chicago ♔ back into the end of harmony

[romanticidal]

♬ What Sarah Said - Death Cab for Cutie

WHO || Des, Rafael, Violet, Jade, anyone else who comes to see Jade. [closed]
WHAT || Jade awakes, and asks to see Des, Raf, and Vi...
WHERE || A hospital, Chicago
WHEN || July 4th, 2013
HOW || Actionspam

[ Today's the fourth of July, and the city is bustling with happy, smiling citizens on their way to watch fireworks tonight with their loved ones. And then there's the Corvette of people sailing through traffic with almost desperate abandon, as Des steers his way through the city with a basically heartwrenching nat 20 drive check towards the hospital. Rafael lets Violet sit on his lap in the passenger bucket seat, but he doesn't say a word as he stares forward grimly, lost inside his thoughts entirely the whole way there.

They make startling time. There's another car of Knights on the way, but lagging quite a bit behind by the time Des pulls into a spot right up front. ]

Comments

[borrowedheaven]

Isabella doesn't know everything. And I know, I know... [ another small cough shakes her and she leans her head back against the pillow ] but please. We don't have a lot of time.

[graveflowers]

I promise. You know I do. Anything.

[romanticidal]

Perhaps she wanted Eterna to have closure. So that she would not...

[borrowedheaven]

Bury it.

With me. When I go. It will only bring harm.

[graveflowers]

[After a moment of hesitance, she's not sure everyone will agree to that, she nods.] I will.

[nothingsodivine]

What? Drift? Haunt our asses? [He shakes his head. No, something doesn't smell right here.] Tell me something, Fluffy, how old are you?

[borrowedheaven]

Thank you. [ she seems relieved of some small amount of burden and turns her head to the side to look at vi ] Part of it was from my mother, but the rest... [ she looks very troubled ] is twisted.

[ she seems to find a small amount of very sad humor in that, her eyes rolling up towards the ceiling as she half-laughs ] Just like me.

[ and then she looks back at vi again and says quietly ] I'm glad I met you.

[romanticidal]

[ what a weird question des, god, don't ask a lady her age ] 41. Why?

[graveflowers]

I know, I felt it. [And part of her wants to feel it again, just so she can understand it. But she will heed Jade's wishes. The only person who would always heed a death bed request, regardless of what it was.]

Me too. It felt like home.

[borrowedheaven]

You know... it really did. [ that slight smile again and then her eyes flick to the door ] Do you mind sending them in now?

[nothingsodivine]

On my next birthday, if I remembered what that was, I'll be 3975. I have seen a lot of people convince themselves the earth is flat and that you can't split the atom and women will never vote. So trust me when I say that just because you're convinced that only gods can bring back memories don't mean it's strictly so. There's a lot at play here.

[He shrugs.] I may not have a better theory, but I don't think it's her mom.

[romanticidal]

[ well... shit, buddy. rafael can't even figure out how to respond to that so it's probably good timing that vi's about to threadjack soon. ]

[graveflowers]

Yeah, of course. [She leans over to press a kiss to her forehead before she pushes herself off the bed. She pauses, by the side table, before she picks up the necklace. Jade deserved to be buried with something wholly good as well. Shaking with tears she is trying to fight back, she walks to the door.]

She wants to see you.

[romanticidal]

[ yep and rafael is distracted from being flabbergasted by des' life by vi yay. but now he looks pale, because this is suddenly much more real. he looks over at des. it's hard to say whether he's looking for some kind of solidarity nod or whether he's thinking about how unexpected and uncomfortable having to share this moment is.

maybe both?? ]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des grants him one (1) solidarity nod and leads the charge into Jade's room, lingering about two feet from the door- enough room to let Rafael in, but not enough to get close enough to her.

He can count on one hand with most of its fingers missing the things he's legitimately afraid of, but right now? Right now he's terrified. He has to force a tragic little smile at her, pretending it's going to be okay when he knows it isn't.] Hey, Sunshine.

