The Hard Way;
Part 2


Associated Press national release, 20/09/2002

Yesterday Miami police made an unprecedented raid on the Miami drug trade.    Critically wounded during the incident was Captain Emily Heart of the Miami police department.  No other injuries are known at this time.
Over thirty known drug traffickers were arrested.  But it is believed that the headman of the Miami drug trade, a man known simply as Snake, was not apprehended.  No other details are known at this time.

Associated Press national release, 26/09/2002

The suspected headman of the Miami drug trade, known only as Snake, was found dead in a downtown Miami alley early this morning.  No further details are being released at this time.


    Emily awoke into a world of white.  A hospital; great; she hated hospitals.  Myriad tubes ran out of her body into the machines that bleeped and blipped around her.  She looked around at the machine that betrayed to the world every little thing her body was doing; she wanted to smash them, but discovered she was too weak to even lift her hand.  She turned her head, painfully, to see a familiar figure in the chair beside her hospital bed, his chin resting on his chest.  Damn him.  Why did he have to follow her everywhere?  She turned her head away, but too late, he had already noticed the movement.

    “So, you rejoin us, cheri.” he said.

    Her eyes widened in surprise.  His voice was rough, so unlike the Johnny she knew.  “How long have I been out?”

    “Three weeks, cheri. You were taken to surgery, but the doctors would not tell us what they did.”

    She knew immediately.  She remembered seeing Snake take aim, and then the searing pain in her chest.  Her heart had been destroyed in that moment, they had replaced it, she was sure.  Artificial hearts had their use.

    Johnny noticed her pensiveness; her face has softened for just a moment.  But that moment was fleeting, as she scowled.

    “How long have you been here?”  Emily asked, as a nurse walked in.  The nurse giggled.  “The only time he’s left is when we threatened to chase him out with a cattle prod.”  The nurse checked several machines, then headed out again.  Emily simply glared at Johnny.  He shrugged.  “I wanted to be here when you awoke.”

    She changed the subject abruptly.  “What’re those?” she asked, nodding at a stack of paper on the bedside table.

    “Newspapers,” he answered, handing them to her.  “I thought you might want to catch up on what has happened since you were injured.”

    Emily flipped through the papers.  The raid had made national news.  Great, last thing she wanted was to have her name plastered across the nation.  So much for anonymity.  She did notice that Snake was not killed by her shot.  Damn.  She’d failed.

    “What about Diordes?” she asked, as she continued to flip thought the papers.  Johnny would know, he always did.

    “He suffered a few scratches and scrapes, but he’s okay.  They all got out; you got them out in time, Emily.”  She looked at him in surprise.  He never called her by name.

    “At least something went right.” She whispered softly.

    The doctor walked in at that time.  “It’s good to see you are awake, Miss Heart.” He said in way of greeting.  “I’d just like to update you on your condition.  If you would excuse us, sir,” he said to Johnny.  Johnny nodded, and headed out.

    “So?” she asked.  “What have you to tell me?”

    “Well, you were injured seriously, I’m sure you are aware of that already.  We had to do an emergency heart replacement.  You’re taking to your new mechanical heart well, your body has become used to artificial organs. Your blood chemical analyses are back up nearly to normal levels.  We’d like for you to stay here for a few more days, to rule out any infections, but I do not see any reason why you cannot leave by Friday.”

    “Thank you,’ she replied.  The prognosis was better than she expected.  The doctor left, and soon Johnny slipped back in.  He eyed her expectantly. 

    “Doc said I should be out by Friday,” she said.  That was the most she would tell him.

    He spent the next several hours attempting to engage her in conversation, with little success.  So he mostly regaled her with stories of what had been going around town, as she read the newspapers more thoroughly.  The afternoon stretched out into evening.  Dinner was served, but Emily had no appetite, and pushed the tray away after only a few bites.  Johnny looked at her in concern, but she just glared, and dared him to say anything.  He decided not to.  Soon after that the nurse came back in, telling Johnny he needed to leave for the night.  “Go away, Johnny.”  Emily said as the nurse left.  “As you wish, cheri, but I will be back in the morning.”  He then dropped something on the bedside table; and left the room.  It was another of the blue flame roses he had been giving her over the past several weeks.

    That night, Emily had many disturbing, nightmarish dreams, the content of which quickly slipped out of her mind upon awakening.


