(Three)
It was early morning when Kimble walked out to the work site for the Dragon 2. He was a nervous wreck from head to toe – he hadn't seen Seth since they had paired all those days ago. So much had happened since then and he wasn't sure what to expect. Remy had been telling him that Seth had asked about him constantly and was still supporting him, good news to Kimble's ears. Seth had married, a sure sign that the rift between him and his Mistress had been healed. While all this was good to hear, Kimble was still nervous just the same. He had no idea what to expect.
At least he wasn't coming out alone. Kimble was flanked by Aiden and Asher, his Siskan moral support. Asher had pushed for the idea of keeping all the Siskans together in one place while at work or at home and had won support. Remy trailed not far behind, walking the guards along. There were a couple of extra security guys, there would be no more stunts or hysterics going on the site. Seth was out at his work table, the Dragon 2 out behind of him, more than halfway completed.
Kimble and Fallen were not the only people of power working on this site. Other mutants with a high enough clearance had also been recruited, all the better to get this project completed as quickly as possible. From the look of things, it wouldn't be much longer.
Kimble was relieved when he saw Seth look up at him with a beaming smile as they approached. Seth's shine was healthy and there was a kind of maturity and serenity in his eyes that had never been there before.
His Mistress was another matter. Fallen was next to her charge and her face noticeably darkened at the sight of his brother and the group of Siskans who followed him. Although the circumstances of the brothers' misbehavior had been explained to her over and over again, there was still some residual resentment and suspicion.
Kimble faltered at the sight of her disapproval, but was prodded forward by a gentle nudge from Asher. This had to be done and it was best to get it over with and move on. Kimble came to the work table and shyly looked Seth over. "You looks better."
"I am," Seth replied easily, holding his hand out for Kimble to shake. It was the most formal greeting these two had ever given one another. Usually they hugged and kissed, but Seth was cautiously keeping his distance while still in the sight of his Mistress. "Thanks for everything."
"Yer welcome," Kimble said, his voice lowering with renewed shame when he saw the anger remaining in Fallen's shine. He felt a little put out by the stiffness of Seth's greeting, it made him sad, but what else could he expect? He had done this terrible, hurtful thing.
Seth sensed all this and had so much he wanted to say but he couldn't do it with Fallen there. He turned aside to his Mistress. "Can I speak with Kimble alone for a minute?"
"Don't forget your promise,"she insisted, keeping her voice down.
It wasn't enough for the others not to hear, something Seth was painfully aware of. He could already sense the spike in Aiden's mood at her words. Hoping to deflect trouble early, Seth replied to Fallen, "I won't. I'd just rather do this with Kimble alone. Please."
"Do what?" Aiden snapped at once with arrogant suspicion, confirming Seth's worst fears. Kimble's lover was agitated, not liking the disturbance in Kimble's shine, one the pilot could never possibly hide. Kimble was hurting. Aiden had been warned ahead of time to be on his best behavior but control of his emotions had never been his strong suit, especially when it came to those he loved. His defensive nature was coming out.
"Let's leave 'em alone, kitten," Asher said, pulling the Dreamer back and away with a polite nod to Seth's Mistress, asking for her patience. The brothers had to settle this themselves and he wanted her to know that Aiden was not going to be allowed to interfere. Remy had come closer, too perceptive not to know something was going on, but Asher held him back as well. They backed off to a respectful distance, but not so far away if this should go badly.
Fallen's eyes watched them warily, but she had certainly appreciated Asher removing Kimble's entourage. The situation was now less threatening. She backed off a pace, gesturing to a pile of scrap that needed to be worked over. "I'll be right over here."
"Thanks," Seth answered, looking at her with eyes begging for mercy. This had to be done, he knew it, but didn't want a brawl. He wanted only peace and happiness for them all, had always hoped for this.
She started to leave, but Kimble dared to reach out to her, his face all pain and misery. "I'm sorry, Fallen. I didn't ever means ta hurtcha."
She jerked away from his touch as if burned, her eyes hard with fury. Just the sight of him so close to Seth had aroused her fear and along with it, her anger. His attempt to touch her only added to that. "Don't worry. It won't happen again," she answered with all the confidence of the victor.
Kimble crumpled at her statement, already sensing looming disaster. His shoulders slumped and his wings drooped with shame. He could hear Lin clamoring inside his mind now, chirping his warnings. He should never have left his cell, no outside time was worth this pain. He started to turn away, done with this most painful thing, but Seth gripped his wrist with one hand while still addressing his Mistress. "Give us a moment, Fallen, please. I'll stay right here."
