And so they all stood for what seemed like forever. Tears streamed down all of their cheeks as they looked down at the girl who never really asked for anything for herself. Dead. Her mouth formed some sort of small and quiet smile, as if she were smiling at her own joke. Her eyes were gently glazed over with a misty haze, suggesting that if she were alive, she would be crying as well.
Simon clutched her to his chest tightly, his entire body racked with sobs. The boy who never once lost his poise or holier-than-thou attitude had been reduced to nothing but a hysterical mess at the loss of his quiet sister. Blood was getting everywhere. It continued to drip from Jane's head as Simon held her tighter and tighter, as if sheer affection could bring her back. Barney sat beside his brother, holding his sister's hand gently and wailing into his brother's shoulder.
Merriman had his face buried in his hands, but his shoulders, which shook with weeping, gave his attempted cover away.
"This wasn't supposed to happen," whispered Bran tearfully, wiping the tears from his face as they quickly came down. "She wasn't supposed to get hurt. None of them were."
Will, who had been standing silently this entire time, felt the emotion swell up in his body. His shaking hands were quaking so violently that his whole body began to shiver in unison. With an anguished scream, he ran over to Jane's body and took her from Simon. Simon surprisingly allowed him to and hugged Barney close to him.
Will sobbed into Jane's shoulder, inhaling her scent and struggling to breathe. "No!" he wailed, his voice cracking with sobs. "NO! Jane! I was supposed to protect her. I told her I would." Jane's eyes stared blankly up at him, and her tiny smile seemed to be amused. Shaking, Will gently reached up and closed her eyes with his fingers. Choking back another sob, he then pressed his lips onto her forehead and leaned his head against hers, saying words that no one else could hear.
Bran walked up to Will and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Will."
Will couldn't even respond. He was too busy staring into Jane's face, running his hand near the gaping wound on the side of her head. This wasn't supposed to happen. Jane and Will were supposed to begin a new life together when the Dark was gone; they were supposed to be happy.
"She never complained about any of the tasks," whispered Simon. "She never said no, she always did anything for the good of someone else. She never had anything of her own. Not a thing."
"What's that?" Barney asked raspily, pointing.
They all looked to see a bright light forming beside the tree. A figure began to form, a figure of a young lady with long hair. The light shimmered and faded, to leave the woman standing there.
"It's the Lady," whispered Bran.
She walked slowly away from the tree to where everyone was standing. Nothing like they all remembered her from the descriptions; the Lady was now young and vibrant and rather pretty. She turned to Merriman. "It is done?" she asked.
Merriman nodded and wiped his eyes. "At a price." His voice was low and vibrating, a shaky tone none of them expected to hear from their fearless leader.
"I heard," the Lady answered sadly. "My messenger has died in battle. Brave Juno was slain by the cowardly Dark. I am so sorry, Merlion. She was not intended to receive harm. She didn't understand the magic that the Dark was going to use. But that's how all deaths seem to be. Not knowing your enemy and acting completely…selfless in the face of danger."
The Lady stepped forward and glanced down at Jane's fallen body. Emitting a mournful sigh, she knelt beside Will and touched Jane's forehead. "Jane, my daughter," she said quietly. "You have served the Light well." She looked up at Will, who was gently rocking Jane back and forth. "And you have served your heart well, I see."
Will stopped rocking and looked at the Lady. "M-my Lady," he stammered. "She wasn't supposed to die. Can't you do anything?"
The Lady smiled. "I shall try, my dear Will. You've ignored Merlion and followed your own heart. You put the Light in jeopardy. One can even say that you yourself are responsible for Jane's death. But the Light has prevailed, so of course I will try and help you." She got up and faced the rest of the group.
"Bran," she said quietly. "Your father would like to know if you would return to his time, and be his son. Are you ready to give me an answer?"
Bran bit his lip and thought. He thought about his life with Owen Davies and how much he was loved. Then he thought about Jane. He thought about the possibilities of loving her, and finding something new. Something new. "You may tell my father that I will return to his time," Bran said reluctantly.
The Lady smiled. "Well, we depart now." She turned back to Will and the Drews. Without another word she placed her hand on the side of Jane's head. A bright shimmer of light flashed out, and Jane's wound was gone. The Lady then knelt down and ran a gentle hand through Jane's hair, a small smile playing across her face. "Come, my daughter." The Lady carefully picked up Jane's fallen body from Will's grasp.
"Wha--?" sputtered Will. "What's going on?"
The Lady took Bran's hand. "Your reward, Old One," she replied kindly. "I will take your Jane back to our time where she will live as Lady Jane Drew, companion of Bran the Pendragon. There she will wait for you. When you arrive, you and she will begin your life again."
Will's eyes widened. "T-Thank you." He was stunned.
"And as for the Drews, I will make it so they think that they never had a sis—"
"No," interrupted Merriman, stepping forward and touching the Lady's hand. "No. We can never deny the existence of someone like Jane. Make them think she died in a car crash, or something along those lines. Do not erase her from them." He glanced at Simon and Barney, who were silently clinging to each other, crying their quiet tears for Jane. "She was a wonderful sister to them. She asked for nothing."
The Lady nodded. "Then we shall give her something."
"Say your goodbyes," Merriman said softly to Bran, who immediately walked over to Will and offered him his hand.
Will glanced at Bran's offer, and quickly pulled him close into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry for everything," the Old One whispered tearfully.
"Me too," said Bran quietly. He pulled back and grinned. "You were a great friend, Will Stanton. Even if you are a bloody idiot sometimes."
Will laughed. "You're a good friend too, when you pull your head out of your ass long enough." He wiped the sweat off his forehead with his arm. "You…you take care of her until I get there, alright?"
"I'll guard her with my life," insisted Bran. "She'll be there, waiting for you. As wonderful as she ever was."
Merriman stepped forward. "This is where I leave you as well, Old One. Guide Simon and Barney back home. This earth is your haven now; it's safe for you to live your life. What happens to it is up to its inhabitants, and until you rejoin us again, you're in charge here, Will." He choked back tears to form a smile. "I look forward to us meeting again."
Will nodded, and was folded into a cool embrace from his master. "I look forward to us all together again."
Merriman stepped back and turned away with the Lady, Bran, and Jane, who still lay lifeless in the Lady's arms. Bran was holding one of her hands tightly, and waved slowly with his other hand. The three turned and walked down the other side of the hill, and when Will ran over to look—they were gone.
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