Ember lifted Clarisse’s hand to her lips, and gave it a kiss. She had not cried yet, not at all. She had always had trouble with emotion. It was hard to get one through her thick outer layer. Drake sat just across from her, Rebecca sitting next to him. The blood seemed to be contained to the city. In a few minutes they may be out of it. Ember kissed up Clarisse’s arm, and Drake and Rebecca watched. Brigitte approached, looking down to Ember. “Are you okay?” she asked. Ember looked up at Brigitte, studying her. The revolver on her waist, the blonde hair, the muscular toned body. She didn’t answer her, and Brigitte walked away. Ember continued to kiss down Clarisse’s entire body. She remembered drunkenly pushing Clarisse into bed one night and doing this exact same thing. The only difference was Clarisse was giggling and moaning as she did. She remembered feeling Clarisse’s warm body in her hands. Now, it was cold and lifeless. Ember planted the last kiss she had onto Clarisse’s body. 

The body crumbled to dust in her hands. It slowly broke down, and soon the dust was flowing through the spaces between her fingers. Ember looked up to Drake, who stared back at her. She felt a tear roll from her eye, down her cheek, and into the pile of dust. Brigitte was sitting next to Rebecca, comforting her as she sobbed silently into her shoulder. Ember stood, brushing the dust off of herself, and moving to sit next to Drake. 

“So,” she began. “Where are we headed?”

“Brigitte has told me of her village,” Drake replied. “It seems like a safe place to reside for now. After that, we can figure it out from there.” Ember hummed at this, and put her head in her hands. The exhaustion really hit her now. She didn’t even realize she had gone to sleep. Apparently she had fallen onto Drake’s shoulder and snored. 

She woke up in a makeshift cot of sorts. Rebecca was sitting on a chair just next to her. Ember groaned as she sat up, looking to Rebecca. “You’re going to leave me too, aren’t you?” Rebecca asked. Ember looked at her quizzically, rubbing the tired from her eyes. “Xavier and Clarisse died. And now you’re going to leave, aren’t you? I know you don’t like me…” 

“Erm…” Ember stammered. This was a lot to take in. Was she a mom now? She never wanted to be a mother. “Rebecca,” she finally said. Rebecca looked to her. Ember was thinking a thousand thoughts per minute. And she finally sighed. “You’re right. I didn’t see myself in this position at all,” Ember said. “But Clarisse gave me a duty. I am charged with protecting you until you are ready. I will honor that duty. But, know that I do have to leave soon and go find Clarisse again.”

“I’m ready now!” Rebecca snapped back. “You don’t know what I’ve seen! You don’t know what I’ve been through! I can do just fine on my own!” Ember didn’t answer, and Rebecca stood up and stormed off. Drake approached after that, watching Rebecca leave. 

“Brigitte is setting us both up in an empty house,” Drake said. “Apparently my heart terrorized this village and almost killed everyone. So, there are a few empty homes that can be filled.” Ember looked to Drake with a very confused glare. “Anyway, we’ll be there until we can get back on our feet. And then we can discuss what happens next.”

“Next?” Ember asked. “What are you talking about?” 

“There is a lot that needs to be done,” Drake replied. “I need to sort my thoughts, we’ll be in touch.” 

…

Brigitte sat with Marella, cleaning her up and making sure the baby was okay. It was done crying, and was not nestled in her mother’s bosom. The entire village was bustling, even though it was the middle of the night. Word got around fast, and the talk of the city of Anoisn running with blood was not on everyone’s lips. Brigitte looked down to the little one. It was a real shame that Violette was going to grow up without a father. Magnus would have been a great dad, really. Brigitte sighed, and rested a hand on Marella’s shoulder. 

“I will help you raise her,” she heard herself say. It came out before she could even think about it. Marella looked to her and smiled warmly. The both of them stared at each other for a minute. Brigitte stood up quickly after that, and cleared her throat. “I’m going to check that everyone is okay,” she said. Quickly she left, feeling a slight blush cross her cheeks. She left the makeshift infirmary tent after that. Breathing in some fresh night air, Brigitte heaved out a sigh. She was completely spent, exhausted. She had only gotten about two hours of sleep. But her work wasn’t over. She heard a little girl crying in the bushes. Brigitte made her way over to the sound, and pushed some of the thickets away. A familiar little girl was crying inside of the, her face buried in her little hands. “Are you okay?” Brigitte asked. 

Rebecca looked up with puffy red eyes. Brigitte motioned for her to come out. Slowly and reluctantly she did, looking up at Brigitte. “You’re the one who came into town with that old man all those months ago,” Brigitte said. “Where is he?” Rebecca didn’t answer, and that was enough for her. “Are you here with anyone?” 

“No,” Rebecca said softly. Brigitte could tell it was a lie. When she saw Rebecca last, it was in the arms of Drake. 

“I’m Brigitte,” she said, holding out a hand. “Come on, I’ll take you back to your dad.”

“He’s not my dad!” Rebecca screamed out through tears. “I had a dad who killed my mom and sold me to those nasty people who touched me. And then Xavier saved me and he kind of became my dad, but then he exploded when he was fighting off that crazy blood lady Empress, and then I kind of got a new mom and then she killed herself for the scary black haired lady, and then I guess I might have a new dad but I don’t like him and-and… and…” the last words were blubbering out of her. It was verbal vomit, and that just turned into a mess of sobs and sniffles. 

“Can I hug you, dear?” Brigitte asked. Rebecca nodded slowly as she cried. Brigitte leaned in and put her arms around Rebecca. “I am so sorry, honey,” Brigitte whispered, picking Rebecca up. “If you say the word, I can take you from them. I can raise you myself, or find you a really nice family to bring you up, okay? No more pain and suffering, no more death. Away from all the nonsense.” Rebecca didn’t answer, and instead just sobbed into Brigitte’s shoulder. “You’re okay now, hon. You’re just fine, okay?” Brigitte patted Rebecca’s back and bounced her up and down slowly. “There’s a song my mama used to sing to me when I was upset. Would you like to hear it?” Rebecca nodded. Brigitte began to sing softly into her ear. It was a lullaby that was apparently thousands of years old. At least, that’s what her mother told her. In reality it was probably just something she had made up to get her to shut up when she was crying. 

When she was done singing, Rebecca’s full on sobs turned into little sniffles. Brigitte repositioned her into a more comfortable position, and began to walk with her through the night and toward her house.