To Melt A Heart 2/?
Title- To Melt A Heart
Pairing- Dg/Cain
Summary- Dg’s journey after the eclipse
Warnings- Um, don’t believe I have any
Disclaimer- TinMan doesn’t belong to me!!!
Thanks to brunette89 my wonderfully amazing beta who I could never accurately tell how much I appreciate her. I love you sis <3
Dg couldn’t remember a single moment in her entire existence that she had ever been so rabidly furious. The reason: Cain.
He had gone over her damned head.
She had argued nicely with her parents as first. When that had failed she had pleaded with her mother, screamed, if she remembered correctly, threatened, burst into tears, and tried everything else imaginable.
She had failed.
They remained unmoved because of the sweet-talking Cain men. Who knew Cain was so eloquent with words?
When she had finally stomped out, her flushed face giving away the livid wrath burning inside of her, she had caught sight of Cain’s satisfied chestier cat grin.
When she got a chance she would smack that grin off his face.
“I never lose.” She mimicked. “Who the hell says that?” In her heated departure, she hadn’t realized that Jeb had followed her.
Of course when she discovered him, it made perfect sense. One, he was her stupid new guard dog, and secondly, the elder Cain didn’t want to be hit with her anger. She’d kill him… oh yes, she would. The man would die a slow, painful, death! And she’d enjoy it.
Every last second.
“Princess Dg, we shouldn’t be heading out this far, it’s dangerous.”
Dg whipped around so fast, she nearly got whiplash. With an accusing finger, she jabbed at his chest.
“Why? Because you’re afraid I’ll get all icy and vacant? I don’t really care, you bastard! If you want to be my guard dog then hell and damnation, you’ll deal with the consequences. So shut the hell up, and leave me alone!”
Jeb tried to bite back the grin that threatened to rise to his lips.
“Yes ma’am.”
Dg’s eyes shot fire and if possible, would’ve scorched a hole through him.
“It’s Dg. Not Princess, ma’am, or anything else. It’s just Dg.”
“Okay.” Jeb smiled angelically. “Just Dg, can we please head back.”
Dg’s mouth opened and shut very decidedly. “Hell.” She muttered under her breath.
Jeb chuckled lightly. “I’m sorry Dg, I won’t tease you anymore.”
Dg eyed him angrily. “ I don’t care what you do, just don’t get in my way.”
Jeb instantly turned sober. “We can be friends Dg, or we can be enemies. If your actions put you in danger I will get in your way, and your wrath won’t deter me. Not even your rank will deter me, for that matter, because I know without a doubt the Queen and Prince Consort will side with me.”
Dg took a moment to compose herself before sighing heavily. “You Cain men are impossible.”
Jeb grinned again. “You aren’t the first lady to accuse us of such, and probably not the last. So, you ready to head out?”
“As a matter of fact-” Dg grinned at him her eyes glinting with amusement. “No.”
It was Jeb’s turn to sigh. “Now who is being stubborn?”
“What goes around comes around.” Sticking her tongue out at him, she quickened her pace along the path that she had previously been traveling.
“My dads gonna kill me.” She heard Jeb mutter to himself as he followed her faithfully.
“Jeb, are you going to be as much as a pain in the ass as your father is?” Dg demanded to know.
Jeb arched a brow, just like his father, and grinned. “I dunno, guess I’ll wing it when the moment of decision comes.”
DG pursed her lips with a speculative grin. “Yes indeed, we shall see.” All of the sudden Dg screeched to a stop and became deadly still.
Jeb having seen her in her previous ‘trance’ knew exactly what was going on. Stepping in front of her protectively he took her hands. Dg didn’t respond. Her eyes bore into him, blank pits that held lifelessness, and yet at the same time WAY too much life.
"Dg, what do you need me to do?" Jeb sought the information with calculated swiftness. He needed to know how to help her before trouble came bounding their way, especially since they were way past the boundary. They were in uncharted territory. They were way too far away from the tower; a sympathizer of the late sorceress or a stray longcoat could appear at any moment.
With mechanical movements, Dg lifted her right hand and with her finger traced something invisible in the air.
"They’re coming." She whispered her face tightening with worry. Jeb’s eyes swept around.
"Who’s coming Dg?"
Dg snapped back to reality when a dose of adrenaline shot through her body. Her eyes widened in horror.
