Aftermath

[Isolde Moore]

Isolde sat on the chair, book layed out in front of her and pages sprawled everywhere. Her head was resting on the back of the chair and her eyes were closed.
Violent images were swirling in her head. Scott covered in blood. Jude missing limbs. Melody dead. None of it was real of course, Jude hadn't lost a limb, Melody wasn't dead and Scott...well he had been bloodstained but he had been alright. Physically at least.
She was supposed to be doing her history but couldn't concentrate. She hadn't been sleeping well before the battle and it had gotten worse after. She couldn't sleep at all. But all her friends were safe and sound. Her main worry had been Scott. They had survived and now...well, she was happy and tranquil with what had happened the other night.
Though she had scared Scott. Next time I won't do that in front of him... her secret was out. And things had turned out for the best. Isolde was extremely happy but at the same time scared. What if things ended? And ended badly?
Her face scrunched up into an I-don't-want-to-think-about-it expression and she muttered, "No. It won't."
Her near death experience had put a lot of things into perspective for her. Life was valuable. Despite what might happen every single life was precious.
She also didn't want to leave him. She shuddered to think how he would get on in air control without her to keep him in line. She was leaving later on that day...and against her will but she didn't want to fight. She had enough fighting and she was tired. It might be good for her to, to get out of harms way...it would kill Scott just like it was killing her. But it was happening.
She opened her eyes and looked up at the window ahead of her. The sun was out and it was early in the morning...about half seven. Nobody or very few people were up and it was quiet, just the way she liked it. Her thoughts changed into more happy ones. Ones were she was with Scott and some when she was in class and Jude was making her laugh.
"Concentrate Isolde. Do your homework!" but it was no use. She just kept on daydreaming about her friends. Scott mostly though.

[K. Scott]

Scott took a brief glance between the curtains as he zipped up his thermal fleece. Cloudy but the warm orange sun was breaking through, low in the sky. Spring was finally taking hold. Scott grabbed his light hiking boots and carefully stepped over the crap all over the floor and shut the door softly behind him so as not to wake his dormmates. Once outside the room he booted up and began his jog...
Glancing into the library as he went Scott had to back-peddle when he saw a familiar face. And a rather radiant one at that as the glow of the sun lit her face.
"Isolde?" He whispered to his girlfriend. "You're seriously not doing homework at this time of the mornin'?"

[Isolde Moore]

Isolde smiled brightly, "More like trying to."
She would never have taken Scott to be an early riser let alone jog in the morning. She jumped up and threw her arms around his neck before kissing him softly once on the lips.
"I never figured you to be an early riser." she eyed him suspiciously. It never bode well when boys got up earlier than quarter to eight in the morning, "And jogging? Impressive." she eyed him up and down, surprised.
Sitting back down and dragging Scott with her she closed her books and shoved them away, "How have you been sleeping then?"
If I know him...like a dog. She smiled. Scott as a puppy dog was a cute image. One she liked very much.

[K. Scott]

Scott smiled at his reception of a huge smile and a kiss. He could get used to that first thing in the morning.
"I never figured you to be an early riser." Isolde voiced. Scott shrugged his reply, he'd been getting up at this time for a while now to get a bit of a start to the day. "And jogging. Impressive." Scott raised his eyebrows in an attempt to look offended. It didn't work.
He sat with Isolde and grinned to himself as she discarded her books swiftly.
"How have you been sleeping then?" Isolde smiled at him.
Scott smiled back but furrowed his brow, "...eh... good. Why?" He studied Isolde's face. Those were two very tired eyes no matter what she said. He asked her seriously, "You all right? You look as if you havn't."

[Isolde Moore]

"So, so." Isolde frowned, sighing in resignation she looked at his eyes, "Much the same really," she shrugged. He was going to have to get used to her baggies.
"Anywho, what about you Mr Scott? How are you coping after the...the...battle" she raised her eyebrows and her mouth pulled up at one side giving him a stern look, "And no avoiding the the question."
While she waited for her boyfriend to reply she sorted through the books she was taking out and the books she was returning.
How can I say this easily to him? How can I say goodbye? sighing deeply, her face fell into a very sad one.
She couldn't.
She just-
She couldn't.

[K. Scott]

Scott didn't bother to mask his concern. What the hell was going on? She knew rightly how he was 'coping'. It was a battle. People died, friends died, and he had nearly lost her. But it was over, in the past, nothing could be done now to change anything so why act and feel like we need to when it's far too late?
And why now to ask? He watched Isolde as she broke eye contact and looked at her books solemly. There was something more to this. She clearly was coping well with the battle. Something was hurting her.
"I'm doing all right... You?" He asked frowning not knowing why he bothered as he knew he would probably get a lie in response.

[Isolde Moore]

"I'm doing......" what should she do? Lie and prolong or tell the truth and both of them fall to bits? She didn't know. "Look Scott, I have to tell you something," biting her lip she went round behind his chair and fraped her arms over him, "You're not going to like it. It's going to hurt us both, but I can't do anything about it."
She rested her forehead on his shoulder thinking of how to do it, "But not here." she shivered once but not from being cold because she wasn't, it was because it felt like the lull before the storm.
Kissing his neck she withdrew to her seat and looked at him. Why were they doing this to her? To him? To them?! Why? Wasn't she allowed to live life her own way?
No.
Her parents forbade and robbed her of that.
"I'm not great." she admitted at last, "And I'll be worse soon...." she groanes inwardly. Why was life crap?!?

