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* Angel is back in his 'unofficial' office, having just finished an interview with a potential recruit - Jimsy's apprentice. Sent out with a mission to accomplish in order to get his "application" looked at, the boy seemed determined and confident. * Jewel loiters out of sight in the back room, spending the time going through her own accounts. <Angel> ::after the boy goes, Angel leans back in his chair:: What do you think, my lady? Suicidal, stupid, or really as good as he thinks he is? <Jewel> ::sounding amused, her voice filtering out through the air vent in the wall that let her hear everything that transpired in the main room:: I think he's a teenaged boy. <Jewel> Which is to say, a bit of all three, perhaps. We'll see how he does. <Angel> ::snorts:: Must be the 'boy' part of it. I don't remember Bienca being that full of herself. <Jewel> ::sounding even *more* amused:: Of course it is, love. ::impish:: Just think of what *you* were like at fifteen. * Dawn watches the boy leaving the building from the shadows, without quite recognizing him. Moving slowly, he enters the building and climbs the stairs. He stands before the office door for a long time, looking at it as if in confusion. Finally, he lifts a hand to knock. <Angel> ::considers:: I don't remember. I don't think I was nearly that cocky. <Jewel> Ha! Men never do, when they're older. <Angel> ::turns to the door:: Come. * Dawn 's hair has been burnt raggedly short. His face and clothes are smeared with ashes, and under the ash his skin is reddish. The shoulder of his shirt is torn and red with still-wet blood. His eyes are dull. He stares at Angel for a long moment before finally saying, "Done." His voice is hoarse. <Jewel> ::the scrape of a chair is heard through the grate as Jewel stands at hearing the new voice:: ...Dawn? * Angel bolts out of his chair. "Bloody hell. What happened?" * Jewel unlocks the door to the back room and comes out, stopping dead in the doorway at the sight of him. She turns again, running for the healing kit. <Dawn> Happened? ::he considers this, as if finding the question extremely complex:: Happened... Brought her in. Pissed her off. She spotted D-dusk. Fought... Sprung the trap. Killed her. It's done. ::he blinks slowly:: Dusk missed the handhold. Missed catching him. He's dead. * Angel staggers backwards. "Shit... " He gapes at Dawn. "Shit." * Jewel fetches the kit and stops, hugging it to her chest as she listens to Dawn's colorless voice through the door. She takes a slow breath and closes her eyes for a moment, casting her mind out to try to feel Dusk. <Dawn> ::closes his eyes, as if light pains them. The backs of his eyelids are the only part of his face not blackened by ash.:: Burned the place. * Angel takes the kit from his wife's numbed fingertips. "Sit." When Dawn stands there motionless, Angel speaks more sharply. "Sit *down*. I'm not losing two in one day." * Dawn sits, in the spot where he was standing, just letting his legs crumple beneath him. <Angel> ::sighs:: Close enough. ::hunkers down on one knee to begin working on Dawn's numerous wounds, opening the man's shirt:: Dart? You take an antidote yet? What poison? <Dawn> Dart... ::looks down at his shoulder numbly:: Oh. Yes. Green tips... It was empty when it hit me, just traces... ::he shakes his head, trying to clear it:: Just clean it good. A little alcohol, if you can spare it. * Jewel opens her eyes again, feeling behind her for a chair, and sits numbly, watching Angel work. After a moment, she pulls her chair a little closer to help, prepping rags and bandages for him. * Angel finds the small bottle in the kit and upends some of it over the wound. "How'd she spot him?" * Dawn is not as badly injured as he first appeared. The dart-wound in his shoulder is the worst of it, and some minor burns on his face and fingers. <Dawn> ::shakes his head:: Don't know. I was across the room, to lure her into the trap. He was right behind her. Felt the air move? Heard him step? Breathe? She was... good. Very fucking good. <Jewel> ::with an edge to her voice:: But she's dead? * Angel winces slightly. <Dawn> ::nods:: Dead and already half-burnt before I 'ported out. * Angel glances at Jewel, eyebrows raised. * Jewel