Chapter 2
Cain watched with a sunken heart as DG retreated quickly from the room. She never looked him in the face, but he could see her tears glistening in the dim light of the room. He stood there torn, wondering if he should chase after her. But he stayed fast, the idea of trying to comfort her feeling completely foreign at this moment. What would he say? How could he make it better?
Turning towards the room once more, his eyes fell on Azkadellia, still wrapped in her parents' protective embrace. The queen was crying now, as well, and Ahamo looked stricken. No, there was nothing he could say to DG that would make this better, and he straight out refused to lie to her or give her false hope.
What he wouldn't give to still have Raw here in the palace, but he had left days ago, headed east to bring Kalm home and to reconcile with his clan. They were all sad to see him leave. It had been the first time since the eclipse that their little foursome had been broken up.
Cain's thoughts had moved back to DG, now gone from the corridor. He had heard her steps on the stairs headed up, knowing she would end up on the roof. Sighing, he looked back into the room. Glitch was staring at him, having moved closer to the door. His wide brown eyes looked so lost; no doubt his half-mind was still vexed by Azkadellia's pointless question. Cain nodded once before turning on his heel and following DG.
His mind raced with what to say. Perhaps he wouldn't say anything at all, just be there for her. She'd been so different since the witch's fall. Her eyes no longer sparkled with determination and mischief. Her spunk and gusto had diminished, leaving only a shell of the young woman he had grown so fond of. Her thoughts were always distant. She was quiet. And he missed her smile. The memory of it brought a smile to his own face as his boots took him up the steps. She was something to be reckoned with, that's for sure. He wondered when, and if, he'd ever see that DG again.
It was understandable, feeling the despair she must have felt as her sister struggled so hard with the memories of her possession. Cain had to admit it was difficult to watch. A small part of him delighted in her suffering, her face the symbol of terror at whose hands the OZ had perished for so long. It was Azkadellia who brought them all to their knees, bending at her will, sparking a rebellion that took his own family away from him, ultimately killing his beloved Adora. Azkadellia's reign had denied his son the happy childhood he deserved, turning him into a heartless man with a backwards view of morality. Of course, Cain had been no better, his heart withering away inside that tin suit with a mind hell bent on revenge until DG breezed into his life. She reminded him what it meant to have heart, and why it made everything else worthwhile.
He stopped at the top of the stairs and stared at the door for a moment before pushing it open slowly. He saw her immediately, lying across the roof top, her eyes towards the stars. She whimpered softly, and her back rose and fell rapidly with her sobs. He felt his newly formed heart crack just a little.
Quietly he approached her from behind, crouching down slowly as to not startle her. As soon as he was behind her, he gently laid his hand on her shoulder.
DG gasped and shot to her feet, turning to face him with wide eyes. When she saw him crouched down in front of her, she quickly turned her back to him and frantically wiped the tears from her eyes.
Cain sighed heavily and rose to his feet.
"You ok?" he asked, eyeing her warily.
DG bit her bottom lip, struggling to keep the tears at bay. She didn't want to cry in front of anyone. But the force of her sadness was too strong to hold back. Her entire body shook as she struggled.
Cain moved closer to her, taking each step slowly. He placed his hand on her shoulder once more. DG closed her eyes and dropped her chin to her chest. Defeated, she turned and buried her face in his chest, gripping the front of his shirt with the need to hang on to something…anything.
Cain stood stunned for a moment, his hand still on her shoulder. Reluctantly he raised his other arm and wrapped it around her waist. The hand on her shoulder lifted and instinctively moved to the top of her head, gently smoothing down her hair in soothing motions.
Her hair felt soft and silky beneath his calloused palm. He couldn't help but feel a thrill shoot through him at the feel of her body pressed so close to his own. It had been a while since he'd held a woman like this. He had certainly hugged DG on more than one occasion, but the circumstances were never like this. She was drowning in emotion and pain, and she sought him out for comfort. No…this was entirely new. And…different.
"You wanna talk about it, kid?" he asked softly.
She sighed shakily. He could feel her hot breath against his skin and inwardly berated himself for how it made his heart speed up just a bit.
"I just hate seeing her in so much pain," DG replied hoarsely.
He tightened his arm around her waist. "She's been through a lot, DG. It's only been a few days since you two destroyed the witch. Give it time."
DG turned her head so that her cheek rested against his chest. Her eyes stared blankly out at the city lights below.
"It's all my fault, Cain."
A small worm of anger crawled through Cain's emotions. He hated that DG still blamed herself.
"I don't know how many times you need to hear this, DG. You were just a child. And a frightened one at that. You have to stop carrying this guilt. You did nothing wrong. Azkadellia doesn't even blame you. She's told you…"
DG huffed and pushed away from him, turning back around. He grimaced and lowered his arms to his side.
"Yeah, yeah, she's told me over and over. And so have you, my parents, Raw…" DG spat. She crossed her arms in front of her chest in defiance. "You can all tell me till your blue in the face, but it won't change the fact that it's the truth."