    They had arrived during the late night hours at the Miami International airport. It had taken several hours to go though customs and get their baggage cleared. By mutual agreement she had hired a small limo for the duration of their stay. Not because of her status as nobility, but because neither had been in this city before and were both out of practice when it came to driving.

    “I can pilot ships with the best of them yet when it comes to driving a car, I’m worse then a kid just learning.” She snorted, “Go figure.”

    “What about your Harley?” he asked

    “Would you believe it’s in storage still? No call for it on New Eden. Besides, would you want to ride that thing in this traffic?” waving a hand towards the window and said traffic.

    “I see your point” he turned his head and looked out the window, taking a deep breath and letting it out as a sigh.

    “Hey, things will work out.” She said gently as she took his hand in hers.

    “I know... It’s just….” Giving her a sad look as he said it.

    She just squeezed his hand in understanding, remembering what he was like on the day that this all started.

    They had been in the Gym that day. Kit was working with her on building her muscles back up to what they should be naturally. Will was on the weight bench working out on his own.

    A sudden noise of weights falling and a body hitting the floor just after got their attention.

    “Will!!”

    Both made their way to him as fast as humanly possible. He was half sitting half laying on his side, a trembling hand over his heart, and his teeth gritted. He had gone deathly pale also.

    “Will? Come on… talk to me.” Zan had said kneeling behind him pulling him up against her.  She had feared that he was having a heart attack or something equally a bad. Running a hand though his hair, brushing it out of his face.

    After what felt like an eternity he opened his eyes. “I’m… all right. Something happened to Em... Something bad… I felt it through the bond… it was… I swear I felt her die. . She cried out… for me then went silent… I can’t feel anything… the bond went silent again…” His voice a bare whisper compared to normal.

    Between herself and Kit, they managed to get him back to her room and into the bed. Sleep was the best thing for him at the moment. As he slept she got on the computer and started searching for clues to what happened. Zan got irregular emails from Johnny LeFleaur, the man that was pursuing Emily and hoping to win her heart, on occasions. She checked her email and sure enough a new message awaited her.
Shadowlady,

Rebel was shot. In surgery as I type. Let little Brother know.

Boomer

p.s. Miami, Fl.


    Zan paled at the words before her. “Emily had been shot? Dear lord no wonder Will was affected the way he was.” She muttered to herself. She then set the computer to search the Miami newspapers that had online web pages about it. She returned to her bedroom and stretched out next to Will to wait for him to wake up.

    It had taken near a week to get things settled enough so they could both leave for Earth. They had debated telling anyone and in the end settled with telling just Aurora. No one else needed to know really.

    The pair headed to Earth. They stopped to see Aurora and tell her what happened and where Emily was, staying a couple of days there.

    Zan got another email from Johnny.
Shadowlady,

Rebel is playing sleeping Beauty. But my kiss has yet to awaken her.

Boomer.


    Everything was set and they made their way to Miami.

    Now it was morning and the pair awaited visiting hours to start at the Hospital. Johnny had met them and filled them in on what had happened over the last 9 months.

    Will looked haggard, but relieved that she was alive. As soon as the Visiting hours started he was there in her room, waiting for her to wake up. They needed to talk about things.

    Zan and Johnny had decided to wait and give the twins time alone.
As Emily woke up, she sensed a long absent presence very close by. ‘not him, not now’ she thought to herself. The wound was still raw and bleeding inside her from his refusal to return home.

    “Sis? I know you’re awake…. We need to talk…”

    “Go away Will.”

    “Emily, please. You’re my sister, we’re the only family we have left.”

    “You abandoned me. You left me alone.”

    There was a heavy sigh “I grew up.”

    “You went chasing after a piece of ass,” she said spitefully, turning her head slightly to look at him for the first time. She took in his appearance, the inner joy and peace that was wrapped about him. She also noted the silver band around one finger. It only made her angrier and more hurt.

    “I love her Sis, and she loves me in return.” He frowned in anger. Nobody called Zan that, not even his sister. And he let her know that though the bond.

    “You mean you fucked her.” She said venomously. Her baby brother had gone and found someone, leaving her alone by herself.

    “Emily. Do not even go there.”

    It was a warning that she ignored. Her eyes narrowed as she let all the pain, anger, hurt and feelings of abandonment boil out over the link. She got the vindictive satisfaction to see him wince in pain, grabbing his head and staggering to his feet. “Go away Will Hart. You’re not my brother anymore. You left me all alone, in the dirt behind you. They left me alone the same way.” The monitors started beeping more erratically the angrier she got.