Fallen nodded and left, moving away but not out of sight.
Kimble wouldn't look up at his brother. The whole exchange had revealed to him the truth of the situation and the depth of his punishment. It was all he deserved really, he sucked through and through, was the worst Siskan ever made. So foolish to think things could ever be returned to normal. "You cain't never sees me again."
"That's not exactly true," Seth replied, taking Kimble's other hand as well. "Look at me. Please."
Kimble looked up, expecting the worst. How could things get any better?
Seth held Kimble's hands tightly, allowing some Morrowhiem to wisp around their fingers. Kimble shivered from the pleasure of it and brightened a little, but mostly he was mystified. "You kin do that now?"
"Yes. Thanks to you. I won't ever forget what you've done for me. I'll always love you, Kimble, even if I won't be so free to tell you after this."
Kimble's head dropped and he started to pull away, not wanting to hear it. Seth wouldn't let him go. "Don't run. Not just yet. I can still see you, Kimble. We just can't be alone together. We can finish the Dragon."
Kimble looked up at him, his eyes rimmed red with pain. Nothing could stop the tears that spilled down his cheeks. "An' after, when it's all done? She'll takes you away from me!"
Seth ached deeply inside, wounded in ways he couldn't even count. So odd it was to be with Kimble like this, feeling like he was the stronger one now when it was always Kimble who had been the one who had seemed so invincible and powerful. He had expected Kimble to fight and argue like he always had with Fallen before, to stand up for himself. He never expected Kimble just to take her words without a fight and break like this. It was like Kimble was someone else and not the big brother he had been before. Seth was thinking now that it should have been Kimble perhaps that should have been left behind in the system, not himself. At least then Kimble would still be safe and whole, the brother/father he had always been, not this wounded child. Seth tried desperately to explain. "She's my Mistress, Kimble. She made me make a choice."
Kimble shuddered, knowing how that was all too well. Most often those choices had left him on the outside. "You had ta choose yer Mistress."
"Yes, Kimble. But you're always my brother, she can't take that away from us."
Kimble wiped uselessly at his face, he could hardly see, his eyes were so flooded. This hurt worse than anything. "I won't fights ya. I won't gives you no trouble."
"Thanks, Kimble. I mean it. For everything."
Kimble sobbed loudly and finally pulled away, using his greater power to break the grip Seth had on him. He moved away quickly, but really had nowhere to bolt to, he was supposed to be here to work and the site was wide open. He moved to some of the scaffolding that framed the craft, his vision too blurry to see who was coming, but felt the arms come around him just the same. He crumpled and began to bawl, the sharp intake of breath bringing Remy's cologne to his nose.
"Take a deep breat', cher."
"He said - he said...!"
"Je sais, I know. Could read it."
Kimble was suddenly surrounded, the rest of his Siskan kin had come to keep him from falling. "She 'ave no right!" Aiden snapped, already defensive. He was pacing in a half circle around Remy's back, his hands fisted. This hurt badly and he wanted Kimble's pain gone and he didn't care who he had to smash to get it.
"You just calm down, kitten. She gots evra right an' you knows it," Asher replied sternly. "Kimble made the trespass, now he gots the punishment. Jus' accept it an' don't fights it, Dreamer. Fergives Seth's Mistress, Aiden, lets it go. No sense in makin' this worse with yer anger."
Aiden snarled and turned away in a furious sulk, giving his back to Asher and Fallen so far away. He was fighting his rage, his need to avenge anyone who had hurt his precious Kimble, but he would obey Asher, knowing the centaur was much wiser than he. It was hard though, so very hard.
Kimble was greying out, tuning all of them out. How he longed for the quiet of his bubble, how desperately he needed it. Things were so much simpler in there, an endless nap without any pain. He was jerked suddenly back to reality when he felt a hot hand on his chest, one full of Morrowhiem and growing brighter. "Looks at me!" Asher demanded.
Kimble obeyed, automatically responding to the authority of Asher's voice.
"Fallen done what she had to to protects her Seth. Lets it go. Jus' knows yer brother still loves ya and he's all the better fer what you done. Fergives his Mistress. Alla this will probably pass in time. You'd be amazed how war changes folks' minds about a lot of things, 'specially when it comes ta family."
Both Kimble and Remy startled at that. The Game still seemed so abstract to those who didn't sense it on the same level as the others here. Asher's words were true. The Game was going to happen one way or the other, and this little hiccup in their personal lives wasn't going to stop it.
