Damn the Dark

Ash sucked in a deep breath and knocked loudly on Thierry's heavy mahogany wood door. Well, that was a bit ironic.

He'd waited much too long for this meeting; he'd been ignoring the problem. Because ignorance was bliss, wasn't it? Not when it came to Mary-Lynnette. She was far too precious, a fine jewel. But she had been damaged. Her aura was tainted, shrunken to almost nothing. He feared if he neglected her any longer, her current anxiety about who-knows-what would drive her out of her mind.

He had tried to help her himself for the first month or so, but had been changed and stretched so thin with stress that he felt only through proxy. He felt every measly inch of his beloved's pain.

So you could imagine his relief when Thierry said he might have a solution to Ash's problem.

In an earlier discussion, Thierry informed Ash and made sure he understood that this may be something far beyond their control. She may remain impassive, as was her current state.

At that, Ash persisted with his argument. If Thierry was really as rich as he was told up to be, then they could send her to the most advanced medical treatment center money could afford.

After a long, agonizing pause, he continued. "Even if it means I won't ever see her again. I only want her well."

His lord had then complied, after a long examination of Ash's face, which lately had been masquerading around in an expression of false contentment. Inside he was scalding. His heart burned, an eternal flame, causing him pain that couldn't possibly be described with words.

Now it had been extinguished, because what Thierry said next caused all of hid feelings and thoughts to shift.

"I think we may know what is wrong with Mary-Lynnette."

That one sentence changed his perspective all together.

After a week of waiting for any results, Ash had lost hope in Thierry's part in all this. But now he had redeemed himself, proved his worthiness and fierce loyalty.

"There is a similar case in a young girl in one of my safe houses. She's human, as well. Blaise, a witch, noticed her behavior was changing drastically in the course of only a few weeks. Some of the signs included cutting, irrational screaming, fear of silence and light, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, loss of interest in daily activities, appetite or weight changes, sleep changes, loss of energy, concentration problems, and self-loathing." He looked deliberately at Ah, ticking each symptom off on one of his fingers.

Now Ash was more worried than before. His "heartburn" had returned and was far more severe then he could've imagined. For all of these applied to Mary-Lynnette. She wouldn't sleep, wouldn't eat – in fact, she had lost more weight than was healthy for her. That was what had scared him the most.

As he was lost in thought, Thierry interrupted him.

"I'll update you on anything we find. Not much to do anymore, anyway." He smiled meekly.

That's right, Ash thought, getting up. Now that the apocalypse was dead and gone, Thierry could relax; enjoy the time he had to spend with his other half- unlike Ash.

This seemed to annoy him the most. The fact that the lovers had overcome so much, only to be forced down again, rather pissed him off. It was as if fate was out to get them both.

He supposed he deserved whatever was coming to him, but Mary-Lynnette sure as hell didn't. She was just about as harmless as you could get.

He had never believed he deserved Mare in the first place, but who was he to question what the Goddess conjured up for him? He was unbelievably glad he had her. She disciplined him, kept him sane and happy. She wasn't doing such a great job at the moment.

He briskly opened the door to his and Mary-Lynnette's room to find his soulmate sitting on the bed, staring blankly at her pale hands. There were dark circles around her gloomy eyes, and her glossy hair was pulled back into a messy bun, with several wavy locks framing her face.

He sighed and sat beside her, pulling her into his lap and gently cradled her face. As he rocked her back and forth quietly, she rested her head against his chest, crying. He also let a tear drop from his ever-changing eyes. He kissed her desperately on the top of the head again and again, trying to remain calm and failing.

"Oh, Mary-Lynnette."

(A/N) I made this one a lot longer than the first chapters, so I hope that you are satisfied. I could probably update faster, though. I'll try, I'm still only human, you know. I'm trying to fill the gap between learning of Mary-Lynnette's sickness and curing it, so I'm sorry if this chapter is boring. I just write and write until my hand hurts. Review please!