CHAPTER TWELVE

Lauren sat in the endless white of her coma. It was peaceful there. Quiet. She hadn't had so much of a worry, though she knew a war was waging just outside this world. She didn't feel anything. Not regret, guilt, worry. Just tired.

So very tired.

But here she could sleep. She had an escape. She wasn't responsible for anything here. She wasn't a freak here. She was human. Normal. She wasn't fighting anything here. She closed her eyes and could hear her mother singing to her a lullaby, as she had when Lauren was a little girl.

It was peaceful there.

Quiet.

She drew in a long breath and held it, feeling her lungs and ribs expand. She felt her body respond and relax as she let the breath out in a slow, steady stream. She laid down on the ground, or the ground her brain had created to give her a sense of familiarity. Her mind was clear. So clear for the first time in years. There was no one here she had to worry about or take care of. No one here who wanted something from her. And still, she started to cry.

It was peaceful there.

Quiet.

She laid her arm over her eyes as the sobs shook her body. She'd been fighting for over a year. Fighting hard for the people she loved. The people she was responsible for. The people who had, time and time again, turned on her or let her down. She didn't want to think about that right now. Now, she wanted to sleep.

She wanted to give up the fight.

"Hello, Lauren" a voice echoed around the open place. Lauren uncovered her eyes to find the Old One looking down at her, dressed all in black. It was like an ink drop on a sheet of blank paper. "I haven't been able to find you. Our agreement was to be settled three days ago, remember?" her voice was soft, a gentle as a butterfly's touch. Lauren furrowed her brows; had she really been out that long?

"I'm sorry," Lauren whispered, wiping her face. She couldn't summon the strength to insult the monster. "I couldn't-"

"I know," the being said, still just as gentle. "I know." It kneeled down by her head and brushed the strands of hair from her face. Lauren closed her eyes. "And I forgive you."

"Really?" It nodded.

"Of course. What happened, the coma, it's not your fault. You couldn't prevent what others did. But now is the time to decide, darling." the Old One whispered, capturing the wetness from Lauren's cheek with its finger tips. "It's time to make your choice." Lauren screwed her eyes shut, forcing out the tears that had settled there. She pulled in a choppy breath and laid her hand over her forehead.

"I'm so tired," she sobbed, followed by another shaky breath. "I can't do this anymore. I can't protect them anymore. I'm not strong enough."

"Shhh," the old one cooed, pushing the hair from Lauren's face. "It's alright. I'm here now. I'm strong enough for the both of us. What Harbinger forced on you wasn't fair. What it made you do, what it did to your body was never something you were prepared to deal with. It was wrong."

"I don't sleep," Lauren whimpered, "I can't sleep. I can't eat. I'm always fighting." She looked up at the Old One, her eyes stinging, "I don't want to fight anymore."

"I know, Lauren, I know. But you don't have to fight anymore. You can let it go and give in to me. I'll take your hurt away. I'll make it easy to breathe again." Lauren closed her eyes, drawing shaky breaths.

"Do it."

The Old One trailed its finger tips over Lauren's forehead. "Relax, Lauren, let me in." Its lips closed over the doctor's in a slow kiss. As far as Lauren was concerned, in that moment, it wasn't an ancient being kissing her. It was Bo, her love, her everything, that sent a jolt through her as a flash of white exploded behind her eyelids.

+/+\+

In the dungeon where Lauren was kept, the loud yowls and helps of the prisoners rang thick through the air like smoke. Lauren remained motionless on the cot as A nurse checked her vitals, ensuring everything was as it had been the last time she was here. She glared down at the Half, imagining all the ways she could sabotage the monster's life support so it look like a short circuit that would cause its demise. But she shook the thought away as quickly as it had come. The Morigan wouldn't care if it was an accident; she would have the entire medical staff killed for failing anyway. Except for the precious Healer.

The Nurses blood boiled.

The stupid wolf thought she was so special. The Nurse knew better. She had only been a child when the wolf switched sides, but she remembered. The Healer was nothing but a traitor. She would turn her back on the dark soon enough, and when she did, the Nurses only prayed she was there to see the punishment that would be inflicted.

A dark flash drew her attention from the heart monitor. She looked at the cot and gasped, stumbling back.

It was gone.

The Half was gone.

How was that even possible!?

She whirled around only for a strong hand to clamp around her neck. "My, my," the beast tsked, "so much hatred for someone who never did anything to you." The restraints were still clamped on its body, the chains singing like wind chimes as it moved.

It had broken through dwarven chains.

"H-how?" the Nurse choked out around the skilled fingers. The Half chuckled. "You're body should have-"

"Killed itself before I ever got out? You Fae think you know everything, don't you?"

"The drugs...the chains-!"

"Please, drugs that can knock out a pathetic human aren't nearly potent enough to make me groggy. As for the chains...who do you think taught the Dwarves to make them in the first place?"

"You're...you're not human?" the being laughed.

"Well, here's the thing, you know that doctor you were thinking such terrible things about? The human? She's not here anymore." The eyes in front of the Nurses swirled a volatile mix of gold and red, whirlpools of hell. "And I'm a whole lot less tolerant of bullshit." With a simple flick of its wrist, the Old One sent the Nurse spiralling into the wall, her neck crunching on impact.

The Old One paused, pulling the IV needles from its arms and dropping them to the ground. It stretched, pulling the metal cuffs from its wings with ease. It inhaled deeply and shook itself. Then, it walked towards the heavy metal door and with an easy smack sent the two ton barrier shooting down the long corridor like it had flicked a price of cardboard. The loud hall fell silent instantly.

"What the-!" the guard spun, just in time to catch a quill right between the eyes. The Old One looked out at the cells, the caged fae.

"Listen up, you wastes of skin," it called, walking decidedly down the hall, "I have a proposition for all of you," she smiled, "and it's one I think you'll be more than willing to take me up on."

For everyone who reads this who also reads any other FanFiction I write, I'm sorry I haven't updated anything but this for forever, I just seem to be on a roll. I promise I will spread the love soon enough.