:WARNING: Another ALW musical reference. This chapter is great if you read it while listening to "Helena" by My Chemical Romance.
Blah, blah, blah…You know the drill. I own nothing but Anastasia:
Chapter 16: The Greatest Sacrifice
"I'll make you a deal."
Crouch only sneered, "A deal? I hardly think you're in the position to be negotiating."
"On the contrary, sir. I am in the perfect position, "Anastasia responded coldly, "If you let Sirius serve a regular sentence in Azkaban," she gave a heavy sigh, "the dementors can give me the Kiss instead."
For what seemed like an eternity, no one said anything, until Sirius wrenched himself from the dementors and walked up to Anastasia's cell, "No, Anastasia," he said in an almost disbelieving tone, "You can't."
Anastasia shook her head, "I have too, Sirius. If the dementors take your soul, you'll never have the chance to prove your innocence."
"But you don't have to give up your soul!" Sirius cried.
"Yes I do, Sirius! Yes I do," Anastasia said, "I can't take the insanity! I can't take the misery. I can't sit here and get wasted away by this place. If I stay here, I'll surely die!"
"Better than living your life soulless!" Sirius roared, "No I won't stand aside and just watch you give up your soul for my sake. I love you too much to let you do that to yourself."
"And I love you too much to let them punish you for a crime you didn't commit," Anastasia's hands reached through the bars and laid a hand on Sirius' unmasked cheek, "Please," she pleaded, "Please Sirius, if you loved me you'd truly understand why I have to do this. You'll let me save us.
Sirius kissed the inside of Anastasia's palm, "You're not saving us, Anya. Not his way."
"But it's the only way, Sirius. I promise, this'll all work out in the end."
"But Anya, I…"
"Barty, open the door and let Sirius in here," Anastasia said promptly.
Mr. Crouch pulled out a skeleton key and opened the cell door. As soon as it opened, Sirius ran to Anastasia and grasped her tightly within his arms as though he were frightened that she would vanish into thin air if he let her go. Anastasia didn't want to let go of him. She wanted to stay in Sirius' arms forever. If the dementors took her soul, she wouldn't be able to recognize or remember Sirius. He wouldn't even be a memory. He won't exist anymore. A spasm of fear flitted through Anastasia, but she swallowed it, knowing that sometimes sacrifices had to be made.
Sirius looked at Anastasia solemnly. He took her face and his hand and tilted it up so that she looked him in the eyes, "You don't have to do this, you know. I don't want you to."
"I don't either."
"Then don't," Sirius said, hopeful that Anastasia would back down. But to his dismay, she shook her head," No. No, this is something I definitely have to do."
Sirius sighed but he wasn't about to admit defeat. He turned towards Mr. Crouch, "Don't you have something to say in this?"
Crouch shrugged casually, "If she wants her soul sucked out, who am I to stop her?" He smirked evilly. Sirius felt his temple throb and his hands ball into fists. Anastasia took his right hand and turned him towards her.
"You see these rings?" She asked, mimicking what Sirius had done earlier, "This means were bound to each other for all eternity. Screw "till death do us part." It's not like we finished taking the actual vow and you can't say I'm going to die per se," she paused and stared at Sirius, "but regardless of what happens, know that I am yours forever, Sirius. I will never take this ring off. It'll stay on my finger as long as I'm yours." Anastasia bent down to pick up her white dove mask. She placed it into Sirius' hands, "Here. Keep it so that when you look at it, you will always remember me." Anastasia placed her left hand over the right side of Sirius' face where his white leather mask stood perfectly in place. She took it off of him so that she can look wholly into the face of her husband.
"You like it when I sing, right?" she asked.
"I love it when you sing," Sirius responded. Anastasia buried her face into his so she could hide her face from him. She would not let him see her cry.
Think of me, think of my fondly
When we've said good bye
Remember me once in a while
Please promise me you'll try
When you find that once again you long
To take your heart back and be free
If you ever find a moment
Spare a thought for me
Sirius held Anastasia close to him and rocked her gently as though she were a child. He stroked her hair gently and savored each precious final moment he might share with her. He felt his eyes sting and his throat burn. Anastasia was already crying softly into his shoulder.
