A/N: Okay, this is *long* That's how we likesss it, preciousss. Wanted to make up for the 9 days when there was no update. Sorry. Flu and exams don't help to write good stuff in a short time.
Music playing while writing the Ghost/Trinity scene: "Hello" by Evanescence. I'm not Evanescence fan, but hell, this song worked.
----------------------
Niobe sped down the road, her face expressionless and focused. Ghost glanced at her a few times as they drove on; he could guess what she was thinking. His own thoughts drifted off to the same things. Peace was illusory. So much for all the fighting they had done, for the sacrifice of so many lives. He was silently hoping that somehow everyone would come out of this unscathed this time, but he knew it was just as illusory. Some had already lost their lives, even though the war was supposedly over. People he knew and had grown fond of over time, died. Perhaps they weren't so close, but it still hurt.
No words were said, for none were needed. The plan had been established; both Ghost and Niobe realized the importance of haste, and the risk they decided to take. And, they both knew it was not a matter of choice. Taught by experience, it was clear to them both that some things had to be done, at whatever cost. None of them questioned that fact. Duty always overcame doubt.
Niobe stopped the car across the street from an old building, and got out, not looking at Ghost. He looked around with a small sigh, and followed his Captain. They crossed the street, and entered the building, still feeling no need for a conversation. Ghost felt like back in the times before the end of the war; they worked together in perfect synchronization, as if one could read the mind of the other. In whatever situation, it always just clicked between them. It had to. It was what kept them both alive.
Minutes later, they entered a small apartment. The woman at the door greeted them with a smile, gesturing at them to follow her inside. Through a dark hall, she led them to a big, bright room. Then she nodded politely, and quietly walked out of the room, leaving them alone.
Ghost looked around, not really seeing what surrounded him. His thoughts were wandering. The unfamiliarity of the place didn't bother him; he tried to focus on what they had come there to do. His thoughts drifted off to the Hammer and its crew. After all, he had been wrong. Not all of them survived. It struck him hard; how come the war was over and they were still losing their friends? Suddenly it seemed as if they had traded the dangers of war for something far more ominous, because it was unknown. He shrugged; before, they at least knew what they were fighting against. Now, he could only hope that it was soon to be revealed.
The place was nothing beyond an average living room in an average apartment; nothing unexpected, and yet, in some way, strange. The old set of furniture stood out against white, newly painted walls. In the air he could smell a clearly distinguishable scent of cigarettes, increasing suddenly as the door to another room opened, and Niobe disappeared inside.
Slowly, Ghost sat down on the sofa. His eyes wandered to the window to his right. A white pigeon flew down, and sat gracefully on the windowsill. Ghost narrowed his eyes. He could swear the bird was watching him. He barely remembered it was just a program, nothing but yet another creation of the Matrix. It had been long since he last went in; or so it seemed. Truth was, that Ghost hardly kept the track of time since the war had ended. At times, it seemed so long ago; but some days, it still felt like yesterday. He closed his eyes tight for a second, pushing the memories back into the corners of his mind.
He lowered his sight and focused on some indefinite point around the corner of the room, his face expressionless. He had thought that all those memories belonged to the past. He had thought that he managed to bury them deep in his mind so that they wouldn't haunt him, days and nights. And now, even the fake reality of the Matrix had proven him wrong. He remembered everything; from the moment he was unplugged, the first time he went to see the Oracle… Expectation from which he thought he was freed. The day when the little world he had built for himself in this - by that time - new reality was utterly changed. He remembered how hard he tried to convince himself it was for the better; and so he had told her. But she knew. The Oracle knew his words came from his mind, but not from his heart. He couldn't have fooled neither her, nor even himself. He remembered her words; he heard them later so many times during long, lonely nights.
"She can love you, but only as a friend, as her brother."
These words, he had once thought they had set him free, while at some point he realized how it felt like. It didn't feel like freedom; more as though he merely moved from one prison to another. The feeling of freedom was distant, far beyond his grasp. Yet another kind of imprisonment, nothing more. Perhaps his mind had been freed long ago, but his heart set itself in bonds he was not likely to break. The long years when he cherished all that Trinity would give him had only made the bonds stronger. Even now, that she was gone, he could feel her.
It was never easy. By the time they were unplugged, the 'reality check' gained a very literal meaning. Sometimes Ghost wondered who was the stronger one; he, with his stoical, patient attitude, ready to endure just about anything, and offer his gentle support when it was needed; or she, with her sense of purpose, eagerness to learn, fight and live.
