DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of these characters; they are the brilliant
creation and property of James Cameron, FOX etc. I do own Faith and some
minor characters, but you know the rest.
SPOILERS: Takes place after Freak Nation - the imaginary season 3.
Chapter Fourteen:
Faith smiled happily up at Alec, her green eyes sparkling, her hair shining, teeth iridescent white and skin as tanned and smooth as ever. He smiled sadly back at her, blinking away the tears that had gathered in his eyes. He placed the photo back on the piano. He wasn't ready to play again. Not yet. Maybe not ever. He looked at his reflection in the magnificent wood. His eyes were gaunt and empty, heavily shadowed. He had lost a great deal of weight over the past three months and his hair had grown longer and tangled. He had thin stubble starting to grow and was in desperate need of sleep. "Everything's more real.", He told the photo, "It's more than confusing, it's unbearable." Alec lightly traced over his fingers over the inscription. Sighing, he closed the lid. Bewildered, he looked at the lid, there was another engraving, 'Keep your passion alive. I love you. Faith'
A butterfly was etched into the wood underneath the message. She had had one tattooed on her right shoulder blade. Alec could remember all the times he had caressed it, admired it, and kissed it.
Flashback: "If I could be any creature, it would be a butterfly. That's why I got this tattoo, its reminder of freedom, of beauty. That's what I want to be - free and beautiful." "You are those things." "Only when I'm with you." Alec kissed her shoulder blade tenderly, then moved over to her, catching her into a lustful embrace.
Alec sighed and put the cloth cover over the lid, silently thanking her for the present.
It was night and late when Alec eventually ventured out. The city hadn't changed much over the past months since the battle. He could see that an empty lot had become graveyard, complete with a covered podium bench at the front, covered in candles. A shrine. Alec set off towards it, it was the first time he had been out during since that night, other than in his apartment or in his piano house. Faith's gravestone was in the front row, a beautiful marble headstone. He touched it gently and tears ran down his face as he sank to his knees. The inscription was simple:
'Faith' 'X9-449' '2003 - 2021'
There was another butterfly next to her name with a barcode on the left corner of a wing. Alec squeezed his eyes shut, it was too real, she was gone. He placed a small bunch of lilies on her grave. Fake, she had put a large bunch of them in his apartment to brighten up the place. He knew they were her favourite, along with roses and daffodils. He would bring them next time. Alec stood, his eyes fixated on his beloved's grave, "I want it to be over... it hurts so much and I... I can't deal with the pain. Make it stop! It... hurts... too much. Faith..." He staggered over in pain as the tears fell onto her grassy bed.
Hours later, Alec stood up from the ground and lit a candle. Blowing out the match flame and whispered to her, "I love you..." The sun was rising and Alec looked around at the other graves. Thankfully there weren't many, roughly a dozen - still a dozen too many. He shook his head sadly, a dozen fallen soldiers. He walked past each grave:
Gregory X8-371 Tracey X6-771 Pippa X6-567 Daniel X5-479
*Daniel*, Alec thought sadly. He had worked on several missions with the guy back at Mantecore. He had been a good friend, an admirable soldier.
Carter X6-332 Skip X7-289 Faith X9-449
His heart skipped again, as he approached her grave. She was special. X9, the only one.)
Nick X8-444 Selby X7-101 Lela
No designation for that one, most likely she had been an early transgenic design, like Joshua. Alec came to the last grave. No.
Mole.
"No!", A tear fell down his cheek. He had lost another friend. Another warrior.
Two X6's glumly headed over to the shrine, they had lost the CO of their unit in the battle against the familiars, and came each week to pay their respects. Their team had lost the most soldiers and they felt ashamed when they saw other transgenics. The first one stopped and held his friends back. She wrinkled her brow at him and he pointed, mouthing, "494." They watched silently as Alec made his final regards and saluted, before leaping over the back wall. They had barely recognised the man that had once stood so proud and admirable before them. He looked... dead. Or at least empty.
Chapter Fourteen:
Faith smiled happily up at Alec, her green eyes sparkling, her hair shining, teeth iridescent white and skin as tanned and smooth as ever. He smiled sadly back at her, blinking away the tears that had gathered in his eyes. He placed the photo back on the piano. He wasn't ready to play again. Not yet. Maybe not ever. He looked at his reflection in the magnificent wood. His eyes were gaunt and empty, heavily shadowed. He had lost a great deal of weight over the past three months and his hair had grown longer and tangled. He had thin stubble starting to grow and was in desperate need of sleep. "Everything's more real.", He told the photo, "It's more than confusing, it's unbearable." Alec lightly traced over his fingers over the inscription. Sighing, he closed the lid. Bewildered, he looked at the lid, there was another engraving, 'Keep your passion alive. I love you. Faith'
A butterfly was etched into the wood underneath the message. She had had one tattooed on her right shoulder blade. Alec could remember all the times he had caressed it, admired it, and kissed it.
Flashback: "If I could be any creature, it would be a butterfly. That's why I got this tattoo, its reminder of freedom, of beauty. That's what I want to be - free and beautiful." "You are those things." "Only when I'm with you." Alec kissed her shoulder blade tenderly, then moved over to her, catching her into a lustful embrace.
Alec sighed and put the cloth cover over the lid, silently thanking her for the present.
It was night and late when Alec eventually ventured out. The city hadn't changed much over the past months since the battle. He could see that an empty lot had become graveyard, complete with a covered podium bench at the front, covered in candles. A shrine. Alec set off towards it, it was the first time he had been out during since that night, other than in his apartment or in his piano house. Faith's gravestone was in the front row, a beautiful marble headstone. He touched it gently and tears ran down his face as he sank to his knees. The inscription was simple:
'Faith' 'X9-449' '2003 - 2021'
There was another butterfly next to her name with a barcode on the left corner of a wing. Alec squeezed his eyes shut, it was too real, she was gone. He placed a small bunch of lilies on her grave. Fake, she had put a large bunch of them in his apartment to brighten up the place. He knew they were her favourite, along with roses and daffodils. He would bring them next time. Alec stood, his eyes fixated on his beloved's grave, "I want it to be over... it hurts so much and I... I can't deal with the pain. Make it stop! It... hurts... too much. Faith..." He staggered over in pain as the tears fell onto her grassy bed.
Hours later, Alec stood up from the ground and lit a candle. Blowing out the match flame and whispered to her, "I love you..." The sun was rising and Alec looked around at the other graves. Thankfully there weren't many, roughly a dozen - still a dozen too many. He shook his head sadly, a dozen fallen soldiers. He walked past each grave:
Gregory X8-371 Tracey X6-771 Pippa X6-567 Daniel X5-479
*Daniel*, Alec thought sadly. He had worked on several missions with the guy back at Mantecore. He had been a good friend, an admirable soldier.
Carter X6-332 Skip X7-289 Faith X9-449
His heart skipped again, as he approached her grave. She was special. X9, the only one.)
Nick X8-444 Selby X7-101 Lela
No designation for that one, most likely she had been an early transgenic design, like Joshua. Alec came to the last grave. No.
Mole.
"No!", A tear fell down his cheek. He had lost another friend. Another warrior.
Two X6's glumly headed over to the shrine, they had lost the CO of their unit in the battle against the familiars, and came each week to pay their respects. Their team had lost the most soldiers and they felt ashamed when they saw other transgenics. The first one stopped and held his friends back. She wrinkled her brow at him and he pointed, mouthing, "494." They watched silently as Alec made his final regards and saluted, before leaping over the back wall. They had barely recognised the man that had once stood so proud and admirable before them. He looked... dead. Or at least empty.