"Come on Celia..." I kneel down to let her have a piggy-back ride, after handing Hendrix my backpack. "How much longer?" She sighs. "Not much, just a few more miles..." Hendrix says. We've been walking for the last three hours and we've be switching who's been carrying Celia for the past two. It's my turn, again. "Al, are you sure you're strong enough to carry her?' Hendrix nags me. "Yes, it, I'm fine." I sigh. Now we continue to walk in silence.
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"That's the door, up ahead, just there." Tori points as we reach a crumbled building to rest. "Alright, in a couple of hours we'll go through." I sigh as I take Celia's hand. "Can we nap?" She asks. "Yes," I laugh, "Hendrix keep watch, please?" I smile as he kisses my temple. As we lay down, Celia snuggles close to my side. "I love you, mommy." she sighs. I smile sadly, "Love you too baby."
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"Grimms approaching, Al! I'll take Celia and you can fight. I promise she'll be okay!" Alex Deane screams over the voice of battle. "No, I want to stay with mom!" Celia says stubbornly. She can't stay here, she'll die. It's better that I die. Better to die trying. "Celia, I need you to go with Uncle Alex. Okay? He'll keep you safe." I say and then plant a kiss on her head. With that, I watch her small form fade to a dot in the distance and rush into battle to save my future husband from a mutant grimm.
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"What the hell is that thing?" I gasp as another mutant-like thing runs at us. It's like a few grimms were put into a blender, mixed-up, and spit back out. Arms and legs sticking out from all wrong places, eyes placed throughout its form, and the speed of a cheetah. The grotesque being in front of us isn't even the worst of our problems. There's spider like grimms with elongated limbs that move rapidly on all fours. Tall, strong, brute-like grimms with exposed brains and hearts. Grimms with skin as black as night and strong as iron that cripples a sword and steps a bullet. And more, and more mutants, the worst I've ever seen. As the beast rushes, I run off in the direction Alex took Celia as it trails me, hoping to lose this in the rocky terrain. A couple of its spider-like friends join us as we race past buildings. "Mom, wait for m-" I hear a little voice start to scream and then a sickening crunch. That couldn't be...that shouldn't be....It can't be....never...no....not...anything but. "Not my girl you assholes." I scream as I charge at the grimms. I destroy all of them and I will destroy anything in my way. "Celia, it's going to be okay. I've got you. It's me, Al, but you like to call me Mom. Please wake up...please come back to me...please I'd do anything...anything...anything....anything-g...any-th-th...any...a-any...a-a-a...."
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She's dead. Dead. All but life. Dead. Not smiling, laughing, and talking with me. Dead. Not playing hide-and-go-seek; not reading stories; not going to her hill. Dead. My girl is dead. She can't smile that toothy grin at me. Dead. Not batting those long eyelashes at me. Dead. Not playing with her long, dark hair. Dead. I can't do this. Dead. Sword meets flesh. Dead. Blood runs red. Dead. Now, I'm dead. Dead.
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"This has driven her over the edge."
"She's crazy."
"Not completely."
"Is there anything we can do?"
"Just take care of her, it take awhile to get back to...normal I guess."
"What about...never mind."
"What?"
"It's nothing, Hendrix, forget about it."
"Tori, is there something you're not telling us?"
"Lay off Adrian."
"Fine...your loss."
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"Where am I?" I gasp as I sit up in an unfamiliar room. "We're in the next dimension." Hendrix says as he enters the room. "What's wrong?" I sigh as I see his though-filled expression. "It's you, I'm worried about you. Why didn't you tell me? You promised you wouldn't go back to old habits. How can you do this to yourself?" He asks with sadness in his eyes. I can't meet his gaze as I look down at my bandaged wrists with guilt. "I love you..."
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"How's Hendrix?" I ask as Tori enters the room to bring me food. "He's not so great. Hasn't left his room in awhile. He thinks it's his fault. I've been trying to tell him, but he needs to hear it from you." She sighs. "You know he won't see me." I say quietly and sadly. "If he won't, I'll make him! I can't stand to see you this way." She says angrily slamming down the bowl that was in her hands. "I hurt him too much...I guess 'we' can't be a 'we' anymore." I sigh as I pull off the small silver wedding band and place it in the small pocket of my bag. "Don't think like that Al!" Tori says with an exasperated look. "Forget it Tori, it's not your fight." I sigh, as a tear slips down my cheek. "Listen, I'm sorry and I love you, but I'd like some alone time." I whisper to her. She simply nods and smiles, and then leaves. Once she's gone, I sob myself into a mess.
