[Post-Hilliways whee]

[mark-of-samael.livejournal.com]

And, as if it were never there, the nightmarish visions are gone from the curtained bed.

Everything is still again.

Comments

[whitest_witch]

Jadis steals softly over to the bed.

"Alessa?" She asks, again.

[mark-of-samael.livejournal.com]

The breathing is slow, careful.

"...it stopped," is the eventual reply, shaky and awed.

[whitest_witch]

"Is it over, now?"

Her voice is very gentle.

[mark-of-samael.livejournal.com]

A long pause, as the girl takes stock of the situation.

"She's not there now."

It... sounds like an affirmative.

[inquisitivehero]

Hank and Magius both stagger as they see the Infirmary again and both stagger to Alessa's side, exchanging glances as they both check each other over. Then they look to Alessa.

Hank's first glance is for the monitors and scanners top find out exactly how she is and whether there is any sign of her visitors anymore. He sets the scan for comprehensive, wanting to know exactly how she is.

Meanwhile, Magius looks at her gently and smiles.

"Alessa? How are you?"

[mark-of-samael.livejournal.com]

Everything's normal.

At least, as close to normal as it can be for this patient. But there are no bedmates, no strange images. Just a young girl, badly burned and bandaged, but awake and with a tired, relieved smile.

"she's gone."

[magius-unlocked.livejournal.com]

Hank's breath whooshes out of him in a sigh and he smiles. He comes to her side with a gentle smile.

"Who is, Alessa?"


Magius grins too, and nods, sitting on a chair next to her bed.

[mark-of-samael.livejournal.com]

"God."

[inquisitivehero]

Hank smiles in relief. He gently takes one of her hands in a soft grip.

"It is good to see you smile, Alessa. And I am glad. How are you feeling?"


Magius smiles at her too, eyes lit by a peaceful silver light.

"It is a good thing, Alessa."

[mark-of-samael.livejournal.com]

She pauses, taking stock of the situation.

"...tired," she replies. Small blobs of saltwater trickle down the rough landscape of her cheeks.

[magius-unlocked.livejournal.com]

Hank smiles at this. He looks to the scanners and nods.

He cocks his ehad and then nods again.

"Do you think you can sleep, or wouold you like me to give you something to help you?"

His voice is quiet and compassionate.


Magius smiles frok the side and gently pats her cheeks with a handkerchief, then presses it inot her hands.

"Rest is good. You have fought valiantly, my friend."

[trustntheharper.livejournal.com]

When Harper appeared, on his knees on the floor, his arms around something that wasn't there anymore, he looked up to see stars.

Stars and galaxies and nebulae swirling in an endless dance, and he climbed to his feet shakily, and went over to the bed where the kid was laying, eyes closed.

"Alessa?" he said quietly, voice tremulous, stepping forward.

[mark-of-samael.livejournal.com]

Eyes ease themselves open. Her face wrinkles with a smile.

"you did it."

[trustntheharper.livejournal.com]

"It's gone?" he asked shakily, sitting down on the edge of her bed and taking her hand. "I killed the stupid bastard?"

[mark-of-samael.livejournal.com]

It's a shock to hear someone speak that way about God. But she nods and squeezes his hand, tears rising in her eyes.

"She's gone now..."

[trustntheharper.livejournal.com]

Harper laughed, a laugh of sheer relief and joy, and hugged her. Gently, but emphatically.

"You're free, kiddo. We can get you all healed up and you an move on, and do whatever you wanna do--you're free!"

[mark-of-samael.livejournal.com]

Fingers curl in. Shoulders shake. Crying, she holds on tight.

[trustntheharper.livejournal.com]

"No more nightmare."

He pulled away slightly, to look her in the eyes.

"After you're fixed up, do you--d'you still wanna go with me? Live on the Maru? It's not an easy life sometimes, but it's--you'd get to see stars. Real ones, up close, and whole different worlds. It's like being Dorothy--going right over the freaking rainbow and seeing Oz. And ding dong, the witch is dead, so you won't have to worry about her anymore."

[b-hawkins.livejournal.com]

Ben stood, head swimming and limbs heavy with exhaustion. His mind didn't feel entirely there, like half was still in a dream or the dream had come to him.

He blinked a few times and watched in total silence Milliways' typical apocalypse move about in the heavens. Then his gaze turned to Alessa.

[mark-of-samael.livejournal.com]

Her eyes open.

She gives him a shy smile.

[b-hawkins.livejournal.com]

Ben drew a slow breath. "Is it over?"

[mark-of-samael.livejournal.com]

"She's gone now."

[b-hawkins.livejournal.com]

Ben sat in the nearest chair, harder than he'd meant.

"She..." It didn't look female. "I killed her?"

[mark-of-samael.livejournal.com]

She nods.

"just like Daddy did."

[b-hawkins.livejournal.com]

Ben looked down at his hands, half expecting bloody-juices from the beast on his fingers. He saw none.

"She ain't gonna come back?"