Trinity.
He often felt like he was asking for too much. On the one hand she had given him so much; her friendship, her trust, the sisterly kind of love. On the other hand, deep within him, his heart was constantly consumed by the searing desire for more, for a different kind of love. That desire was always hushed by reason, and Ghost knew it would never change, it had to stay like this. And yet it hurt. He had traded expectation for longing, and he honestly didn't know which was worse.
It didn't matter how much it hurt; Ghost smiled wistfully, recalling all those moments. Words that were spoken, and those that never needed to be spoken loud. His first encounter with the Oracle, the truth he had come to learn, and – in time – understand. And… accept? He sometimes doubted that.
The sudden blow of wind pulled the window open, catching his attention. He looked up, his eyes followed the dark curtains as they waved gently on the wind. He glanced at the windowsill; the pigeon spread out its wings rapidly, and flew out of the window. Silence fell about the room. A single, small white feather traversed the room, and landed gracefully on the carpet, just few inches from the sofa. Strangely enchanted, Ghost leaned down and reached out his hand for the feather.
The sudden quickening of his heartbeat surprised him. Caught off guard by the emotion he couldn't define, he sat upright and stared at the small item which rested on his palm. Somehow, it made him remember. He couldn't even gather his thoughts enough to wonder why now, why in this place, it all came back to him, struck him once more without a warning.
--
"I know what I'm supposed to do. I have to go… to the Machine City."
'What?!'
Ghost looked at Neo, finding himself unable to believe his own ears. A quick glance was enough for him to see that that man was determined to carry out his plan, that he was completely serious. Insanely serious, so it seemed to Ghost. He looked at Trinity.
And then, it hit him once more, as it always had when he saw them together. But this time, it hit him with full force. She loved that man. She wouldn't let him go alone, at any cost. That mission was suicide. He knew this. She knew this. Neo knew. Everyone did. And she was going with him. He could see it in her eyes, fixed on Neo, full of love, support, and… fear.
'This can't be happening.'
His mind completely lost touch with reality. He could barely hear Roland protesting against that insane idea, Niobe offering their ship to Neo, the argument between the captains. He barely took notice of everyone leaving the room, one by one, with grave faces, hurrying to prepare everything for the departure of both ships. He overheard the words that made him feel sick in his stomach. 'Two ships, two directions.' This wasn't happening. It must have been a dream.
He couldn't move. He couldn't even see anything in front of him, even though his eyes were wide open, his face expressionless. He couldn't bring himself to express what began to happen inside him. He didn't notice Sparks coming up behind him, until the operator patted him on the back.
"Ghost? We're short on time, come on."
He turned around and looked at Sparks; a truly desperate, wild look. The only thing that showed how he felt, and only for what seemed but a fraction of a second. Sparks frowned. The way things were turning out, the decision that had just been made, stripped even him off of his usual reactions. Ghost couldn't tell what the other man was thinking. His voice seemed distant.
"What's wrong with you?" Sparks asked, narrowing his eyes.
Ghost realized that he had given something away, and put on an indifferent look. But it hurt, hell, it did. He only shook his head and stormed through the door.
He couldn't see where he was going. He didn't care. His mind barely registered the need of haste. He remembered bits and pieces of the conversation, broken images, leftovers of his quick glances at the crews of three ships. They shattered his mind, pulled him out of reality. He halted abruptly at the end of the corridor where it was dark; he found it relieving. Behind the metal wall, the Hammer's heat systems were humming, stifling the distant sounds of the rebels getting ready for the flight. Ghost leaned against the wall and slowly slid down onto the floor.
Breathe, breathe.
He sat, cross-legged and closed his eyes, then took a deep breath. And another. And then one more. He tried not to concentrate on this, and let his senses calm down, but something in his mind was crying out loud.
Breathe, breathe.
Slowly, Ghost leaned backward and pressed his back against the wall, his eyes still closed. His breath began to steady and he relaxed a little, trying not to think of anything. Was it possible? Surely it was damn hard. Minutes passed. He didn't know how many. It seemed as if the line of time got somehow distorted, and everything bent out of shape.
