Part III

"Mmm..."

She curls closer to the warm man lying at her side, soft smile on her lips. Icy eyes open to gaze up at her partner.

"Hey, Angel," Hacker whispers with a smile to match hers.

She gazes up into those warm brown eyes. "Morning, baby." Their lips meet in a tender kiss. "Mm...where ya been? I missed ya...work been crazy enough to tear ya from yer crazy wife?"

He frowns a little, eyes turning sad. "Wish I could give ya good news...I'm gonna haveta leave ya..."

Blinking, she looks up at him. "That's really not funny, love." His look tells her it's no joke. Slowly, she sits up, tears leaping to her eyes. "Wh...wha'...? B...but why?"

He reaches up to trace the line of her jaw. "I'm dead, Angel...I died at work...I know it's been rough on ya, but you'll survive, and you have to move on..."

She swallows, trembling. "But..."

"Shh..." He pulls her close as she bursts into tears. "I will always...always love you. As I know you will me." He leans close, his breath a soft whisper brushing over her skin. "Forever..."

"Oh gods...!" She pulls back, cheeks streaked with tears, watching as his features melt into those of Klork.

The dark haired man ruffles her fair hair. "You ok, Mo'?"

She manages a shaky smile, willing herself not to show her pain. "Yeah...you?"

He shrugs a little, looking at her wistfully, pain in his beautiful blue eyes. "Confused...frustrated." He traces his hand down her cheek.

She nods slightly, almost wincing at the longing pain in her heart. "Anything I can do?"

He shakes his head and gazes into her eyes before looking away. "I think we both need some time alone...separate..."

Again she nods, head bowed, the world tilting around her. "I...yeah...probably a good idea." She reaches out to hug him. "Take care..."

He nods, hugging back. "You, too." With that, he vanishes

She's never felt more alone in her life.

She awakens to Quinlan stroking her hair gently, murmuring soothing words under his breath. With a soft sigh, she looks up at him.

"The fever has broken, but are you truly well? You were weeping in your sleep..."

HLM nods a little with a sigh.   "I...yeah...I'm ok...just a dream..." She pulls back to look up at him. "Thank you..."

"Do you wish to talk about it?" He brushes her hair back from her brow, eyes concerned.

She bites her lip. "Maybe after I think on it a little...?"

He nods, watching silently as she prepares herself to leave. "You don't have to go...your heart needs mending...I can help you."

The confused young woman turns to look at him, brows furrowed slightly. "I don't want to drain your resources...and...I do want to get to the top of the mountain and back in these two weeks...it...feels like...something I need to do..."

His gaze measures her up. "Alright, we are already halfway there, after all."

"...what?! I couldn't have been more than a fourth of the way up when I got snagged by that bear trap...you carried me all that way??"

He laughs. "You're telling me you've never heard of gates before?" A bit of magic sparkles at the tips of his upheld hand.

"Gates...? Those like portals?"

His nod is accompanied with a chuckle at her sheepish grin.

"I...err...well...uhm...thanks." She coughs a little and grins lopsidedly. "SO...uh...y' like venison?"

He blinks. "Ah...yes...though I'm a horrible hunter...why?"

"Well...I do have my hunting license...an' I've been seeing deer-tracks all over the place...I can get us one...let you have the skin and most of the meat...kinda as a thank you for everything you've done for me..."

"What of your arm?"

She rubs her painful forearm a little and shrugs. "It'll be ok...you probably saw the scars when you stripped me down and washed me off...you know I've had worse."

A frown tugs at his lips as he nods. "And the hand-shaped bruise on your bicep?" He quirks a brow.

"Oh! That...heh...know how I told you about how I got stuck doing under cover work for that group I'm part of? The X-Men?"

He nods.

"That's what it's from...I had to get out of there because my cover was about to be blown...the guy I was investigating got mad and grabbed me. If Klork hadn't been there as my body guard, this wouldn't have been the only injury dealt...as it is, I was afraid we were going to have to break our blades out." She shakes her head. "It's ok."

He furrows his brows. "If you're sure."

She nods, angelic look on her face.

A smirk curls his lips. "Alright. Though if you need help," their eyes lock. "Call."

She nods and salutes. "Yessir!" She retrieves her hunting bow and arrows. "I shall return with dinner and rations for the trip! Fear thee not!"

