Chapter 10: I don't believe in DEATH any more
"Grandfather!"
"SO YOU FOUND HIM SUSAN. GOOD JOB."
Teatime's face turned yellow and then red. He looked at Susan furiously. He was unable to believe she'd tricked him.
"What? You lied to me? It was all a plan of yours all along? I can't believe I actually believed you! I can't believe I loved you! How could you?"
Erika was puzzled and stood still at the corner of the room hoping noone would notice her. Susan was puzzled too. She tried to explain.
"Jonathan, I…"
"No. I don't want to hear a thing you say. Not any more. No more lies."
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT MR. TE-AH-TIM-EH? WHAT LOVE? WHAT LIES?"
Death was a bit confused but decided to let it go as noone was willing to answer.
"SUSAN, WHERE DID YOU FIND HIM?"
"The Roundworld. That's where she found me. I was stupid enough to summon her there."
"Jonathan, please! He didn't send me to find you" Susan protested.
"Do you think I'm going to believe you after that?"
"I don't care. If you refuse to listen suit yourself. I love you. That's the truth. Believe what you like."
Death blinked (at least his eyes flashed which was his way of blinking).
"YOU WHAT?"
"That's right grandfather I love him."
Death turned to Teatime sure he had cast a spell on his granddaughter or something equally strong to completely brainwash her. However this scene reminded him of Mort and Ysabel.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?"
"In detail?" Teatime asked ironically.
Thankfully Death was not familiar with irony.
"Why did you send her after me? Why didn't you come yourself?"
"I DIDN'T SEND HER AFTER YOU. I TOLD HER I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE YOU HAD GONE AS YOUR HOURGLASS WAS EMPTY IN BOTH SIDES. AS IF YOU HAD NEVER EXISTED HERE. I JUST THOUGHT SHE WOULD GO AFTER YOU TO FIND OUT. THAT'S HOW IT ALWAYS WORKS. I JUST HAVE TO TRIGGER HER CURIOSITY" Death said as if it was the most natural thing in the Discworld.
Teatime thought of this for a moment. He looked at Susan with a confused expression containing bits of regret. Susan avoided eye contact with him.
"Susan?"
"What do you want? I thought you didn't want to listen to any more of my lies."
"You didn't want to trick me, did you?"
She turned to him.
"You know, it was hard enough to admit I loved you. And now you proved me you didn't deserve it. So please just leave me alone."
Teatime realized he had made perhaps the biggest mistake of his life. He was about to lose Susan, his Susan.
"Susan, I love you. I'll always love you. Even if you never wish to see me again. I am going to spend my eternity loving you. I told you you were my eternity. If I am away from you it'll be an eternity suffering but at least my memories will give me strength."
He didn't add "and sorrow" even if he knew that every time he'd remember her face he'd feel knives piercing his body. In his eyes a couple of tears were gathering. He had not cried since he was three or something. He had nothing to cry for. Susan was looking down. Tears had already flooded hers. And she knew tears showed feelings. And feelings could lead to wrong decisions.
"Look at me Susan. I said look at me!"
Teatime approached Susan, held her face and made her look at him.
"I love you. Death does not scare me for my love is greater than him" he said and kissed her.
Susan tried to fight him but in the end she surrendered to his kiss. Death's jaw dropped.
"SUSAN??"
When they broke apart Death saw Teatime fade. Death was now sure he was gone for good. He sighed. Mr. Te-ah-tim-eh had caused too much trouble.
"THAT WAS IT THEN. HE FADED. I WILL BE GOING THEN" he said and disappeared before anyone could stop him. Not that anyone would stop him anyway..
Susan thought that was sudden and she could not explain why her grandfather had acted like that. Was he preparing a plan? She looked at Erika who smiled.
"Why are you smiling? Did you understand what happened?" Susan asked her.
"I'm surprised you didn't. Your Grandfather saw Teatime fading as I saw a magic aura forming around him."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Remember what he said. 'Death does not scare me for my love is greater than him' Do you know what this means?"
