"Long time no talk, my son."
Ash's entire body stiffens and rage floods from his chest to his throat, scorching on his tongue as he curses and grips his phone in an iron grip. The arrogant tone grates on his nerves, clawing out poison that he wants to lash out with. He hasn't heard this voice for years, but he would never forget it — his one regret coming too close for comfort, the regret of not killing him when he had the chance.
"Gio."
Deep laughter spawns from Giovanni's lips through the speaker. "Not even on full name basis or a hello, dad. Why are you so angry? It's been years since we've talked, son."
This man had nothing, but the audacity.
"Cut the shit, Gio. You're not anything remotely close to a father — mine no less, and I'm not your son. This was all your fault, wasn't it?" Ash seethes.
He watches with torn eyes as Sawyer's body is being removed from the car and placed into a body bag. The warm smiles that crinkled his eyes behind the bangs of green hair would never rise again to remind Ash of who he was and what they created.
Giovanni twists the knife in Ash's heart, as though he were standing next to him watching the scene unfold. "Not at all. It's yours." When Ash doesn't respond, he continues. "You must know by now that after all these years, people die because of you."
"What have you done to her?" Ash demands, pacing over to the quiet of the alleyway far from the sounds of sirens.
Giovanni mocks innocently as he speaks. "It's just a flesh wound, son. It seems like she isn't weak, but that will only last so long until I grow tired of her. Sad, knowing what a feisty one she is."
Ash's jaw grinds, his fist digging crescents into his palm containing his own fury. The thought of Serena hurt with Giovanni as his judge and executioner brings a new desperation to his fingertips that he's never felt before. Wrath rattles through every word. "Gio, I swear on your soon to be dead body, if you lay a single finger on her-"
"You'll what? Ah, will you come for her? She seems to think that you won't."
It cuts a shallow wound across Ash's cheek, stunned while it stings underneath ice cold drops of the rain. The flames of his anger are doused with a heavy realization that anchors him motionless. He saw the disbelief clear in Serena's eyes the night she fled the cruise ship, but he would've never thought it twisted the the woman so much inside.
I should've gone after her.
The next words out of Giovanni's mouth breaks Ash's heart clean in two.
"By the looks of it, this woman simply loves you so much that she's willing to die here if it means protecting you. I knew you were cruel, but this is a new level. I'm almost impressed."
Ash's mouth opens and closes, gaping at the face of the truth. It feels like a curse coming from his mouth. To Ash, even demons and devils have prayers not laced with torment and destruction, and he wants nothing more than to hold Serena's cheeks between his palms like she's the answer, the one true believer in every side of him that he himself couldn't love. If Serena was really willing to walk this path by his side, he would give her everything. The weapon that destroys, but the heart that will hold her safe in every space it swells.
Giovanni's voice filters in through Ash's haze. "I'll give you a deal. Your life, for hers. How about it, son?"
"When?" Ash responds immediately and Giovanni chuckles, the grin clear.
"In three hours, you'll meet at the coordinates I'll send to you. My guards will bring the woman along. Don't think you can bring any tricks. If you pull anything, she dies. Is that clear?"
"I'm not a damn idiot either, Gio. Let me talk to her," Ash says firmly.
"So little faith in family?" Giovanni taunts.
"You're not family, man. To hell with that."
Ash doesn't respond further and he can hear the air as it moves through the speaker, what sounds like a door opening and closing on top of it. Ash waits on a bated breath and the phone shuffles when Giovanni presses the phone to the side of Serena's face, the strands of her hair sticking to her skin as she does her best to ignore the ache in her shoulder.
"A-Ash?"
His entire soul shudders as his back touches the wall for support at the sound of her voice, shaky and breathless, but alive.
"Serena! Are you alright? Did he hurt you? I'm getting you out of there. I promise."
"Don't," she pleads and Ash feels a dread clamp on his throat at how small her voice sounds. "Don't come here, Ash. You can't put everyone in danger because of me. This is my fault. Sawyer, everything. I'm so, so sorry."
