A/N: Err...I've always liked song quotes (or just quotes) at the beginnings of chapters (if they're fitting) and so I think I'm going to try to do that for this story...I'm sorry if you don't like them, I know some people don't...
Um, and they're gonna be mainly Evanescence for a while, cuz I was going through my playlist and every song is fitting in SOME way, it's actually crazy. Sorry about the lack of variety at the moment...
DISCLAIMER: Everything belongs to its original creators
Do you remember me?
Lost for so long
Will you be on the other side?
Will you forget me?
―Tourniquet, Evanescence―
Wet leaves squelched beneath Gilbert's shoes, a faint fog filtering through the forest as he walked. It had rained heavily the previous evening, and Gil had worried it would interfere with their mission. Regardless of what Break and Sharon said, he would trek out into the forest in any weather if it meant saving Oz.
There was a quiet murmur of voices in the quiet morning air, but Gil didn't pay any attention.
Reaching the small clearing at last, Gil gazed around at the trees, remembering how Oz had looked, curled up against the trunk of a young tree. He envisioned the way his small body had shivered when Gil had folded his coat around him, the small shoulders tensing at the movement. Tears pricked at his eyes, and he blinked them back before Break or Sharon could see.
Break let out a little sigh, putting his hands on his hips and turning in a slow circle. "Ten years can really change a place, huh?"
Gil swallowed. Ten years….Who knew what kind of terrible things could've happened to his master in that time? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry it took me this long….
"Are you ready?" Sharon's voice was soft. Gil glanced back at the young Rainsworth. Her eyes were gentle and sad as she gazed at him, a deep understanding swirling behind her stare.
Gil closed his eyes, breathing in deeply and imagining he was fourteen again, running through the forest, sunlight in his hair, Oz by his side. He imagined Oz was laughing, green eyes glowing with energy and happiness. His quiet giggles reverberated through the forest, as melodic and comforting as the soft sound of birdsong all around them. If Gil strained his ears, he could almost hear it.
The forest seemed alive with ghosts of Oz's memory, and Gil kept his eyes shut, a fleeting warmth enveloping him as he soaked in the soft echoes of their laughter. If he just stayed like this a little longer...
"Raven," Sharon prodded him softly. He opened his eyes slowly, his heart sinking as he took in the chilled emptiness all around them. Despair crawled into his chest.
"I'm ready," Gil murmured, clenching a trembling hand around the Blood Mirror that hung at his neck. The cool silver clattered against the small locket hidden beneath his shirt.
Oz, I'm coming, I promise.
Break grinned. "Grab onto us so no one gets lost in the passage,"
Gil shook his head, taking a step away from him. "I'm going alone."
Break's smile dropped. "That isn't safe. You might be deceived if you aren't careful. We should go with you, for your sake and for the sake of your master." He tapped his fingers rhythmically against his cane, a thoughtful frown settling over his expression.
Gil clenched his teeth, looking away. "I'm going alone." Of course Break was right, but this mistake was his, and he needed to fix it on his own.
"I'll watch from your shadow, " said Sharon gently, reaching out a kind hand to brush his arm. He glanced at her, dipping his head in acknowledgement as he took in her earnest gaze.
"Thank you, Lady Sharon."
She nodded, a sad smile gracing her features for a moment. "He needs you, Gilbert," she breathed, squeezing his arm lightly and pulling away. "Keep him safe."
"I will." Gil's voice was firm with conviction. He waited until he was sure Sharon and Break were far enough away that they wouldn't be caught up in Raven's energy, gripped the Blood Mirror and closed his eyes. Raven, he called silently, take me to Oz.
A bright blue flash of light erupted all around him, and Gil fought the urge to scream as he felt the ground vanish beneath him.
Suddenly he was falling, plummeting down through such impenetrable darkness that he would've thought himself unconscious but for the rush of air that brushed his skin and whipped his hair. Gilbert blinked, and then was startled to find himself sitting in what appeared to be water. Gil stood up quickly, staring down in surprise at the murky liquid beneath him. His pants clung to his legs, a faint chill seeping into his bones. Gil shuddered.
So this is the Abyss...
He swallowed, glancing around anxiously. There didn't seem to be any dangerous chains nearby, but he didn't want to let his guard down. Oz was depending on him.
The Abyss felt...empty. There was an echoing solitude that almost felt overwhelming, similar to the frigid feeling of standing alone on a hill in the winter, looking out over the snow-covered earth and realizing just how small you really are. Gil breathed in slowly, closing his eyes for a moment to think.
Oz must be somewhere nearby; I told Raven to take me to him, not just into the Abyss.
Frowning slightly, he surveyed his surroundings. The remains of what appeared to be broken toys floated all around him, some hidden partially by deep shadows.
"Do you have any idea where to start looking?" Sharon's voice reached him faintly. He glanced down at the water.
"I don't," Gil admitted, biting his lip. He had already taken ten years to get to the Abyss, Oz couldn't wait any longer. He needed to find his master.
Sharon took a breath, about to speak, when Gil heard a sudden sound. He couldn't quite pinpoint what it was, exactly, but it was the first sign of any life he'd found so far, and the chance it could be Oz was too important to avoid. Swallowing down his anxiety, he moved in the direction of the noise.
"Miss Sharon, did you hear that?" He kept his voice low, in case it was a chain.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't..." She sounded somewhat startled. "Please be careful, Raven."
He nodded, but remained silent. The sound was louder now, and Gil realized with a jolt that it was the quiet whimpering of a child.
Oz? A prickle of fear wormed its way into his chest.