Asher's hand released the Morrowhiem in it. He swirled it over Kimble's chest and ignited it quickly, moving closer to assist Remy when Kimble shuddered and his legs buckled. Remy was still holding the pilot and he grunted from the aftershock of Kimble's reaction to the Morrowhiem treatment, but found relief in the backwash of Kimble's whitewashed mind. Kimble relaxed and gasped as his pain left him and all he felt was bliss.
"Feel better?" Asher asked gently after a moment. "It's all better now, ain't it?"
Kimble nodded, finding his feet and standing on his own. He was trembling and grinned a loopy smile up into Remy's face, his pale blue eyes now glassy and small. He was stoned, dreamy now and blissful, warm in the sunshine streaming down. The memory of what had just happened was fading, lost as the pain of it was blasted away. It had been no big deal, really. He could see Seth for the now and then if things calmed down when the Dragon was finished, they could still be friends. He just had to be patient. Simple. Nothing to fuss over.
Gambit held his arms out at Kimble's shoulders, steadying the pilot, his eyes never leaving Kimble's face. The pilot's shine had done a rapid change from black to blue, a correction in Kimble's favor. Remy approved of Asher's treatments and had to admit that Asher had been correct in pushing this reconciliation, but at the same time feared Kimble would fall back on Asher's treatments like any crutch. "Maybe you best be sittin' down fo' a minute. Take a deep breat'."
Kimble nodded and sat on the scaffolding. He wiped at his face, the tears had stopped coming and he was blinking happily now, thinking only of how nice it was here in the sun. It was good to work outside like this and be used, anything was better than the bubble, in the bubble he had never felt the sun like this. Silly to think he would ever want such a thing again.
Asher eyed his patient warily, he wasn't going to let Kimble off so easily. He turned the pilot's face to look at him. "Just face yer day, Kim. No more runnin' away. It'll git easier. Just buck up and try nots ta despair. The future's always changin'. Sometimes even fer the better. Be good an' Fallen's trust in ya will grows again. It won't happen if ya yells and screams an' cries. Steady as she goes, 'kay?"
Kimble nodded, feeling much better. He could do this. He stood up and dusted off, reaching for some of the scrap that was lying around. "Time ta works. We ain't gots much time," he said cheerily, his mind already focusing on the task at hand. "Come on, Aiden. Gives me a hand."
Aiden turned and looked at his lover, still angry. He took a breath and calmed, seeing that Asher was more than prepared to take his own anger down as well if he didn't come down by himself. He swept a hand through his long bangs and nodded, moving towards Kimble and let the pilot direct him to his next task.
Asher nodded at them both and backed off, leaving them to it. He and Remy moved away, keeping a wary eye on Kimble and the Dreamer both, relaxing only when they saw that the both of them had work on their minds.
From his work table, Seth had looked on the whole thing, unable to lose the sadness building up inside of him. Seeing Kimble now with new eyes, it hit Seth then what had really transpired between him and Kimble, the heart of it. Neither Asher nor Remy had said anything to him, but Seth knew now that more than simple Kundatesh had passed between them when Kimble had risked everything to bring him out of Shemusk. Something in Kimble had also been given away, something vital that the pilot seemed to lack now. Something that had been keeping him strong. Something that only Kimble could give him because they were both brothers and twins in the truest sense, two parts of the same whole. Maybe Kimble had known this would happen, maybe he hadn't, but what was clear to Seth now was that Kimble hadn't cared that the exchange might cause any physical damage to himself. Seth had asked for help and Kimble had given it, no questions asked. That's just how Kimble was. He would do anything for Seth and indeed he had, even to his own detriment. Seth felt a surge of love and regret. He pitied his brother now, how it was that Kimble had diminished while he himself had grown stronger. It didn't seem quite fair, not at all.
Fallen had returned to Seth's side the moment Kimble had fled and had watched the Morrowhiem exchange without understanding. She too had been a little surprised that Kimble hadn't broken out in argument, she could vividly recall how he used to constantly fight her, pushing to get his way and not backing down, certainly never when he thought he was in the right. His breaking down into tears like a pathetic little baby was surely a sign of his sickness or at the very least of his guilt and culpability in the matter.
Fallen also recognized Asher's sparkling mist for what it was, Seth had showed her his new talent and it was one that she had quickly grown to love. What confused her was what Asher had done next, how he had made the glitter flash so brightly. She was intelligent enough to understand the depth of Kimble's reaction and his smile afterwards had spoken volumes. He was no longer crying and feeling no pain, he even looked a little drunk. "What did Asher just do?" she asked, bewildered.
