Whole

"Gods what a mess," said Karlach with a laugh once Raphane had caught her up on everything that had happened between her death and reawakening. "Only we could manage to have three fatalities at what was supposed to be a straightforward resurrection. They'll all be okay, right?"

"Agatha certainly sounded confident when she ordered us out of the room," said Raphane, who was kneeling to the side and a bit behind Karlach, scrubbing diligently at the dried blood on her thigh. "When it comes to places to have a fatal accident, can't do much better than a Selûnite enclave full of healers."

"I don't even know their names," Karlach admitted, frowning for a moment, but only a moment. "I need to know their names! The attendants, the Gondians, the paladins. All of them. I'll find them out before we go and I am never going to forget them."

She looked down at Raphane, "You've been working that spot for a while now."

"Nearly done. Also, it's been more than one spot," said Raphane with a smirk. "Don't forget, every one of your old wounds reopened when the curse manifested. Even the surgical incisions."

"Does that mean I'm walking away with even more scars that I came in with?" asked Karlach excitedly.

"That depends on how generous I'm feeling," answered Raphane. "You really want to keep the surgical scars too?"

"Maybe just a couple. Every scar tells a story. This one is worth remembering." said Karlach. "The day I became whole again."

"How does it feel?" asked Raphane.

"Awesome," said Karlach with a chuckle. "I'm not in pain anymore! When you spend ten years burning alive inside your own body, you forget what it's like to not be in pain. To feel normal." She let out a long exhale, "Bliss. Pure, utter, perfect bliss."

She looked in the mirror that was opposite her and traced her fingers around her horns. Horns. Plural. "I didn't even think about my missing horn coming back. That's going to take some getting used to." She tilted her head from one side to the other. "So used to balancing my head for just the one it became second nature. Well, I guess you know about that now." She tapped her finger against the end of Raphane's broken horn, "I bet they'd fix your broken horn too if you ask."

"And spoil my look?" asked Raphane saucily.

Karlach laughed.

Raphane sighed, "I may, actually. I never did pull off the look as well as you did."

"Who could?" asked Karlach.

"Well now you're just being cocky," said Raphane before giving Karlach a spank.

"Hey!"

"There. Done." Raphane got back up to her feet to see Karlach staring at herself in the mirror, hand over her heart, drifting in a reverie. Raphane put an arm around Karlach's waist and leaned her head against her shoulder.

"Sorry," said Karlach, shaking her head and putting an arm around Raphane. "Lost in thought."

"Want some company?"

"I was just remembering how ready I was to die back on that pier in Baldur's Gate. Scared me a bit, if I'm being honest. I would have missed this," said Karlach motioning toward her reflection in the mirror. "I would have missed being able to just be me again. I can't even put into words what it means to be able to see myself in the mirror without Zariel's name tattooed on my tit. It goes beyond relief. It's like the sight of myself doesn't make me angry anymore."

"There's no 'just' you, Karlach," said Raphane softly, nestling her head against her, "My sweetheart. My love."

Karlach stroked a hand along Raphane's chin, who lifted her eyes to stare into Karlach's and their lips met to share a tender kiss.

Karlach drew back and stared into Raphane's orange within black eyes. "Can you tell what I'm thinking?" she asked.

Raphane stared back into Karlach's golden eyes. "I think there's room enough in the bath for two."

"Hah!" laughed Karlach, "Wrong! Actually, I'm famished. I haven't eaten since yesterday, ya goon! Are you trying to kill me again?"

Raphane smirked. "Fine. But don't think I've forgotten that half your body is brand new, and I intend to relearn every inch of it."

"You don't know what you're getting into," Karlach warned Raphane with a wicked grin, "Now that I don't have to worry about burning you anymore there is nothing holding me back. Tonight you get to experience Karlach unleashed."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Gods, what is that smell?" asked Karlach.

A few hours had passed since Karlach's resurrection. Long enough for Karlach to get cleaned up, and for her and Raphane to eat and pitch in to help clean up the damage done to the courtyard.

Now, she and Raphane had returned to the operating room, where Karlach's nose had been assaulted by a profound stench on entering.

"That smell would be the infernal engine," said Dammon helpfully, motioning toward the tray where the cloven remains of the machine lay. The mechanic was organizing his tools for the trip back to Baldur's Gate.