"You can't live in the past, DG. You taught me that, remember?"
DG's face softened a bit and she lowered her arms. "Normally I would agree with you, Cain. But my past is kind of hard to hide from. What I did…ruined every single life in the OZ."
"DG…"
She spun around, the anger back in her eyes. "Please, Cain. Don't stand there and tell me that you don't look at my sister and feel the slightest bit of pleasure that she is suffering. When you look at her, you still see the witch. And don't tell me that after finding me in that cave you didn't feel the slightest hint of anger towards me for releasing her. It's because of me the Longcoats ever existed, that the Resistance had to be formed, that you were locked away in that tin suit for years while you lost Adora and Jeb…"
"Hey!" he shouted, pointing a finger sharply in her direction. She jumped in surprise. He widened his stance, his face flushed with anger as he fought to rein in his emotions. Finally he placed his hands on his hips and lowered his eyes to the ground. After a few deep calming breaths, he met her eyes once more.
"Yes, I admit, it's hard to look at Azkadellia and not see face of the monster that rained annuals of pain and anguish upon us. And yes I'm still tempted to go find Zero locked in that tin suit and have my revenge for what he did to Adora and Jeb. It kills me that I wasn't there to raise my son proper, or to protect Adora when Zero came to…" He choked on his words, lowering his eyes before turning his back to her.
DG turned around, the tears welling in her eyes once more. Above anything else, the loss that Cain felt affected her the most. She couldn't explain why. Something inside her pulled her towards him, wanting to comfort him despite her frustrations that she had been the cause of what was tearing him apart.
Moving closer, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face against his back. Cain's breath caught as he watched her slender arms reach around him and her tiny hands flatten over his stomach.
"I know you must hate me, Cain. I will never be able to tell you how deeply sorry I am for what happened to them," she whispered, a tear escaping down her cheek.
He reached down and lifted her hands from his body, turning in her arms and firmly grasping her hands in his own. He pulled her closer to his chest. She stared up at him in surprise at the close contact and somewhat intimate embrace.
"I could never hate you, kid. What you did to save us…DG, if you truly feel that you were to blame for the witch, then you have to feel that you set it all right. You nearly died on that balcony, but you fought for your sister and your family…for the OZ. You saved us, DG. Not once did you back down or give up on our journey. You, DG, are the most amazing woman I have ever known."
His words and the fierceness with which he said them warmed DG's heart. She smiled slightly and raised an eyebrow.
"Woman? I thought I was a kid," she teased lightly.
Cain's lips closed tightly, twitching minutely as his eyes bore into hers. He suddenly became very intensely aware of her body pressed against his once more, taking the time to really feel the curves molded to him. The heat of her breath washed over his neck, and he found himself getting lost in the endless depths of her blue eyes.
"You, DG, are no kid," he said quietly, almost to himself.
DG felt a tingle course through her at his observation. Suddenly she felt very warm. The stress, tension and anxiety that had been building over the past week seemed to dissipate in his presence. She felt her body begin to relax as she melted further into him, her eyes never leaving his. She was transfixed in his gaze, unable to break away.
Cain felt her move closer to him, if that was even possible, and the heat that radiated off her body. She was still dressed in her sleep clothes, a pair of light cotton pants and a shirt that barely covered her shoulders.
Annuals, he thoughts. It's been annuals since you felt the skin of a woman beneath your fingertips. Tasted a woman's lips with your own…
He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath, releasing DG's hands and stepping away from her. No, it wasn't right. It wasn't right to think of her in such a way. She was worth more to him than that. She was his dear friend, and he wouldn't allow himself to picture her in such a degrading manner despite the sexual frustration he'd been repressing since being freed from the suit.
"It's late," he said, clearing his throat and looking anywhere but directly at her. "We should get back to sleep."
DG lowered her eyes to the ground, nodding once. Cain turned on his heel and took one step to the door.
"I'm leaving, Cain," she said so quietly he barely heard her. Halting, he turned back towards her.
"What?"
Raising her eyes, she straightened her back. "I said I'm leaving."
He raised his brows, placing his hands back on his hips. "Really. You seem pretty sure about that."
"I am."
"And where might you be going?" he asked, amusing her for the time being.
She pressed her lips together, contemplating on whether or not to tell him the truth of her plan. It didn't take long for her to realize that he'd see right through her if she even attempted to lie.
"I'm going home," she simply stated.
He chuckled. "Very funny, princess. You are home."
"No," she said quickly, stopping him before he could turn back towards the door. "This isn't my home. I'm going back…to the Other Side. To Kansas."
Cain stopped breathing for a moment, her words registering in his mind.
"Don't be ridiculous, DG," he seethed, unable to look her in the eye just yet for fear she'd read the pain in his own eyes.
