superficial | twilight

48 - Rock Bottom

"I got it." She nods, standing and walking over. "Hey now! King is trying her best, maybe she should take-"

"No!"

"Okay, that's the first thing you've agreed on in hours, that's good." She smirks as they both protests. "How about-"

"No!" They both snap again.

Esme turns away and hides her giggle as she walks back to Carlisle, leaving them to it. Carlisle chuckles too. "You tried." He shrugs small.

Everyone in the complex is startled as a loud bang echos around the hall. Caius and King leap to their feet, pushing the table away. In the centre of the room lies a body, a beaten, bloody body.

"ELIJAH!!" King screams, leaping forward.

Caius grabs her, holding her. "Wait!"

"Caius! He needs me let me go!" Her screams echo around the room. "ELI!!"

A cold chuckle echos around the room. "Not so handsome now is he?"

Kings body runs cold before it suddenly burns with fire. "Clio." She growls, looking around. "Show yourself! Coward!"

Clio laughs and walks out from behind one of the large pillars. "Peekaboo!"

King growls and pushes Caius off, glaring at her mother. "This ends. Today!"

"Yes... Yes it does. It ends." Clio hums, kicking Elijah.

"Stop!" King shouts, hating the small groan that leaves his battered body.

Clio grins, looking around at all the immortals surrounding them now. "Mm, my audience is here." She sings. "And not one of them can stop me." She sighs, smirking.

Esme tries to move. "King... Kingsley, don't you dare do anything stupid!" She says, straining. Of course it's useless - Clio has mastered her favourite trick at this point.

King suddenly goes surprisingly calm, her shoulders slumping. "Fine... It ends. But you send everyone here outside."

"No! Kingsley, don't!" Caius yells.

Clio tilts her head. "Hmm.... Okay." She nods, and with the flick of a hand their audience is gone, the doors slamming and locking. They immediately begin to bang on it, calling for Kingsley to let them in.

King tunes them out, looking at Elijah as she speaks. "What is it you want, Clio?"

"Didn't I already tell you, Athena?" She giggles.

King smirks coldly. "Ha,yes. Revenge. Let's bring the one other person who deserves to be here back."

"Who-"

King reaches her hand back, the can flying into it. Its as if she never struggled just hours ago to open it as the lid flies off and Ajax is launched out, landing more gracefully this time. He looks up, between his daughter and his ex wife. "Clio..."

Clio pales a little. "Ajax... Didn't think I'd ever see you again."

"Ditto." He smirks, moving by King. He holds out a book. "Here. It's easy, really. Rip out her heart."

King smirks coldly. "I can do that."

Clio glares, setting the book alight and making King drop it. "How dare you! Those are my books!"

"Next time, don't store them where they can be found. I am done with you Clio. Done with this." King says, her eyes darkening. The room goes ice cold, their breath visible around them. Kings hands shake at her sides as she takes a few steps towards Clio.

"King!" Ajax says as a warning. "Whoever rips her heart out suffers the same fate as her! Think about it!"

"I'm done thinking. This, this is my purpose. To die again to save everyone. And I'm okay with that." She says, not taking her eyes off Clio. "I'm okay with that."

Clio immediately tries to run, to disappear, but her magic seems to have dwindled under the atmosphere created by her daughter. And for the first time ever, Ajax and King can see genuine fear in her eyes. "Athena! Athena, please! Mummy is sorry!" She begs, backing up against the wall.

King smirks. "Sorry? I'll make you sorry."

Before King can react, Ajax has pushes her to the ground and pinned Clio to the wall. "No!!" She screams, watching him punch his fist into her chest and grab her heart. Clio screams, gripping Ajax's arms. "Baby! No no no-"

Her cries are cut off as he rips her heart out, her body falling to the floor. King screams and leaps forward, catching him as he falls against her, gripping his chest as he drops her heart. "Dad!!" She cries, her own heart clenching. Another parent, another dad, gone.

Ajax smiles weakly, gasping in a breath. "Athena... I'm--I'm so proud of you." He whispers.

King cries as she strokes his cheek. "I love you papa..."

He smiles small. "Go..." he whispers, nodding his head towards Eli. "He-he needs you."

King places a gentle kiss on her fathers head as his eyes close. With a deep breath, she runs to Elijah, grabbing his head and pulling it into her lap as everyone finally rushes in, Caius screaming as he sees their father.

King strokes Eli's bruised cheek, sniffling. "It's okay my love..."

Esme slowly kneels by her. "Baby..."

King sniffles. "He's gonna be okay... Ajax took my moment, took my final sacrifice. So I'll give myself to save the one man who truly deserves it." She whispers.

Esme frowns. "What does that mean? King..." She says, slightly worried.

King kisses Elijahs head and takes a deep breath, placing a hand over his head. "I love you." She whispers to him as he just lays there. Closing her eyes, she begins to give him the life in her soul. The essence that makes her heart beat.

His eyes flutter a bit as he coughs weakly. "King..." He croaks, looking up at her; as he grows stronger, she grows weaker.

King smiles tiredly. "Hi..." She whispers, head head falling against his. "Hi." She breathes, sighing. This is all she wanted. To have her life mean something. And now it does.

NOT THE END.