[borrowedheaven]

[ ♬ Torch - Alanis Morissette

Her eyes slowly settle on Des, and then Rafael stepping in behind him. There's something reminiscent of the moment when Rafael had been brought to Nightscape to see her again for the first time, when her eyes had skated right past him, her smile lighting up when she saw Des behind him - only this time, the light in her eyes seems to kindle when she looks at each of them in turn. It's easy for him to see the girl he knew in those eyes now, but the stranger is there as well, and it's hard to not be somewhat unsettled by this bizarre watercolor rendition of his memories of her.

there's a breadth of a moment where her gaze just lingers between the two of them, but then she finally fixes a look on des and says, sounding tired but every bit as cheeky as ever: ]

Didn't go back to the Ponderosa after all, I see.

[nothingsodivine]

I got unfinished business. [He finally steps closer, gritting his teeth in a smile that's more pained than anything now. He still remembers leading her to Rafael, listening to her chatter away about him, like she never saw him at all.

Only fair she got her revenge- all those times he refused her, shut her down, backed away, and then when it finally occurred to him that he cared, she slips from his fingers.] Someone has to look after him. [He nods to Rafael as he stoops down next to her bed.] He's hopeless.

[borrowedheaven]

[ as he comes closer, she opens the hand on his side of the bed, as an indicator that he should take it, even as she follows his nod with her eyes and fixes a tiny smile on rafael. ] Funny. I used to tell him the same thing. [ the smile grows fonder as the two of them stare at each other, rafael stepping closer, still apparently unable to speak. ] But I have hope for him yet.

[nothingsodivine]

[It takes Des a second, but he finally takes her hand in two of his, sucking in a shuddering breath.(Will Save 12)] If I'd known it was gonna end like this, I would've taken you up on that offer months ago.

[borrowedheaven]

[ ♬ I Hope Your Heart Runs Empty - Neverending White Lights

His confession brings her attention fully back to him, and she squeezes his hand with weak, but insistent pressure. Her eyes sweep over his face, and she says with quiet wistfulness: ] We could have had an amazing six months together, cowboy.

[ Her little smile warms even more as she waits for him to meet her gaze before she adds: ] But we still did.

[ Letting that sink in, her eyelids drop as she looks down at the bedcovers. ] ... I don't want you two looking for someone to blame in the other.

Alright?

[nothingsodivine]

[Des laughs painfully, but he's holding it together surprisingly well. (will save 23)] I don't think that's something you oughta be worrying about, Sunshine. He's too melodramatic and I'm too me.

1/-

[borrowedheaven]

[ his words draw a wide smile, something of a laugh out of her too, and she says teasingly: ] We'll get to that.

[ and then her focus shifts back entirely to raf, who is staring down at their hands looking as if all the words he was planning to say in this moment don't work anymore because this situation has six extra layers of complicated in it. she says very gently, to draw his attention back to her: ] Rafael.

2/-

[romanticidal]

[ and he's instantly drawn back to her, staring as if transfixed by her smile, and he replies with heartbroken tenderness. ] Dolcezza. [ and after a beat, he finally starts to spill out what he's been holding in since well before he ever walked in this room ] I have so much to beg your forgiveness for. So much to explain--

3/3

[borrowedheaven]

[ ♬ Everything - Alanis Morissette

and she gives him an almost humorous look, as if there's something kind of pitiably funny about what he's saying, her eyebrows both lifting slightly as she cuts him off gently. ] Rafael. Do you really think any of that matters to me? After everything?

[ she shifts slightly, so that she can reach out with her other hand to grasp for his too, and looks at him very pointedly. ] You're here now. That's what matters. I know exactly why you did what you did, and I don't blame you for any of it. I can only hope that if you knew everything I've done, you'd feel the same way. [ and her expression softens into a smile ] But I know you would.

It's just the way you love. And I love you for it. Nothing here will ever change that.

[nothingsodivine]

[Yeah, Des just rolled a 2 for that will save, so that is definitely one choked sob that escapes him as he keeps his head down and his hands clasped around Jade's hand.]