[active/open]

[3minutefisting]

Who: Knuckle, Open
Where: Where ever! He's wandering a bit
When: Night 004
What: Knuckle wakes up no longer dead.... AGAIN!
Warnings: Grotesque amounts of pure uncensored derpfluff.

Comments

Hallway outside her room

[was_a_hunter]

Mary had spent days just reading the margins in the bible, learning more about Knuckle than she ever thought she would...that poor man. He was so similar to her, his tragic past, his self loathing for things that happened in the past... Running a hand over her face, she paused as she heard someone in the hallway.

Standing from her bed, she left the bible open as she went to see who it was. Easing her door open, she froze as she saw Knuckle...he was back. It didn't take more than a second for it to truly click; once it did, she threw open her door and she ran forward to throw her arms around his neck. The dust didn't matter, she'd wash. What mattered was that he was back at last and she could see him again.

She had been so worried when he wasn't there when she returned. She knew he'd likely died, but it wasn't something she was ready to believe.

"I'm so sorry..."

[was_a_hunter]

She knew he would object, but...to hear how worried they'd be, it touched her more than she had anticipated. Times like this, she remembered why she thought of both him and Giotto as family. "It will be a while yet, I'm not willing to let Dean go without us having at least an idea of how to fight them." And if she were completely honest with herself, she was scared. She would be leading those closest to her into a place that she wouldn't even send an enemy

[3minutefisting]

"Then you can can give us instruction as well. You never know, perhaps they will be more susceptible to our powers. Well, perhaps not mine, but Giotto's surly. Maybe by that point, we may find more of our comrades to aide you. We're an odd group, surely, but I can promise we're quite effective."

So, there's not getting out of this Mary, and Giotto will surly say the same. It was better to unite and fight the common enemy than to strike out on one's own and perish. Not to mention... he didn't think he could possibly bare seeing Mary in that state again, or her son. He's snapped from his thoughts by her next statement though.

"He's not the same? I pray it's for the better?"

[was_a_hunter]

Smirking to herself, she nodded slightly. "I'll talk with Dean. I'm sure we can give you a basic rundown of what to expect and what to do." Like if someone was down and there was no saving them, you make sure to get the others the hell out of there. Of course, it didn't apply to her; if someone was down, she was doing everything in her power to save them.

She wasn't sure exactly what had happened herself. What she did know though, was that he didn't remember anything from before, that was clear enough when he seemed ready to attack her himself. Frowning, she shook her head as she tried to find the words.

"I'm...not sure. He's apparently older than he was before, and not a demon. But he's different. A part of me is glad that he's human again, but I can't help but feel that I failed him in some way. If I'd been here, I may have been able to stop whatever happened...or at least say goodbye."

[3minutefisting]

He nodded of course neither Giotto nor himself would follow that rule either.

Well, it was good to know he was no longer a demon at the very least. That had been something that had weighed heavily on the priest. He wanted to help as a man of God, but he just couldn't be sure that Dean would make it through safely. And he could never bring himself to do any harm on Mary or her family.

"Different? I would... hope that is a good sign. He was so troubled before, it was tragic to watch." He smiles a bit at Mary and gently rubs her back in comfort, "Mary, it was out of our control. You have failed no one. Your son is here now and whole you may need to work at it again, I'm sure you being here will help him greatly."

[was_a_hunter]

She knew he was right. Dean had been in pain and suffering, so scared that he'd hurt someone without meaning to. "I just...I've failed both of my children and I know I can never make up for it. They had to grow up without me and I ruined my youngest's life. What's worse...If I had a chance to change it, I don't think that I would." What kind of mother thought that way?

She was so scared of being alone, of having no one in her life, that she would make the same mistakes over and over again. For God's sake, her children died and one went to hell...it wasn't fair. It should have been her.

"I'll do what I can to make his transition here easier, but I just want to find a way to get him home and back to his brother." Even if it meant she had to stay. She'd do one thing right for him.

[3minutefisting]

Knuckle could just feel his heart go out to this woman. She was so selfless, and yet so afraid of being selfish. He set his bible aside on the bed and pulled Mary into a great big hug. She was such an amazing person, how could she not see it?

"I think that your boys are blessed to have such a caring, strong, and selfless woman as their mother, even if you were only in their lives briefly. I know you touched your son deeply, and he cares for you, even though I only met him briefly." He felt he knew this from another perspective. He always vividly remembered Jonathan's daughter through the whole mess after the boxing incident. She was young, but still knew so very well what was going on. He imagined Dean was the same way. "Mary, whatever force pulled you from your boys was not your fault. Please believe that. Death comes at unexpected times."