"You mean to say that I smelled like that? The whole time? How could you stand it?"

"After a while you stop noticing," said Raphane casually.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Raphane and Dammon shared a glance before Raphane answered, "I thought you knew. Astarion told you. So did Shadowheart. Even Yurgir said something. Uhm. That one tiefling woman, at the grove, with the telescope, what was her name?"

"But they were all arseholes, I thought they were just being mean! One of the ones you named was a literal devil for fuck's sake."

"It's really not so bad once you get used to it," said Raphane.

"No. There's no getting used to that," said Karlach. "I knew you loved me but I had no idea." She turned her head toward Dammon, "You're not holding onto that awful thing are you?"

*I was thinking of doing some research on it," Dammon admitted.

Karlach grimaced. "Can't imagine any good coming from that. Disintegrate it. That's my advice."

"But with the right application," Dammon started to counter.

"Look, you're smarter than me, I won't argue that," said Karlach, "But that machine has only ever wrought pain and misery. Most of it mine. And I think it's liable to bring you the wrong sort of attention if you hold onto it."

Dammon looked from Karlach to Raphane. The druid only shrugged. "I agree with Karlach."

A door opened, to the room where Agatha had set up her temporary office, and one of her attendants stepped out. "Agatha will see you now," the attendant said.

Raphane recognized the attendant's face: the woman who had been burned by the infernal entity. "Agatha really did put you back to work didn't she?" Raphane asked her.

The attendant pursed her lips and nodded but said nothing.

"Sorry about the trouble," said Karlach, giving the attendant an apologetic pat on the shoulder as she started to step past her on her way into Agatha's office.

Karlach paused at the threshold to look over her shoulder toward Dammon. "Just think about it, okay? And if you do keep it, maybe put it out sight and out of smell when I come to visit."

The blacksmith bit his lower lip as he nodded, considering.

"Do you have any complaints, discomforts, have you noticed anything unusual since your resurrection?" asked Agatha.

"Everything's a bit unusual," answered Karlach, "Surreal even. Just getting used to having a heart again. There is one thing, I suppose." Raphane, standing nearby, perked up, "It's probably nothing but my jaw has been feeling a bit sore."

"For how long?" asked Agatha.

"Since maybe an hour ago," Karlach guessed.

"Let me see," ordered Agatha. Karlach lowered her face down toward the cleric. Agatha pressed her fingers against either side of Karlach's jaw at a few points before speaking in her characteristically stern tone, "Your jaw hurts because you have been smiling nonstop, girl." And then Agatha flashed a sincere smile at Karlach so fleeting that the tiefling nearly thought she had imagined it.

"So the resurrection took?" Karlach asked cautiously, "I'm really going to be alright? My heart isn't going to explode, my brains aren't going to come bubbling out of my ears, I'm not going to shit out a hells portal that will drag me back to Avernus?"

"All signs to which I bear witness point toward your being in excellent health. The resurrection took," said Agatha.

Karlach breathed out a sigh of relief. Raphane smiled and squeezed her shoulder.

"However," Agatha resumed.

"No, no, no, no," said Karlach, shaking her head. "You already gave me the good news. Don't you dare throw something in there to ruin it."

"I failed to divine the curse that was triggered by the resurrection," Agatha continued.

"We all did," said Raphane.

"Therefore I cannot say with certainty that I am aware of all that there is to know. And yet I feel some small reassurance that I can still be surprised," said Agatha with a small smile. "If there are terrors that can affect me so then perhaps there are yet wonders unknown to which I shall bear witness."

"I'm praying that thing was Zariel's final spite," said Karlach.

"And you, druid, have you noticed anything which concerns you?" Agatha asked Raphane.

Raphane shook her head. "No. The wounds that reopened after the resurrection have been healed. Her heartbeat is strong. She seems healthier than ever and a touch happier too."

"On these conditions, I see no reason to delay you any further," said Agatha to Karlach. "Do try to live a long, useful life."

The sun was starting its descent toward the mountains on the horizon when Karlach and Raphane stepped into the courtyard after their meeting with Agatha.

"That was the last thing that needed doing." said Raphane, "You're free now. No tadpole. No infernal engine. You're all yours."

