Part 9: Pain in Realizing
Delta, still crying into Sofia's should, felt like an emotional wreck. He had just recapped on everything in his life that made him feel horrible, and now he had broken down in front of his former enemy. "Why does hurt so much?" he asked between whimpers, "You never had anyone to care for you" Sofia said in a sorrowed tone, as she was crying herself. She knew he had been put through pain in his life, but she never knew how much it was built up inside of him. He had to be strong for the people around him, and he never once thought, that he could be brought to this.
"I guess I'm not as strong as I'd hoped" Delta said to her as he sniffled. Suddenly, Sofia pushed Delta forward so that they faced each other, and looked deep into his eyes, with her hands on his shoulders. "Don't you dare think that for one second" she said to him, "you are the strongest person I have ever known. Not just physically, but mentally. The things you were forced to see, the things forced to do, would have broken anyone else. But you, went beyond that point that most would fall at." Delta sniffed a few times, and then responded to her, "I didn't have a choice, I never did when I got to Rapture."
"The only choice that I ever had" Delta said tearfully, "was the fate of those girls, and those few people. I would never choose to hurt anyone, but I just became a violent, raving lunatic when I was throwing that barrel around." He let his head hang low, tears still dripping from his face. "That wasn't you" Sofia said in a sympathetic tone, "that was the rage that was built up, by all the torment that was forced on you. You never had a chance to release any of it, until now. But now, don't you feel like there's been some pressure lifted off of you?" Delta had realized it before, but he did feel like there had been weight lifted off of him, that he had never even noticed. He lifted his head up, and looked at her again, but no more tears fell from his red eyes. "I do" he said to Sofia, "You've had to be strong for so many people" Sofia said to Delta, "but you have to let your emotions show sometimes, if you don't, it can hurt you physically." she took a pause as they locked eyes again, "If you need someone to talk to, know that you have people who will listen. You have Eleanor, and if no one else, you have me."
Delta let out a sigh, blowing away the rest of the bad feelings he had left. He stood up, and put his hand out to Sofia, who immediately took it, and pulled her up to him. "Thank you, Sofia" Delta said to her, "No Delta" Sofia said to him, "Thank you." Both of them knew it was coming, so they slowly met each other half way for a hug. I now know why I didn't kill this woman Delta thought to himself, I had feelings for her all along, but my mind was so messed up by the splicing, and even my own emotional build up, that didn't realize it. She's given me more than my life back, she's given me my mind back.
Suddenly, there were footsteps heard on the metal of the observation deck. Delta lifted his head off of Sofia's to see what the sound was. It was Eleanor, she was walking toward them, her white dress swaying as the wind blew. Delta tapped Sofia on the back so he could show her what he was looking at. The hug broke off between them, as Sofia turned to face her daughter, both wondering what she was doing, and what she had seen. Both of them looked concernedly at her, for she had a face of pure depression. What neither of them knew, was that Eleanor had heard every word that was said between them from when she first started watching them, including one of Delta's outbursts that had shocked her dearly.
She reached them, and she looked at her mother with the same depressed look. "Mother" she said in a sad, almost inaudible voice, "is that true? You knew all along that he was my real father all along, and you still wanted to kill him?" Sofia merely stared at her daughter for a few moments, then let her head hang slightly, and gave her a slight nod. Eleanor stared at her for a moment, then without so much as a warning, she slapped her mother across the face. It wasn't hard enough to hurt, it was just something done out of spite. Sofia quickly looked up to face her daughter, she didn't appear upset or angry, she just had the same concerned face. Eleanor lightly slapped her mother again, her face still visibly sad. She tried to do it again, but Sofia caught her arm before she came in contact.
Eleanor pulled her arm out of her mother's grip, and started beating her mother's chest with her fists, still not hurting her as she struck. Sofia didn't try to stop her, she just watched as her daughter was venting out all of her frustration on her. With every hit Eleanor did, she became more and more upset. Tears were running down her face, every so often she would give out a small sob. Sofia took her daughter by the shoulders, and pulled her into an embrace. Eleanor didn't embrace her back, or try to push away, but after letting out all of that hidden rage, she herself broke down in her mother's arms.