And that was something no one knew better than him.

[was_a_hunter]

"I should have known though. I knew he was coming, I damn near sent him an invitation." As far as she knew, she saved her family. Dean hadn't had the heart to tell her that she couldn't have done anything and was essentially burned alive while her family watched. Tightening her arms around him, she honestly didn't think she could tell anyone else.

She was quiet for a long moment, just basking in the warmth of the welcome embrace. "He told me when he'd come...If he came for anyone though, I thought it would be me. Not an innocent baby." Sam hadn't even stood a chance. She should have known though...how many times had he been in her baby's room? How many times was she asleep while that demon did what he did?

When she was offered the deal, she should have just killed herself then and not given any of this a chance to happen.

[3minutefisting]

Knuckle listened and gently rubbed her back. He didn't exactly understand what she was talking about, but he felt he knew all he needed.

"It was beyond your control. You are not the one to blame. The one that brought harm you and your child is. Think of all the good you've done both while you were alive as well as here. I know I have benefited much from your kindness."

He held a lot of faith in her, she was strong, stubborn, tenacious. He honestly wished she wouldn't hold so many regrets like this, but who was he to to speak of regret?

[was_a_hunter]

Pulling back after a moment, she wiped a hand over her face. She really had to stop using Knuckle as a crutch, he had enough problems without worrying about her too.

Standing from the bed, she walked over to her dresser, not looking back at Knuckle. "No, it was in my control. I made a deal with a demon when I should have known better...but that's all passed now." Now, she just had to try to make things right. She would get Dean home if it was the last thing she did, he needed to get back and she'd do everything in her power to make it happen.

"...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have burdened you like this."

Re:

[3minutefisting]

Well at least she had admitted it was past now, that was the first step in moving forward at least. At her apology he lets out a little chuckle and shakes his head. Really, this was only part of his job for the past century. Of course this was a bit more than just listening to confessions in his church, this was for a friend. It was rather reminiscent of the days he was alive with the Vongola. It was a warm, mostalgic feeling, and a good one. He always felt he was of good use when people confided in him.

He pushes himself up off the bed and walks up next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder again.

"Nonsense Mary, I'm a priest. It's been my job to take the burdens of others and support them for a long time now. I have no problem with it."

[was_a_hunter]

It took some time for her to realize it, but after beating herself up, she'd managed to realize she couldn't change anything. The only thing she could do is try to make amends for her mistakes. The things she beat herself up over though, that was stuff she'd never be able to make up to people. The pain she inflicted on her family, everything she'd done when her parents were alive, just everything that there was no way to make amends for.

Gripping the chair tightly, she clenched her eyes shut as she fought to keep from just blurting everything out. She didn't know Giotto well enough to really talk to him and Dean had enough problems of his own, but she refused to burden Knuckle with her issues. "You wouldn't say that if you knew everything."

She wasn't as good of a person as he thought. She wasn't the apple pie mom that most people saw, there was a killer below the surface...something that she hoped never got around the house.

[3minutefisting]

"I've taken the burden off the shoulders of many. I have heard many things, and I have seen many more." It was certainly an experience being the resident priest in a Mafia family certainly gave him a wide range of confessions. Not to mention that his was a small church in a poor town. He had heard a lot, and after the events with Spade and his stay in the ring, he had seen much more. Should Mary wish it and feel ready, he would gladly shoulder her burdens as well.

"I will gladly take yours as well, should you feel as though you are ready. I will not force you."

[was_a_hunter]

Looking back at Knuckle, unshed tears shone in her eyes as she pondered his words. It would be nice to talk to someone...she couldn't exactly talk with the priests back home; but Knuckle was no normal priest.

"I'll take some of your burdens as well...if you ever feel the need to talk." He was her friend, it was the least she could do after everything he'd done and was willing to do for her. "...Do you know why I was so horrified to find out that my boys were hunters?" Okay wait. Clarification may be needed here. "...Monster hunters."

[3minutefisting]

Knuckle shook his head 'no'. He was aware they were hunters, just not monster hunters. He wasn't sure what the job entailed, but with talk of demons and possessions, he could not imagine it to be pleasant.

He figured that no mother would wish such a dangerous career for their child, but there may be more. Patiently he listened, standing next to her resisting the urge to dab those tears hiding away in the corners of her eyes.

[was_a_hunter]

Of course he wouldn't know. "It's one thing to stumble into the life...but another to be born into it. If you're just coming into it, you've already had a life and got to experience most things. When you're born into it though, any chance at having a normal life is gone. You're always hiding things from your friends, but that's only if you manage to have any. Relationships? It takes a special person to want to get near you that way if they're not hunters too