"I think it's finally sinking in," said Karlach. She pinched Raphane.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Just making sure I'm not dreaming," said Karlach.

"You're supposed to pinch yourself," said Raphane before giving Karlach a spiteful pinch in return.

"Was that supposed to hurt?" asked Karlach with a bemused smile.

"It might have if you didn't have such thick skin. Is the new skin more sensitive, I wonder…"

"Yow!"

"Mmm. Tender."

"Don't count on it working once I've broken in the new bits," said Karlach with a smirk. Then a broad smile spread across her face before she swept a surprised Raphane off her feet and spun around joyfully. She let out a triumphant cackle before yelling, "WE FUCKING DID IT!"

She squeezed Raphane tightly and gave her a long kiss before setting her back down on her feet. The green tiefling stumbled a step and braced herself against Karlach as she regained her balance. "We did," she said once she had it back. "We fucking did it."

"Come on," said Karlach, holding Raphane's hand. "I want to watch the sunset," she squeezed, "First sunset of the rest of my life."

They took to one of the benches in the courtyard, Karlach sitting with one arm across the backrest while Raphane lay lengthwise on the same bench, head held against Karlach's chest listening to her heartbeat.

The sun was sinking low over the mountains, coruscating off the clouds and bathing the landscape in hues of pink and orange.

Karlach let out a wistful sigh. "It's a good old life, isn't it?" she asked.

"Best one I've ever lived," answered Raphane.

"Are you going to listen to that all day?" Karlach asked Raphane, who still had her ear pressed to Karlach's heart.

"I could if you would stop talking," teased Raphane.

"Rude," said Karlach, tousling Raphane's hair.

"Can't be helped," said Raphane leaning her head back to rest in Karlach's lap. "First day of your new heart. I don't want to miss a beat. But what about you? What's next for Karlach Cliffgate?"

Karlach was quiet for a bit. "I don't know," she finally said.

"Well the answer better not be 'find someone younger and prettier,'" said Raphane with a smirk.

"Don't forget dirtier," Karlach added with a snicker. She twirled a lock of Raphane's red hair around one of her fingers and her expression turned thoughtful. "When I first made it back to the material plane, I had so many ideas. But so much has changed. I've changed. Then, when we made it back together, I was afraid to make plans, not until I knew this," she pressed a hand to her heart, "was going to work."

"Bet you still want to find a hill giant to wrestle," said Raphane, teasing Karlach's chin.

"Okay," Karlach admitted, "That's been a constant. Have had my eyes peeled for one since I got out of Avernus the first time."

"I might have guessed you would want to spend more time in Baldur's Gate," said Raphane, "But when I mentioned the idea during that night we spent in Wyll's house you seemed cool on the idea."

"I do love the Gate," said Karlach. "It's my home. I'd give anything for it. I almost gave everything for it and I'd do it again. But there's a lot of memories there. A lot of feelings wrapped up in that place. I'm ready to make new memories.

"I think I want to travel, see more of this world I helped save. I'd barely ever set foot outside of Baldur's Gate before Avernus happened to me. What about Neverwinter or Waterdeep? Nowhere hot, mind. I want to see snow. What do you think?"

"That sounds wonderful."

"Raphane, you're hesitating. What's on your mind, darling?"

"Beregost."

"Beregost?" Karlach scoffed. Before a sudden look of realization hit her, "Right! Of course. Your family."

"I haven't seen them since, well, before anything and everything that we did together. I've been sending them letters whenever I get a chance but… I need to see them before I get caught up in another adventure." Raphane chewed her lower lip. 'Would you come with me?"

Karlach's eyes opened wide. "Of course I would! I'd love to."

Raphane let out a sigh of relief and squeezed Karlach's arm, 'Thanks, sweetheart. After everything we've been through I was worried it might be a little too… domestic."

"After everything we've been through, I think a break in pace is exactly what I need," said Karlach, "Maybe what we both need. It sounds perfect, darling." She let out a delighted squeal. "I finally get to see your home! How long will it take to get to Beregost from here? Should we leave now?"

Raphane put a steadying hand on Karlach's arm. "Slow down, Karlach. It'll take a few days to get there. We can leave on the boat with the others tomorrow and take the Coast Way south from Baldur's Gate. We'll be out of daylight any second now."