He peered around the crumbling wall of an old dollhouse, hope flaring in his heart as he caught sight of a shock of blond hair. Gil crept closer, his footsteps sloshing softly through the water. Every fiber of his being longed to race to his master's side, to fold the boy into his arms and to never let go, but he had no idea what kind of state Oz was in after spending ten years alone in this darkness.
As he drew nearer, Gil was able to make out Oz's form in the darkness. It was definitely him, curled against the wall of the dollhouse, his face buried in his hands. Oz was panting raggedly, his shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.
Gil's heart clenched, and he had to bite his lip to keep from calling out to the trembling boy. Instead, he moved faster, allowing the cold water to splash up onto his legs as he nearly ran through the darkness, dropping to his knees before his master.
Oz's crimson eyes were wide and unseeing; he stared through Gilbert as though the man weren't there. Gil gripped his shoulders gently, his stomach flipping uncomfortably as he took in Oz's vacant gaze. Slow tears crawled down the blond's cheeks, one hand clutching at his chest and the other gripping his face in horror. His breathing sounded off, hitching and rasping against his chest.
"H-Hey! Oz?" Gil managed to gasp, breathless from fear.
Oz didn't seem to hear him, letting out a quiet sob, his face crumpling entirely. Gil's hands shook violently as he tried to brush the tears from Oz's face. "What's wrong?" His heart thundered madly against his chest, blood pounding in his ears. "A-Are you hurt?"
"J-Ja...ck...Jack..." Oz's lips barely moved, his eyes locking on something just over Gil's shoulder. The raven chanced a glance behind him, but there was nothing there. He grit his teeth, squeezing Oz's shoulders gently. The boy let out a strangled sound, anguish tearing from his throat and penetrating the emptiness around them. "Please..."
Gil took a shuddering breath, his vision blurring. "I'm sorry—"
Oz's breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening before rolling back and falling shut. He slumped into Gil's arms.
"O-Oz!"
Gil's quivering fingers pushed Oz's hair back, pressing to his throat to feel for a pulse, his head spinning with terror. Oz's pulse was rapid but slowing. Gil swallowed down the nausea that had crawled up his throat, exhaling shakily and pulling the thin boy into his arms. Oz's head lolled lifelessly against his chest, and Gil had to fight back a sob.
Please be alright...
"Miss Sharon, please bring us back," he said thickly, holding Oz close so he wouldn't get lost during the transport. Darkness enveloped him, and when Gil could see again, he found himself crouched on the forest floor with Sharon and Break gathered around him. Deadfall clung to his soaked pants, the chill of the forest air making him shiver. He pulled Oz closer.
Sharon placed a gentle hand on Oz's forehead, her brow furrowing. She glanced up at Gil. "Do you know what happened?"
He shook his head, fingers clenching in the fabric of Oz's shirt.
"He doesn't feel warm," Sharon murmured, attempting to reassure him. Gil tried to smile, but his lips were quivering. Oz was anything but warm, his skin clammy from the chilled air of the Abyss.
"He saw Jack." The words felt like dust on his tongue. Gil glanced up at Break, his eyes hard. "That bastard!"
Break stared down at him silently, his expression unreadable, but Gil could've sworn he saw a flash of sympathy behind his gaze.
Gil stood carefully, cradling his master to his chest and trying to ignore how small Oz's frame felt compared to his own. He swallowed hard. "We should get him back to the Rainsworth manor before he catches a cold in this weather,"
Sharon nodded, motioning for Break to lead the way back. She fell into step beside Gil, watching him out of the corner of her eye as they walked.
Gil ignored her, biting his lip and tucking Oz closer to his body to block out the chilly morning air. What would Oz think, when he realized how much Gil had changed? The thought made his stomach churn. Would it put a barrier between them?
"I'm sure he'll still treat you the same," Sharon murmured, brushing Gil's shoulder with a gentle hand.
"...Yeah...?" His fingers tightened unconsciously around the slight frame. Had Oz always been this small?
The firelight cast a soft golden glow across Oz's pale face, flickering shadows highlighting how exhausted he truly looked. Gil sat silently at his bedside, one hand clasped gently around the blond's. The warmth from the fire seemed to have done Oz some good, for he no longer felt cold to the touch. Sighing softly, Gil tucked the blankets tighter around him, just in case.
The carriage ride back to the Rainsworth manor had seemed endless to Gil, Oz's limp body cradled in his lap, his thick coat folded around the boy to try and give him some semblance of warmth. Sharon and Break had gone off somewhere soon after reaching the house, and Gil had been left to watch over Oz for the rest of the afternoon.
His heart ached for when Oz would wake up, but it was enough just to be able to hold onto him again, to feel his pulse and to hear the faint rasp of his breath. Gil sighed softly, resting his head on the mattress and watching the slow rise and fall of Oz's chest.
It was so peaceful, Gil found himself blinking back sleep, exhaustion dragging at his bones from the energy it had taken to use Raven to travel to the Abyss. Yawning widely, he turned his head, glancing at the fireplace to check how much longer he had before the logs would need to be moved around.
If I just...close my eyes...only for a moment...
A feeble tug at his sleeve woke him, a weak voice mumbling his name thickly. "Gi...l?"
Gil sat up sharply, whirling to meet the bleary green gaze of his master, nervous excitement flaring in his chest. Oz's eyes widened, and he shrank back into the blankets with a small gasp. "A-Ah..."
Gil froze, his heart sinking.
"I-It's alright," he said, smiling shakily, trying to ignore how tight his chest suddenly felt. He squeezed Oz's fingers gently. "You're safe here, I promise."
He glanced away, pretending not to see the fear in Oz's eyes. The dying embers of the fire cast an odd glow all around them. Gil swallowed.
"My name is Raven."