We never said our love was evergreen
Or as unchanging as the sea
But if you can still remember
Stop and think of me
Sirius was no fully sobbing into Anastasia's hair. Her eyes were softly streaming as she raised her hand to stroke Sirius' soaked cheek.
Think of all the things we've shared and seen
Don't think about the way things might've been
Sirius smiled as her remembered Anastasia in the black, dancing throughout the Great Hall; the first time he kissed her. He remembered how angelic she looked at the masquerade ball. Sirius looked at Anastasia now; her dress and face were dirty, she was deathly pale, her cheeks were tearstained, and her eyes were red and tired. She was still beautiful.
Think of me, think of waking
Silent and resigned
Imagine me trying too hard
To put you from my mind
Recall those days,
Look back on all those times
Think of the things we'll never do
There will never be a day when I won't think of you
The dementors had entered the cell and we're dragging Anastasia away from Sirius. She let him go helplessly as she sobbed and whispered, "G-goodbye Sirius."
"Anastasia!"
"Goodbye"
"No!" Sirius ran before the door closed in on him. Anastasia pulled herself away from the grasp of the dementors. She ran into Sirius' arms and they kissed each other with all the passion they could work up. They were surprised that they didn't feel any pain crop up whatsoever. They placed a few quick kisses on each other's lips. Sirius bent down down to Anastasia's ear.
"I love you, Anastasia."
"Love you too, Sirius."
"Here, you take this," Sirius pulled from his dirty his last red rose. He twirled his wrist and a black silk ribbon appeared of finger nowhere. He tied it carefully around the stem and handed it to Anastasia. She took it with shaking hands and words suddenly appeared on the ribbon, embroidered in gold. It said: "Remember your Phantom, for he will never forget his angel."
Anastasia burst out in fresh sobs again and she embraced Sirius one last time. She kissed his lips a final time and whispered, "I will love you always, my Phantom."
Sirius took Anastasia's hand and kissed it, "Me too, Anya. Goodbye, my angel"
Anastasia released herself from Sirius. It was almost painful to let him go. She let the dementors drag her away to give her the Kiss. Sirius watched her disappear into the shadows; he would never see her again. He turned back to go into his cell. Barty Crouch closed the door on Sirius.
As soon as he went away, Sirius yelled out a yell as though he were being tortured. He beat his hands against the stone walls until they bled. He ravaged around the place like a wild animal. Sirius instantly felt the fleeting urge to die. Yes, that's what he would do. After all, what else did he have left? He had lost everything. His best friends, his god-son, his freedom, and now his wife, the love of his life, his angel. Torn away from him in barely a month.
Sirius ripped of a large strip of his cloak. He tied it securely around his neck and swung it over one of the bars of his cell. Sirius blinked the tears out of his eyes and pulled at the piece of cloth. His eyes began bulging and breath was coming in short. His lungs were burning and feet were swinging madly. Then Anastasia voice rang through his head.
If the dementor's take your soul, you'll never have a chance to prove your innocence.
That's why she sacrificed her soul. For him. So he can have a chance of earning his freedom once again. Sirius fell to the ground and gulped in air. No, he couldn't do it. Anastasia had given way too much on his behalf and now he was going to waste it? No, he would not let Anastasia's sacrafice be for nothing. Sirius curled up into the same corner he sat in with Anastasia mere hours ago. He simply sat there and cried and he sang softly to himself.
What's the worst that I can say?
Things are better if I stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight
Well if you carry on this way
Things are better if I stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight...
: (sniffle) Yup, Anastasia's out people. I cried when I wrote this chapter, and it was while I was so happening listening to "Helena" which made it WAY worse. (sigh) Anyways, story's not quite done yet, so look out for another chappie. (blows nose)
To Delma, Samira, and anyone else I told Anastasia WASN'T going to die-I lied. Yeah, she only had her soul sucked out, but c'mon! How long do imagine a person lives after having their soul sucked out and living in a place like Azkaban doesn't help. So yah, I bet you're gonna wanna kill me now. J: