Seren: A time once past. 10/26/06 (part 5)
"I'll go make us lunch..." He said with a smile, stretching satisfied in her arms.
"I have a better idea. Why don't we get dressed and have a picnic at the park? We've never taken pictures of the cliffs and we'll just make an afternoon of it, just us, you and me." She already had the answers to her questions, there was only one wish left unfulfilled.
"That sounds like an excellent plan... but I'm not ready to get out of bed yet..." So they stayed there for a while before getting everything ready to go.
By two o'clock they were driving out to the park, just generally conversing about neutral topics. Lunch went fabulously and they took several pictures of the park, other people took pictures of them and it took courage to strap herself into her gear. She made sure that all the ropes were good and that everything was fastened how they should be.
The climb was good, the view fantastic. Cole looked down to Eric to see how he was doing and he smiled up at her. She felt the rope slip. Her whole body tensed and she stopped moving. It slipped a little more. She looked around and saw the problem, one of the rocks had cut into the rope and it was untangling. Panic, pure and simple panic welled up into her which she tried to suppress. It had to happen. She looked down to him again as he tried to secure another rope, his fingers working deftly and quickly like the expert he was. It wasn't enough. She heard the snap and in the second before the fall she whispered "Good bye..."
He looked at her and grabbed a nearby rock which gave enough hold to keep him secure. He didn't fall. His head never hit the rock and he didn't die. Cole blinked repeatly, heart in her throat. Was she supposed to kick him off? He was supposed to die... Her mind raced with thoughts and he called her name, repeatedly, until she started moving again.
They reached to top right at sunset. They took the gear off and she felt his arms slide around her waist from behind and pull her against him, possessive and loving. His chin set on top of her head and they remained in silence. This could be her future. Everything that she had done could be erased. All the people who died because of her, all the families torn apart. Her life was not an easy one, ensuring the path of a God who had no heart, only a path took a lot out of her. She could keep him or she could go. The option was there.
Argent. Cole looked down at her wrist, at the bracelette he'd given her and at the same time felt thr hands of her husband grip tighter around her hips. If she stayed... she'd have not met Argent. She'd have not given New Orleans a rebirth. She'd have not stolen the amulet to save the beast from awaking in Hamilton. She'd have not organized her House.
Selfishness. The past is the past, the present is the present and the future will be the future. To keep him would be to sacrifice everything that she had worked so hard to do in the past year. His lips brushed against the side of her neck and his deep voice whispered "I love you..." just as the sun slipped down over the horizon. The last light of the day rushed at her, enveloping her in it's warmth and she closed her eyes letting a single tear fall.
"I have a better idea. Why don't we get dressed and have a picnic at the park? We've never taken pictures of the cliffs and we'll just make an afternoon of it, just us, you and me." She already had the answers to her questions, there was only one wish left unfulfilled.
"That sounds like an excellent plan... but I'm not ready to get out of bed yet..." So they stayed there for a while before getting everything ready to go.
By two o'clock they were driving out to the park, just generally conversing about neutral topics. Lunch went fabulously and they took several pictures of the park, other people took pictures of them and it took courage to strap herself into her gear. She made sure that all the ropes were good and that everything was fastened how they should be.
The climb was good, the view fantastic. Cole looked down to Eric to see how he was doing and he smiled up at her. She felt the rope slip. Her whole body tensed and she stopped moving. It slipped a little more. She looked around and saw the problem, one of the rocks had cut into the rope and it was untangling. Panic, pure and simple panic welled up into her which she tried to suppress. It had to happen. She looked down to him again as he tried to secure another rope, his fingers working deftly and quickly like the expert he was. It wasn't enough. She heard the snap and in the second before the fall she whispered "Good bye..."
He looked at her and grabbed a nearby rock which gave enough hold to keep him secure. He didn't fall. His head never hit the rock and he didn't die. Cole blinked repeatly, heart in her throat. Was she supposed to kick him off? He was supposed to die... Her mind raced with thoughts and he called her name, repeatedly, until she started moving again.
They reached to top right at sunset. They took the gear off and she felt his arms slide around her waist from behind and pull her against him, possessive and loving. His chin set on top of her head and they remained in silence. This could be her future. Everything that she had done could be erased. All the people who died because of her, all the families torn apart. Her life was not an easy one, ensuring the path of a God who had no heart, only a path took a lot out of her. She could keep him or she could go. The option was there.
Argent. Cole looked down at her wrist, at the bracelette he'd given her and at the same time felt thr hands of her husband grip tighter around her hips. If she stayed... she'd have not met Argent. She'd have not given New Orleans a rebirth. She'd have not stolen the amulet to save the beast from awaking in Hamilton. She'd have not organized her House.
Selfishness. The past is the past, the present is the present and the future will be the future. To keep him would be to sacrifice everything that she had worked so hard to do in the past year. His lips brushed against the side of her neck and his deep voice whispered "I love you..." just as the sun slipped down over the horizon. The last light of the day rushed at her, enveloping her in it's warmth and she closed her eyes letting a single tear fall.