young_swimmer (young_swimmer) wrote in dc_nextgen,
@ 2011-03-27 23:00:00

Entry tags:

cait curry, iris west, jayhawk, mourning dove, tyler darnell

I'm Wide Awake and You're Still My Dream
There was the sudden intake of breath and Cait gasped, expecting water not air. For a second it felt like she was suffocating, but then her body adjusted to breathing air. She coughed a few times and drew in deep breaths. She was alive again.

Cait opened her eyes and blinked a few times. She looked around. None of her surroundings were familiar. At all. It wasn't Atlantis or Titans Tower. Where in Hades was she?

What happened? She remembered Oceanus' attack and the darkness and cold settling over her when he killed her. Then...gods of the sea...the walking nightmare. Attacking Atlantis. Killing so many and watching her father die by having his heart ripped out by his wife.

Ty. Tears formed in her eyes and spilled out at the thought of him as the memories of the walking nightmare came rushing back. Cait had used his love for her against him. By Dis, did she really do all of that? Did she cause so much death and destruction?

Ty. Where was he? She sat up and looked around searching frantically for Ty. Shouldn't he be here? He didn't die. She knew he didn't. She had watched William Hand take over, but it didn't kill him. He had to be alive. Cait reached out to him with her mind.

Ty, my love. Where are you?

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	young_swimmer 2011-03-28 02:09 am UTC (link)
	Time seemed to stand still for a moment and then started again. Cait's feet were moving and a moment later she was at Ty's side. Tears ran down her cheeks as she kissed him. When the kiss ended she looked at him through tear filled eyes. "We need that vacation you promised we would take." She smiled and kissed him again. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	all_powerfull 2011-03-28 02:13 am UTC (link)
	We will. A few days, I'll be back in some kind of condition to do that... and we can find somewhere warm. I... believe your family will want to see you first, love. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

young_swimmer
2011-03-28 02:22 am UTC (link)

Cait closed her eyes for a long moment and nodded. "I was kidding. Mostly." She looked at him. "My family and those issues can wait for a little while." What she did to her people and Atlantis was unspeakable and she would never forgive herself for it. She was not ready to face them yet.

Tears spilled from her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Ty. Please forgive me for what I did to you."

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	all_powerfull 2011-03-28 02:27 am UTC (link)
	There's nothing to forgive, my love. It was the Black, all of it. You cannot blame yourself for what it made a mockery of you do. he replies earnestly, testing one arm to wrap around her. And I wasn't kidding. When things are fixed a little, when I'm feeling better, we'll take that vacation. Or maybe find somewhere with snow. I have a princess to rescue. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-03-28 02:34 am UTC (link)
	Cait smiled and then wrapped her arms around him before starting to cry in earnest. "I never wanted to hurt you or others," she sobbed into his shoulder. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	all_powerfull 2011-03-28 02:36 am UTC (link)
	He lays back again, letting her stay pressed to him if she wishes. And you didn't. It was the Black. It used you, and a lot of others... nothing that happened was your fault, love. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-03-28 02:43 am UTC (link)
	"It doesn't feel that way," she said between sobs. She remembered everything during her time as the walking dead. The images of the death and destruction she caused would never leave her and would haunt her dreams. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

all_powerfull
2011-03-28 02:47 am UTC (link)

Believe me, love... I know. I didn't even die. I just let William Hand take me over, became the avatar of the Black. I destroyed Atlantis, and didn't even have the excuse of a black ring controlling me, just one of the voice in my head. If anyone should be sorry, its me... but you... aren't responsible for any of it. J'onn, Superman, so many others have been controlled by it too. There's no way to fight the rings, without having the white light or the like. There's nothing you could have done.

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	young_swimmer 2011-03-28 02:57 am UTC (link)
	Cait wanted to believe him and his words, but she couldn't help but feel responsible for her actions. She cried for a bit, but the sobs and tears stopped. Crying more wouldn't do either of them any good. She pulled away from him a little. She put a hand on his cheek. "I love you. Let's get you inside somewhere." She also needed water. Badly. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	all_powerfull 2011-03-28 02:59 am UTC (link)
	Their link is still strong, enough for him to sense what she needs. And it should be a minor effort. He focuses, summoning first a chalice of ice, then fills it with water. I love you too, my princess. Give me a little longer, and I should be up for levitating again. That will be easier than carrying me. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-03-28 03:11 am UTC (link)
	Cait eagerly takes the water and downs it. Then she turned the ice chalice into water and downed that as well. It wasn't enough, but it was better than nothing. "I can help you," she said. "I'm stronger than I look." She put a shoulder under his. "Think you can get to your feet with my help?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	all_powerfull 2011-03-28 03:13 am UTC (link)
	It will have to be enough, and thankfully, he does heal quickly. I think so. he replies, testing his strength a bit, but letting her take most of his weight. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

young_swimmer
2011-03-28 03:15 am UTC (link)

Cait took as much of his weight as he would let her. Her Atlantean physiology made her stronger than a human her size and Ty's weight wasn't much of a burden. She could carry him, but she knew about pride and stubbornness all too well.

She steered the two of them toward the building she had come from. It had to belong to someone they knew. "Let me know if I'm going too fast."

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	all_powerfull 2011-03-28 03:20 am UTC (link)
	No, no... its fine. he replies, mostly letting her carry him, making just a token effort at walking. I'm not getting any worse, anyway. There's no more black lanterns out there... we're safe now. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-03-28 03:27 am UTC (link)
	"That's good to hear," she said. "Both things." Cait was quiet for a moment. "Ty, while I was dead, did you have anyone to help you?" Cait knew he needed someone to help him focus and she had been that focus until she died. She knew what could happen if he lost control. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	all_powerfull 2011-03-28 03:36 am UTC (link)
	Ruth and Iris saved me from Hand's control. Then Ruth linked with me... Jay... died not long after. Even then, she stayed with me, kept me stable, and out of Hand's control. He tried to manifest a few more times. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-03-28 03:43 am UTC (link)
	"I'm glad you had someone," she said. She felt the twinge of jealousy, but pushed it down. She had been dead and Ty needed someone. She couldn't ignore the facts and being jealous was stupid. "Poseidonis is destroyed. Titans Tower is structurally unsound. We don't have any luck with our living spaces, do we?" she joked. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	all_powerfull 2011-03-28 03:49 am UTC (link)
	With you behind me, I fixed a destroyed city before. I can do it again... now that you're back. Together, we can do anything, love. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-03-28 04:11 am UTC (link)
	"I know we can," she said. With him at her side, Cait felt like she could do anything. Except maybe see her father. She had to though. Soon. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	all_powerfull 2011-03-29 10:12 pm UTC (link)
	"When I'm feeling up to it, I'll go with you." he replies. No, she didn't mention Atlantis out loud. She doesn't have to. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-03-29 10:18 pm UTC (link)
	"Thank you," she told him. They reached the door and Cait carefully opened it. "When you're up to it, could you fill me in on things that have happen since I died?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	all_powerfull 2011-03-29 10:19 pm UTC (link)
	I can do that now. Eidetic memory. You ready for this, though? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-03-29 10:23 pm UTC (link)
	"I'm ready." She took a deep breath and prepared herself. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	all_powerfull 2011-03-29 10:28 pm UTC (link)
	He concentrates, and begins sending her the direct images of everything that's happened so far, slowing down any time she appears overwhelmed. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-03-29 11:08 pm UTC (link)
	Cait took it all in. Six months didn't seem like a long time until you were playing catch up. As she watched the images it dawned on her that she missed a few holidays. Including Christmas. The plans they made before she died came rushing back. They would celebrate Christmas. She would make sure of it. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)