Where we left off last time:
"Isabel" he gasped, gripping her hand with both of his, attempting to break her grip but she was too strong... her iron grip slowly tightening around his throat, to the point that he could feel the blood rushing through his veins in his neck.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Silence reaper... a quick kill is more then your kind deserves... so be thankful" she hissed, her nails starting to draw blood as she held his neck.
"I'm your friend Issy... doesn't that mean anything to you, any longer?" he choked, as he tried to reason with her, attempting catching her eyes with his own... just to find there was nothing of the woman he knew left within their depths.
The demonic Isabel just laughed at his pathetic plead "oh do be quite, and die with some dignity man!" she sneered pointedly.
A half thought out final option hurried into his mind, just as his world started to black out, he reached out for her shoulders, pushing his throat further into her hand, surprising her enough to make his move, head butting her as hard as he could muster, ending his own consciousness, hoping it was enough to snap her out of whatever this was.
The force his head butt provided to be enough to knocked her backwards, her legs giving way, causing her to fall heavily to the floor, the mass impact mixed with the strain the beast caused on her body, rendering her unconscious.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Coming back round, the first thing that met Isabel's attention was the weight pressing down on her chest... slowly opening an eye to investigate, she was confronted by the sight of a mass of silver hair, its owner's body limply draped over her.
Panicking, she sat bolt upright, the sudden shift causing Theo's body flopping onto his back on the wooden floor, sharp jolts of pain greeting her ever movement. Ignoring the complains of her tired body, she frantically sourced for a pulse, mentally chanting 'please don't be dead' like a mantra, thankful that she found it on the fifth try, releasing the breath she didn't realise she was holding, slumping over him as her tensed muscles relaxed.
Working herself up to it, she dragged him into her bedroom... cursing him for having such a deceptively compact for a slender man, forcing her to use much of her already dwindling reserves of energy to wrestle his body onto the bed. Having finally managed the substantial feat, she slumped to the floor, panting heavily, allowing herself to rest for a few moments before dragging herself into the kitchen to collect the medics kit she kept hidden behind the sink.
Collecting the required herbs from her private store, her head throbbing painfully under the strain, returning to Theo's side, setting up on the left side of the bed, laying down a cloth as she retrieved the stone pestle and mortar out the box. Beginning to create a herb remedy for the nasty looking bruise on Theo's throat she had come across when checking his pulse. The appearance of which caused her stomach churn as the knowledge of herself being the culprit emerged out of the fogginess of recent events, guilt nipping viciously at her insides.
Rubbing her temples "Damn man, this would be so much easier if it wasn't for this monster of a headache... was your mother a sodding mountain goat?" she grumbled as she crushed herbs impatiently.
A unexpected goat-ish bleat erupted from beside her, causing her to near enough jump out her skin, almost knocking the concoction she was creating all over her pale sheets. Closely followed by a raspy chuckle...
Isabel turned to find her supposedly unconscious guest watching her with half opened, drowsy eyes "Asshole..." she muttered, shaking her head lightly as she turned her attention back to her work, secretly relieved he was feeling up to being a pratt despite what she did to him.
"At... least... my... goat... skull... got... the... job... done" he stated simply, pulling a face as he tried to pull himself up into a seating positions, only to be stopped by her hand.
"Oh no you don't, lie your ass down and keep it there" she stated, trying to sound sharp but failing quite miserably as it came out weak and a little shaky.
He watched her for a few moments, before letting her push him back down onto the bed, closing his eyes as a deep sigh left his lips...
After finishing the mixture, she came to sit by his side, scooping it out the mortar with her fingers tips, she gentle applied it to his neck, rubbing it into his skin, making sure that all of the bruised area was covered with a generous amount.
"So... what's... the... prognosis... doc?" he croaked, opening a eye looking up at her
"Get some rest Theo, the herb remedy will start working soon, helping the natural healing, soothing the skin and easing the pain" she mused softly, setting the rest of the mixture on the left hand bedside table, before forcing herself to her feet once more.
"Looks... like... you... could... use... some... too... Isabel" he admitted, watching her sluggish movements, the way she dragged her feet with concern etched across his face.
"I can manage..." she mumbled dismissively, grabbing some clothes before disappearing into the bathroom, draining the water out of the bath and grabbing an hot shower, removing all the blood from her skin, her fingers running over her scars on her torso.
The time alone letting even more of what the demon influence caused her to do to emerge, the whole sequence of events unfurling inside her minds eye... suppressing a sob, she watched as she dismembered Matthew before turning on Theo. Leaning against the wall of the shower, she covered face with her hands, as tears made tracks down her cheeks and violent sobs rattling through her body.
