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"If Sarah's going, of course we're going." Kierlan stepped in, eyeing her with incredulity. Still holding Sarah's hand, he started down the hallway.
"But wait—Thierry said that the wildpowers were to stay in the building." Sarah protested, looking up at him with her huge, starry eyes.
Kierlan didn't take his eyes off of her as he said, "Like Hell, I'm staying."
Keller loped up in front of them and starting toward the door. Behind her, she could still hear Sarah protesting and Kierlan staying firm. But she felt hope rise up in her, sharper than it had been for days. She was going to help Jez, and whoever else needed it, and everything was going to be okay. She had backup, and Galen would stay at Thierry's house, out of harm's way, and the mystery was going to be solved, and nobody was going to be hurt.
And as they left the door, and hopped into one of Thierry's car, Keller could not know how wrong she really was.
Gillian's POV:
"I'm fine. No, really. I'm fine." Mary Lynette wiped the tears off of her face, and stood up, somewhat shakily. "I'm sorry for that. I don't usually cry, or anything. It's just—just—,"
And then she lapsed back into frantic sobs.
Anyone could plainly see that she was not fine. Gillian automatically reached out to her, sinking to her knees so that she could read the emotion in Mary Lynette's eyes—so she could try and guess what was wrong. Was she hurt? Gillian didn't see any blood, but she was crying so much.
"I'm not trying to be rude, Mary Lynette, but we've got to get out of here." Quinn said. He was holding Rashel around the waist, and Gillian could trace the struggling tendons in his arms—he was trying so hard to control himself, to not just take Rashel and rush her out of the dangerous place.
Gillian couldn't exactly blame him. She was so blessed that David had not been here, today; he was visiting his family, back home, for the week. When the attack had started, the first thing that had flashed through her mind was, Thank the goddess that David's gone. To have your soulmate in danger—even if you were, too—was the worst kind of pain Gillian could imagine.
"Of course. Yes, let's—let's go."
Gillian offered Mary Lynette a hand, and she pulled herself up, trying to compose herself. The group travelled through the body littered hallways, rhythematically checking for any survivors as they struggled toward the exit. Gillian kept glancing at Iona, searching for the fear that must be clouding her mind, but the child's eyes were clear, if concerned. Gillian had to pinch herself; it was so hard to remember that, although Iona looked young, she was much older than herself.
Although the Circle Daybreak center had held nearly forty people, there was no one living on the floor. It made a shiver go up and down Gillian's spine to see all those bodies. She had to keep reminding herself that they were going to go to a better place. Who knew? Maybe Gary would be there to welcome them. But still—all their friends. All their families.
"It's awful." Rashel said, miming her thoughts. "How could anyone kill people like this? Without a thought? They're monsters."
Quinn did not flinch, but pain flashed through his eyes. Rashel was in the lead, so she couldn't see, but Gillian noticed. At Thierry's place, Rashel had explained to her that Quinn now felt awful about his less than savory past, and no matter how many people he saved, he was still ashamed of the people he had murdered. Gillian frowned. She knew what it was like to have a past you weren't proud of. As they walked outside to Thea's van, Gillian reminded herself to make an amulet of renewal for Quinn. It would help him release his old feelings and embrace the new, and plus, it would give her another opportunity to practice her new witchcraft skills.
"How did you end up here, Mary Lynette?" Thea asked gently, as they piled into the car. Hugh got passenger, Quinn, Rashel, and Iona all piled in the back, and she and Mary Lynette took the seats in the middle.
"M'lynn?" Rashel prodded, when she didn't answer.
After a moment, Mary Lynette whispered something so quiet that even in perfect silence they could not hear her response.
"What was that?" Gillian asked, straining closer.
Mary Lynette whispered it again, and Gillian, sitting next to her, was the only one who could hear. When she did, though, she understood exactly why Mary Lynette was crying. Why she looked as though her life had no meaning. Why she was barely talking.
"What? What'd she say? Gillian?"
"Ash." Gillian choked out. Even though he wasn't her own soulmate, just saying the words made her feel dizzy with empathy. Drowning in Mary Lynette's sorrow. "He's…he's…Ash is—,"
"Dead." Mary Lynette said, and now her voice was not drowning, it was simply numb. Desynthesized. Like she was an automan.
Nobody in the car responded. Nobody could. After all, what could you say to something like that? What words of comfort were there to be had? Even Quinn and Rashel, who both had no problem speaking their minds, were silent. Suddenly, the tension in the air was palpable. Gillian found herself constantly opening her mouth, feeling like she should at least be saying sorry, but then closing it, reminding herself that if anyone said a simple "sorry" to David…being drastically injured (it hurt even to think the word)…then she'd start crying harder.
"Turn left," Rashel said, eventually, her voice muted. "Miles just texted me directions."
Gillian looked at her, confused, and in a whisper Rashel filled her in with what was happening. She nodded, simply. There was no question of whether she was going to go help—of whether any of them were. Well, except for Iona, of course. Because there was no way Gillian was going to let Iona fight, no matter how many times she had died and come back to life.
"They have a plan, and they're not going to wait for us long. Delos almost ripped Blaise's head off."
"I wouldn't blame him," Thea said, lamely, in a pitiful attempt to lighten the atmosphere. Nobody answered.