He laughs and shakes his head at her parting wink.

She moves silently through the snow-covered paradise as she tracks the deer she's set her sights on. The animal is full-grown, but past its prime. It has a slight limp, and the coat lacks the sheen of those at their best, but it shows no signs of horrible illness. The rack on his head may have been something to see once, but is now cracked and broken, more testimony to the failing health. The buck has lived a full life and will likely be dying within the year anyway.

Wull, Mr. Deer...I'll make it as painless as I can...

The snow doesn't even crunch under her feet when she moves. What kind of a ninja would she be if it did?

Yeah...that's me...ninja moron hunter...pshaw I say...pshaw...

Carefully, she crouches in the brush, the deer in her sights. 

The elder deer doesn't seem to notice her. Not even an ear flicker in her direction.

An arrow is drawn from its home in the quiver.

Silence as she draws it back.

The deer lowers its head.

She aims.

Ultimate stillness.

Teeth clench against pain as the moment stretches.

The arrow flies.

Slumped to the ground, the deer breaths his last.

Thank you, brother deer, may you find peace on the Other Side...

Her bow in its place on her back with her quiver, she steps into the clearing where the deer lies. She takes the strategically placed arrow from the animal's neck and bears her hunting knife. Within moments, the belly is slit open, and the organs are removed, left as an offer to the other animals inhabiting this world.

Enjoy your meal, boys and girls, I tip my hat to you...

The rest of the deer trussed up and packed with snow to avoid too much of a blood trail, she begins the long trek back to the cabin.

Man...now that dream...

She sighs softly.

Was that really Hacker come back to visit me? It felt so real... That part about leaving me...moving on... How can I do that so soon?

The burning in her back and legs goes ignored, as does the throb of her arm.

Then he turned into Klork... Is he my future? I love him so much more than a friend...a brother... How could my heart betray Hacker so easily? Gods...I do still love Hack...and I miss him...I wish I could have given him the joy of being a father, but...man, that's not even worth dwelling on anymore...

The bright sunlight reflecting from the snow and clouds makes her narrow her eyes to the sparkling fairy world of the mountain. Her breath puffs from her nose and mouth, only to disappear like ghosts into the night.

I guess I do have to let go...I can't go on being torn like this. How do I do that though? It's not like when mom died all those years back. I was able to take care of the funeral, I had closure. I'll never be fully over it, but I've accepted that... With Hacker though...I didn't even know he died until after those bastard Weapon X people took care of it... Didn't even get to say goodbye...

She chokes a little on that last thought, dragging the deer back to the cabin and skinning it with careful precision.

Hn...now that I think about it...that's a big reason why letting go is so hard...but then what? I guess I can handle being alone...I mean...it wouldn't be the first time...sure...it'd hurt the both of us badly...and our friendship...gods...I'm almost afraid it's done that already...fuckin' a, what a mess...

The skin now stretched over a rack by the fire lit to melt the snow and frozen blood off, then dry it, she starts stripping meat from the bones.

What if Klork changes his mind, though? I don't think I'd ever stop loving him, no matter what...and that wouldn't be a problem...I'd love for us to be an "item"...but that would hurt Lisette so badly, and prob'ly confuse the hell outa those poor kids. Especially Seijin. Rose already cared for, then left him...what'll he think if I took Rose's place? That I'd be trying to replace his mom or maybe Rose? I mean...she was kinda his mom for a long time... Gods, I hope not...playing mom has always been something I've always wanted to do, but not if it involved replacing someone else... This whole situation has to be confusing as hell to 'im. He's a smart kid, as is Celes. Gods...

"HLM?"

She looks up and forces a smile to counter the worried look in his eyes, struggling her way from her musings. "Quinlan! Told you I'd get us dinner!"

"And then some, I see. What are you going to do with the bones?"

"'Eh...we can make broth outa 'em...some I can turn into beads."

He nods. "Why don't I pack some of this away and start in on dinner."

She smirks a little. "Works for me, dadoo...I think I'll get some jerky going."

He nods, giving her one more concerned look. He then goes about making dinner and packing meat away.

She sighs a little, brows furrowing when he's out of sight and she starts in on preparing the meat to make jerky.

Man...Klork...why do you have to be such a wonderful person? Why do I have to be such a love-sick fool?

Part II
Part IV
Otherworldly Comforts Index