"Collateral damage," he said bemusedly. His piercing black eyes ran over her tear-stained face, "it had to be done, baby," he reassured her, "for us."
Her innocent gray eyes refusedijj to meet his gaze, choosing instead to fall on the unmoving body which lay at his feet.
"No." she choked out, "no." The cry fell short, turning into a desperate whisper as she fell to the ground miserably. He quickly approached her, gathering her reluctant form into his arms, "it's alright," he said, "it's' all over."
She stared at the limp form which lay only a few feet from them; a revolver a mere few inches from its hand. Her eyes refused to cry, too tired from their relentless use in the past few hours. Again and again her eyes raked over the body, searching for any one sign that it wasn't true, that there was still a chance. And then she got her sign. A trembling hand turned itself over, soundlessly. She allowed herself to sink into the arms of the man who held her captive. Relief surged through each and every one of her veins. "No," she thought. "It's not all over, it's just beginning."
=ll=
Months later, she stood before the very same man. The smile on her face was very deceiving; it tricked him into thinking that she was happy, happy because of him at least. And she allowed him that, after all, he loved her so much, it was the least she could do.
She held out a hand invitingly, beckoning him towards her, let's go for a walk, darling," she drawled, "alone."
She walked down the deserted road hand in hand with him, her mind slowly mulling over each detail of her life which had led her here. He let himself be led, content only in gazing upon her. "Where are we going?" he asked, his coal black eyes roaming over a seemingly unfamiliar landscape.
"You'll see," she replied turning slightly towards him.
If he had looked closely enough, he would have seen the proud glint in her eyes, her victorious cheers.
"It's some place special, "she added, "you'll like it." She turned back to face the road, the gaze, which was once held soft angelic eyes, now came forth from a steely pair of icy gray irises.
"Are we there yet?" he teased. She scoffed silently at his attempt, she would let him have this too, and it was, after all, only a little while longer.
Not hearing a reply, he continued talking, "I'm so happy baby." She held back the shudder that threatened to overcome her, she hated that word: baby.
"We're finally us again," he continued, "us, us, us."
"We're here." she cut him off curtly, relieved to be done with the ordeal. They were at the base of a small cliff, just a short climb to the top remained. He looked around confused; "here?" his eyes seemed to ask. She pointed, silently sending a message, up, he had to go up. He gave the short climb a weary look. Looking at her again, he decided to conquer it.
"That was a mistake." A hard voice greeted him at the top of the cliff, "but rest assured, it's the last mistake you will ever make." Before he could react, the man was pulled away from one end of the cliff to the other. Shoved away, he caught himself just in time. Slowly he steadied himself, eyes roaming for the source of the trouble. "Looking for me?" the voice again, the man turned around, gasping sharply as he found two light blue-green eyes inches from his face.
Those eyes. The man backed away, "no," he whispered, "this-"
"Is the so very real," her voice scornful interrupted him as she approached from the back, "so excitingly real. Don't ya think?"
She stopped by the blue-eyed man, turning to watch the man's face as his coal eyes flew from her to her companion.
"You made a lot of mistakes," the green eyed man spoke up, "oh so many. But then again, so did we, right sweetheart?" he turned with a smile to the girl, who reciprocated with one of her own. Her gray eyes lit up, shining as if the clouds had lifted after a stormy day.
"We trusted you," the blue eyes continued, "our biggest mistake. But you made a bigger one." The man retreated as the blue green eyes roved over his form, approaching with a relaxed stride.
"There's nowhere to run," the man was informed, "and only one escape."
A cry escaped from the man's lips as the form bore down on him, his onyx eyes swung side to side, desperate for escape.
"No," he begged, "no!"
"I asked the same thing," her voice cut through the air, "I'm sure you remember your answer?" The man, over six feet talk and well built, began to sob, what had he done?
The blue eyed figure has not halted his approach, and now he was coming upon the cowering man at an infuriating rate. "That's right," he said, as cool and calm as his eyes, "no." the man stopped suddenly, stepping to the side and giving the black eyes an unadultered view of the long jagged scar that ran down the man's torso.
The scars that lined the man's arms and legs were nothing compared to that scar. They paled in comparison to that ominous scar placed there months ago.
The blur eyed man reached behind him, pulling out a familiar object, abandoned months ago. He held in the palm of his hand, weighing it. "Your big mistake that day," he said to the man, "was that you can't shoot a gun," he paused to unlock the barrel; properly holding it in position, pointed straight at the man's heart, "to save your life." he finished.
She stepped up to the current tormentor, expertly taking the gun into her hands, "good thing we do, huh?"
The man's black eyes were crowded with the tears; he stepped back once more, inches from the edge.
"This," she said, "is when it's all over."
Her gray eyes, momentarily cold and clouded once again, held his dark gaze as she fingered the trigger, teasing his hope, his carnal need to live.
Once and for all ending a charade, she lowered her arm as the man fell flailing over the edge. Walking near it, she tossed the gun over after him into the dense foliage. "Collateral damage," she mused, "collateral damage."