[K. Scott]

For the first time Scott was impatient with Isolde. He forced himself to count slowly to five but it did not change the stress he was feeling. Was she breaking up with him? Did he do something wrong? Did he not pay enough attention?
He took her shoulders in his hands to make her look up at him in the face.
"Wh- What..." Scott closed his eyes and swallowed to calm himself, "Do you want to come for a walk with me?"

[Isolde Moore]

"Wh- What..." Oh god, oh god. "Do you want to come for a walk with me?" Scott.... Isolde nodded and grabbed her things and they left the library. As they walked her heart became more pained. She would never forgive them.
"Scott I-" she took a breath to steady herself, "You know I love you and I always will but I'm afraid...." she had to say it. Straight out. No more stalling, "I'm leaving. Going back to Ireland. Against my will, " sighing she stopped and faced him, "I'm being forced to move. I can't do anything about it," she swallowed and held herself together.
Never. I will hate them for the rest of my freaking life! her pain was probably nothing to Scott's. She blinked slowly and gazed up at him but not making direct eye contact.
"I'm not breaking up with you. I'll figure out a way to see you again, if it's the last thing I do." she was mortified. Did her dad and mum like putting her through un-necessary pain.
"Scott...please don't....think this is me trying to break up with you or making some other flimsy excuse. Please."

[K. Scott]

"Scott...please don't....think this is me trying to break up with you or making some other flimsy excuse. Please."
Oh thank God.
Scott tried to wiped his frown from his forehead, "No no I don't. I love you too." But it crept back. How could she be forced to leave? Would it be for long? And more to the point what the hell was he going to do with himself? "It's just... how can they make you?"

[Isolde Moore]

Isolde sighed, "They're coming to get me. They're coming here" she gazed at his eyes now and sighed inside. She'd miss him; more than anything.
"At least we'll be able to keep in touch..right? I'll text you for as long as I can," she stepped forward and hugged him tightly, "I'm sorry for this, Scott. I really, really am. But..I can't go against them. As much as I want to." she buried her head in his chest and breathed in his scent.
"I don't want to be somewhere were you aren't. I don't know what I'm going to do without you there," she wasn't going to break down in front of him or on him. She had to stay strong for him. As strong as she could be.
She stood on her tip-toes and kissed him on the lips.

[K. Scott]

Scott wrapped his arms around Isolde as she kissed him and leant into his chest again.
He woud miss that especially. The way she was so affectionate all the time. And as a lad and a warrior he could expect little of that after she left.
He kissed the top of her head and sighed, "Me neither. But... perhaps this is for the best. You know, maybe," Scott swallowed. "if another battle came up... you might not," Scott shifted still holding onto Isolde tightly, "fare so well."
Scott thought back to how she was after the battle. Blood everywhere, granted not all of it was hers, but she was in so much pain she couldn't move, she just lay there so defenseless. Scott would have dreaded to think what could have happened in his absense. "At least you'll be safe."

[Isolde Moore]

"At least you'll be safe."
"But you won't be."
If Isolde had thought physical pain was bad, she was badly mistaken. The emotional pain that came crashing on her was so much worse. Scott....I'm so so so sorry.
But what he had just said had touched her so deeply she wanted to break down on the spot. And no matter how tightly she hugged him and he hugged her, it wasn't close enough. Not for her. If another battle did come up anytime soon and she wasn't there all she knew is that she would be terrified for Scott. If something happened to him and she wasn't there to try and help him or save him like he had saved her...she shuddered.
"Scott," she spoke weakly,"if there's another battle, take extra care. I don't know what I'd do if..anything happened to you. I love you so much.."
And the first tear fell.
"Is this really goodbye?"

[K. Scott]

Scott felt a drop on his thumb. He pulled back to look at Isolde's face. Her eyes glistened giving them a glossy shimmer which made them even more stunning despite the sadness that caused the tears. Scott smiled gently, "Only for now. Like you said we'll keep in touch. And who knows maybe I'll save up and take a trip out and visit you. Your parents'll allow that won't they?"

[Isolde Moore]

'Only for now' was too long for Isolde.
She smiled when he said he'd save up and come and visit her. He was so sweet. Isolde couldn't think of another person she loved more than she loved Scott right now. Couldn't think of anyone more protective or caring.
"..You're parents'll allow that won't they?" I couldn't care less if the wouldn't allow it. If he came and I didn't tell them they couldn't just very well send him away again...besides I think mum would allow him. She'll like Scott. I know she would.
She smiled and looked up at him, "Yes. I'm sure they would." she half laughed and blinked, "You always have a way to reassure me. I'm going to miss you so much. I will find a way to see you or to come back here. I swear I will." and she hugged him again. She didn't want any gaps. They would be away from each other for a long enough gap.
"I really don't know what I'm going to do. I've never felt this way before..I'm going to miss your accent and your smell and your smile and our hugs and our kisses and...oh god. Scott, I'm just going to miss you."
She really would miss his accent. She held back her tears and looked up at him. She would keep looking at him until she'd have to go. She'd draw him every day. Like she had been doing since the night they became a couple.