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The City of Tharsis
Jun. 27th, 2006 05:02 pmIt all seems kind of inevitable, now that he thinks about it: there's almost a poetic justice to the course of events. It doesn't mean he has to like them, and reliving them... well... it's pretty much the last damn thing he wants to do. But it's not just him. There are other people involved in this: Jet and Faye. Julia. Vicious.
Annie. He never got the chance to bring Beth to meet her like he wanted. It's probably just as well. They've fucked with time and space and their places in the universe enough, maybe, and that's why he's here and she's... wherever she is. Fuck. Beth. Where are you? Can you feel me thinking about you? You have to know I am. I'm trying to get back to you, Slim. It's just I have this shit here to take care of first, for whatever reason, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm not wherever the hell you are.
In his heart he can guess exactly where she is, but he doesn't like it. Not for a damn second. He doesn't like it any more than being here in the car with Julia, driving down the streets of the City of Tharsis. She's behind the wheel -- her car -- and were the circumstances any fucking different he'd have questions for her: where have you been, what have you been doing, who have you seen, how have you spent your time. But things aren't different and they weren't different last time either: it's time to put his feelings aside. Do what has to be done. He makes a silent promise to Beth: Later, when this is over and there's time to breathe. Later, I'll dream about you. Right now I owe it to the people here to be here.
Annie's place is where it's always been, right there on the corner. Shop below, apartment above. From the front of the shop there's no sign that anything's wrong, but it's hard to tell
(I know what happened last time)
so it's better to be careful.
(That's what you thought last time.)
Fuck it: there's nothing else to do: every goddamn thing he's tried to change has just ended up right back to how it happened last time. No matter how many doors he opens; no matter how many of them he kicks; no matter how many of them he walks through. Maybe this time they'll be lucky. Maybe Vicious's guys haven't... "Keep going: just drive past it."
Julia's not thinking smart, gives him a perplexed look.
"Somebody might've gotten there already. Wait here." And damn it, Julia, this time I mean it. Wait right the fuck here.
He's through the door and into the shop
(just like last time)
And there's Annie on the couch, hugging her stomach
(just like last time)
and... and...
Fuck! "Annie!" Too late.
(just like last time.)
Annie's breathing is labored and heavy; her arms don't leave her stomach. "I told them you weren't here. I said you were already dead. Told them they were wasting their time."
Moving across the wreckage of her shop, Spike grabs a blanket, a pillow, any fucking thing he can use to try to stem the blood leaking out between her arms. It's spreading from her stomach, from where those bastards shot her. Don't fucking die on me. Don't die, Annie. If I'd just been a little faster. If I'd just been here sooner. "Don't talk." He presses the blanket to her stomach.
She's never listened to him before and she's not listening now. "Vicious assassinated all of the elders, that's what they said. Everyone: they've all lost their sense of place in the world, like kites without strings or tails."
That's... delirium talking and he knows it. He hesitates as the door opens but he knows without looking: Julia didn't listen to him either. She's right here.
Annie looks over at the door. "Oh, so you found Julia, that's good. I'm happy for you."
They cared about each other, all of them. In a flash, Julia's at Annie's side too. But Annie just gives them both a blank stare: "It got a little chilly today. It's those cold winds."
Fuck. She's just... gone.
(Just like last time.)
No. No! Of all the people who mean something to him here... Feelings later, Spike. You know what has to be done. Someone has to pay for this. He lays Annie down; Julia takes off her jacket and covers her with it. Without a backward glance he's off to the back room: the one where she keeps her stockpile of weapons and ammunition.
Vicious has to pay.
Annie. He never got the chance to bring Beth to meet her like he wanted. It's probably just as well. They've fucked with time and space and their places in the universe enough, maybe, and that's why he's here and she's... wherever she is. Fuck. Beth. Where are you? Can you feel me thinking about you? You have to know I am. I'm trying to get back to you, Slim. It's just I have this shit here to take care of first, for whatever reason, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm not wherever the hell you are.
In his heart he can guess exactly where she is, but he doesn't like it. Not for a damn second. He doesn't like it any more than being here in the car with Julia, driving down the streets of the City of Tharsis. She's behind the wheel -- her car -- and were the circumstances any fucking different he'd have questions for her: where have you been, what have you been doing, who have you seen, how have you spent your time. But things aren't different and they weren't different last time either: it's time to put his feelings aside. Do what has to be done. He makes a silent promise to Beth: Later, when this is over and there's time to breathe. Later, I'll dream about you. Right now I owe it to the people here to be here.
Annie's place is where it's always been, right there on the corner. Shop below, apartment above. From the front of the shop there's no sign that anything's wrong, but it's hard to tell
(I know what happened last time)
so it's better to be careful.
(That's what you thought last time.)
Fuck it: there's nothing else to do: every goddamn thing he's tried to change has just ended up right back to how it happened last time. No matter how many doors he opens; no matter how many of them he kicks; no matter how many of them he walks through. Maybe this time they'll be lucky. Maybe Vicious's guys haven't... "Keep going: just drive past it."
Julia's not thinking smart, gives him a perplexed look.
"Somebody might've gotten there already. Wait here." And damn it, Julia, this time I mean it. Wait right the fuck here.
He's through the door and into the shop
(just like last time)
And there's Annie on the couch, hugging her stomach
(just like last time)
and... and...
Fuck! "Annie!" Too late.
(just like last time.)
Annie's breathing is labored and heavy; her arms don't leave her stomach. "I told them you weren't here. I said you were already dead. Told them they were wasting their time."
Moving across the wreckage of her shop, Spike grabs a blanket, a pillow, any fucking thing he can use to try to stem the blood leaking out between her arms. It's spreading from her stomach, from where those bastards shot her. Don't fucking die on me. Don't die, Annie. If I'd just been a little faster. If I'd just been here sooner. "Don't talk." He presses the blanket to her stomach.
She's never listened to him before and she's not listening now. "Vicious assassinated all of the elders, that's what they said. Everyone: they've all lost their sense of place in the world, like kites without strings or tails."
That's... delirium talking and he knows it. He hesitates as the door opens but he knows without looking: Julia didn't listen to him either. She's right here.
Annie looks over at the door. "Oh, so you found Julia, that's good. I'm happy for you."
They cared about each other, all of them. In a flash, Julia's at Annie's side too. But Annie just gives them both a blank stare: "It got a little chilly today. It's those cold winds."
Fuck. She's just... gone.
(Just like last time.)
No. No! Of all the people who mean something to him here... Feelings later, Spike. You know what has to be done. Someone has to pay for this. He lays Annie down; Julia takes off her jacket and covers her with it. Without a backward glance he's off to the back room: the one where she keeps her stockpile of weapons and ammunition.
Vicious has to pay.