    “I started living my life on my own. I grew up Emily, just as you need to grow up.”

That was the last straw. She grabbed the nearest object and threw it at him, then reached for another and another till the nurses and doctors came running to try and calm her down.

    Will did nothing to defend himself from her attacks. When one of the nurses pushed him towards the door, he did nothing to stop her.  “You’re upsetting the patient, you’ll have to leave.”

    He nodded and left, pausing only long enough to send the feeling of the love for his sister along the bond. In return he got the mental door slammed in his face. He left then making his way slowly to the waiting room.

    He did not see her burying her face in her hands to cry.

He saw Zan and Johnny talking softly together. They both glanced up when they noticed his presence.

    “Please, keep in touch and let us know what’s going on.”

    “Je volonté, dame d'ombre, je. ” he told her. I will, Shadow lady, I will .  “I best go, Cheri need me no matter what she t’ink” his Arcadian accent thick. With that he gave her a quick hug and was gone.

    Zan went to Will and wrapped her arms about him. “That bad?” she noted the tears in his eyes.

    He nodded, wrapping his arms about her in return.

    “Talk about it later?”

    Another nod.

    “Want to go home?”

    Again another nod of his head.

    With that, Will and Zan left the hospital, heading back to the airport. The turn around was less then 24 hours. Once they reached their destination, they boarded her private transport and left for New Eden.


    Johnny returned to Emily’s hospital room.  She was feigning sleep.  He said nothing, and simply sat down in the chair he rest of the day in silent vigilance.

    Over the next few days, letters and flowers made steady progress into the room.  Most were from the families of people involved in the drug trade, thanking her and the Miami police department for breaking the drug ring that had enslaved their family members.  Johnny kept her up to date on what was going on.  His manner was quiet and serious, without the usual flirting.  There were a few letters she set aside unopened, addresses that were painfully familiar to her.  She did not want to know what they contained.  She did not want to see any more rejections.

    The only other highlight of her hospital stay was when Detective Ramirez and Diordes came in.  Diordes’ gratitude was almost embarrassing.  Ramirez was apologetic.  He felt guilty for leading them “Into a trap.” as he put it.  She quickly reassured him that it was their job; that there was no way he could have known.  She was the one that failed, not he.

    “Have you heard anything more about who killed Snake?  She asked them.
Ramirez shook his head.  “No leads at all.  But, all the money that we know was squirreled away is gone without a trace.  We figure it had to be an inside job.”  None of them saw Johnny’s tight smile.

    Friday came, and she was released by mid afternoon.  Johnny had driven her home, at his insistence.  He stayed long enough to make sure she was settled and had plenty of food, then went away at her irritated growl, smiling softly to himself.

    The next few days passed in a blur for Emily.  Johnny came at irregular intervals; usually to be met with a snarl and a sharp “Go away!”  Her already short temper frayed even further, and she spent most of her days pacing her apartment, her mind roiling in her failure.  The heavy narcotics that she had been prescribed for the pain did not help her mental state.  Her mind became more and more unbalanced as the days went on.

    It was nighttime, just like the many nights before.  She had lost track of the days.  She spied the rum bottle on the shelf, untouched since it was given to her.  Well , she thought, tonight’s as good a night as any.  She grabbed the bottle and headed for the chair, heedless of how it would affect the drugs already in her system.

    An hour later, the bottle was empty, and her mind was chaotic.  Visions and nightmares of the past weeks came unbidden; she saw over and over her brother close the door, walk out of her life forever.  Even Johnny had stayed away the past two days.  In her current state of mind, she forgot she had told him to stay away, she only saw it as another sign of rejection.

    She could end this.  No one would know until it was too late.  In a daze, she went into the kitchen and got out a knife.  She walked back over to the couch, curled up in it.  Her eyes saw and yet her brain did not register, her own hand drag the knife over her skin, the bright blood spurting out.  She repeated the process on the other side, watching the blood in fascination.  Her last thought, as her shocked and battered body shut down, was “Now it is over.”

    He was in the study when he started to feel dizzy. Staggering to his feet, one hand bracing himself against the desk the other going to his temple. Images flashed though his mind chaotically, of doors slamming, of glittering diamond edged knives slicing though paper-thin tissue. He looked down in shock at his own arms, swearing he saw blood coursing down them. Staggering he collapsed onto his knees, the feeling of despair, rejection, heart wrenching loneliness.