At the other end of the passage someone opened the heavy, metal door. Ghost heard footsteps and opened his eyes, looking to where the sound came from. The cold lights flickered, creating a strangely surreal vision of someone disappearing, like a phantom, and yet he knew it was real. The sound broke off suddenly, and the tall, dark silhouette halted half way through the corridor, leaning against the wall.
Ghost felt his heartbeat quicken again, as he recognized the person. The way her hair surrounded her face, the way she stood, the curves of her figure, everything was so familiar, so well-known to him. Silently he lifted himself up, and walked to where she was.
Trinity took no notice of him, until he stood right in front of her, gently touching her shoulder. She raised her head, and looked at him. Their eyes met, and Ghost's heart ached. He read more in her face than she could ever say with words.
"You okay?" he asked, immediately bashing himself mentally for asking such a stupid question. She shuddered.
"We're getting ready to leave." She said. "There isn't much time."
'She's leaving. She's Leaving. It's not a dream. Hell, no… this can't be happening.'
Ghost swallowed hard and slowly breathed out. "I guess it was meant to be this way." He said after a while, out of lack for a better way to cover the sensation that was turning his stomach upside down, and gripping onto his heart. He felt pressure on his chest, realizing how suddenly it was hard to take a deep breath. He knew what it was. It was fear. And it paralyzed.
"I guess." She said, and looked away.
"Trinity…" Ghost broke off, involuntarily squeezing her arm. There were no words. So much to say, so little time. So many boundaries. She looked back at him.
"If you want to tell me something…"
Ghost lowered his head, swallowing down the tears that were fighting their way out. "Yes, there is something that I must tell you." He said quietly. His voice was breaking. As was his heart. "I don't think I ever said enough of it." He forced himself to look up at her. He could barely handle looking into her eyes, those tired, sorrowful eyes. He could barely resist the urge to take her away, far away from there, to keep her safe. "You are the most wonderful sister I could ever dream of having."
"Ghost…"
He gently shook his head, hushing her. "I know. You don't think you're coming back. But I'll tell you something. I believe. I believe tomorrow will come, and you will still be what you are. My sister. My dearest sister. Hell, Trinity. If you don't believe this, I'll believe for us both."
Trinity raised her hand and caressed his cheek with her palm. Her hand felt cold. Ghost had to fight with himself to stay as calm as he could. The whole of his being cried to take this cold away, to take away all of her fears, to fix all that had gone wrong. He wanted to do anything but just stand like this, and helplessly watch her leave.
"Do you remember…" she began quietly, her face suddenly growing calm, "that morning, when I woke up in your room? I asked you a question."
Ghost smiled wistfully, as the memory of that moment returned to him in an instant. He still remembered her face, back then. He remembered everything. He looked down. "I answered your question."
She placed her both hands on his shoulders and drew him closer to her. "Before I go, I want to know the _real_ answer."
Ghost's heart leaped. He shivered violently, for a short moment forgetting the promise he had given himself. He tried to find words, but none would come. He stared straight down, in silence.
"Please."
He squeezed his eyes shut. So much for the promise. So much for the self-control. He let out a heavy sigh, still unable to find the strength to look at her. He knew he owed this to her. It scared him. He couldn't lie, even for her good. Not this time.
"Yes." He gasped at last. "I do believe there is love worth any and every sacrifice. Love that doesn't ask questions, and knows all answers."
He felt as her arms gently surrounded him, drawing him closer to her warm body. He cursed himself; it wasn't supposed to be like this, he was supposed to comfort her, while he realized that it turned out exactly the other way around. She was strong. Even in that moment, when the amount of hope was next to none, she was. He thought he was, too. It's all wrong. All wrong. Now, it was too late, the last walls had collapsed. He put his arms around her, and suddenly he felt the full impact of what appeared in his mind when he first realized that she was really leaving. He knew, oh god, he knew that that moment would have to do for a lifetime.
He felt her body pressing gently against him, her hand soothingly running up and down his back, her cheek against his. He wished he could stop the time in that very moment, because as seconds passed quickly, he realized, more and more, that he would soon have to part with her. It hurt. His mind screamed against it; he couldn't let her go.
"I'm scared." She whispered, burying her face in his neck.
Ghost bit his lower lip, so hard that the taste of blood brought him back to his senses. 'This can't be happening.'
"I know, sister. I know." He couldn't find words. Everything seemed pathetically trivial, pointless. Whatever there was left to say, couldn't be said. For her sake.
