"What might that be?" Queenie asked through gritted teeth. When the shadow, 'Regret', wasn't speaking, the silence was nearly complete, broken only by the quiet sound of Bobby's sobs. It was as though when it didn't speak, it wasn't there. Merely an illusion. A complex hallucination.
For a moment, she thought she was staring at a grim reaper - they were the only kind of shadowy figures that she had ever met or knew of. Her grip on her necklace tightened. She couldn't see why a grim reaper would do something like this. Didn't they know how dangerous it was to kidnap a member of the Circle? She wouldn't retaliate, but there were plenty who were waiting for the right opportunity.
But his eyes weren't right, and his body was unnatural.
Going on a hunch she couldn't quite word, she glanced at his soul.
There was another bout of silence that followed the confusion, and the faceless, expressionless shadow simply hovered with its beady red orbs in the dark-filled room.
"So many questions, every time," the voice said, playful, but with a hint of weariness. "No one's ever content with not knowing. So as my mercy, I will help you to forget what happened."
James slowly turned his face to look at the red eyes. They lacked any sort of pupils to indicate where they were looking, but James felt like they were looking straight through him, deep to his core. He could see the shadow's billowing figure fill the floor of the room, like the water levels of a pool rising. It lacked the commanding weight of water, but the darkness seemed to cling to him, holding him to the floor like a heavy cloak.
Regret. That was something he lived with every day.
He didn't know how Jay "knew" Regret, but James suddenly felt that he understood the faceless figure like a man knew his reflection.
A tendril of black shadowy smoke reached out of the dark puddle around them and touched the center of his forehead, and he could see in the corners of his vision the same was happening to the others.
Was he really going to forget this one? He wouldn't have to live with it forever?
Tears stung his eyes as he felt a sharp, stinging warmth spread from his head to his toes.
"You might remember a vague feeling. An impression, really," Regret began to say as the sensation spread. "But there's nothing I can do about that."
James woke up on a soft bed of grass, with his blanket twisted around his legs from rolling over. His horse, Elliot, gave him a gentle whinny as a greeting. The sun had only started to break through the horizon, lighting the sky in a beautiful painting of deep orange against dark blue.
He sat up and yawned, already rolling up his blanket and brushing himself off, ready to get on the road once more. As he rubbed his eyes, he thought he could remember a dream, and there was a strange lingering uncertainty in his gut, but there was always something like that anyway. It didn't feel new, and it didn't feel special.
Smoke billowed around Jay, and he took a deep breath inward. He wasn't sure he wanted to forget this, what the point of any of it had been. Even if had all horribly wrong, he'd been with this mother. Even if it had only been for a moment, that had been worth the world.
He woke to the chirping of birds and the cool mountain air. It was a morning in that brief moment between summer and fall, when the hottest days were behind them, but it was still warm and sunny. That was one of the nice things about being here. In the mountains. Away from it all. You were always close to nature.
On the desk was the letter he'd begun writing to Sarah, with the monthly check enclosed. Even if she still hated him, at least he was providing for son. That kid had a lot to be grateful for, whether he knew it or not.
As he walked outside and was greeted by the sun and the fresh air, he saw Claire sitting outside on the rock. Her bump was starting to show. She smiled at him, and Jay wondered how long she'd been there.
She carried a basket of apples. "Breakfast isn't quite ready. I thought we'd have a moment," she said. "I picked these for us." Her accent was still so cute. She'd told Jay she'd never had a boyfriend, never so much as kissed a boy before him, and he had a hard time believing it.
Jay sat next to her and took an apple. "How do you feel?"
"Good," she said. "I was thinking about what I want to name the baby. Helen wants to make outfits so he or she and Esther can match. But we'd need fabric."
"There's time for all that," he said, squeezing her hand. As he smiled at her, it was clear that she loved him. That she'd do anything for him. That was something Jay couldn't describe. He had to hold onto that at all costs.
*
When Adam woke, the sky was pink. Mary was already sitting straight up on the bed, and looked like she wanted to exit her body.
"Adam, my water broke," she said when she could manage a breath. Adam put his shoulder on her.
"Already?" He said, feeling his heart pound. "She's two weeks early."
"I know, I know, I know," Mary said.
Adam couldn't help but manage a smile, as nervous as it was. "I'll get the kids. You stay right there."
Adam was a man on a mission, but he was excited. They'd had a difficult pregnancy, and the baby was finally here. Once he got Rachel and Ryan in the car, he promised that he'd buy them donuts as soon as he had the chance.
The delivery went smoothly, and that August 2nd, 1997, they became a family of five. Their girl was Lacey Emma Whitman. Rachel asked to hold her right away, and Adam snapped a photo. It warmed his heart to see.
All our dreams can come true — if we have the courage to pursue them. -- Walt Disney
When Kira's eyes fluttered open, she found she was staring down at the table in the meeting room - one hand tightly clenching her necklace.
"I hope you slept well," a voice softly said from behind her. She heard movement from over by the coffee table. Raising her head, she blinked away the last remnants of whatever she had dreamed. She didn't remember the dream, but a little feeling in the very depths of her chest told her to be grateful for that.
She glanced over at the table.
For a moment, she thought she saw Rex standing there - his long black hair down, and his eyes filled with that familiar warmth she knew she would never stop wishing.
She frantically rubbed her eyes.
Her vision cleared. It hadn't been Rex. It was just Ray, standing underneath the old, painted portrait Rex had always hated with a cup of steaming coffee in his hands.
Ray gave her a small but soft smile.
"I got you a coffee," he said. "It was originally for me, but I think you need it a little more."
Kira's grip on her necklace loosened. She unsteadily got to her feet, heading over to the coffee table. By the time she finally reached Ray's side, her attention had shifted down to the cup in his hands.
She was so busy drinking it that she didn't notice just how much Ray's smile looked like Rex's.
Queenie's growing wrath melted away as her memories slipped away like water through her fingers.
And then she opened her eyes.
It was early, she didn’t know exactly what time. The sun wasn’t up yet to shine through her window, and she couldn't hear any of the servants up and about. There was just silence and shadow.
She let out her breath.
Her heart was racing as though she'd just had a nightmare, but she couldn't remember a thing about it. That was probably for the best. The few nightmares she did get were never fun to revisit.
Her blankets rustled softly as she slipped out of bed. The ornate frame that held all of her most decorative blades hung against one wall, practically covering it. Each blade could be removed via a puzzle that changed all the time, and Queenie needed something to wake her mind up. Besides, there were a few people who could use a dramatic end by the time the sun set on this day.
She'd plan who and how later, right now she just needed a knife.
xXx
Bobby woke with a start. Thunder. Dark, furious cloud rolled above, carrying the faint sound of thunder and flashes of yellow light.
Dread crawled its way up her throat as she clambered to her feet and rushed to find some place dry to wait out the storm.
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