nods slowly, biting her lip as she scoops burn cream from a jar with a bandage and sets to gently applying it to Dawn's face. * Dawn doesn't respond to Jewel's ministrations, though he lifts his arms when told, for bandages. His eyes seem to be seeing something that isn't there. <Angel> ::sighs, blinking furiously:: I'm sorry. It's a fucking inadequate thing to say, but... I am. * Jewel puts a hand on a relatively unburnt portion of Dawn's shoulder and nods, her eyes glistening. <Dawn> ::nods slowly:: Aye. ::he sighs slowly:: Thanks. I... I'm gonna take a leave for a bit, boss. * Jewel takes a settling breath and sniffs, her eyes losing focus as she looks towards the door. <Angel> Yeah... yeah, I could have figured that. But not alone, for a while. ::puts one hand on Dawn's shoulder:: <Dawn> ::twitches:: I'm not gonna kill myself. I've just gotta... ::he presses the heels of his hands to his eyes:: ... Fuck. <Jewel> ::nods, her voice soft, somewhat distant:: Doesn't matter. You shouldn't... be alone with this. <Dawn> ::ignoring her, his voice barely more than a whisper:: Promised. He promised... * Jewel bites her lip and swallows hard, rubbing his back gently. <Angel> ::shakes his head:: We can't always keep all our promises... much as we'd like to. He... didn't choose to leave you. * Jewel sighs softly, her eyes coming back into focus. <Dawn> I know. I know. ::he laughs, more than a little hysterically:: Whistle's going to kill me. <Angel> ::a little gruffly:: The hell he will. <Jewel> ::sniffs:: Angel's right. ::watery smile:: He has to go through us first. <Dawn> Dusk was his foster-son. ::he giggles, a disturbing sound:: I was just some brat with the talent... <Jewel> ::frowning a little:: You were *both* his sons. You know that, Dawn. <Angel> ::nods:: You have his contact direction? I'll... make sure he's informed for any... farewell, you want to make. <Dawn> I know, Jewel, I know. He's... ::he lets out a muffled sob and bites it back:: It might kill *him*. <Jewel> ::softly:: He still has family, Dawn. He still has *you.* <Dawn> ::looks up with a glare and snarls:: Fucking lot of good it'll do him- ::he shudders and puts his face back in his hands:: Dammit... Just... let me go home. * Jewel bites her lip and glances at the door. * Angel shifts slightly, getting to his feet. He offers Dawn a hand up. "You can stay with us tonight. We'll leave you alone and you can drink yourself unconscious if that's what you want." <Jewel> ::looking guilty:: I... um... called someone to take him home. <Jewel> ::quickly:: Not that you're not welcome, if you'd rather, Dawn. <Angel> ::one eyebrow twitches up:: * Dawn pauses in the act of reaching for Angel's hand to give Jewel a pained look. "Tell me you didn't call Iselyn." <Bienca> ::softly, from the open doorway that Dawn forgot to close:: No, she didn't. <Jewel> ::blinks and looks surprised:: No, not-- ::bites her lip:: Please don't be angry with me, Dawn. * Bienca is leaning in the door frame, tears streaked down her face. In one hand, she carries a one of her many braids, apparently cut from just near her left temple. * Dawn snaps his head around so fast it seems like it might just keep going and roll off his shoulders. His eyes widen, and if it were possible for his reddened skin to pale, it certainly would. His hands start to shake. He doesn't say anything, and can't seem to look away from her. * Jewel bites her knuckle, looking anguished. * Bienca murmurs several words in her own language, a sort of liquid crooning song. Simply, without artistry, she crosses the room to hand the braid to Dawn. "He won't be forgotten, my friend. The moon and sun will know his name, and through them, we are all eternal." * Angel nudges Jewel. "Come on, my lady. Bienca can take care of him." * Jewel nods, lowering her eyes and taking hold of his arm, clinging tightly. * Dawn looks down at the braid, and slowly, his hand closes around it tightly. He addresses the braid, as if afraid to look at Bienca herself. "Bienca... I... I'm sorry. I... I can't..." * Angel nods once to Bienca. "Stay here, if you want. We'll talk later." He escorts Jewel from the room and closes the door firmly behind them. <Bienca> ::softly:: He was my friend, too. I will miss him. ::she twists gracefully into