"I don't belong here, Cain. I don't belong there, either. But at least there…I don't have to see the hurt in everyone's eyes when they look at me. Or be constantly reminded of what I did, the ruin I caused…"
"And you honestly think that your parents and your sister would be all right with you leaving?" he asked, his anger showing through at her stupidity. He looked at her now, walking purposefully back towards her.
She shook her head. "They can't know, Cain. You can't tell them."
Understanding rushed through him. "So you're running away."
She swallowed the lump in her throat as he stared accusingly down at her. "Guess I'm not as strong as you thought I was, Tin Man."
Unwilling to look him in the eyes anymore, she turned and stepped closer to the edge of the roof. Cain's body tensed.
"And when were you planning on leaving?" he asked quietly.
She took a breath. "Tomorrow night."
He felt like someone punched him in the gut.
"So soon?"
"The sooner the better," she replied quietly.
"It will crush your mother…and Az, she needs you."
DG felt her heart in her throat. "They're better off without me."
"You can't really believe that, DG."
She had no response to that.
"And what about Raw, and Glitch? You don't think they'd miss you?"
Another sob lodged in her chest, and her eyes burned.
"They'll go on. It's better this way…for everyone."
Cain took a steady breath. "And me?"
DG squeezed her eyes shut as her tears raced down her face. Her heart broke at the tone in his voice. What about him? Leaving Cain seemed to cause her the most pain.
"You'll leave Central City and build yourself a new home. You'll spend your time rebuilding your relationship with Jeb. You'll watch him get married, and have kids…your grandkids. You'll meet someone who will fill your heart with happiness once more. You may never love another as you did Adora, but you will have love in your heart again. And together you will sit comfortably on the front porch of your cabin and watch children play in the front yard and breathe a sigh of relief that war and dark magic are no longer things to fear. You will leave in peace."
Cain felt his eyes sting with tears as she spoke. Her voice was calm and even, as if she were reading from a page in a book. He had not expected such a response from her. He felt the remnants of tin crumble around his heart.
She turned towards him, tears streaming down her face.
"That is what I wish for you, Wyatt Cain." Their eyes met for a moment before she walked briskly past him towards the door.
"DG," he called after her, unable to stop himself. "What if you had a reason to stay?"
DG froze, her hand in midair as it reached for the doorknob.
"What reason would I have to stay?" she asked, turning slowly towards him.
She nearly jumped to find him standing directly behind her, his eyes blazing as his hands gripped her hips. The feel of his hands on her sent a shock through her entire being, numbing the ache that encompassed her.
Before she could question him again, his lips were suddenly upon hers. Desperate. Hungry. A searing kiss that awakened her senses and sent her flying. Her arms flew around his neck as she whimpered into his mouth. His feet moved until he had her pressed against the door, his hands gripping her hips forcefully as he pushed his body against hers.
DG's lips moved fluidly against his own. They were panting, breathing each other's air. Her small hands moved into his hair, grabbing it in her fists as she pulled his face impossibly closer. He groaned, and she felt another shock of electricity pulse through her, pooling in her belly as her thighs began to quake.
And just as quickly as he descended upon her, he pulled away, leaning his forehead against her own, willing himself to calm down. His hands remained on her hips, however, squeezing and pulling her close to him.
They both fought to breathe as their eyes locked.
"Is that reason enough?" he asked, breathless.
She released her hands from his hair and lowered them to her sides. Her grief bubbled to the surface once more as she closed her eyes, breaking the hypnotic spell he had her under.
"Don't pity me, Cain. And don't pretend for the sake of keeping me here."
His face bore a mask of confusion. "Pretend?"
She nodded. "Any other desperate attempts to try out? It doesn't matter what you do, Cain…I can't stay here."
"You think I'm pretending?" he nearly growled.
Opening her eyes, she was shocked to see the look on his face. He was angry, but there was pain and rejection mixed in there as well. But it melted away into the most serious expression she had ever seen cross his handsome face.
"The only thing I'm pretending here, princess, is that I don't feel anything more than friendship for you," he spoke through gritted teeth. "Ever since you freed me from that hell I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. I wasn't lying when I said you were the most amazing woman I'd ever met. You got under my skin, DG, and I can't shake you. And I'm only fooling myself because you're the princess of the realm. I am barely worthy of your friendship, let alone anything more.
"So I apologize for my forthrightness, but the thought of you leaving…" He clenched his eyes shut and pressed his lips together, squeezing her hips tightly. She gasped. Opening his eyes, he stared at her a moment before slowly lowering his face to hover just above hers, their lips barely touching. DG began to quiver.
"All I'm asking for is time. Give it more time, DG. And know you're not alone. I won't let you suffer over this anymore. And if you do decide to hop the next travel storm out of here…know that I will come after you. By the gods I will come after you."
He pulled her away from the door and released his grip on her. Stepping to her side he hurried through the door and out of sight. DG stayed planted in her place, unable to move, her eyes wide and jaw slack.
"What just happened?" she asked breathlessly to herself.
