she was suddenly overwhelmed as a memory overtook her senses.
The smell of flowers assaulted her nose, freshly mown grass filtered through her fingertips as she picked up a bundle of the soft, spiny leaves. Closing her fist around them, she stood and hurled them at another child nearby. The grass stroked his ear as it whizzed past him, and hit the back of another. The boy whose ear had been hit turned and glared at her, but with a silly grin on his face that told her he didn't really mind. The other boy had also turned, and now the hit one ran towards her. Her big brother picked her up by the armpits and twirled her round, round and round again till she felt dizzy. She could only focus on his face, and the grin, if possible, widened further upon seeing her elated face. He placed her gently upon the ground, and all present laughed when the five-year-old tried to stand, and tottered around like a drunk. Her brother's face was alight with laughter; but she was not looking at him; she was surveying the other boys that were grouped round. There were only two. One was tall, with blonde-brown hair -that would darken as he got older- wearing a light but somewhat condescending smile. The warmth supposed in his smile didn't reach his ice-grey eyes, which were remote and distant. She didn't really like him, China decided. The other was a boy with a black floppy fringe that fell over one eye. He was studying her intently with big green eyes. As soon as she made eye contact with him, he blushed, ducked his head before looking back up at her with a shy smile lingering on his mouth. China smiled back before he dipped his head again and hid behind his fringe.
China returned to the world with a start. That new employee was watching her again. "Yes?" she snapped, not at all pleased to be jolted from the pleasant land of her memories. "Excuse me, madam, but you asked to be notified when Mr Pleasant, Ms Low or Miss Cain entered the building. Mr Pleasant and Miss Cain are on the staircase as we speak."
"Ah, thank you. Please forgive my hostile temper, I was… deep in thought, one might say," She smiled slightly.
As always, please review with either constructive criticism or praise- however, flames will be used to burn down senders house.