Going, Going

William heard whispers and soft tones near him. For a moment, he lie still and let himself begin to wake up, waiting for the voices to make words that made sense to him before he even tried to open his eyes.

"He was in terrible shape when he was Death's weapon," he heard Marie say, "It nearly killed him."

"But he only reached stability because of the time he spent as Death's weapon," Stein argued, "Desperate times, Marie."

She sighed. "I know… What are we going to do."

When Stein didn't reply, William began to stir. He looked next to him to see Marie cuddled against Stein's front while he leaned against the counter, his mouth against the top of her head, buried in her golden locks.

When Marie noticed William's attention, she nearly lost her breath in something that must have been a mix of relief and worry. "Hello," she said gently, approaching him and running her fingers through his dark hair. Stein stayed put and watched them, looking exhausted and weak with those bruises still present on his face.

"I'm sorry," William said immediately, trying to reach for Marie's hand.

She hushed him and held his hand in both of hers. "It's all right. Everything is all right now."

"I don't know what happened," he croaked, "I just lost it; I didn't mean to—"

"I know. It's okay. I forgive you." Marie leaned over and kissed his brow. "I'm just so glad you're alive."

William closed his eyes for a moment in brief consideration of the fact that he very well could have not survived. A part of him became panicked. Not that he could have died. But that he didn't. He began to slowly push himself into an upright position. Marie braced his shoulders as he sat up and rubbed his arm when he was finally vertical. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, commissioning himself to take it slow. As much as he detested due to the times they were facing, he needed to rest and be careful. All he had to hang onto now was the fact that the more he rested the sooner he could get back in the game.

"Drink this," said Marie, holding out that bottle of Gatorade-looking stuff.

He took a swig. "Am I going to be able to go back to class and stuff today?"

"I don't recommend class," Stein answered, "But I will discharge you to go back to your apartment and rest. Might be able to try classes tomorrow. But if you don't feel like it, don't do it." He turned to the drawer behind him and retrieved a paper bag and handed it over. "Your medication. Follow the directions. Have Odette become familiar with them as well."

William took them almost hesitantly. "… You're letting me have them? Instead of Odette?"

"Yes." He closed the drawer.

William huffed with a smirk. "Aren't you afraid I'll go back to my old ways?"

"I trust you."

The student blinked. Did he really just hear that? Stein trusted him. Remarkable. "Okay. Thanks." When he went to stand up, Marie was right there to steady him in case he became faint. Fortunately this wasn't a problem. He didn't feel too bad at the moment. Though he was sure later would be a different story.

"Take care, William. And please be careful with your injuries," Marie begged.

"I will," he promised. William stepped out the door and looked over his shoulder. Marie smiled sweetly at him where she stood in front of Stein. Behind her, the Doctor's face had ripped into a maniacal grin, eyes popping and teeth grinding. When William blinked, Stein was watching him with his usual lazy expression, giving the screw in his temple a torque. William stepped out and walked slowly down the hall. He wished he could say he trusted the scientist like the scientist trusted him not to abuse drugs. But he couldn't do a thing to stop that crawling sensation on his skin, and an ever present need to protect Marie from him.

(Page Break)

Katy knocked on the door of Rachele and Kian's apartment and waited. No sound. She tried again. Nothing. "Hm. Maybe they're out." Katy pulled out her phone and called Rachele's phone. It rang. And rang. And rang. Until it went to a voicemail box that had not been set up yet. Katy just sighed and put her phone away before walking back to her apartment where she found Christian preparing his book bag. "What's up?"

"I have a test I have to make up," he said with disdain, "And then class tomorrow! Hah!"

Her mouth went crooked. "I'm sorry. Well, when you come back, I'll have food ready for you. Your favorite!"

Christian looked to her. "It's my turn to cook."

"I know, but you covered for me recently and you're not having a great day. So, I'll cook today," Katy smiled.

He smiled back. "You're the best meister ever. And the best friend ever. You know that?"

Katy laughed.

"I'm serious! Rachele is one lucky gal. And Tim is one lucky guy." He threw the bag over his shoulder then approached her and planted a kiss on her cheek.

She blushed. "Thanks… Um… Any idea where Rachele is? Or Kian?"

"They're not in their apartment?"

"I don't think so. I just knocked and no one answered. I tried calling her and she didn't answer either."

"Try calling Kian," Christian suggested, "Wherever he is, Rachele is bound to be."