They pulled up to the discreet hut that Rashel directed them to, and climbed out of the car. Gillian wrapped Mary Lynette in a hug. Even though Gillian was so petite, Mary Lynette felt like the small one. Like half of her had just melted away. Her soulmate half.
"Mary Lynette. I know you don't want to hear a sorry right now. But I can't not! I'm so, so sorry." Poppy cried out, running out of the house. Rashel had obviously filled them in. As she got closer, Gillian could see that tears were streaming down Poppy's elfin face, and at first she thought for sure that some other tragedy had occurred.
But, no. Poppy just felt for everyone.
"Come inside. Sit down. I'll get you something to drink. Water? Milk? Anything? Oh, please, no, don't cry, no, Mary Lynette." Poppy cried with her, and both girls stumbled inside the house.
Inside, the tension was even more thick than inside the car. Not only was Ash dead, but Phil, Hannah, and Maggie were all in danger of the same. Gillian had never been more afraid of Thierry or Delos in her life. And James was looking pained, too. It took her a minute to remember that Ash and him were cousins. Even though James never had anything to say but small insults and teases to Ash, she knew they the cousins had grown a lot closer ever since Ash had met Mary Lynette. Which was probably why James was going over to her now, talking in a hushed voice.
"Now, I don't expect everyone to come with us." Thierry was saying loudly, in a voice as cold as frozen steel. "This is going to be dangerous. And not everyone will come back uninjured. But we could use all the help we could get. No, we need all the help we can get. We don't plan on taking survivors. Anyone who has had a hand in hurting us—from whomever touched Phil, Hannah, and Maggie, all the way to the bastard that killed Ash—they will be dead by the end of the night. But we won't be able to avenge our friends—our family—without help."
Thierry had a natural leading voice. Hearing him talk, Gillian would have been persuaded to join the cause even if she was on the other side. Solemnly, she stepped forward, clearly marking herself as part of the rescue team. She wasn't the best with a knife, but she knew a few tricks. She had been meeting with some other witches, and she had a few potions, and a few charms, up her sleeve. Behind her, she felt the shuffle of feet, until a significant portion (i.e. all) of the room was standing up.
Poppy. James. Rashel. Quinn. Mary Lynette, destroyed as she was. Thea. Hugh. Blaise, who for once, was looking oddly serious. Delos, of course. Miles. Lupe. Even Iona had tried to stand up, but Gillian pushed her back to the other side of the room, and eventually the child had pouted but stayed back.
"Thank you." Thierry said, and although his voice was still hard, it was also touched.
"Then we can go—," he started, right before the door slammed open.
"Not without us, no."
And there at the door was the wildest group Gillian had ever seen. At the front was a stunning girl with waving red hair and eyes that seemed to pierce straight through you. Only slightly behind her was a dark haired guy who radiated bad-assness. And behind the two of them was a ridiculously tiny child—a girl that belonged with Iona, but who looked ready to kill nether-the-less—, a girl whose hair covered half of her face, and a guy who was smiling even in the tense atmosphere. Gillian didn't recognize any of them, but apparently everyone else did.
"Jez!" Hugh ran toward the redhead and caught her in a hug.
"Jez, Morgead, who let you two firehouses out? Tell them thanks."
"You came! Even after Thierry said no? Wow. Now that's dangerous, Jez."
"I'm so glad you're here."
Gillian didn't think it could get any crazier until someone knocked at the door a second time. When Jez opened it, there was another group of people that Gillian didn't really know. Except for one of them. One of them looked strangely like Rashel. Dark hair, tanned skin, an unmistakably predatory feel. Behind her was a close knit group of three. They all trailed into the house, closing the door behind them.
"Keller? I didn't know you were following us." The redhead, Jez, remarked, raising an eyebrow.
"You know I wouldn't miss out on the fun. The physic and co wanted to come, too."
"Well, now we have a party." Rashel said.
"A party to die for." Quinn agreed, and everyone stilled.
"Well, then, if there aren't any more additions to our group, let's go collect some bodies." Delos started toward the door. He hadn't made it halfway through when it opened once more. Apparently whoever had been on the other side had been listening. When he stepped inside, no one knew what to say.
No one, that was, except for one person.
"You," Mary Lynette gasped, blinking with disbelief. She strode forward, pushing Gillian aside. "You can't be here. No. You can't be alive. You're supposed to be dead. Dead. I stabbed you. Twice."
"So sorry." Ash said. He shrugged, looking bored. "What can I say? I'm not good at fulfilling expectations. Now, anyone miss me?"
So, I'm really sorry. For not, you know, updating in almost forever. I could make excuses, but I won't, because I have none. I just haven't updated in almost forever. But this chapter is pretty long, which is a good sign. And, I'm almost done. So that is also good. Because it means closure. Closure for me. And closure for you. I think this can be done in two more chapters. Maybe three, if I'm including an epilogue, which I think I might. So, there. I hope you liked this chapter.
And if you did, please review, because really, you make my day. I'm going to try and reply to all reviews now, to thank you personally.
Also, if you did not like it, please review, because otherwise how else am I supposed to get better? You may not be making my day, but you're making me a better writer. So thank you, as well.