"I’m sorry." She panicked, wheezing. Jeb’s face leached of color.
"For what, Dg?"
Reaching an arm out, she grabbed his shirt collar and yanked him down to the ground with more strength than she knew she had. Her action wasn’t a minute too soon.
The bullet that she had felt coming slammed into her. With an oath, Jeb knocked her feet out from under and shielded her with his body.
"Dg? DG!"
Dg’s eyes flickered a few times as she struggled to remain conscious.
"I couldn’t live-" Dg’s body bucked in involuntarily fear when she heard, and strangely felt, more bullets fly their way. "If I can stop something Jeb, I will." She explained in his ear. "Or being whatever I am is completely worthless."
With a groan, she shifted under his weight to ease the pain in her shoulder.
"We have to last three more minutes, that’s all Jeb, three more damn minutes."
Jeb raised his arms to shield her face. "You have to hold on Dg, I think the bullet passed right through you and missed your heart."
Dg fell still as she once again felt the danger before she saw it. With a muted curse Dg threw her body upwards and flipped Jeb before he could stop her. Cursing he kept her rolling so when they stopped her earlier intention didn’t work out and he still landed on top.
"Stop doing that, damn it!" He ordered. "I’m your guard, not the other way around!"
"One minute."
"We can do this Dg, just hold on." Dirt sprayed up and hit them as a bullet lodged in the ground, too close for comfort. Jeb rolled them a couple to times to the left. "Hold on."
"Cain’s here." She mouthed with relief.
"Jeb! Dg!"
Dg’s body melted as she sank impossibly farther into the ground.
"I’ll tell him it wasn’t your fault, that I gave you no choice."
Jeb looked down at her, worry creasing his brow. "Don’t worry about me, I can take care of myself."
Cain pushed his way into Dg’s obscured view. Jeb moved and allowed him access.
"Dg? Dg can you hear me?"
"Stop yelling at me, I can hear you just fine." Dg complained faintly. Cain grimaced.
"What the hell have you gotten yourself into this time, kiddo?"
The world seemed to be pulsing around her; it was like she could see, hear, and feel everything on a whole new level.
"Before you go on a raging rant, know that it was my fault. Jeb didn’t fail in anyway."
Cain grimaced again. "It was his job-"
Dg’s hand rose gently to rest against his mouth. "I knew what was coming, he didn’t. I took advantage of that information and used it without his knowledge. A bullet in the shoulder is less fatal than a bullet in the heart."
Cain cringed when he realized he had almost lost his son. With a hard scowl at her he bit back his anger. "We’ll take about this later, because it certainly isn’t happening again. Right now let’s get you back and taken care of. "
*~*~*
Cain paced in front of Dg’s door. Azkadellia came out and shut the door quietly behind her.
"Mr. Cain, we need to talk."
Cain whipped around. "This isn’t going to work when she knows things that she won’t tell me!"
"Please Mr. Cain, let’s go talk somewhere private." Azkadellia motioned for him to follow her. "I was unaware at first how far her abilities had progressed. Needless to say, she is far more advanced than we had all previously realized. Mother is feeling unwell, so it falls to me to help her through this. To do this I will need to fill you in on what little I know."
Cain cast her a sharp glance. "So fill me in."
"To put it basically… she is an advanced Raw. Not that it is that simple, by any means. I thought at first that she could only see things in picture from, but it seems I was mistaken. Now she is feeling AND seeing. It has progressed so far that even when she is out, she feels the world much like Raw. However, unlike Raw, she also sees what she is feeling. Her senses are tuned so that they are hyperaware of anything and everything around her. It comes with being a seer. She will not only see the world around her, she will feel it. I’m sure you’ve realized by now that she will always have the advantage over you, now you need to gain her trust so she will share."
Cain took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair. "I don’t believe trust is the problem."
"It is precisely the problem. She doesn’t want to have your death on her shoulders. You need to gain her trust... to listen to her when she says duck. She’s not going to share if she thinks you won’t listen."
Cain’s shoulders slumped. "I can’t protect her if she constantly tries to protect me."
Azkadellia placed a hand on his shoulder lightly. "I know as a Tin Man you are observant, but Mr. Cain if you want to keep her alive you’re going to have to learn to be more than just observant."
Cain’s eyes filled with gritty determination. "So it seems."
