Note: I was greatly relieved that people didn't jump down my throat about how the last chapter played out. (I stress about the weirdest things.)

When I'd written "Through a Glance Darkly" (a companion piece to "Unexpected Results", also up on FF), people asked me if I had, in fact, ever killed anyone (deliberately or otherwise). The answer is no. However, I admit that three times in my life, I very nearly did, and I was so horrified that I never forgot it. Ironic that a week later, Chapter Twenty-Eight was written, where Johanna lets her anger and terror get the better of her in a bad situation. Now, "Glance" has a whole new resonance for me.

Update: Given that FF still hasn't fixed the notification system, for those who want to be notified when the next chapters go up, send an email to mtravis AT andthegreatestofthese DOT com. This will be used strictly to notify readers of updates to "Unexpected Results."


Unexpected Results, Part XXIX

Abel: "I can carry her, Leon."

Father Leon: "What, you afraid I'm going to drop her?"

Abel: "No, it's not that..."

Father Leon: "And you're not exactly a model of strength yourself."

Abel: "Well... maybe not. But if Johanna's injured, holding her in a fireman's carry might not be the best thing right now."

Hugue: "Her only injury is her hand. The blood is from that vampire."

Abel: "Oh..."

Father Leon: "Don't mind him, Hugue, Four-Eyes is just jealous."

Abel: "Don't be ridiculous..."


Hugue: "So, that comment of hers earlier was true..."

Father Leon: "Yeah. The Professor was experimenting with a vampire biocontainment unit, and the next thing we knew, she was inside of it. Then he blew up his office-"

Hugue: "Again?"

Abel: "Mm-hmm. So her Eminence forbade him to work on it. As it happens, Johanna has strong technical skills with Lost Technology, so Caterina brought her into the AX."

Hugue: "What about this power Leon mentioned?"

Abel: "We're still trying to figure it out, but Johanna has the ability to disrupt temporal energy. We first became aware of it when she and Leon were mugged in Borghese Park not too long ago. The Professor thinks it has to do with her being pulled through time. She not only knocked the would-be mugger unconscious with it, but she also took down several Inquisitorial agents when they arrested her for being a heretic."

Hugue: "So Francesco DID find out..."

Father Leon: "Yes and no. He doesn't know about her being from the past, though. However, she escaped from the Inquisition with a little help from us, and then she, Abel, and me were sent here."

Hugue: "And why is that?"

Father Leon: "I'll let Four-Eyes explain that one to you. I'm going to go check on Johanna."


Me: "I am become Death... the destroyer of worlds..."

Father Leon: "Johanna?"

Me: "Over here..."

Father Leon: "I just came to check on you, see if you needed anything. Is your hand all right?"

Me: "Yes... it's been splinted, and Father Abel says it should heal in a couple of weeks."

Father Leon: "Would you rather be alone?"

Me: "No... please stay. I... I don't want to be alone right now."

Father Leon: "What's wrong?"

Me: "I can't stop thinking... about earlier-"

Father Leon: "Don't dwell on it, Johanna."

Me: "All I could think was... that they were going to hurt you and Father Abel. I didn't care if he hurt me... I didn't even care if he killed me, but I... I couldn't let him hurt you. Just thinking about it hurt more than him crushing my hand. It went beyond wanting to shoot him. I wanted to tear him apart, I wanted him to be afraid. And I... I killed him. Without even thinking about what I was doing."

Father Leon: "Don't... don't blame yourself for doing what had to be done."

Me: "But... I wanted to kill him. Don't you understand?! It didn't matter that he was a living, thinking being... it didn't matter that I could have just wounded him. I... wanted... him... dead!"

Father Leon: "Listen to me-"

Me: "What... what's wrong with me, Father? How could I have done-?"

Father Leon: "Johanna, stop it-"

Me: "WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!"

Father Leon: "NOTHING is wrong with you!"

Me: "But I wanted to hurt him, to kill him..."

Father Leon: "Get used to it, because death is part of AX life - we see it, we deal it, and we do what we can to go on. Those bastards had every intention of killing us, and what they'd planned for you was even worse. You're human, Johanna - and humans want revenge when someone we care about gets hurt or is threatened."

Me: "Then why?!"

Father Leon: "What are you talking about?"

Me: "Why didn't you?! WHY DID YOU LET HIM HURT ME?! WHY?! W-WHY?!"

Father Leon: "Believe me... standing there and doing nothing was one of the hardest things I've had to do. When that bastard was hurting you, Abel and I wanted nothing more than to leap in there and save you."

Me: "THEN W-WHY DIDN'T YOU S-STOP HIM?!

Father Leon: "Because we... were afraid they'd kill you."

Me: "You and F-Father Abel could have easily d-dealt with them - I know w-what you're c-capable of."

Father Leon: "Do you think for one moment that either of us wanted you to get hurt because of our actions?"

Me: "I-it hurt... s-so much... and I t-thought that you t-two d-d-didn't even c-care if I g-got hurt... and t-that was even w-worse... t-than the pain..."

Father Leon: "No, Johanna, that's not true. We care."

Me: "I-I'm s-s-scared, F-Father... I'm s-so s-scared..."

Father Leon: "Let it out, Johanna... don't try to hold it back... just let it go."


Father Leon: "God, I need a drink. Either of you want one?"

Hugue: "Sure."

Abel: "That bad, huh?"

Father Leon: "Worse."

Abel: "What're you having?"

Father Leon: "Wine... you want some?"

Abel: "Why not?"

Father Leon: "Here's to surviving yet again..."

Abel: "How is she? We heard shouting-"

Father Leon: "She's asleep now... but God, sometimes I really hate this job."

Hugue: "What happened?"

Father Leon: "It all finally caught up to her - the attack, and then those vampires... it was tearing her apart."

Hugue: "She all right?"

Father Leon: "She'll be fine... eventually. But... she cried in my arms... Can you believe it? She killed a vampire to save our lives after they'd threatened us and her... and she still cried for them."

Abel: "Leon..."

Father Leon: "What a screwed-up world we live in, when the only way to survive is by destroying any sense of compassion or pity. Makes you wonder, doesn't it..."

Abel: "It makes me think I need another drink."

To be continued...