LWM FIC :: "For Good" [Karen/Darya, Darya/Emma, PG13]
Title: For Good
Author: A. Magiluna Stormwriter
Email: stormwriter@shatterstorm.net
Rating: PG13
Pairings: Karen/Darya, mention of Darya/Emma
Category: "missing scene"
Date: 26 February 2008
Word Count: 1000
Series: Light, Water, Muses
Summary: You'll be with me, like a handprint on my heart.
Website: ShatterStorm Productions - Light, Water, Muses
Archive: ShatterStorm Productions only...all others ask for permission & we'll see...
Author's Disclaimer: These characters belong to ShatterStorm Productions and are the creations of A. Magiluna Stormwriter and Shatterpath. They also belong in the Light, Water, Muses universe, tho' this is a standalone within the whole of that universe.
Author's Notes: This story was originally written for the sixth week challenge over at lastficstanding, which was to pick a line or two of lyrics from a favorite song and build the story around it.
I've been wanting to deal with this particular situation for longer than I can remember, honestly. I just never figured out how. Until this challenge. There's also the very real joke that Emma is really Xena's Aphrodite that Shatterpath and I had come up with, primarily because we used Alex Tydings as the physical template for Emma. The 'Dite thing will never come to pass, of course, but it still makes me giggle...
Dedication: To my muses. I'd be nowhere without them.
Beta: shatterpath
"For Good"
by A. Magiluna Stormwriter
I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
... ... ...
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
-- "For Good", Wicked OBCR
(06-17-03)
"Kryn, why is Mommy so sad?"
Even from this distance, Emily's voice carries over the waves crashing against the shore, toward me. I can't make out Karen's response, but it must satisfy my daughter and her soul-twin, as no further questions float my way. A few deep, steady breaths, accompanied by Karen's unconditional love and support, still the majority of the monkeys flying about in the pit of my stomach.
"Hi, Em," I start out softly, picturing her standing in front of me. She looks exactly like she did the last time we'd made our way onto this beach as a family. Emily'd only been eight months old, but she'd squealed with delight at the cold water splashing against her chubby little legs. "I'm sorry I haven't come back more often. I just... I couldn't do it, I was afraid to do it alone. No, I suppose I was afraid to let you go. Stupid, isn't it? Is it wrong of me to blame Emily for that, for naming her imaginary friend Mimi after you?"
The lump in my throat nearly chokes me at the memories of Emily's many stories of her Mimi. Those memories are soon overrun with the more recent memories of the other Sentinels telling me things about Em that no one else would ever know, like she's still actually around. I very nearly burned several bridges, most newly built, over that particular patch of troubled water. The hurt, knowing look in Dace's eyes as she backed down from the issue is one I'll particularly never forget; she'd been so damned convinced she was right.
"I can't do this," I whisper, eyes closing against the harshly glittering sunlight on water.
"Sure you can, pidge." I haven't heard that voice in five years. "You're so much stronger than you think you are."
"You can't be here, this can't be happening."
The sensation of a hand on my cheek startles me; instead of rebelling against it as I should, my traitorous body leans into the touch. I can even feel that damned rough edge on her wedding band, the calluses borne of years of wielding pens, brushes, and guitar strings.
"It's okay to be upset, pidge." She sounds so damned real. If I open my eyes, will she really be standing there? "But you can't push away the possibilities. You were the woman who said you'd never let your heart get in the way after the hell with Jan. I kicked that stupid notion right out of your head, didn't I? Talked you into admitting you wanted a baby, too, if my memory hasn't turned to baby swiss."
"Yes, you did," I murmur, lips brushing against the pad of her thumb.
"You don't regret it either, do you?" When I shake my head, she continues. "She's a good kid, pidge. I'm glad she kept those pretty robin's egg eyes. You're doing a damned good job raising her, you know that? And that Karen of yours? One of a kind. I couldn't have picked a more perfect woman to walk into your life and fill the void after I had to leave."
"Please don't."
Her grip tightens on my chin. "You can't hide from this, Darya. I'm still here, still watching you and Emily. This is no purgatory for me, pidge; I'm here because she needs me. She's not ready to let go, and neither are you, and that's not a bad thing. You've gotten past the crippling pain and loneliness. Karen and those beautiful twins of yours are proof of that."
