Cain watched in agony as DG slipped in and out of consciousness. He held her close the entire way back to the palace. Even when the doctors met them at the door, Cain clung to her closely, not letting her out of his arms. He carried her towards her room, where a team of more doctors awaited them.
"Mr.Cain, you have to let go." A younger doctor said. He tried to loosen the grip on Cain's firm hands. "We have to run some tests but we can't do it if you don't let us have her." He locked his firm eyes with Cain's. Neither man was willing to budge. "You have to let her go if you want us to help her, Mr. Cain." He reached over and gently tugged DG away from Cain. Reluctantly Cain let go. He cringed as he heard the sharp moan of DG as he passed her on to someone else. He wanted to pull her back and run away with her, but he knew there wasn't anything he could do that the doctors before him could. The door shut in front of him with a firm click. Now all he could do was wait. The Mystic Man's words echoed through his head:
'You will not leave her side at ANY cost'. What cost had he paid by leaving her? How much did his own personal life mean to him? He took a step back, feeling Azkadellia's hand on his shoulder. He stood there in the cold marble hallway feeling utterly powerless. He'd been a Tin Man, trained to deal with all sorts of problems. He'd helped save the O.Z and he'd been head of the entire security detail within the palace. To outsiders looking in, he was practically a super hero. But now, he couldn't do anything but wait. He heard the steady pace of heavy boots on the floor as his son approached them.
"I thought you said you'd found all the tin suits." Cain said turning to his son, a sharp bite to his tone.
"Well, maybe we missed one or two." Jeb said nonchalantly. Cain's face turned bright red and he lunged for his son.
"You missed one or two!" He gripped his son by the shoulders and shook him hard. Jeb's head bobbed violently back and forth. "YOU MISSED ONE OR TWO!" He yelled. Azkadellia was over in a second.
"You need to calm down." Azkadellia spoke forcefully as she tried to pull the two men apart. Cain kept his grip on his son and shook him again.
"This could have been avoided!" He removed a hand and pointed back towards DG's room. "This could have been avoided." He pulled his son into his arms and sobbed. Jeb stood there, frozen. He'd never seen his father like this. This was not his father. Wyatt Cain had hardly ever cried in his entire life.
Jeb looked over his father's shoulder at Azkadellia. She had her hand up to her mouth, trying to cover the worry and surprise. She knew she'd have to worry about DG, but she wasn't prepared to have to worry about Cain too. She watched as the son consoled the father and knew that no one would escape the wrath of Zero this time. She backed away slowly from the two men and walked briskly down the hall towards the prison. There was someone she had to talk to.
"Well if it isn't my little Azkadellia." He laughed through the bars once he saw her approach. She couldn't help but smile inside; Cain really did a number on the man. She was surprised he was even still breathing. "What do I owe the special appearance?"
"Do you know how much trouble you're in?" She said crossing her arms tightly. Zero reached his hand through the bars. A guard walked over but Azkadellia stopped him.
"He's fine." She said. She looked back at Zero. "A twisted little fucker, but he's fine." She mumbled. She listened to him cackle and rolled her dark eyes.
"I'm invincible." He said strongly. "Wyatt the great can beat me all he wants to."
"You threatened and nearly killed a member of the royal family. A member of my family. Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you myself." She stared him down. She looked down as his finger brushed against her skin.
"Because you'd miss me too much." He whispered. "I know it was you who gave the orders to destroy all tin suits but one. You just couldn't bear to get rid of me." He smiled through his blood stained face. "And look what happened, I nearly killed your sister." With that, Azkadellia jerked away from him.
"You're dead in the morning. No trial or justice for you." She turned to leave, walking towards the door. His voice made her stop.
"If I'm going to be dead for what I've done, then you surely should be too." Azkadellia spun around and took a few steps towards Zero, her finger jabbing in his face.
