Counterfeit

-fiftyfour--

--fiftyfour-     P L E A S E   C O M M E N T   !!!!!!!! P L E A S E C O M M E N T !!!!!!!!

SHE SAT DOWN beside me, my head falling onto her shoulder as we talked all our worries away. Well, I talked; she listened. 

Charleston was sitting in the hallway; I could see him perfectly through the open door which divided the wall between us. He wanted to be able to see me, said that he didn't want to go too far in case something happened, whatever could happened. 

It was nice to have him close, despite what I had done to him. I hoped he knew that. 

Consumed in the chaos, I had completely forgotten to speak to Ava about anything other than MiKinley. I knew she wasn't his biggest fan, that being an understatement, but she listened and comforted me throughout the whole time I was mourning over his fate, not once having anything negative to say about him. I was in awe of who she was. 

The questions that I had, needed answering, now more than ever if I wanted to understand everything. I didn't remember her, not even after we touched; it hadn't been the same as with Patrick or Charleston, but then again, nothing would be the same as to what I had with Charles. Nothing. 

She gave me a response, not even doubting my readiness or bravery. 

"I didn't know you before here. I think that's what Patrick was on about: that I only met you when I arrived." She mumbled, already confusing herself with her first statement. "But, I know who you are now, and why you came here." 

I laughed softly at her words, catching Charleston's attention. "I don't even know who I am or why I'm here." 

"It's for something good." She was quick to reply. "You're a good person, Pip." 

My eyes subconsciously flickered over to Charleston - either to understand his response, or in self-disagreement, as if to remind myself of what had happened previously. But he nodded very faintly, the corner of his lips tucking up into the softest of smiles, unaware of my gaze and completely lost in reminiscence. 

"How did you know about the Rule? How did you find out that it was counterfeit?" I was most desperate to hear her answer. 

She looked over at me. "I didn't really. Not fully, at least." She told me. 

"Patrick has been 'meeting' with me these past few weeks?" She was unsure herself of what to call it. "I guess they've been more like little talks. He got me to trust him, mainly because he was so sheltering over you." 

I smiled again despite being lost in the most unfortunate day of my life. Patrick had been such a gentle and patient friend to me. To everyone, I believed. Whilst my list of negatives against The Dormir was rising, the positives were still worth counting every once in a while. 

"I learned a lot in the week when Charleston disappeared. Of course I had been uncomfortable with how much you seemed to trust him, despite the danger we all thought he was putting you in, but the effect it had on you when he was gone... It couldn't be explained. I knew there had to be something we weren't being told. If not, than it meant you were just insane, and I wasn't completely ready to reach that conclusion yet." 

Our snickering filled the space. I could have sworn that for the first time, some light managed to break through one of the windows in the room. 

As Ava was searching for her next words, everything seemed to drizzle back down to reality. 

"He told me things, as well. Things you weren't even aware of at the time." 

I looked to her knowingly, unsure how I felt about the name that was to leave her lips. 

"MiKinley." 

Charleston shifted slightly in his position outside. I think he was trying to communicate his presence to me, as if to remind me that there was an outlet if everything became too much again. But I had to listen, for Charleston's sake, not just my own. 

"I am sorry. Not just because you didn't know sooner, but because it's not fair. Because he doesn't deserve it." 

The spark of warmth I felt in my chest was almost deceived as a burning sensation. Everything else had been so cold for so long. Now, in spite of their differences, in spite of the fact that they didn't get along, Ava was telling me that she was sorry MiKinley was dying; not only because I would lose my best friend, but because he would lose his life. She was sorry for MiKinley. She wanted more for him. Wanted better. 

I understood then that I was surrounded by the most selfless group of people in the entire world. There was a hope, somehow, that things could be survived; even the worst of things, even when others couldn't, because of them.

-fiftyfour--

03/01/2018

Awww, Ava does care about MiKinley after all!