Trinity raised her head and gently drew him away. He looked at her; he could tell she was scared. And there was nothing left for him to do to take that fear away.
He had sworn this wouldn't happen. Not like this. It felt wrong, who was he to stand there like this, allowing himself to be overcome by something he had thought he learned to control so well. He was at the edge of emotions impossible to contain, he had never thought one could feel it so intensely. He could. It all flew out of him in the form of short, shallow breaths, two small tears that formed in the corners of his eyes, quickly blinked back so that she wouldn't see, his trembling hands, involuntarily seeking hers; in fear, hunger, and love.
It was more than a sensation, fighting its way through his body; it was pain that his heart gave birth to, filling the whole of his being. She was looking at him, frowning slightly, and Ghost realized he had lost the sense of time. He had been looking at her, but not seeing her; his mind displayed images of what could have been, but wasn't meant to be. He felt it, not fully aware of his actions, he heard himself whisper her name, time after time. The sound of his own voice seemed so distant, so not his, quietly voicing what felt like a scream in his mind.
She drew him to herself once more, and Ghost gave in to what she offered. So much, and so little. For the last time. He felt her shiver. And he understood, much more fully than ever before.
She was his sister, and he was her brother. _That_ was meant to be. She wasn't always as tough as she made herself look like. She shared the same kind of fear, that lived deep in Ghost's heart; hidden, never allowed to surface. He knew what she had to do, and he knew why – for love, and no fear would ever stop her. She was ready to give everything for the man she loved. And she would. He knew it, he understood; because he would give just as much, for her.
He drew her away and looked at her beautiful, tired face. He watched as a shadow of a sad smile painted her lips.
"Thank you." She spoke in small voice.
"No, I thank _you_." Ghost protested, shaking his head. "When you come back—"
"Ghost." She hushed him, "Please. Don't." she whispered. "Don't do all that. You know as well as I what all of this means. Do just one thing."
"What?"
"Remember me. Just remember."
Ghost gasped; the world around him began to swirl at unbelievable speed. Somehow he managed to regain some control over his body before it gave away the truth; that at that very moment, his heart was no longer whole. He managed to give a small nod, and register that she looked away, glancing down the corridor.
"I must go."
"I know."
"Good luck, brother."
"I'll pass all of mine on to you."
A small, wistful smile passed her face. They had said the same words so many times before; each time their ships were leaving Zion and they knew it could take months until they would see each other again. A good luck charm. A ritual, almost; established over the past twelve years. Always the same words. Always the same hope. But not this time. Ghost knew why she didn't say what she would say at any other time. Something inside him was telling him that it just wouldn't work; it couldn't have fooled either of them. Not this time. And she knew. He could read it in her face.
She squeezed his hand and pulled herself back, turning to leave. Then she stopped, and looked back at him, his hand still in hers; at a distance, and yet so close.
"Promise me something." she said.
"Anything."
"When this hell is over, you have to live to remember." She tried to give her voice a firm tone, but it failed miserably. Such was the way to say 'goodbye', the word neither of them found possible to say. And neither did.
"I will." Ghost said quietly, looking into her eyes; the eyes he loved with his whole heart. As she turned around and walked away, their hands parted in mid-air. He brought his hands to his face, using all his strength to fight back an involuntary sob. Something died in him that moment, as her slender silhouette disappeared round the corner.
---
The image faded. Suddenly, Ghost felt uneasy; he could sense someone watching him. He straightened himself, and looked around. A little girl stood in doorway across the room, observing him intensely from under her long, dark lashes. Her big, dark eyes studied his figure; Ghost couldn't help the feeling that she could somehow see through him. He looked at her, surprised and not fully knowing what to do. The girl tilted her head and kept staring at him, as though she pondered whether to approach him, or leave.
At last, she crossed her little arms on her chest – Ghost thought that it looked like she was trying to give herself more courage – and paced towards the sofa. He watched her warily, not sure what to make out of what he was seeing. Her posture demonstrated hesitancy, but in her eyes there was self-confidence he had never seen in a child. She stopped right in front of him, and did the last thing Ghost had expected. She smiled shyly and took his hand into hers, closing his fingers about the feather.
Ghost looked at her face, meeting a pair of eyes in which he saw something more. Again, something he hadn't expected. Understanding. The girl smiled.
"My name is Sati. You're Ghost. But you're not scary at all, Ghost." She said, and her smile widened. She cocked her head and blinked a few times. Ghost wondered how she knew his name, and yet he couldn't help a smile, hearing her say that. He took off his shades and looked directly at her.