"You're not upset?" I know better the minute the words leave my mouth.
"Hell no! Nothing is permanent in life, Darya. The fact that you opened your heart to that tall redhead over there and had kids with her is testament to that. Remember what your Yaya Adelphi taught you?"
"We're here long enough to fulfill our purpose in life, learn our lessons, before we move on to the next life."
"And we don't forget those people that touched us, do we?"
I shake my head, fighting renewed tears. "I could never forget you, Emma."
"I know, pidge. And you'll never be alone. You've got me here" -- her fingertips brush my temple before resting lightly on my chest -- "and here. For always, and I don't have a problem sharing the space with Karen and the kids, even the one I know you're considering still."
My eyes snap open. I haven't even talked to Karen about that yet. "How?"
She just flashes me that enigmatic smirk of hers. "Go for it. The baby would be beautiful, just like the others, and just as loved." A harbor seal barking out in the surf makes her turn away then for a moment and when she turns back to face me, I can see the conflict. "I gotta go, pidge. I just got challenged to a body surfing contest by a bull that's been on my ass for years now."
Why am I suddenly so reluctant to let her go? I've been fighting her spectral existence for the last five years, and now I don't want her to leave. "Okay..."
"Remember, pidge, you're not alone. I'm always around to keep an eye on all of you. Just relax and don't fight it, and you'll know when I'm nearby." I nod slowly as she rests her hand on my chest again. "Always here, pidge, never forget that." And she leans in to press a gentle kiss to my lips before turning to race into the waves, fading as she goes.
"Mommy?" I turn to see Emily standing nearby, oddly without Fawn. "Are you crying cuz you saw Mimi?"
"Sort of." Kneeling down to wrap my arms around her, I hold my daughter close. "I'm sorry I never believed your stories about Mimi, baby."
"It's okay. Mimi said you'd understand when you were ready."
"Did she?"
"Yes," she replies, studying me. "You won't forget again, will you?"
"No, baby, I promise."
Author: A. Magiluna Stormwriter
Email: stormwriter@shatterstorm.net
Rating: PG13
Pairings: Karen/Darya, mention of Darya/Emma
Category: "missing scene"
Date: 26 February 2008
Word Count: 1000
Series: Light, Water, Muses
Summary: You'll be with me, like a handprint on my heart.
Website: ShatterStorm Productions - Light, Water, Muses
Archive: ShatterStorm Productions only...all others ask for permission & we'll see...
Author's Disclaimer: These characters belong to ShatterStorm Productions and are the creations of A. Magiluna Stormwriter and Shatterpath. They also belong in the Light, Water, Muses universe, tho' this is a standalone within the whole of that universe.
Author's Notes: This story was originally written for the sixth week challenge over at lastficstanding, which was to pick a line or two of lyrics from a favorite song and build the story around it.
I've been wanting to deal with this particular situation for longer than I can remember, honestly. I just never figured out how. Until this challenge. There's also the very real joke that Emma is really Xena's Aphrodite that Shatterpath and I had come up with, primarily because we used Alex Tydings as the physical template for Emma. The 'Dite thing will never come to pass, of course, but it still makes me giggle...
Dedication: To my muses. I'd be nowhere without them.
Beta: shatterpath
"For Good"
by A. Magiluna Stormwriter
I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
... ... ...
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
-- "For Good", Wicked OBCR
(06-17-03)
"Kryn, why is Mommy so sad?"
Even from this distance, Emily's voice carries over the waves crashing against the shore, toward me. I can't make out Karen's response, but it must satisfy my daughter and her soul-twin, as no further questions float my way. A few deep, steady breaths, accompanied by Karen's unconditional love and support, still the majority of the monkeys flying about in the pit of my stomach.
"Hi, Em," I start out softly, picturing her standing in front of me. She looks exactly like she did the last time we'd made our way onto this beach as a family. Emily'd only been eight months old, but she'd squealed with delight at the cold water splashing against her chubby little legs. "I'm sorry I haven't come back more often. I just... I couldn't do it, I was afraid to do it alone. No, I suppose I was afraid to let you go. Stupid, isn't it? Is it wrong of me to blame Emily for that, for naming her imaginary friend Mimi after you?"
