Okay guys, this story is starting to get even more serious. I am really liking the path it is taking and I want to thank you all real quick. I almost didn't put this out here because of fear of how people might hate it and i would just be broken by that. My editor pretty much talked me into it. I'm glad she did because you guys have been wonderful. Thank you so much for the support and the readings and everything. I feel like I haven't thanked you guys nearly enough for everything. You guys keep me writing this story. i didn't expect this story to get this much attention. Thank you so much for reading. For you guys I will finish this story. Enough rambling though. Enjoy!
Twiin-Vii2iion2
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Karkat came into the cave first, followed very shortly after by Dave. It wasn't until he was a few steps into the cave that he noticed the eerie silence broken only occasionally by a soft sob of someone who's tears had dried up but the sadness had not left yet. Karkat froze on the spot and felt Dave do the same behind him. It wasn't the sobbing that disturbed him, it was the silence. No coughing, no wheezing, nothing.
Karkat felt Dave move past him as his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. As his vision came back, he saw Jade leaning over Rose's all-too-still body, the sobbing coming from the former. Dave now stood just a few feet away and stopped. Karkat didn't—no—couldn't move. He noted that John was standing next to Jade, his hand on her shoulder.
John was looking at Dave who just fell to his knees, no other emotion showing.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Jade sobbed. "She just stopped breathing and I couldn't get her to wake up. She just... She just..." Jade burst into a hysterical fit of sobbing that racked her body. John squeezed her shoulder, his face wrought with barely contained sadness.
Karkat just stood still, staring. This was too much. He felt his heart tearing apart. In the few days they'd been in the cave, he'd stayed up late next to Rose, talking to her about Gamzee, about his life before exile. True, she hadn't actually been listening, but he'd grown a fondness for her, and then she was just torn away from him, from them all. It wasn't fair.
A rage began to build in Karkat, a blinding rage that consumed his thoughts. How could they do this to her? Why?
'This isn't fair. This isn't fair.' The thought just kept repeating in his mind. He spun around and left the cave. He just walked blindly through the forest. He finally snapped and turned, punching the nearest tree. He threw punch after punch against the hard bark, feeling the tree shake with each blow. He screamed profanities at the tree, at the trolls who did this, at the Condesce, at the world, at the universe. He screamed and punched until he couldn't anymore and collapsed to his knees crying silently, his forehead pressed up against the dented tree trunk. He was too delirious with pain and sadness and anger that he didn't react to John walking up behind him.
"Karkat..." John put a hand on his shoulder and knelt next to him. Karkat didn't move or react.
"This isn't fair, John. She was supposed to get better." Karkat turned around and sat with his back against the tree. He looked up towards the sky, red tears still in his eyes. John sat down next to him.
"I know. It's hard on all of us. I mean... she is... was Dave's sister," John began, the hurt in his voice apparent, "and she was my best friend..." His voice wavered, and he stopped talking. Karkat immediately felt like an ass. He reached out and grabbed John's hand.
"I'm sorry..." Karkat apologized. He pulled John close and hugged him. They both needed comforting, they all did. Karkat sighed shakily and held onto John as he cried quietly. Karkat let John lay his head on his lap and began stroking his hair. They stayed like this for what seemed like hours, not saying a word.
…...
Dave heard Karkat run out of the cave and soon after his eyes picked up on John moving to follow. He heard it, he saw it, but it didn't register. All that registered was Rose, lifeless and still. He couldn't even begin to figure out what to feel. He just knelt there, stricken dumb. His sister, HIS sister was dead.
Sudden rage filled him, rage at the trolls. He shook slightly and leaned over, punching the ground. This didn't happen. This couldn't happen. He wouldn't allow it to happen.
But it had happened. And he couldn't do anything about it.
He stopped punching and slowly looked up, his eyes training on Jade, who was still sobbing uncontrollably next to Rose. He stood and went to her side. He sat down next to her and tentatively started to reach out to her, stopping short, unsure what to do exactly. He finally touched her shoulder in a manner he hoped was comforting.
"It isn't your fault." He said after minutes of just sitting there.
This didn't have the desired effect as Jade just sobbed harder.
"Come on... Jade... you're stronger than this..." Dave pleaded, his eyes starting to water. No, he wasn't crying, Dave never cries. Jade's sobbing started to slow. "You know this isn't your fault. You did what you could."
"But... it wasn't enough..."
"No, but I don't think any of us could do enough."
The two sat there in silence for a while, Dave stroking Jade's back in a soothing manner.
"Dave?" She broke the silence.
"Yeah?"
"You really don't blame me?"
"Not at all."
Jade leaned her head against his shoulder and cried silently.
…...
They buried Rose near the cave in a small clearing. Dave spent the whole day digging the grave, refusing to let anyone take over, stopping only to eat. Jade had made a makeshift cross to mark her grave before helping Karkat and John pack up their things. They had all decided that none of them wanted to stay in the cave longer than they had to.
At dusk, they all gathered around the grave and Dave and John lowered Rose in. They stood around in silence. No one said anything, no speeches were given. It didn't feel like the time for speeches. They all just stood in silence until Dave said the only thing that needed to be said.
"See ya later, sis."
He dropped the dirt into her grave, and then John did followed by Jade. Karkat just stood there. The whole process of human burial was new to him. He sighed and grabbed a handful of dirt and held it over the grave. He mentally thanked her for letting him talk to her before letting the dirt fall from his hands.
He turned and grabbed the shovel that Jade had used as a weapon and began filling in the grave. All
four of them took turns shoveling in the grave, Dave going last. Once the grave was full, Jade put the cross at the head of the grave. They all stood in silence for a while longer before Dave turned and strode off for the cave.
The other three followed him, taking up refuge in different corners of the cave, silent. Karkat lay with his back to the others, staring at the wall of the cave. He heard shuffling and saw someone stepping over him.
Wordlessly, John lay down beside him and curled up against him. Karkat wrapped his arms around him and rested his chin against his head. It took a little while, but soon they were asleep.