A light tapping sounded on the cloudy glass surround of the shower, making her jump ever so slight, as her head snapped round to see what it was... just see a hand slide up the glass, pressed firmly to the surface, it's owner nothing more then a pale blurry outline.
Just this tiny act of reassurance, seeing his hand there, knowing that he was close seemed eased her aching heart, more then she could have predicted, he had forced himself to his feet, just to check up on her despite all that she had done.
Slowly lifting her arm, she gently pressed her hand to the screen, beside his own, letting their little fingers over lap...
His hand slid away with a light squeak, disappearing momentarily as he went to retrieve something, before slowly slipping the screen door open... holding out a white robe for her with both hands, eyes averted.
Isabel froze, glazing through the thin veil of slicked down hair at him, questioning his actions... before hesitantly stepped forward, switching off the shower, her legs shaking lightly at every step, slipped into the robe, tying it round her...
Scooping her up bridal style, he carried her back to the bedroom, holding her flush against his torso, in effort to reduce any excess strain or stretching for his already greatly tired body, amused to find that in the space of time it took for him to arrive beside the bed she had already fallen asleep. Chuckling lightly, he carefully lay her down on the bed, pulling the covers over her form... tucking a free falling piece of hair from off her face and gently pressing his lips to her forehead.
Tiredly Theo returned to the side of the bed he had woken up on, climbing back under the covers, closing his eyes, content in the knowledge that she was safely resting by his side.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
During the night it seems Isabel had unfortunately indulge in a old sleeping habit, when the nightmares came she reached out and clung to the first thing that come to hand, usually it was a pillow or the spare length of covers... but not this time, not when she actually found a human shaped teddy bear.
For when she wake up, she was right behind Theo, arms wrapped tightly around his chest and her cheek resting on his shoulder blade... the tickling sensation of his long hair being the thing that wake her up in the first place. Carefully removing her arms, she returned to her own side of the bed... laying on her back, staring up at the ceiling and breathing a sigh of relief.
Something that was a short lived as Theo come scooting over, resting his head on her shoulder "so my services... as your cuddle... buddy are... no longer required?" he chuckled, his voice still slightly strained and croaky.
"Please don't..." she muttered, removing his head and sitting up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, turning her back to him.
Watching for back for a few moments a deep frown etching on his brow "Issy what's wrong?" he asked softly
"How can you ask me that? How can you just carry on pretending that everything is peach after what I did?" She demanded weakly, tears threatening to escape their confines.
"I know you... better then to... be taken in... by some... misconception... regarding your... nature... if you truly... had that malicious... streak within you... at the start... you would haven't... let Matthew escape... the first time." he whizzed this way through his explanation, folding his arms behind his head "further more... call me naïve... but the way... I see it... what happened... earlier was the... work of a... monster... and hell if I've... ever seen that... sort of sadistic... monster show... as much guilt... and remorse as... you did when... I found you... in the shower..."
Isabel turned slightly, looking down at him "how can you be so forgiving?"
"Truthfully... forgiveness... has no great... part in my... nature..." he admitted earnestly with a gently smile "but for the... favoured few... it's a courtesy... plus I personally... believe a little... understanding... goes a long way..."
"I consider myself lucky then..." she mused thoughtfully, leaning over and tucking a loose hair behind his ear "You will truly be a great leader someday, Theo"
A light blush dusted his softly defined cheeks at her unusually soft and sweet actions, "Coming from you... I take that as... a great compliment... but honestly I... would much rather... just stay... where I am... it would be... such a bore to... have to remain... deadly serious... all the time" he countered with a chuckle, hoping to shake off the current warmth radiating from his face.
"Why was I expecting you to say something like that?" she inquired, a amused smile threatening to insert itself on her lips...
"What can I say... you know me... too well..." he chuckled, sitting up, moving over to her side and draping an arm over her shoulder "besides... I promised to... look after you... didn't I?"
Isabel sent him a sad glance "Well I have found that promises are far too easily broken to be taken all that seriously" she uttered bitterly, as a far off look glazed over her eyes.
"My word... is my law... When I promise... something... I keep to it... no matter what" he retorted honestly, resting his head on her shoulder "if you still... feel unable to... believe my words... then at least... believe in me"
Placing her hand on his head, gently stroking his hair "I do believe in you, Theo, despite everything here you are, still right by my side... and words can't express just how grateful I am for that" she reasoned with a sigh, tilting her head so it lay on top of his.
He took her hand in his "And I will... remain to be... as long as... you need me..." he whispered softly
"I'll hold you to that..." came the barely audible breathed reply, eyes flickering closed as she enjoyed the strange, almost bitter sweet moment.
'I hope you do' he concurred in his mind having just caught her words.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A/N: I apologize for the delay but this chapter was such a pain to write... trying to get create a balanced situation...
So what do you think? Should I continue?