Seth looked at her sadly as he answered, "What Kimble should have done with me instead of what... of what I asked him to do. I told you the mistake was mine and still you punish him for what I did. For what I asked him to do." He lowered his eyes and walked away towards the trailer, his head down.
Fallen sighed in frustration and followed Seth inside, finding him at the snack area, pouring a cup of coffee and dumping spoonful after spoonful of sugar into it. He wasn't crying, not just yet, but she knew he was hurting. "I'm sorry," she whispered, needing to say something.
He didn't look at her, but was stirring his sweetened drink, waiting for it to cool. His voice was tired and strained as he asked, "What more do I need to say to you, Fallen? What will it take to convince you to forgive Kimble for my mistake?"
Fallen crossed her arms and sighed again, not answering right away. She looked out the window, watching as Kimble and Aiden worked. Aiden was clearly fooling around a little to make Kimble laugh and it was working, they were now playing and joking with one another like Kimble had never been crying and Aiden ready to fight only minutes before. Clearly what Asher had done had had its effect, all seemed to be well out there. Sadly, she just didn't know if she could trust what she was seeing.
Seth's voice broke into her thoughts, words filled with sadness and regret. "I was missing something, Mistress... and I think Kimble gave it back to me. Codes or something more than simple Kundatesh. It was only Kimble that really could have helped me, I know this now. I can tell by how he's been changed from all this. He sacrificed something in himself for me. I'm stronger now... while he's weaker somehow. We're two halves of the same person, Fallen. He gave me what I needed, even though it hurt him... it's just that we just did it in the worst possible way and I know that, I do."
"Kimble will be okay, he always is," Fallen replied, continuing to watch Kimble and Aiden. She wasn't sure what she said was true, but it she felt like she had to offer something to ease Seth's melancholy.
"You know they're getting married?" Seth had finally turned around and was watching her as she observed them. As the two had come onto the site, Seth had noted the pair of rings the two were wearing, still on their ragged strips of blanket.
"Remy told me," she replied.
Gambit had made sure she knew it, had made a special trip just to point that out. Fallen was now in a bit of a spot. She was the one who had been betrayed, yet was surrounded by others who were trying to convince her that it had been no big deal, just a simple mistake. She couldn't help but resent it a little bit. She was entitled to her pain, she felt a little like she wasn't allowed to grieve just a little for Seth's lost innocence. He wasn't the same creature he had been before, but it was she who felt violated.
Seth came closer, leaning against the wall next to her, his voice gentle as he insisted, "I'm still here, Fallen."
She turned to him, startling a little bit. He was so intuitive now, comfortable enough with his changing that he was almost spooky. He brushed her face with warm fingers. "I'm still here and I haven't changed so very much. I love you, Mistress, and I always will."
Fallen shivered a little, feeling the sparkling Morrowhiem that left his fingers before it shimmered in front of her eyes. He couldn't stop it from happening, his love for her was too great. She leaned in and they kissed, his love washing over her the way that Asher's treatment must have washed over Kimble outside. It wrapped her up inside of its warm embrace and she fell against him, loving him completely. Seth laughed and reached out with one hand to lock the door before picking her up in his arms and laying her down on the couch.
A half hour later, Fallen left the trailer, feeling a whole lot happier than she had when she gone in. Seth was showering in the small bathroom, her own hair was wet from when she had left him there. The sun was bright and everything just felt better. Aiden and Kimble were still fast at work, arranging bundles of color coded wiring for the inside components. The outside of the ship was fully completed, it was the time consuming interior work that was being done now.
Kimble saw her come and that look of devastation crossed his face again for a moment before he turned away. He dropped down to fiddle with a roll of wiring as an excuse not to look at her, even as she made it clear she was coming over to speak with him. Aiden stood his ground behind him, though, his lips coming open in a silent snarl and his hands curling into fists, daring her to act. He had done his best to keep up Kimble's cheer after Asher's treatment and it had been working. That was, until now.
Fallen met Aiden's eyes fearlessly. "Back off!" she snapped at him, pushing him back a pace with her anger. "I want to speak with Kimble without you breathing down my neck."
Aiden resisted, remembering the pain of when she had burned him. He would have loved some payback for that, but a soft grunt from Kimble made him retreat. Aiden opened his fists and raised his hands in surrender as he backed off, though his pale green eyes glittered with pure malice, his face drawn in an angry grin of evil intent. He had backed away for Kimble's sake, not for hers. How he hated her in that moment, that Kimble should care for her still, even though she had hurt him so badly.