"There is nothing that I did that I don't regret every day of my life. That's the difference between you and me. I regret it all, you lavish in the destruction you caused. You practically keep count of all the victims you've taken care of." She watched his steady glance on her. "Do not even think of putting us together in the same group." With that she turned around, practically running to the door.
"We're all done here." She said to the waiting guard. The guard gave her a quick nod and led her out of the prison.
She walked back down the hall, her body chilled to the bone. She couldn't believe, possessed or not, that she ever had anything to do with him. However, something still pulled her back to him and it scared her to death to feel it again. She walked back towards DG's room, entering inside quietly.
"Where have you been?" Cain whispered from a chair. Azkadellia jumped and spun around. Cain sat in the back of the room in a chair.
"What are you doing lurking in the shadows?" She asked her hand at her heart. She followed Cain's glance towards DG's bed. She knew he was keeping his distance until the doctors had their final words. She frowned and looked back at him. "I had to go see someone." She whispered. She motioned towards the balcony with her head. Cain nodded and stood, his entire body exhausted. He hadn't had any sleep in days and it was starting to catch up with him.
"You know, you should try to get some sleep." Azkadellia said as Cain walked out onto the balcony. He waved her comment away with his hand and shook his head. She nodded and turned back towards the land.
"How's Zero?" Cain asked. He watched as her hands gripped the banister. He reached over and put a hand on hers, trying to relax her grip. She looked over at him, tears in her eyes.
"He's done so many bad things. He nearly took DG from me, and yet I can't seem to find the anger in me to be angry at him. It's sick and I hate myself." She turned back towards the setting sun and wiped away a stray tear.
"I know." Azadellia turned her head towards Cain, her face filled with confusion. "Zero was my best friend growing up and despite all the shitty things he's done, I can't fully let go of that. But Az," He turned towards DG's room. "That can't be forgotten. He's done something that cannot be forgiven and he has to pay. Think of DG." Azkadellia nodded.
"What will happen to him?" She asked. Cain shook his head.
"That's up to you and your mother. My suggestion would be something quick, preferably painful, but the sooner the better. Who knows what he's capable of doing." He paused and thought for a moment.
"So the doctor said he didn't rape her." Cain said. Azkadellia looked over at Cain relieved. Cain nodded. "Still doesn't mean he didn't try. Sometimes that's even worse." His jaw muscles tensed. He turned to Azkadellia. "She's still in pretty bad shape. He did quite a number on her." Both were silent as they contemplated this horror. A soft padding sound broke each from their thoughts. They turned towards the doorway.
Cain looked at her as she stood in the doorway. She kept her sad eyes on both of them but didn't say a single word. Her entire body seemed to be about ready to fall back had she not been supported by the doorframe. She looked at Azkadellia and managed to stand a little taller. Her eyes fluttered a bit as she started to fall back. Cain rushed over and attempted to help her up. He could feel her entire body tense and she tugged slightly away from him
"Stop." She said softly. Cain's hand felt like fire on her arm and she pulled it away. "Just stop." Cain looked at her like she just slapped him. He removed his hand but stood there. Azkadellia saw the pain in her sister's face and quickly walked over.
"Cain, why don't you go get mother and tell her DG is awake." Azkadellia said softly. She walked over and put her arm around her sister, her eyes pleading with Cain's to leave. Cain just stood there, unable to move. He knew she'd be affected by this, but he didn't know the degree. Not to mention last time he left her, this happened. He couldn't bear to leave her again. "Please Cain." Azkadellia said more firmly. She watched him leave the room but saw him stop just outside. She sighed, that would have to do. She looked at DG.
"Deeg, are you ok?" Azkadellia said. She led her sister to the bed, sitting on the tosseled covers. DG looked over at Azkadellia and wrapped her arms firmly around her body. She nodded slowly. Azkadellia gave her sister a look and shook her head. "Really, you can talk to me." DG sat beside her sister on the bed, looking down into her lap. "If you don't want to talk I'll unders—"
"It was awful Az. He was awful. And all I want is to be with Cain and I can't even have him touch me." She looked over at Azkadellia her eyes brimming with tears. "Oh AZ, what is wrong with me?" Azkadellia pulled DG over and let her cry into her shoulder.
