sts26

Chap. 26 Validation

It wasn't until she had woken that Sarah knew she'd slept. Huddled on her bed, the curtains drawn closed, she had sat there the previous night, and called for Danny. She tried the method that Irons had taught her, and she'd even tried praying, but the entire night she had remained alone, lost inside of her mind, wondering at her own sanity. When Colleen came up to ask if she'd be down for breakfast, Sarah had said almost nothing, telling her only to shut the door on her way out. And for hours more she simply sat, going over every memory she had of Jake.

Christmas memories, case memories, tearful memories. Then she remembered Snowflake, if snowflake existed, then surely Jake did to – didn't he? Her mind ached, and so did her heart. The Witchblade had done horrible things to her before, but never something this cruel. As she stared off into space, she once again whispered to the air. "Where are you Danny? Why aren't you here when I need you?"

***

Erik cursed his luck as he heard the key turning in the lock. He knew that he should've been more careful. Had it not been for his own stupidity he would not be trapped in Onica's rooms now. The first rule of the game was to cheek his subject's itinerary, double cheek it, and then make like hell if it's even slightly off. Erik was loosing his edge, rather he was loosing his will to keep it. He knew he was being reckless, knew even that he was wrong in taking unnecessary risks, but somehow he'd stopped caring about being the best. He's lost almost all of his humanity, and only Onica had been able to recapture it… and now… now he didn't know who she was anymore – who he was.

***

Callie lay her jacket across the bed and headed straight for the safe located on the other side of the room. With almost inhuman speed, she drew out a china doll in a Qing dynasty dress. It had long black hair that was neatly combed and its face was almost her own. "Hello Mother." Taking the doll back to the bed, she sat down and leaned heavily against the pillows. "I remembered something today… its actually been happening a lot lately. Memories that shouldn't be there but are. How can it be mother? How can I possibly remember things from so long ago?" Callie paused… the sensation of being listened to crept over her, making her wonder if maybe her mother was there after all. "Luka's in New Zealand mom. Closer then I ever wanted him to be. The worst part is that I might actually see him. Mom, the only thing that's kept me from going back to New York is knowing that if I do, father might kill him. But now they're both here. Both so close that I'm almost suffocated… even though they haven't even seen me.

"Sarah's here too, she's here with father… I'm worried about her. Worried about what might happen to her if she keeps walking the path she's on. She's so strong mom, so much stronger that I am or was but even so I don't think she'll make it alone. Dovidi says that she's turned to Luka, that she's really close to Luka, somehow I don't believe that. My heart of hearts tells me that they might be friends but never that. I pity her mom. Sarah will never be able to love fully unless she can trust fully, but with fathers influence in her life, I don't think she ever will." Callie talked for some minutes more then lay down and napped. As she slept, Erik left, tiptoeing his way out of her rooms. His heart thudding from what he had learned. He didn't exactly understand why Onica called a doll 'mother' but he had learned two things. The first was the information Onica had relayed to the doll. The second was that her telephone call last night had been to her brother. As he checked out of the hotel and headed for the train station, he again felt hope, suddenly sorry that he'd been so dubious the previous night.

***

It was two in the afternoon when the silence in Sarah's bedroom was finally broken. She had gotten up, showered, and changed her clothes a few hours ago but the food on her bureau remained untouched, the curtains around her bed drawn. "Sarah, are you all right?" Glancing through her curtains Sarah was unable to hide her surprise that Irons had enter her rooms without knocking. Then mentally she kicked herself, this was his normal behavior. Behavior she'd almost forgotten.

"No, I'm not." She was startled by her own frankness and worried when he pulled the curtains open and sat down besides her. Almost invisibly she tensed, ready to call upon the Witchblade if he so much as moved a muscle. Then calming down slightly she decided that this could be used to her advantage. "I was thinking about my partner… about his death… wondering if I'll ever see him again." To Irons she stared off into space for a moment, but Sarah was in truth gauging him. "Did you even know his name?"

Irons seemed surprised for a second but hid it well. "Of course. Danny Woo. The two of you were very close, but in all honesty, I hadn't expected this level of… melancholy from you.." Sarah's heart thudded, and tears suddenly began welling in her eyes, doubts of her own sanity springing up, Irons of course misread them, quickly he stood up, his entire manor apologetic. "I'm sorry… how callous of me." Sarah couldn't even bring herself to smile weakly, instead she stood up hastily and moved to the bureau. Grabbing her car keys she fled the room. Leaving Irons to wonder just what he'd done.

***

An hour and several wrong exits later, Sarah found herself at Luka's hotel. She was somewhat calmer, but her mind was still mostly in turmoil. Practically running up to his room, she banged on the door and when it was opened didn't even wait to be invited in. "I need it Luka, I need the bag I gave you two days ago." Luka was completely confused, but complied, removing the gym bag from under his bed and handing it to her. Faster then he could see, she unzipped it and pulled out a photo album, quickly she flipped through it, then to his utter surprise, leaned against the wall and burst into tears.