Stolen

The sun had shone that morning. It had woken her slowly, along with the gentle sound of John's voice in her ear. She opened her eyes, head still full of sleep, and smiled hazily when she saw him in his uniform standing by the bedside. It took her a few minutes to realise, and when she did she was up like a flash. He told her not to rush, his voice lingering in the background; she hardly ever slept in, it didn't matter that much. She told him he should have woken her as she gathered everything, made herself ready. When he didn't answer to her repeated calls of his name, she looked up to see that he was smiling softly towards her.

"You were so peaceful," he replied after a while, passing the dress on its hanger into her waiting hands. "I couldn't dare."

It didn't take her long to get ready at all, and she looked at him as he waited by the doorway while she was still shrugging into her coat.

"You go ahead," she told him. It would make for a lovely walk on such a bright morning. "I can catch you up."

His eyes were softer than she was half sure she had ever seen them.

"If we're late, we can be late together."

She smiled, waking up quite completely when she threaded her arm through his once more, swiftly letting it drop to be able to hold onto his hand tight.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing." Her throat was burning as she came close to cracking; her eyes darted from his gaze. Please, don't look at me. "I just feel like walking on my own, that's all."

Her breath caught sharp as she stumbled slightly on her heel, picking up pace as she got out of the door, slipped away without further glance.

She tried hard not to hear him calling her name, ran quicker so she could leave it behind. She looked straight ahead, not paying attention to the twigs strewn about, littering her path. She didn't pay attention to much, except when there was a shriek high above in the trees. Her heart nearly burst out of her chest as she stood still for a moment, the sound echoing in her head, louder and louder.

The night was pitch black, and yet it wasn't enough to make her disappear. The wind around her stoked, making her clutch her hand over her hat. She was too numb to feel its cold, kept back from the winter believed to be over.

She wished she were numb enough. Wished it like nothing else, knowing the night could not be undone.

The sun had moved from the sky long ago, and the stars had been stolen too, leaving the sky a void. She didn't notice their absence. Her hands fumbled with the lock when it wouldn't budge, leaving her to batter against the door with the strength she didn't have. Was she forsaken so soon?

She clambered inside when it gave way, arranging her coat and hat on their hooks with a concentration that alarmed her. The cottage was dark, and she left it that way, knowing the steps inside to the front room without the need for light.

It would only burn away in a second if she tried.

Sitting on the edge of the settee, she stared into the darkness.

Nothing.

The clock ticked, and she let out a howl as she cried to the silence.

In the next moment, the sound she made was stolen too.


A/N: I have only seen 4.3 once when it aired, and even then a lot of it is hazy. Thanks to KristenAPA and herewestand on Tumblr for the transcription.