"No."
"He is protected from Death now. Death can't see him any more."
Susan looked at Teatime.
"Is that even possible?" she asked him.
"I don't know Susan. All I know is I love you and I don't believe in Death any more. He can't break us apart. He never will."
Susan hugged him, tears of happiness running from her eyes.
"I love you. I don't want to lose you Jonathan."
"That's good because I intend to stay."
Erika smiled and got the pot to make some tea while they were too busy kissing. After finishing making it they all sat down to drink it and talk.
"So, what are you going to do now? Are you going to tell your grandfather?" Erika asked them.
"Not just yet. Me and Jonathan will live together here. He'll get back to the Assassin's Guild and I'll continue working at Madam Frout's Academy."
"That's quite nice. I do not intend to bother you for long. I'll just stay till I find a place and then I'll get a job."
"You could join the Guild."
"I don't think so Jonathan. Susan, Would Madam Frout have a job for me? As a child psychologist?"
"I don't think so, but I'll ask her anyway. You know, maybe grandfather needs another apprentice."
"Well, I'll think about that. I mean if I don't find anything else."
They all laughed.
……
The next morning while Susan was still asleep Teatime went in Erika's room and woke her up.
"Erika, I need to ask you something."
"What is it?"
"Do you remember the wizard's potion? The one I gave Susan?"
"What about it?"
"You had told me that you were not mad because it had worked. Is there a chance Susan only loves me because of that potion?"
Erika laughed and he looked at her without understanding why she did that.
"I'm sorry about that, Jonathan. It was just something put with the wrong words. The potion itself was, as everything else in Ian's books, completely useless. I'm sorry if I confused you. What I meant was that your action had worked."
Teatime still seemed a bit confused.
"Ok, look, you managed to make Susan believe she was controlled by the potion. That her actions were guided by that potion. I mean, if it had immobilized her how was she able to move later? Think about it. I made sure to explain it to her the next morning and now I hope I made it clear to you too. Your love is true. It is not because of any potion or spell."
Teatime's face brightened and he smiled.
"So she really does love me!"
"Some things are just meant to be. Now go. You should be with her when she wakes up."
"Can I ask you one more thing?"
"What is it now?"
"Was that professional behavior? I don't think you psychologists should act like that."
Erika smiled.
"You're right. We shouldn't. But you're forgetting I'm also a witch. Since you decided you'd use magic to get what you wanted then I decided I could act based on my witch instinct as well."
She looked at him as he seemed to doubt that.
"Witches do things differently. And you shouldn't protest. My plan worked like I knew it would. Now go before Susan wakes up."
Teatime left Erika's room. He was glad Susan was still asleep as he sat on the bed watching her. Erika was right. It had worked and now he was with Susan who was everything to him. He removed a loose strand from Susan's face as she slowly opened her eyes.
"Good morning" she said smiling.
"It is indeed. And now you made it even better" he said and kissed her.
……
And the days passed. Erika found a flat like the one she had in the Roundworld and moved out leaving Susan and Teatime alone. She would visit them regularly though.
Susan continued being a teacher and Jonathan became a very good and well known assassin. People were actually proud to be inhumed by him. He was a good assassin and an even better husband.
At this point they were only engaged but she thought of his as her husband and he thought of her as his wife.
Love managed to beat Death after all…
Author's note: That was the last part of this story. I hope you enjoyed it.
Anyway I'd like to say some things before I close.
Well, Nina was my cat but she died after a "dog incident" and I wanted to put her in a story so that she wouldn't be forgotten.
Rania, who is mentioned as Erika's best friend is my best friend and I hope she reviews this story… Anyway she writes too and she writes quite well but I can't persuade her to post her work. Please someone tell her to do it in the reviews.. (I know she'll kill me for that but please do say you want her to post..)
Finally as you have probably realized I am SusanxTeatime obsessed so you'll see more stories about them. In fact I have already posted the first chapter of my next one calledHostage.
Thank you for reading my story. It means a lot to me. Really. I love you all :-