a folded-leg sitting position on the floor near him:: <Dawn> ::still looking at the braid:: I don't... ::he shudders:: I lied to you, Bienca. <Bienca> ::gently, she places one hand on the floor, where he can see it:: Did you? ::her voice is calm, altho slightly tinged with hitched breath:: <Dawn> Aye. I was never angry. Only terrified. <Bienca> ::she moves slightly closer to him:: You can tell me, if you wish to. <Dawn> ::closes his eyes and holds her braid against his chest, seeking comfort from it:: D- He would have killed the baby, you know. Maybe you, too, but... definitely... ::he swallows:: I was *his*, and he would not have... tolerated... <Dawn> Don't hate him. It was my fault. I violated the... the agreement, between us. <Bienca> ::swallows, her skin somewhat ashy:: I don't hate him. <Dawn> ::still not looking at her:: I swore. We were barely more than kids, but we swore... never to love another. Never to put another first. I couldn't let him hurt you, Bienca, and I *meant* my oath. I would have- ::he shudders uncontrollably:: I had to make you hate me. <Bienca> ::her voice even fainter:: I didn't hate you. I... was planning to go home. I already knew that I had to leave, let you go. But Iye Oyeha, this is no time for that. I would not be so cruel, to use your pain against you in this moment. <Dawn> ::in a half-choked whisper:: Can you forgive me? <Bienca> ::lightly touches his hair:: Between us, there is nothing to forgive. <Dawn> ::almost angrily:: Yes. There is. ::he looks up at her, his eyes red-rimmed and desperate:: Don't dismiss it. Please. <Bienca> ::her eyes widen slightly:: Forgive you? For acting to save my life, and my child yet unborn? Regardless of what it might have cost you? Oh, no, Dawn Firehand, I'm afraid I can't forgive that. <Dawn> Ha. ::his tone is quiet but hard, bittersweet. He lifts a hand to touch her face, and stops a fingerlength short:: Bienca... I can't... ::he draws a breath:: I have pretended blindness, this last year and more. For *his* sake. But I know... what you want of me. <Dawn> I haven't allowed myself to love- anyone else. Not for nearly twenty years. I *want* to love you. I care for you... more than was wise, while he lived. But it- it hurts so much, that he is gone... ::his eyes fill with tears, and his voice barely a whisper:: Can you... can you give me a little time? <Bienca> ::suddenly crying hard:: I was going to leave... It wasn't so wrong, to take a little of you with me... but I am not... I cannot take his place for you. <Dawn> ::taken aback:: Take his- ::almost angry:: *No* one can take his place! Dammit, that's not what I want! I want- I wanted him to- ::he closes his eyes:: I wanted him to allow me to love you. It would never have broken my love for him. It still can't. <Bienca> ::wiping her face with the heel of her hand:: He was not one for halfway measures. For him, it was all, or it was nothing. I thought, for a while, I could live on the edges of it. But it was more than I could... it was never my intention to hurt you. Or come between you. <Dawn> ::hesitates, then takes her hand:: You never did. Until you, I never thought I could... see him with another, either. ::he looks into her eyes:: I don't want to replace him, Bienca. I just want to mourn him. <Bienca> ::sniffles:: I know. Regardless, he was my lover and my friend, too. I will miss him and mourn him. <Bienca> ::looking at him:: But Dawn, don't... feel like you have to do anything, or make any decisions... I would not take advantage of your grief. There will time enough for whatever us there is... later. <Dawn> ::nods, looking suddenly tired:: I know. I only... wanted you to... ::he laughs shortly:: I don't know. Shock. Leftover poison, too... I need to rest. ::he hesitates, his hand tightening on her braid, and forces himself to look at her:: Will you stay with me? <Bienca> ::nods:: For as long as you wish. * Dawn wraps his arms around her, heedless of the mess of blood and ashes he's getting on her, and holds her so tightly she can barely breathe. After a moment, his face pressed into her neck, he begins to weep. * Bienca soothes him as best she can, murmuring nothingness and paying no mind to her own tears, that mingle with his. |
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