Dark Tides

Percy wasn't sure what he was supposed to do or say. Just minutes before, things had been fantastic. He hadn't realized how badly he needed to hold Emily like that until she made the first move, and now he wasn't sure he could ever survive without it. Yet as soon as they got home, his world came crashing down over him. He hated to see his mother like that. Ever since he could remember, she was so full of life. If she wasn't, he wouldn't have been, either. Now she looked like a skeleton. He could practically see through her skin. When he held her hand, he found that she barely had a grip at all.

"I can go get the doctor," Percy said, his voice cracking on the last word.

"He won't be of any use, lamb," Malina said softly, giving him a reassuring smile. "Everyone's time comes to an end, Percy. Some sooner than others. Life is such a fragile, temporary state."

"So you're just giving up?"

"No, Percy," she said, shaking her head slightly. "I'm just welcoming it with a smile on my face. Why should I die with fear and regret? I'm choosing to enter the next life knowing that in the end, I had two beautiful boys who both did everything they could to come back for me. And they both did."

"I should have been back sooner," Percy frowned.

"You came when you were ready," she told him, squeezing his hand lightly. "And I'm happy to say, I was here to see you turn from a boy to a man. And now that I'm sure you will be fine on your own two feet, it's time for me to go to your brother. He's lost. He needs me, now."

Percy wanted to say something, but no words came out. What more could he say? He pursed his lips into a tight line, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. If there was one thing Percy never did, it was cry. Never. No matter the physical or emotional pain, he could handle it. And yet, there was that tear that betrayed him. Perhaps he'd never felt as much pain as he was feeling at that moment.

"Emily is here, isn't she?" Malina asked.

Percy remembered Emily rather suddenly, turning his head and finding her trembling on the floor. She clearly wasn't taking this very well. He held out a hand to her, and though she seemed a bit reluctant as first, she wiped her tears from her eyes and made her way across the room to sit on the floor beside Percy, taking Malina's right hand as she held on to Percy with her left. She gave Emily a weak, but warm smile.

"You're a wonderful girl, Emily," she said. "I'm so glad to have been able to meet you in my mortal life. I wish I could tell you how happy you two are going to make each other, but I can only leave you be to see for yourselves."

Emily just nodded slowly, and Percy felt her hand reach for his. He took her hand and laced his fingers through her, giving her a reassuring half smile.

"Just remember," Malina added, "No matter what, he needs you more than either of you know. No matter what stupid thing he says or does."

Emily nodded again, completely speechless. Percy couldn't read the expression on her face. She almost looked guilty, though Percy couldn't imagine why. He directed his attention back to his mother when she let go of their hands, patting his hand lightly.

"You'll be fine, Percy."

And then she went silent. Emily made a sort of choking sound next to Percy, and he pulled her in, kissing her forehead and holding her while she cried. There were tears running down his face too, but he wiped them away before anyone could see.

Luke helped give Malina a proper burial. It seemed to hurt him, as well. Just a few years ago, he'd done the same thing for her son. They let Malina rest right next to where Colt was, his grave marked with a few stones, one of which had his name etched into it. Malina's grave was similar, though Percy added a few charms to it to help her move into the next life. For a little while, he simply sat there in front of the grave and stared at it. Luke had left, but Emily lingered, unsure of what to say to him. She just sat beside him and rested her head on his shoulder, sitting with him in silence until it started to get dark out and she realized how worried sick her family must have been.

For the next three days, Percy stayed inside. He moved from one corner of the house to the other, spending most of his time sleeping. By then, he knew he no longer had work. Luke had been going there in his place, telling everyone Percy was sick, but he wasn't sure he was ever getting better. He didn't hear from or see Emily in those three days, but he couldn't blame her. After her sudden disappearance, he wouldn't have been surprised if her father had put her on house arrest. On the fourth day, however, she did start coming to see him.

Emily started out knocking and waiting for an answer, but when she found that Percy wasn't moving from his spot, she began to let herself in. They barely talked when she visited. Most of the time, she just curled up beside Percy, just so she'd be there for him. He was glad she didn't try and tell him everything was going to be alright, or that his mother was in a better place. While the intention behind those words was good, hearing things like that only made him feel worse.

Emily didn't start trying to get him up and running again until about a week later, when she came to find Percy lying on the floor with the scruff of several days growing on his face. She sighed and knelt down next to him, running her fingers through his hair.

"Why are you on the floor, Percy?"

He didn't answer.

"When was the last time you ate?"

Again, no answer.

"I brought you something," Emily said softly, lifting his head so it was at least resting in her lap instead of on the hard wood. "I made it myself. So you have to eat it, or I'll be insulted."

Percy slowly sat upright, looking at the little container of soup Emily had brought over. She gave him a bright smile, but when it wasn't returned, he could see the hope shrivel up in her eyes.

"Percy, please don't do this to yourself," she begged.

"What else am I supposed to do?" he grumbled. "I have nothing to do with myself. I came here for her. Now there's nothing."

"Don't say that," Emily argued, looking down at her hands. "I shouldn't have run off like that. Perhaps things would be different."

Percy shook his head, reaching over to tilt Emily's chin up.

"It's not your fault," he told her.

"It's not your fault, either."

"No, it's not," Percy said, pausing to think before dropping his hand and speaking again. "It's his fault. Like every other horrible thing that happens to me. I'm going to end him."

Emily watched with concern as Percy grew angry, standing up a little too suddenly and falling backwards again with a thud. Emily crawled over to him and helped him sit upright, holding his face in her hands.

"No, Percy," she said firmly. "I'm not going to let you do that. You are in no shape to be challenging anyone, let alone your father."

Percy thought about it for a moment, then sighed. "What do I do then? Wait for him to come and kill us both?"

"Well, that's actually something I've been thinking about," Emily said hesitantly, looking down a moment as if she was trying to gather up her courage. "What if we... Well... What if we just run away? Together."

"Run away?" Percy frowned.

"I know it sounds drastic, but it would work," she said quickly. "We could go somewhere safe for the both of us. Like Port Aris. Nathaniel will never be able to touch us, and we'll be gone long before he has a chance to find out where my family lives."

"Run away," Percy said again, thinking about it. "Won't you miss your family?"

"Yes," she admitted. "But I can't stay at home forever. I always thought I wouldn't leave until much, much later, but I can make things work. I'll write to them under a different name. I'll be alright, Percy."

He never ran away from a fight, but at the end of the day, that was one of his biggest flaws. Running away would mean he could start over, in a sense. But at the same time, could he really tear Emily away from her family like that?

"Percy, please," she said. "It will work. And everyone will be happy. I promise."

Reluctantly, Percy nodded. "You're right. How soon can you be ready?"

"Tonight."

"But don't you need time to-"

"Tonight, Percival," she repeated firmly, standing up. "I'll write a note and gather up my things, and I'll see you right where we always meet, at the usual time. Just promise that you'll clean yourself up a little bit, first."

Percy struggled to speak, so Emily silenced him by bending down to give him a quick peck on the lips, giving him a reassuring smile before heading out.

"Oh, and eat the soup, Percy," she added as she went out the door. "For goodness sake, you need to eat something."

And with that, she was gone, leaving Percy sitting on the floor with a bowl of soup in his hands. Part of Percy wondered if she was so quick to leave because she didn't want to think too much of it and change her mind. Like she said, it was drastic. It seemed more extreme than fighting, in a way. But if that was what it was going to take, that was what Percy was going to do.