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"Hey baby sis-what's wrong?" Adrian asks as he walks into my lavish room without knocking. "I'm fine, I swear I'm fine. I just need a little time." I sigh. "No you're not okay, I'm your big brother, I can tell." He says sadly as he climbs into the bed and hugs me. "How about some sibling time, like the old days?" "Yeah, I'd like that."
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"Alright, we're having a training session. Is there a place for that Leheronke?" I ask the tree like creature of this forest dimension. "Yes, we have a large orchard behind the castle you can use." She says. "Thank you!" I chirp, feeling a new sense of energy. "Tori, can you round up what's left of the team?" I ask. "Aye aye captain." She laughs with a small salute. I simply follow Leheronke to the orchard and wait. "Finally, took you long enough." I call to Tori and her group of stragglers. "Sorry, some people couldn't get out'a bed." She replies. I simply laugh as everyone gathers around. "Alright, we're going to have a run and then so some sparring, alright? Alright!" I call as everyone moans and groans. "Hey, Al, I-" Hendrix starts but before he can finish I break off into a sprint. He simply sprints after. "Listen I-" He tries again, so I sprint faster. "Al, could y-" I sprint faster. "Stop this! Stop all of this!" He yells grabbing my shoulders and spinning me around. I turn away and wait for him to release me. Yet, he doesn't. "Look at me." He commands. I shake my head 'no' rapidly. "Look. At. Me." He commands again, but this time with his teeth clenched. I shake my head once again. "God damnit Al! I said look at me!" He growls now. I finally give up, as his face is inches from mine. "Where's your ring?" He asks as his face drops. "What?" I ask in surprise. "Your ring. You aren't wearing it." He sates matter of factly. "Well...I just...I-I honestly t-thought the worst." I stutter. "Stop thinking." He smiles and presses a kiss onto my lips. "I love you too..."
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"Alright, if you say so Leheronke." I sigh as she brings me another leafy looking dress. We are supposed to be at another diplomatic ball, but I've been resisting. I am so done with the whole 'she's a queen' thing. "But you are a queen, the book says so!" Vita scolds me. "Vita! It's an invasion of privacy when you read my thoughts ya know! And what book?" I ask. "The book that was taken from your bag when you first cam to my dimension. I stole it from the guards." She states. "That was my ticket out of here!" I say with some anger. "Don't worry, I will guide you. Where are you now?" She asks. "The forest of the Leheronken people." I state cautiously. "Alright, your next stop is another hallway. You must fins an orange door with the number 14 on it." She replies. "Alright, I'll talk to you later." I say quickly as more royal guards rush me out of the room. "To the royal ball and then you can relax m'lady." Leheronke says as I sigh reluctantly. "And why would we need to throw a party again?" I ask sarcastically as she just laughs at me. "You look lovely, darling." Tori chirps as she meets me at the entrance to the ballroom. "Thank you! You don't look too bad yourself." I laugh. "By the way, as your 'Royal Adviser', I will be escorting you into the ballroom." She says in a somewhat joking manner. "It would be a joy if you did so!" I joke as we are told it's time for our big entrance. "Shall we?" I laugh. "We shall."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"That was stressful." I sigh as Tori and i throw ourselves down on my bed. "Are you two alright?" Alex Deane asks, as him, Hendrix, Seth, and Adrian step into the room. "Yeah, I just can't stand anymore diplomatic crap! It's all fucked up." I sigh. "Well we have some more fucked up stuff to talk about." Alex mutters. "How are you holding up Al?" Seth distracts me from what Alex said. "I'm...dealing. How's Charly?" I ask. "She's alright, she wants to have some family time later." He states as the room fills with quiet chatter. "That would be awesome. I miss spending time with you guys." I laugh. "Aw, I miss you too, the whole group does." As we all dog pile into a hug. "Not...exactly...what...I-I-I...meant." I choke out as all the boys start to get up, laughing. "We love you too." Adrian says with sarcasm. "Shut up, I have to love you, you're family." I say jokingly as I hug Adrian. Little did we know, Alex had slipped away to do something that would ruin everything
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