*~*~*
Dg woke up groggy and sore. Moving her shoulder slightly, she winced in pain. Maybe trying to move it wasn’t a good idea. She tried to move her head to look around. Cain was sitting next to her bed and watching her intensely.
"Hi."
Cain didn’t smile. "How are you feeling?"
"Like hell." She confessed. With another look around she reluctantly turned back to him. "It’s like I’ve been living in black and white, and then all of the sudden everything goes Technicolor. I see so much more than I should, it almost makes me feel like a damn machine."
Cain shifted closer. "Kiddo, we need to talk about what happened."
Dg’s eyes wavered from his. "No we don’t."
"Dg, Jeb was there to protect you, not the other way around." Dg still didn’t meet his eyes, something that was becoming a regular occurrence.
"If I hadn’t have done it, Jeb would be dead."
"We don’t know that, Dg!" Cain exclaimed, his anger apparent.
Tears filled her baby blue eyes. "But Cain, I do know that." With a grief-stricken gaze, she stared at him. "I do know it… with utmost certainty."
Cain’s eyes slid shut. How could he tell her that she couldn’t do it anymore, when all that was going through his brain was relief that his son wasn’t dead? He could deal with his own death, but not Jeb’s.
"Mr. Cain, why don’t we skip past the talk of how I need to trust you and Jeb, and how I should never take such stupid actions again. We both know that I chose the only action that was available. I know I chose right, and you know I chose right. So let’s bypass this crap."
Cain wiped at his eyes; they felt like they were on fire. He was in too deep, and he knew it. "I just don’t know anymore."
A short burst of mirthless laughter escaped from Dg. "Either do I."
Cain leaned forward and intertwined their fingers. “We’re get through this, I promise.”
Dg gave him a tender smile. “I know.”
*~*~*
The garden outside the tower was dead. It was a black and charred mess. She had wanted somewhere to escape, but this mess wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. With sadness, she reached forward to touch what she assumed was once a beautiful rose. As soon as her fingers grazed the burned off stick it came to life, just like one of the trees in the papay field had. With laughter Dg ran around the garden touching everything she could lay her hands on. Once every bloom had been brought back to life she turned to grin at Cain.
“Now it’s a garden!”
Cain gazed around slack jawed. “Princess do you realize-” Cain cut off his words when he realized she wasn’t paying any attention to him. Dg had just brought back to life something seconds ago had been irrevocably dead.
Dg picked herself a white rose that was positively gleaming in the sunlight. With a contented sigh she fingered the rose lovingly.
“It’s so exquisitely lovely.” She voiced.
“Dg, do you know what this means?”
Dg finally looked up at him. “What?”
“With a touch… you can bring back the Oz to its former glory.”
Dg just looked at him. “I don’t get it.”
Cain gave her a patient look. “Under the Sorceress’ reign, the Oz has withered and died away, but you can bring it back.”
Dg smiled thinly, not voicing her concerns. She hadn’t realized it at first, but bringing back the garden had seriously zapped her strength. How much of her would it take to bring the entire Oz back? She couldn’t tell him that, though. It would erase his enthusiasm, and he wouldn’t let her do what was necessary.
“Yes, so it seems.”
*~*~*
“Mother, Mr. Cain and his son will be with me at all times. I do not understand why this is such an issue. If there is something that can be done for the Oz it must be done. You of all people should know this. I will be perfectly safe.”
The queen smiled wearily. “Do not attempt to lie to me Dg. You are unstable, and I know that bringing things back to life also takes massive amounts of strength. I know that each thing you bring back feels like that a little life is being taken. You cannot bring back the entire Outer Zone.”
“I have to… I have to be strong enough. And I am. You cannot keep me from doing this, Mother.”
“You have steel in you Dg, but I worry that this will take too much from you.”
“If that is your only concern, then I will start packing.”
Queen Lavender stared sadly at her youngest.
“You may prepare to leave while I talk to Mr. Cain.”
Dg leaned forward and hesitantly placed a kiss on her mothers withered cheek. The Queen had aged years since she had been freed, and Dg feared she didn’t have much time left. That’s when the reality hit her. Turning back around she grazed her fingertips over her mother’s face. The queen had given her life; it was her turn to repay the favor.
“Dg, don’t!” Lavender cried as she tried to move away, but Dg didn’t listen. She didn’t remove her hand until the Queen looked like what she had before Dg had left the Oz.