"Just excited," said Karlach.

"But I am going to have to ask you to do something I have never asked you to do before," said Raphane gravely.

"What's that?" Karlach asked cautiously.

"Wear a proper shirt," said Raphane before poking Karlach's bare belly.

Karlach let out a boisterous laugh.

"Uhm. Excuse me, ma'am," said a small voice.

Karlach looked down and to the side to see one of the Gondian gnomes, a nervous blonde haired woman. "Heya," Karlach said. It took Raphane a moment longer to make eye contact, pushing herself upright to lean back against Karlach's knee.

"I uhm. Don't know if you remember me," the gnome continued.

"Of course I remember you," said Karlach. "Lowa, right?"

"That's right," she said, smiling. "Back in the foundry, you threw me clear of a Watcher that was about to blow."

"Oh, I remember that!" said Karlach, connecting the dots, "I hope you landed okay," she added with an apologetic grimace.

"Just fine," she said with a smile. "I'm sorry to disturb what looks like a private moment…"

"Well it's in a public place so it's on us if you have," said Karlach cheerfully.

"Anyway, we've opened a keg and we were hoping you'd join us for a drink?"

Karlach shot an excited grin at Raphane. The green tiefling looked from Karlach back to the gnome. "We'd love to," she said.

The nervous gnome gave a relieved smile, "I'll go tell the others. We're in the dining hall."

"We'll be right along," said Karlach, popping up to her feet, "Let's go," she said eagerly to Raphane.

"But what about your sunset?" asked Raphane, a note of disappointment in her voice.

"We are going to have thousands of sunsets together," Karlach promised. "But it won't be every day that we'll be surrounded by good company and good potations. Tonight, I want to drink, I want to laugh, I want to dance. And then, we'll see." She winked and held out a hand for Raphane, who took it before being pulled promptly to her feet.

"Did she say there was going to be music?" asked Raphane.

"Like I need music to dance," Karlach laughed.

As it turned out, there was music. One of the Gondians had brought his lute and was taking requests, turning down any that weren't bawdy enough for his liking.

"Dammon, Isobel!" Karlach greeted the two enthusiastically when she found them sharing one end of a table in the dining hall.

They were only just starting to look in Karlach's direction when she had grabbed both of them at once and hugged them against her shoulders, prompting a grunt from Dammon and a surprised yelp from Isobel.

"Gods, I'm so glad I got to see you two again before we all parted ways. Thank you both so much for making this happen," she said as she squeezed them.

"Karlach," said Raphane, tapping her shoulder insistently, "You're smothering them."

"Shit! Sorry!" said Karlach, letting go of them and patting each of their shoulders. "I guess I'm lucky Aylin wasn't here afterall. She'd have broken me in half for that."

"It's okay," said Isobel, taking in a breath, "I won't tell her if you don't."

"Still. My self control's getting better, isn't it?" asked Karlach, "Wasn't even naked and covered in blood this time."

Isobel balked at the mental image that conjured. Dammon laughed nervously, spared a glance in Raphane's direction, who only shrugged her shoulders.

"I'll let you two get back to it," said Karlach, "I just had to tell you how grateful we both are. I owe you so much."

"We were actually exchanging stories," said Dammon, gesturing across the table toward Isobel.

"About how you saved me from Ketheric and returned Aylin to me," said Isobel gratefully.

"Not to mention saved my life and the lives of practically everyone near me three or four times over," said Dammon. "What I'm trying to say is that we were happy we could help."

"But the balance is a long way from repaid for everything that you've done for us," finished Isobel.

"Maybe," said Raphane, "We can all just drop the talk of debts and obligations, call ourselves friends, and say that we'll help each other when and where we can?"

"It does sound a lot simpler than keeping a balance sheet," said Dammon, appreciatively.

"Friends, then?" asked Raphane.

"Friends," the other three echoed.

"It's quite a turnout tonight," said Karlach, taking in the room. She had expected the Gondians, but there were also a good number of Selûnite paladins and clerics as well. Even "Agatha's here!" Karlach exclaimed, surprised, on seeing the weathered cleric sharing a pint with a pair of Gondians and one of her attendants. "I wouldn't have taken this for her scene."