Ash remains stubborn. "Listen to me, don't say that. I'm the one who's sorry. I'm bringing you home. I need you back home. With everyone, with me."
"That's enough, Ash! Don't be reckless! Just let me go. It's not worth it, I'm not worth it," Serena lashes out, on the edge of a cry, clinging to anger and frustration in hopes it would stray Ash away. She thinks of him, of Dawn and Misty, even Miette and their laughter and banter in the morning light.
"I can't, Serena. I can't do that." Ash feels his own tears push behind his eyes, holding onto the same memory. "You are worth it. More than you'll ever know."
Suddenly, Serena's voice breaks in a way that haunts the shadows of Ash's mind. Giovanni pulling the phone away and shoving his palm into her shoulder, renewing the wound with a fresh wave of agony to draw the cry he wants out of her.
"Stop! Get the fuck away from her!" Ash demands and Giovanni's already laughing by the time he brings the phone back. Ash can hear Serena choking over reassuring words, trying desperately to convince him.
"I-It's fine, Ash. I'm okay. Don't listen to him."
Giovanni's volume overpowers hers. "She'll be more or less alive. Don't worry. Three hours, son, or it won't be long until I do more than just flesh wounds."
"Always a damn bastard," he curses.
Giovanni's low rumble of a laugh is heard and the phone clicks, leaving Ash alone once again with a storm that doesn't relent. His clothes are soaked through, but he's warm, a fury burning across every scar that is kissed by where the rain meets. The grey skies and earth are muddled in shades of red in his eyes, the painting imperfect without Giovanni's blood to fill the spaces of his vengeance. The world is quiet and the rain filters in like static when a puddle splashes beneath a boot and his name is called.
"Ash."
He looks up and Miette's eyes widen with surprise. There's tear stains on his cheeks that don't quite match the fall of the rain and she steps closer. "Ash, what happened?"
He answers emptily. "Giovanni is what happened. It's his fault. He has her. I have to go after her."
Ash pushes off the wall and his stride is purposeful as he tries to make his way past Miette who stops him with a firm hold on his shoulder. "Ash, hold on. We need a plan. You can't just rush in there."
He growls and tries to shove her away. "Let go of me, Miette. I'm not playing around. I have to go."
The moves are sloppy and Miette is one who has always known Ash better in a way, leaning back from his attempt to swipe her wrist away before pushing him into the wall and forcing him to look at her. Miette frowns at the way she can see grief and rage swirling in every corner of him face, from the bite over his lower lip, the furrow in his brow, and the golden pools of his eyes rimmed red. She shakes his shoulders once and Ash's eyes flicker in recognition.
"It hurts, Ash, I know that. We'll make him pay — for Sawyer too, okay? But we can't save Serena if your head isn't on straight. Do you understand? You'll get yourself killed, you idiot," Miette says steadily, her jaw set in a firm line, an echo of Ash's own expression.
"I don't care-"
"You should fucking care, Ash," she interrupts, catching his eyes again and holding them firm. "She cares about you. She cares about us. Don't throw yourself away to prove that you do. Knowing her, she's probably doing the exact same thing and you know what? You're both idiots! Giovanni doesn't get to have that." Miette isn't one to shown physical affection, but she moves to grip Ash's hand to comfort him and she feels him gently squeeze back which she smiles at. "C'mon cuzzo, think. You know how to fix this."
Ash exhales a breath from his lungs shakily, his body relaxing as Miette slowly lets him go. He scrubs a hand over his face before brushing the damp strands of hair back before nodding. He takes a moment to look at the sky above and how desperately he wants to see the sun.
"I'll be counting on you to save me," Ash says quietly after a while, ruffling Miette's hair and before she gets the chance to yell at him for that, he's touching his forehead to hers in a semblance of an embrace.
Miette sighs and responds with a solid punch in his shoulder. "You and Serena owe me, I swear. You're both insufferable."
Ash rubs the sore spot, feeling reassured with her behind him. "You can tell her that part when we all come home."
At that, Miette grins. "Deal."