"Look what we've got here. A brave little girl, you are." He said warmly.
Sati sat on the floor in front of him, raised her head and looked up. The smile on her face disappeared, her face suddenly growing serious. Too serious for so small a child. Ghost felt the same kind of discomfort as when she appeared in the room. He put the shades beside him on the coach, observing her. His eyes met with hers.
"You miss her very much." She said. Her eyes were fixed on his face.
Involuntarily, Ghost pulled himself back. "What?" he gasped.
"You are sad. Don't be sad, Ghost." She said, shifting position to sit on her knees. She ignored the shocked look on his face. "She would cry if she knew." She whispered, and took his hand in both of hers.
Ghost felt his heart pounding and looked away, at a complete loss for words. Who was that girl and how did she know things she had spoken of? The question echoed in his mind, mingling with images of Trinity that flashed suddenly before his eyes, scarily sharp and clear. He blinked a few times, trying to regain some composure, but to no avail. He looked blankly at Sati, then looked away, trying to determine whether this was real, or was it just his mind that was playing tricks on him.
Something forced him to look back at her, and meet those big, dark eyes, focused on him. Her look was piercing; the feeling that she could literally see through him was ever increasing. The girl sent him a reassuring smile. She drew even closer to him, resting her elbows on his lap, and her chin on her hands.
"You can still tell her." She whispered.
Ghost's heart surpassed all possible speed limits.
"Sati, honey."
A warm female voice spoke on the other side of the room. The Oracle looked at the girl, and reached out her hand, holding a plate of cake. Three identical, perfectly sliced pieces. Sati sent Ghost a quick look, got herself up, and ran to the woman.
"Go find Seraph honey, when I'm finished here, we will go for a walk." She said calmly, and handed the plate to the girl. Sati took it from her with a wide smile blooming on her face. Then she ran out of the room, carefully carrying the plate in both hands in front of her.
Ghost shivered. The child's voice still echoed in his mind.
The Oracle stepped aside and he saw Niobe as she walked out of the door behind her, with a strangely blank look. She didn't say anything, nor did she look at her companion. Silently, she paced across the room to the window and turned around, folding her arms. The Oracle turned back to Ghost, and waved her hand at him.
"Come in. There's still some cake left." She said, and turned to enter the room, not waiting for him to react.
Ghost picked his shades, trying to control his shaking hand, and rose from the sofa. He felt slightly lightheaded. He was trying hard to understand what had happened in the past few minutes, but this time, it indeed felt like a dream. Whether a good or a bad dream, he hadn't decided yet. He cast a quick look at Niobe. The woman stood still by the window, apparently paying no attention to her surroundings at that moment. Ghost thought to himself that it surely wasn't a good sign. He let out a small, inaudible sigh, and headed to the room where the old woman had vanished. He came in, and closed the door behind him.
The Oracle stood behind the table, leaning against the table top. She looked meaningfully at the chair across from her, and gestured towards it.
"Here, take a seat." She said, and sat down herself. She took a cigarette out of the box. Ghost watched as her old-looking, wrinkled hands played with it, rolling it between the fingers. Reluctantly, he seated himself in front of the woman.
"You know why you're here?" The Oracle leaned back in the chair, her eyes studying the man in front of her; the wise, watchful eyes which saw through him. He knew they did.
"You know the answer to that question." Ghost said hesitantly, his voice sounding unnatural to him.
The woman smiled. "The real question is, do you know." With that, she pointed her index finger at him.
She kept watching him with an intense look, but Ghost realized that this look wasn't making him feel uncomfortable. Contrary to the statement she had made. "I don't expect you to tell me."
The Oracle slightly lowered her head, the smile never leaving her face. She put the cigarette between her lips, and reached out for a box of matches. She lit the cigarette, slowly, observing the flame as it kindled its end. The still burning match landed in the ashtray. Ghost watched out of the corner of his eye as the small flame slowly died out.
"You don't? Quite the opposite, Ghost." The woman replied matter-of-factly, but without the irony Ghost had been expecting. "You're expecting me to show you the path, but you already know it."
Ghost looked away, absent-mindedly shaking his head. Outside it began to rain. He listened to the droplets hitting the window, and watched as the view dissolved behind the sudden wall of rain. It reminded him of falling. Seconds turned to minutes as he tried to put the thoughts in his mind in the right order.
"Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.*"
The Oracle's voice brought him back to the present. Ghost looked back at her. "I have already accepted it." He said quietly. "I had to."
The woman's expression changed in an instant. The slight smile disappeared, replaced by a rather grave look. "You mistake choice for acceptance." She locked eyes with him and exhaled the smoke, then put the cigarette away on the ashtray. "Yes," she nodded thoughtfully, "I know you think you're about to make one. But I'll tell you something. You have already made it. You just have to let yourself understand that this part is already done. And that now you must learn to accept the consequences of your choice."
Ghost shrugged. She knew. She always knew. Not that he expected anything else from her; and yet it always startled him, how accurately she pulled the right strings. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to hold up her gaze.
"I'll accept whatever is to come." "Sooner or later." He mused.
"Sooner than you think." The Oracle narrowed her eyes slightly, "In your world, people must learn to lay their trust where trust is due. And only there."
Ghost looked at her suspiciously, but said nothing. Instead, he nodded and lifted himself from the chair. "Thank you." He said simply, and turned to leave.
"Ghost."
He stopped, his hand resting on the handle. He turned around and looked at the Oracle with a questioning look.
"Don't stick to the dark side if there's another way. There are too many in there already. Some are too going through the pain of a loss." She stood up, and came close to him. "I know what you're thinking." She inclined her head; the warm, soothing look reappeared on her face. "Things don't make sense anymore, do they?"
Ghost slowly shook his head. A shadow of resignation passed across his face, and he looked down.
"They will, once you understand that the choice you have made is one of many that are ahead of you."
"What if I can't do it? Can't choose?" he asked, not looking at her.
"When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice."
Ghost smiled. "William James."
The Oracle nodded and returned the smile. "But what control over your own life would you then have? You believe in choice, so make use of what you believe in."
"Sometimes I'm not sure what I believe in anymore. Reality has verified most of it in the past few months." He said in quiet voice, trying to fight back the emotion that suddenly came over him. He couldn't recognize himself. It was not like him to lose his composure like this.
The woman nodded sympathetically. "I know. I won't lie to you, Ghost. Whichever path you take, it won't be easy. But remember, everyone is given a second chance. It is only up to them if they will see it, and take it, or not."
Ghost looked closely at her. "Second chance to do what?"
"To live. Not exist, but live."
He smiled wistfully and gave a small nod. "Thank you."
"Instead of thanking me, there's something else you should do." She said.
"What?" he asked, slightly surprised.
The Oracle smiled warmly. "Believe it."
Ghost turned around, and walked out of the door. He closed it quietly behind him, and looked at Niobe. The woman was still where he had last seen her; apparently contemplating something. She turned abruptly, seeing Ghost approach her, and put on a stern face again. She glanced quickly at the door, implying that they had no time to waste. Ghost knew; she didn't need to say anything. Without a word, they left the apartment and ran downstairs, not even bothering to wait for the elevator. Niobe pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number.
"Operator."
"Sparks, we're on our way. Catch a download from the Construct when you pull us out."
"Ready when you are."
They left the building, and Niobe quickly headed for the car. Ghost followed her, then halted in half-step, realizing that it wasn't raining anymore. Suddenly, he remembered something. He opened his hand; all that time, he had been squeezing the white feather. He looked at it, and smiled to himself. He reached out his hand and let the wind carry the feather away.
--------------------------
* William James [like that was a surprise. Pffft. I'm quotes freak. Oh well.]
BIG Thank You to: Shan, Laura and Tasar for helping me go through this. Believe me, it was hard. *hugs*
wintergirl: I like cliffies too ;) They're evil. But hopefully keep people coming back. :) And yes, Niobe is an awesome character. Even though I'm more of a Trinity obsessive [lol], I completely adore this woman. And I hope I'm doing her justice in this piece :)
ith: My faithful reader, yay! :D Still getting better? ;) My hope is that it won't get *worse*, doesn't have to get better ;)
Audrey A: Once again, thank you :)
Fuhrer: It's my pleasure. I've learned a bit while researching, too, so it's all good. Many positive outcomes out of two days of hard work, that sure as hell is worth it. I'm glad you liked it.
Empathy: As I already told you, I do that to people :P You challenged me to write another Ghost/Trinity bit, so here you have it. A huge one, too. Hope you like it.