Fallen knew it. It matched the same violated feeling she felt herself. They had a lot more in common in this than Aiden was sure to admit, if he would only take a moment to consider it, but she hadn't come out here to fight. "Kimble, look at me."
Kimble was crouched down next to the roll of wiring and he was frozen there, refusing her command. Instead he gasped out a plea for mercy, doing his best not to cry, "I won'ts touch him again, Fallen. I swears it on Angel's eyes, so help me!"
Fallen sighed and hunkered down next to him, touching his face to make him look into her eyes. It was the closest they had been since the mess had happened and she wanted to really look at him. She was trying to keep in mind Seth's last whispered wish, the one he had made only moments ago as they calmed from a lovemaking more powerful than she had ever felt from him before, his mouth pressed to the warm pulse along her neck. "Forgive him, Fallen. Please! He's been punished so much already. Punished in ways you could never fully understand."
She could see that Seth had been right. The Kimble who looked at her now through bloodshot and swollen eyes was a broken thing, all fight in him gone. She tried to remember the last time she had seen him truly strong and in command of himself and it pained her to think that she couldn't even remember it. No wonder Angel had been taken from him, he couldn't even manage himself, it was all there in his eyes. "I'm sorry," she said then, as her heart swelled with pity.
Kimble blinked at her, trying so hard to believe it. He wasn't sure what she was apologizing for, the colors in her shine were so uncertain. He decided it was for the pity she felt for him then, that it wasn't for what he had done. He swallowed hard and said to her in a voice much more firm than before Asher had touched him, "Seth asked me ta helps him, I done the best I could. It wuz wrong an' stupid, but he wuz beggin' me ta ends his sufferin', Fallen. How could I tells him no? It's just that simple, baby doll."
This time it was Fallen's turn to look away. The plain honesty of his situation could not have been spoken more clearly in any other way and his use of his old nickname for her finished it. She let go of her anger in one long breath and opened her arms to him. "Come here."
Kimble acted instantly. He dropped what he had been holding and dove into her arms eagerly, almost bowling her over as he gripped her tightly. "I loves you, Fallen! I loves you so much!"
She returned his embrace and squeezed him with a true heart. Truth was, she felt relief at this moment, this was so much better than holding all of the pain and hurt inside. For years Kimble had been her helper, her number two. It had been even longer than that since he had felt that way to her, but he felt that way now, only because this was the first time in ages that she lowered her guards and simply let him in. Here he was again, plain old Kimble, his love washing over her in waves she could feel. "I love you, too," she replied, backing off and letting him go. "Let's say we get back to work, huh?"
"Aye, Fallen, aye," Kimble said, his eyes wet, but this time with happiness. He rose and they walked together back to where the Dragon 2 lay waiting to be finished.
The work progressed quickly that day, but it wasn't uneventful. Later, as they passed in a quiet moment, Aiden met Fallen's eyes, his voice low as he snarled with his Gladiator's voice, "You fuck wit my Keemble, you deal wit me. You jerk 'im around, play gamesz wit 'isz mind - I'll break szo much more dan juszt you wriszt, leetle girl. An' I'll do it wit'out you givin' me szo much asz a szcratch. Dat'sz a promisze!"
Fallen didn't back down a jot, refusing to let him intimidate her. Kimble may have been weak and compromised, but this one was truly dangerous. She had heard the stories about him, had read some of his journal from Seth's files. This Siskan had killed before and loved it. She could feel the malice and murderous intent wafting off of him like a rotten smell. The empathic release was deliberate, he was letting her taste the honesty of it. He wasn't playing games with her, this was no bluff. "The same goes for me," she answered, referring to Seth.
Aiden nodded his understanding, giving her a small arrogant salute and backed off. He turned and left, giving her his back in a show of authority, she had no power over him and he was letting her know he knew it.
Fallen stood there, shaking with rage at his arrogance, but swallowed it. She could respect his position as he clearly seemed to respect hers and this wasn't really unexpected. This was just the two protectors squaring off and scratching their lines in the sand. Pissing on each other's trees to show the territorial lines as it were.
The rest of the work that day progressed without a hitch or a scuffle. Aiden went out of his way to speak civilly to her after he had made his point, offering her every courtesy without any further hostility. When she saw his co-operation towards her, she knew they had a truce, that it was over, this battle. They had accomplished a lot on the site, far more than in the time Kimble had been gone. As the work went along, Kimble became stronger and more like himself, he was practically feeding off of Fallen's forgiveness and his spirit was regaining some of its former strength. Aiden and even Asher had been a big help, pitching in in their own ways. It wasn't going to be long before the small craft was finished. The real question was, was it going to be done in time?