Eleanor let out very heavy, pained sobs, as her mother held her close to her, holding the back of her head. Sofia felt tears running down her own face, as they both fell to their knees. "I never wanted you to fell this way" Sofia said to her with lump in her throat, "but now, I'm the one who's caused it." Eleanor was listening, but was so caught up in her own emotions, she didn't answer. Sofia felt guilty for everything she had done: She tried to kill the only man she ever loved, she had taken children from their own families, but worst of all, she thought her own daughter hated her now.
Delta looked at the women in front of him, Eleanor had fallen to pieces, and Sofia looked about ready to do the same. Eleanor had been doing the same thing he had, holding in her emotions, and trying to be strong for everyone, but it doesn't work to do it like that. She truly was her father's daughter, and both he and Sofia knew it. Delta stared on, watching his daughter sob into her mother's shoulder, as his newly mended heart was being jerked by the sight. He took a few steps over, and knelt by their side, but neither of them seemed to take notice. He did the only thing he thought might help, so he wrapped his arms around Sofia and Eleanor. All of these realizations, Delta thought to himself, they do nothing for us, but make us feel worse. But, we must know them, if we ever intend to heal properly.
One of the girls inside was stirring, from chilly air being let in from the open door. She picked herself up into a sitting position, and rubbed her eyes tiredly. She look around the room, and noticed that everybody but the other girls were gone. She took another quick look around, and noticed the open door. She roused all of the other girls, so they could all go out together and see what was going on. They made their way over to the open door, a few of them poked their heads outside, and they weren't sure what to make of the scene they saw. Eleanor, Sofia, and Delta were kneeling on the ground, all of them in an embrace. Eleanor was crying, but not as hard as she was before, as was Sofia, Delta looked sad, but he shed no tears. Delta opened his eyes to see the small girls watching them, and beckoned for them to come over. The girls walked over to where they were, and all of them formed a circle around the small family in a giant huge.
Eleanor had finally calmed after some time, but she still felt terrible. Delta picked his head up, as the girls that were hugging him moved slightly aside. "Eleanor" he said in his deep gentle voice, Eleanor looked to him, her face and eyes red from the tears, "Sofia" he said, and she did the same. " I'm sure the pain you are feeling now, must be close to unbearable.", Eleanor gave him a nod and then sniffled, Sofia also gave him a nod. "But we can't give up now. We are gone physically from Rapture, but it's still a nightmare that haunts us. We will have to work to get where we want to be, and it will not be easy." Eleanor lifted her head up as she still looked at her father, listening to his words. "But, no matter what, we will have each other. I will always be here for either of you, to help guide you when you're unsure, to keep you safe when you're in trouble, or just listen when you need someone to talk to. We must keep our heads high, it's the only way that we can win over the darkness that consumed us before"
Eleanor and Sofia looked at Delta, still holding each other, warmed by what he said. They looked at each other, and both of them smiled. They came back into a loving embrace, and Sofia kissed her daughters forehead. "I'm so sorry Eleanor" Sofia said to her, "It's ok mother" Eleanor responded, "we'll figure it out, and we all will be happy after." Delta gave a little smile of his own. Delta suddenly felt something warm on the back of his head, he turned his head to see what it was, and sure enough, the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon. Delta stood up and turned around, as he watched the sun begin to rise, with a smile adorned on his face. Sofia and Eleanor stood up next him on either side, and watched the sun start to come up. The younger girls look on in happiness, amazed to be able to see the sun just barley start to rise. "You see" Delta said, "the night is darkest, just before the dawn." "It's going to be rough work getting through all of this." Sofia said, taking Deltas hand. "But we will be able to do it" Eleanor said, taking her father's other hand. "So long as we have each other" Delta finished. And all of them watched in pure happiness, as the sun rose, on their new life.
To those who strive to build a better life, may peace and happiness be with you as well. And dont woory, we are not quite through yet. So, i'll see you in part 10.