"Well she certainly deserves a pint for her day's work," said Raphane.

"You'll get no argument from me," said Karlach.

There was the sound of a utensil tapping on a mug. Raphane followed the noise to see the Gondian woman, Lowa, standing up on a table. None of the nervousness that had been present in her demeanor when she approached Karlach in the courtyard seemed to be left when she addressed the room. "All quiet, for a minute. Especially you, Manser!"

The lute playing stopped. Followed by: "Up your hole, Lowa!"

Lowa leveled a gaze and Manser and flipped her middle finger up at him, 'Spin on it."

"Hah! She's got some spirit in her, doesn't she?" remarked Karlach to Raphane.

Lowa continued when the laughter and chuckles had died down. "A toast!" she said. "To K-wait a minute. She doesn't have a drink. Someone get Karlach a drink! What's wrong with you lot? Fix that."

Karlach and Raphane accepted their mugs happily once a Gondian came around to hand them out.

"There, now we can continue properly!" said Lowa. "We all came here to help, no, to save a fantastic woman who has saved our lives, our families and our city. To Karlach!"

"To Karlach!" the room echoed before taking a collective drink.

"Seems like they should be toasting you too," Karlach said quietly to Raphane.

"It's your night," said Raphane. "Drink up." They both pitched back their mugs.

It was about the time Karlach was lowering her mug that calls of "Speech!" started filling the room, and she suddenly felt everyone's eyes on herself.

"Mmm. I think they're talking to you," said Raphane, poking Karlach in the side with a grin on her face.

"What!?" asked Karlach, "This isn't a party, it's an ambush!"

Karlach heard the call echoed practically right next to her and shot a betrayed look down at Isobel, who covered her mouth apologetically even as her eyes were laughing.

Raphane put a hand on Karlach's arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze, "Say what you feel. You won't go wrong."

Karlach swept her eyes across the room. "I. I'm overwhelmed," she raised her voice. "Because of all of you, I have a heart again. I've been saying the words 'thank you' so much lately that I feel like I'm wearing them out. But I've meant it every time, and I mean it this time. Dammon, Lowa, Frell, Manser, Grindo, Clore, thanks for getting all those damned infernal bits off and out of me. Agatha, Elaea, Zare, Iarkalyn, Raloran, Isobel, thanks for bringing me back and keeping me back. Paric, Vuko, thanks for springing to my defense while I was out cold. If any of you ever needs anything, you've got an ally for life. Cheers to you all!" she finished, raising her drink.

"How'd I do?" Karlach asked Raphane while the room full of people were knocking back their drinks.

Raphane let out a belch as she lowered her mug. "Excuse me–Fantastic! But we might want to avoid the Gate for a bit in case someone wants help moving furniture or shaking down a merchant for discounts."

"And what would be so wrong with either of those things?" asked Karlach.

"I'll just let you ruminate on that," answered Raphane before taking another drink.

Just then the music picked back up with a bawdy tune. Karlach's head bobbed while her hips rocked and her tail swung to the rhythm before a broad smile broke out across her face. She grabbed Raphane by the wrist and pulled the green tiefling, wide-eyed and trying desperately not to spill her drink, after herself. "Come along, darling, time to dance!"

It was later that night that Karlach and Raphane lay next to each other, each of their bodies covered in a glistening sheen of sweat in the aftermath of the fulfillment of Karlach's promise. The berserker held Raphane, her lips planting doting kisses along the druid's shoulder.

"That was incredible," said Raphane.

Her body tingled still with sensation, her mind buzzed, her orange within black eyes danced.

"Every time we've lain together has been amazing but this was even better. It's as if all those other times there was a wall between us and it's gone now. Tonight it's as if we've been together for the dozenth time and the first time all at once."

Raphane turned in the bed to stare into Karlach's golden eyes, caressing a hand along Karlach's cheek as she smiled.

"And for the first time I get to kiss you, touch you, and look into your eyes. Your real eyes. Karlach, your eyes are so pre-"

Karlach silenced Raphane as she locked lips with the green tiefling.

When their lips parted, the tieflings stared into each other's eyes once more, then shared a smile of boundless joy and relief before they held one another tightly.