Katy sighed. "That's true. Yeah, I'll try that." She immediately pulled out her phone and dialed Kian's number. "Good luck on your test."

"Thanks, boss!" Christian ruffled her curls before he stepped out of their apartment and closed the door behind him.

Katy was prepared to listen to Kian's phone ring now, but the moment it connected, it went straight to voicemail. Though this wasn't unusual (his phone died all the time; he wasn't very good at keeping it charged), Katy couldn't help but become worried. In light of everything that had happened, now was not a good time for Rachele or Kian to not answer their phones. And surely they knew that. Which only made her worry more.

That evening, she invited Tim over to eat the dinner she had prepared. Christian enjoyed their company, she knew. He thrived off of being anywhere near the spotlight and he was energized by other people. Katy and Tim were much the opposite, but Christian and the rest of the crew were hardly "other people." They were family.

Katy spent time babying Tim and his injured leg, which he honestly didn't pay much mind to. He did thank her for all her efforts and the extra special care, but he was obviously less worried about his leg now than she was. It was doing fine, but Katy wouldn't forget it was there until she couldn't see a scar anymore. She couldn't help it. She'd always been this way with everyone she cared for. According to Death, her anxious nature helped her team, but she thought back to how it drove a wedge between her and her weapon. Whatever Death saw in her personality that would aid her group, it had apparently not made itself known yet. All it had seemed to do so far was cause trouble.

After the kitchen had been cleaned up, everyone else gathered in Christian and Katy's apartment, sitting in the living room and sipping sodas. Except they were still missing, Rachele and Kian. When Katy brought up this concern to the rest, they also became mildly concerned. Nikki mentioned they were probably out together somewhere. That was likely true, but it was hardly safe anywhere outside the castle anymore. And it was unlike Rachele to stop answering her phone all the sudden.

When the door opened, Katy quickly looked, hoping to find either of them—but it was William.

The group gasped and a few stood up, calling his name gently. Odette was the first to sweep up to him and put her arms around him.

"How you feeling, man?" Christian went to the fridge to get the older student a drink.

William hugged Odette with one arm. "We're not going to the East anymore; Grim changed his mind."

Everyone froze and looked at him. Nikki snapped the question on everyone's faces. "What?"

"According to Frank, the shit is progressing faster than they'd planned and we're apparently not ready in time to be sent over. So, they're keeping us here and recruiting other help to send to the East."

Odette guided him to the couch to sit down. "That doesn't make any sense!"

"You've godda be kidding me!" Christian said hysterically.

"That's what he said. They're not letting us go anywhere." William nursed his injured side by bracing it with his hand gently. "And Doc's not letting me do shit for six weeks."

"… Well, that much is fair," said Katy quietly.

"This is such BULLshit!" Nikki exclaimed, "We've worked so hard for this! He—summoned us to the Death Room and everything for this little announcement of his and now he's telling us through someone else that we're not doing it anymore?"

"Right?" William added.

"Great!" Christian let his arms clap down by his sides. "What now?"

"We go anyway," said Odette. Everyone looked at her, a little surprised that it was here these words came from. She met all their eyes. "We go anyway. Make his decision for him. He's doing this because he doesn't want us to get hurt. But if he didn't think we could handle this to begin with, he wouldn't have commissioned us for the job." She looked to her weapon partner. "He may be ready to give up for us, but I'm not."

"I'm not either!" Christian said loudly.

"Me either," Nikki said almost under her breath.

Katy looked to Tim. He shrugged. "We either fight them here or fight them over there. I hardly see what the difference is. It's gonna happen one way or the other."

Katy nodded. "And we might as well get involved before we lose our grip on the advantage we already have."

Odette pursed her lips then looked to her partner. "We'll just have to be really careful. You can't get hurt any worse than you are. And neither can Tim."

"Well, it's not going to be a quick trip to get to the East," said Tim, "If we really do this, we're looking at a week on the road at least. Trains. Buses. Not as fast as a plane, but it will give us time to heal and give us more time to practice our resonance. I don't disagree with Death," Katy's boyfriend shook his head. "We're certainly not as ready as I would personally like us to be. But if we do this, let's not waste our time."

Katy immediately nodded. "I agree."

Christian kept his arms crossed over his chest. "So, that's it, then. We're really doing this?"

The incomplete group looked at each other. Their expressions all read the same. There wasn't much of a choice left for them anymore. It was either wait here and fight or go East and fight.

To the East it was.