Feeling dizzy, Dg stumbled back, right into Jeb’s arms.
“I’ll take her upstairs, and send for my father.”
The Queen’s eyes remained closed as she took deep breaths. “That will be fine.”
With Jeb’s aid, Dg walked unsteadily back to her room. At the same time, Cain walked into the room where the Queen waited.
“You called, your majesty?”
“If I were only a mother Mr. Cain, then I would refuse to let Dg do this to herself.” The Queen opened her eyes, and Cain was reminded how beautiful the Queen had used to be. “But I am not only a mother. Dg is going to wear herself out; what she is about to do will make her feel older than I can express to her. When she makes things new, she draws out the death. When she made me as I was she took my nightmares, and my fear. They go into her, but she won’t tell you that. Please take care of her.”
Fear churned in his gut at what Dg was taking upon herself to do.
“She’ll be safe.”
“That is not what I’m worried about. I’m more worried for her mind than her body.”
Cain gave her a nod. “I’ll take care of her.”
“Please see that you do.”
*~*~*
“Here you go Dg, take my riding clothes. You will stand out less.” Azkadellia shoved some more clothes in the leather bag that Cain had found for her to pack her belongings.
“You’re a savior, Az.” Dg pulled on a pair of pants that were almost identical to jeans on the other side, but they were made of a soft leather material that seemed to shrink to fit her figure perfectly. She also pulled on a long sleeved blouse and a jacket. “I will be fine Az.” Dg spoke softly not looking up as she pulled on a pair of boots Az had supplied.
“I worry about you doing this, it’s dangerous.”
“I will be fine with the Cain men.”
Az pierced her with her eyes. “Not if you leave them in the dark, not if you continue to step in front of the bullets.”
Dg didn’t refute the fact she might indeed step in front of more bullets. “I will be fine, there is no need to worry about me.” Dg added several sketchbooks, pencils, and even some paint into her bag. “I’ll be just fine.”
Azkadellia pulled her into a tight hug. “Take care sister; I do not wish to lose you again.”
Dg hugged her back. Before Dg pulled away, she put her hands on either side of her sister’s head. Concentrating intensely, she worked on pulling out the nightmares, the fear, depression, and guilt from her sister’s mind. She didn’t take the memories; she only took the pain from those memories.
“Dg, you must stop!” Azkadellia cried when she saw that blood was leaking from Dg’s nose, and her sister was growing noticeably paler. “Dg! Stop!”
Dg wasn’t going to pull away until she was sure Azkadellia would suffer nothing while she was away. Az shouldn’t have to pay for her mistake.
“Dear Gods Dg, STOP!”
Hearing Azkadellia’s shouting, Cain ran in and saw what was happening. Lunging forward, Cain yanked Dg away from her sister. Dg didn’t fight because she knew her purpose had been completed. Refusing to faint, Dg sank into his arms. Her strength had been depleted, but at least she was now the one who carried the burden for Az.
“Dg, you can’t do that.” Her sister wailed as she cradled Dg’s face and carefully wiped away the blood.
Cain helped Dg to a chair. “I’ve already done it Az, and I don’t regret it.”
Forgetting momentarily that Azkadellia was present, Cain tucked Dg’s bangs tenderly behind her ears. “Tired.” She replied her voice mostly air. “But I am ready to go.”
“Kiddo, we can wait until tomorrow.”
Dg felt drained, but her brain was crystal clear. “Time will not help. Let’s say our good-byes and leave.”
Cain nodded reluctantly. “I’ve added extra men to your detail since the Queen has sent a royal decree telling the people of your intentions. Unfortunately this also means people who wish you dead know you are coming. Your journey has just become more dangerous then ever.”
Dg nodded her head, fatigued. “I know the dangers, Cain. I need to say goodbye to my parents, and then we may go.” With Cain’s help Dg stood, and took Az into her arms. “Goodbye sister.”
“You shouldn’t have done that Dg. The nightmares-”
Dg looked up into her sister’s warm eyes. “ It doesn’t matter.”
Tears filled Azkadellia’s eyes. “You do not deserve them anymore than I.” She moaned softly.
With an unsteady hand on Cain’s arm, she gave her sister a sorrowful smile. “That is where we differ in opinion. Goodbye dear sister, please take care of yourself.”