    All around her was gray.  She was expecting to see a light, but there was none their, just echoes of her feelings from another source.  Dimly she felt him sobbing, rubbing his wrists.  Crying out “Emily!!!  Noooooo!!!”  Her mind continued to wander, not part of her body, but not free of it yet.

    His full-throated scream tore though the Palace as he came to the shocked and sickening realization that his sister just tried to kill herself. With all his heart and soul he reached out over the tremendous distance between the two worlds. "Emily.... You can’t do this to me. You’re still my sister. I still love you." he didn’t know if he was screaming it aloud or in his mind. All he knew was that he had to hang on to her as long as he could till someone arrived wherever she was at, to save her.

    She tried to flee her body, only to find that her soul’s anchor would not give way.  She struggled, but was always pulled back by an unseen force.  She felt the power of her brother’s mind, keeping her here.  “No!  You cannot keep me!  You have left me, you cannot love me!”

    He was walking the streets, his usual flirtatious self, sullen and quiet. Suddenly he snapped his head up, eyes wide with disbelief and shock as he felt the subtle bond between himself and Emily suddenly stretch and thin dangerously. Before any coherent thought could come to mind he was running. Running as if her life depending on it. He had to get to her before she left him.

    Now she felt a second presence in her mind, pulling at her, keeping her bound to this world.

    Her apartment building was before him before he knew it. Not even stopping he hit the door at a run, slamming it open. He skidded to a stop just long enough to leap upwards, catching the railing of the floor above him. Then he was running again. Another floor, then another. Once on the right floor he bolted down the hallway, ramming a shoulder into the door. The frame cracked under impact but didn’t open. With a scream of frustration he kicked it hard, this time busting the door open. He stood in the doorway panting, eyes scanning the place. No movement but a strong scent of blood.  He looked at the scene before him, appalled.  She lay on the couch, in a river of blood, staining her clothing black.  He saw the empty bottle beside her, understood how she had made the deep cuts without faltering.  He crossed the room quickly, used his hands to seal the cuts.  By the time an ambulance got there, it would be too late.

    Zan was the first to reach Will where he lay. He didn’t respond to her and it scared her to the core. She managed to get him up enough so that his head was nestled against her shoulder and her arms about his chest. Something was happening and it was not something good. She felt his breathing get shallower as his heart beat faster. "Will? Come on you’re scaring me here. Will? Will! Damn it don't you die on me. You promised you stay with me forever and by all the gods in heaven and hell you had better keep that promise!" Throwing caution to the wind she opened her heart to him fully. All that she had been, all that she would be, all that she is now. After a few minutes she felt him stir enough to wrap his arms about her, sobbing as he lay against her.  Then she felt it. Something that was unexplainable. It was like colors had gained a sense of smell, tasted and depth. Smokey greys were woven with gleaming silver, earthly browns with glowing amber and the last, black of the deepest midnight entwining with smoky blues. She gasped, panting as she felt her energy drain from her, but in return she felt his heart beat slowly to match hers.

    Emily felt the bonds of their souls on hers, their fight not to let her go.  Colors filled her now.  The earthy brown, silver, and smoky blue of her twin, Johnny’s red, gold and emerald green, and a presence not familiar to her, a smoky, living grey, coupled with onyx black, and a warm glowing amber.  These colors moved through her, in her, drawing out the sapphire blue, silver, and bright white ice that made up her own self.

    Johnny worked quickly, gathering her up, grabbing the keys to her car.  He barely remembered the drive to the hospital, he was only aware of Emily, and the lives that held hers in their hands, including his own.  Reaching the hospital, he carried Emily in, shouting for help.  The ER staff scrambled at the sight of both of them covered in blood.  They quickly triaged Emily, giving her blood and saline, repairing the damage to her wrists, pumping the drugs and alcohol out of her system.

    Emily slowly stabilized, felt her body around her again, felt the presence of the three souls’ relief.  She cried silent, bitter tears.  She was still here, still bound to her body.

    The three keeping watch on her did not leave.  They felt her continued despair, her desire to die.  They knew that she did not truly recognize then there, that she thought their presence in her mind was her own invention.  Finally Emily fell into a sleep too deep to dream, and they all slowly slipped out of her mind, to let her sleep.

To Be Continued...

Back to Rites of Passage
Back to the SilverHawks Fanfiction Homepage
Back to the Shadowspace