Oookay… Wow, this place is deserted. If anyone is still alive here, you can read this. Since it’s against the rules on FF, I figured I should post it here. Why write it and not put it somewhere to be seen? Even if the chances seem to be very low now.

Anyway, this slapped me in the face the other day. I had to eventually write it to get it out of my head, so here it is. It may or may not be a little OOC/hard to follow, but it wasn’t betaed, so don’t get too mad at me if it is. Either way, enjoy.

 

Ten miles from town and I just broke down

Spittin’ out smoke on the side of the road

Holly Short hissed out a breath between her teeth as the wings attached to her back shuddered again. She wasn’t going to make it. They were breaking down, and she was too high in the air – if she fell from this height, she’d break every bone in her body.

And she had absolutely no magic in her body to heal it.

I’m out here alone just tryin’ to get home

To tell you I was wrong but you already know

Why? Why was this happening? She couldn’t die now! What happened if she did? Everyone would be screwed. Especially and including the one she cared about most. And if something happened to him before she got there… she didn’t know what she’d do.

What if they’d already taken him? What if she got there too late?

What if something happened and she never got the chance to say goodbye?

Believe me I won’t stop at nothin’

To see you so I’ve started runnin’

The thought made her stomach somersault, and, with little regard for her faltering wings, she gunned the throttle, utterly determined to make it.

All that I’m after is a life full of laughter

As long as I’m laughing with you

I’m thinkin’ that all that still matters is love ever after

After the life we’ve been through

She burst through the window. Her shield was down, and she didn’t even care.

“Tell me he’s okay.”

The words bubbled up her throat before she was even on her feet. They just ripped from her. It was all she could think to say. She could see they’d already taken him. Her heart clawed into her throat, pounding, but she tried to ignore it, waiting on the bodyguard to speak.

‘Cause I know there’s no life after you

“We won’t know until he’s out. There’s nothing more any of us can do.” He shook his massive head, careful not to dislodge the two twin boys asleep over his arms and lap. “I’m sorry, Holly. He was too hurt to wait on you.”

“I know. I didn’t want you to wait on me. I just want him to survive.”

Last time we talked, the night that I walked

Burns like an iron in the back of my mind

She sat down in the arm chair by the door and burrowed in. Her eyes closed, but she was too afraid and nervous to sleep. Instead, she relived the last time she’d seen him.

I must’ve been high to say you and I

Weren’t meant to be and just wasting my time

It hadn’t been pretty. They’d fought. It was one of their worst fights ever. In the end, she’d stormed out.

It had been a week later before they both woke up to the fact that they were both in the wrong, but it was Artemis who came and tried to make it up to her. He snuck into Haven at night… but she’d freaked out on him when he tried to sneak in her house. She shouldn’t have, she knew, and she knew that it would have been smart for her to expect something sly as a form of apology from him. He was a criminal, after all. But in the heat of the moment, she didn’t consider that.

He ended up leaving. And then, going back aboveground, that was when it happened. And it was all bad… and all her fault.

Oh, why did I ever doubt you?

You know I would die here without you

Why did she do that? Why did she doubt him? Why pick a fight? Why, why, why? Why did any of this happen, and always to them? It wasn’t fair. Worse, they had no defense anymore. If he.. he…

She couldn’t say it, couldn’t even think it. If he was actually gone, what would she do? She wouldn’t be able to face it. She’d die too. Probably right here in this ugly, hard plastic hospital chair.

You and I, right or wrong, there’s no other one

She sat there for no more than fifteen minutes. She couldn’t anymore. She excused herself to use the restroom, but really it was just an excuse to get out. She needed a few minutes alone.

She went in and splashed her face with cold water, then stood there and leaned on the sink until she reigned in her shaking.

She turned and headed back to the room, then stopped in the hall right outside the room.

The doctors were back in there. But there was no sign of Artemis. Vaguely, she could make him saying something to Butler. As he turned, she say the last syllables of the word “sorry” on his lips, and then she lost it.

After this time I spent alone

It’s hard to believe that a man with sight could be so blind

Thinkin’ ’bout the better times, must’ve been outta my mind

Butler yelled something after her. He must have seen her turn around to run. But whatever it was was lost as she took off, bolting down the halls until she made it outside the hospital.

She sucked in huge gulps of air. Gone. He was gone. He had to be. Why else would the doctor be telling them he was sorry?

She ducked into an alcove in the underground part of the hospital and slid down the cool surface. Frond, this was wrong, so wrong. Why did this happen to them? She couldn’t take it. She drew back and punched the wall.

Her hand shattered on impact. Just more broken pieces in a broken person.

So I’m runnin’ back to tell you

She didn’t see when Butler came up behind her, but she turned when he grabbed her. Instinctively, she swung, but he caught her wrist.

“Holly.” His voice was soft, urgent and insistent, but also soothing. “Look, listen. Artemis isn’t gone, alright? He’s fine.”

“What?” Her voice was hoarse and unrecognizable. “He’s fine?”

Butler nodded.

“Then why did the doctor.. he was saying..”

“He was apologizing that it took so long, not because Artemis was dead. Artemis will be fine. He’s in the recovery room.”

All that I’m after is a life full of laughter

Without you God knows what I’d do

“Artemis!”

The word came out as a scream. Every head in the room turned toward her, including the one of the drowsy but very much alive human on the bed.

He opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him by running over and throwing her arms around him, forgetting about both of their pains in her joy. “Don’t you ever do that again! You scared me to death! I thought… I thought you were gone… I couldn’t..”

All that I’m after is a life full of laughter

He chuckled a little, tiredly, at her incoherent sobs. “You didn’t think you were getting rid of me that easily, did you?”

As long as I’m laughing with you

She frowned at him when she saw him laughing at her, but even as she did the pain in her chest was easing.

“Shut up,” she muttered, but even she could tell she didn’t mean it.

I’m thinkin’ that all that still matters is love ever after

He laughed again, but then he was suddenly serious. “Holly, we’re safe now, right? You don’t hate me anymore?”

After the life we’ve been through

“You stupid Mud Boy.” She wiped her eyes and shook her head. “I never hated you. I was mad, sure, but I could never hate you. And yes. We’re fine. Just as long as you never scare me like that again.”

“I scared you?” He sounded amused.

“Too much for my liking,” she murmured.

‘Cause I know there’s no life after you

“Why?” His voice was a breathless whisper.

“Because I don’t know what I’d do without you,” she whispered back. “We’ve been through.. so much.. I couldn’t imagine…”

She couldn’t find further words, but she didn’t need them. He got the message, like the smart human he was, and he pulled her in again, on his chest, hugging her tightly. Finally, they were truly safe, and at peace.