“Come back Dg, please promise to come back.”
“I promise Az, I will return.”
*~*~*
Dg wasn’t sure how she managed to stay upright in her saddle. At any moment she felt like she was going to pass out. With a white knuckled grasp, she held onto her horse’s reigns. They couldn’t stop; it would waste time. They were stopping at every place the witch had destroyed, the list Jeb and the resistance had put together was, to say the least, extensive.
Before she knew what was happening, she saw what she perceived as the ground rushing up to meet her. Throwing her hands out she tried to brace for the fall, but all she did was slump over onto the horse.
“Whoa there! Dg, are you okay?”
Dg grunted in response as Cain pulled her onto the horse so she sat in front of him. “Maybe you had better ride with me, get some sleep.”
Dg was to tired to protest. “I’m sorry.”
Cain gave her a crooked smile. “Don’t be. Go to sleep kiddo.”
Dg not only felt tired, she felt weak. Whenever she tried to move, her body felt like a ton of bricks. Going limp, Dg leaned her head back against Cain’s chest, and shifted her body in such a way that her shoulders were mostly under Cain’s duster. With his added warmth, she slipped into sleep.
Cain’s lips lifted into a half smile. She was one feisty woman.
Dg woke a little while later feeling groggy and disoriented. “Cain?”
Something rustled behind her. “You didn’t sleep very long Princess.” Cain commented with a sigh.
“Sorry. It’s hard to sleep. I see-” Dg chanced a brief look at him and decided the less he knew the better. She settled for saying the minimum amount. “To much. It’s hard to stay asleep.”
“You need your rest kiddo.” He argued softly.
Dg didn’t know how to explain it to him. “I don’t get rest when I sleep Cain… well, my mind doesn’t. I don’t want to sleep, so please don’t make me.”
Cain’s teeth ground together. He was unsure of what to do, but if she didn’t wish to sleep then he certainly wasn’t going to make her. “Fine. We are going to stop soon for the night.”
“Okay.”
Their group was comprised of eight members; Cain, Jeb and her, and five of the strongest resistance fighters she’d ever met. Dg was only familiar with two of them, but she knew all their names. Cole, Sheppard, Will, Cade, and Kate. Kate was by far her favorite. The only other woman she knew besides her mother and sister.
Kate Emily White and Dg had become instant friends. Dg could only imagine what the young woman had been through; her eyes were wells of sorrow. However, she always seemed to push through it all. Dg smiled just thinking about her.
“Let’s stop here for the night.” Cain announced.
Cain helped her off the horse and handed her over to Jeb. “Keep an eye on her.” Cain warned quietly. Jeb nodded.
*~*~*
“I don’t want to fall asleep, Kate.” Dg admitted.
“Honey, you can’t stay awake forever.”
Dg smiled tragically. “I can try.”
“It will only hurt you. Lie back and let’s see if we can get your entire body to shut down.”
Dg complied without hesitation, letting her head lay in Kate’s lap. Kate started to run her fingertip over Dg’s eyebrow.
“My father used to tell me stories to get me to sleep. He had a magical voice… With just the tambour of his voice, he could help you fall asleep, show his anger, or portray happiness. It was a voice like no other.”
Dg smiled. “I would say you inherited that special quality.”
Kate chuckled. “Thank you… that’s the nicest thing anybody’s ever said to me.”
“I feel so tired, but yet I have this urge to fight it.”
Kate continued the soothing motion with her finger. “I wish there was something that I could do to help.”
Dg granted her another smile. “You have become my friend, what more could a person give me?”
“Sweet dreams, Dg.”
Dg was already mostly asleep.
*~*~*
Dg sat up screaming.
Cain was instantly beside her, as was Kate. Cain shook Dg’s shoulders roughly.
“Dg! DG!” He bellowed, trying to wake her.
Dg woke with a start and a strangled sob. Clutching Cain, Dg smothered her sobs against his chest.
“Make it go away.”
Cain felt a tear slip down his cheek. “I can’t Dg. I’m so sorry… I don’t know how...”
Dg shook uncontrollably. “I see everything. Every pain that I tried to take away from her just went into me. I can’t stop it…I can’t stop feeling.”
**Author’s Notes- Thank you my lovelies for reading, and please comment, it makes the bunnies happy**