The lump in my throat nearly chokes me at the memories of Emily's many stories of her Mimi. Those memories are soon overrun with the more recent memories of the other Sentinels telling me things about Em that no one else would ever know, like she's still actually around. I very nearly burned several bridges, most newly built, over that particular patch of troubled water. The hurt, knowing look in Dace's eyes as she backed down from the issue is one I'll particularly never forget; she'd been so damned convinced she was right.
"I can't do this," I whisper, eyes closing against the harshly glittering sunlight on water.
"Sure you can, pidge." I haven't heard that voice in five years. "You're so much stronger than you think you are."
"You can't be here, this can't be happening."
The sensation of a hand on my cheek startles me; instead of rebelling against it as I should, my traitorous body leans into the touch. I can even feel that damned rough edge on her wedding band, the calluses borne of years of wielding pens, brushes, and guitar strings.
"It's okay to be upset, pidge." She sounds so damned real. If I open my eyes, will she really be standing there? "But you can't push away the possibilities. You were the woman who said you'd never let your heart get in the way after the hell with Jan. I kicked that stupid notion right out of your head, didn't I? Talked you into admitting you wanted a baby, too, if my memory hasn't turned to baby swiss."
"Yes, you did," I murmur, lips brushing against the pad of her thumb.
"You don't regret it either, do you?" When I shake my head, she continues. "She's a good kid, pidge. I'm glad she kept those pretty robin's egg eyes. You're doing a damned good job raising her, you know that? And that Karen of yours? One of a kind. I couldn't have picked a more perfect woman to walk into your life and fill the void after I had to leave."
"Please don't."
Her grip tightens on my chin. "You can't hide from this, Darya. I'm still here, still watching you and Emily. This is no purgatory for me, pidge; I'm here because she needs me. She's not ready to let go, and neither are you, and that's not a bad thing. You've gotten past the crippling pain and loneliness. Karen and those beautiful twins of yours are proof of that."
"You're not upset?" I know better the minute the words leave my mouth.
"Hell no! Nothing is permanent in life, Darya. The fact that you opened your heart to that tall redhead over there and had kids with her is testament to that. Remember what your Yaya Adelphi taught you?"
"We're here long enough to fulfill our purpose in life, learn our lessons, before we move on to the next life."
"And we don't forget those people that touched us, do we?"
I shake my head, fighting renewed tears. "I could never forget you, Emma."
"I know, pidge. And you'll never be alone. You've got me here" -- her fingertips brush my temple before resting lightly on my chest -- "and here. For always, and I don't have a problem sharing the space with Karen and the kids, even the one I know you're considering still."
My eyes snap open. I haven't even talked to Karen about that yet. "How?"
She just flashes me that enigmatic smirk of hers. "Go for it. The baby would be beautiful, just like the others, and just as loved." A harbor seal barking out in the surf makes her turn away then for a moment and when she turns back to face me, I can see the conflict. "I gotta go, pidge. I just got challenged to a body surfing contest by a bull that's been on my ass for years now."
Why am I suddenly so reluctant to let her go? I've been fighting her spectral existence for the last five years, and now I don't want her to leave. "Okay..."
"Remember, pidge, you're not alone. I'm always around to keep an eye on all of you. Just relax and don't fight it, and you'll know when I'm nearby." I nod slowly as she rests her hand on my chest again. "Always here, pidge, never forget that." And she leans in to press a gentle kiss to my lips before turning to race into the waves, fading as she goes.
"Mommy?" I turn to see Emily standing nearby, oddly without Fawn. "Are you crying cuz you saw Mimi?"
"Sort of." Kneeling down to wrap my arms around her, I hold my daughter close. "I'm sorry I never believed your stories about Mimi, baby."
"It's okay. Mimi said you'd understand when you were ready."
"Did she?"
"Yes," she replies, studying me. "You won't forget again, will you?"
"No, baby, I promise."