"There's nothing wrong with you DG. You did nothing wrong." She patted her sister's back gently and rocked her. "Don't ever think you did this to yourself." DG pulled away slightly.
"But he looks so sad and he wants to help so badly and I won't let me." She paused. "I can't even
"He's not going anywhere DG. He'll be there for you when you're ready." Azkadellia looked firmly into her sister's eyes. "He'll be there."
"But he left before. What makes you think he won't do it again?" Azkadellia cringed for Cain as she looked over at the doorway. She knew he'd heard that, how could he not have? She took a deep breath, trying to come up with some sort of retort, but she couldn't. She heard his heavy footsteps walk away from the room, each step harder and heavier than the last. She looked at DG.
"Because I know Cain. You know Wyatt. He made a mistake. Don't worry. You just try to get better. Right now, that's all that matters." DG put her head on her sister's shoulder.
"I love him so much Az." She whispered.
"I know you do." Azkadellia rubbed her sister's arm. "I know."
That night Cain kept his distance. He watched as her parents entered and exited the room while he stood silently at the door. They gave him looks of encouragement, looks that told him to be strong. He couldn't help that this was partly his fault, he should have been there to look out for her and now he didn't think she'd ever be the same.
"We're going to FinAqua as soon as she gets her strength up." The queen said as she stopped in front of Cain. She looked over her shoulder at her daughter and frowned. "That is, if she ever gets her strength back."
"You majesty," Cain started. The queen looked back at Cain with weak, tired eyes. "I fear that this was my fault and I want to apologize." The queen shook her head vigorously and placed a smooth hand on Cain's arm.
"This is no one's fault, so don't blame yourself. If you blame yourself, then I'll have to blame myself and Azkadellia will start blaming herself, and no one will ever let this go. For DG's sake we have to let this go. Zero will be taken care of and everyone will move on." She squeezed his arm tightly. "She's alright now." She looked over her shoulder towards DG's room. "Go take of her." She said somberly. Cain waited until the couple had turned off the hall before he entered her room.
The windows were closed tightly, the curtains drawn. A small candle flickered on her night stand, sending wisps of light across her worn face. He watched her sleep as he stood at the foot of her bed. Her body was curled up tightly, her tiny fists balled up near her face ready to attack if need be. Her swollen face was bunched up in pain. Cain wasn't sure if it was actual physical pain or emotional pain as she slept. He walked quietly over to the side of the bed, gently taking a knee to come down to her level. Cain carefully brushed her hair away from her eyes. He cringed on her behalf as he accidentally brushed her bruised skin. However, DG did not budge. The sleeping pills she'd been given had done their job of making sure the young princess made it through a night without waking up in a cold sweat.
Cain took one of her hands in his own and softly spread out her fingers. He looked at her tiny fingers and held back his own tears for her. Her nails were shredded and the skin on the tips of her fingers was red and scratched, traces of blood still shown. He knew this was from where she'd tried to claw at the door and he knew the agony she'd been through. His had been a tin prison, hers had been wooden. He gently kissed the tips of her fingers, hoping in some way it would heal her.
"I'm so sorry DG." He whispered. He leaned over and gently kissed her cheek, being careful not to hurt her anymore than she had been.
"Please come back to me." He closed his eyes tightly, as if he were wishing away her pain. "I don't know what I'd do without you." He pulled away and stood up. He pulled over a chair. He'd left her before, but now he wouldn't ever leave her again. He sat in the chair, keeping only a few feet between the two of them. If anything was going to happen to her again, he'd be there to stop it from happening.
Thank you for reading this chapter. I'll have another one up soon. Please don't forget to leave feedback!! I thoroughly enjoy it!