Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ A Matter Of Choice ❯ The Hardest Kindness ( Chapter 21 )

The Hardest Kindness

 

Tegan was nervous. Something just didn't feel right about tonight. As they moved further and further from the safety of home and their base Tegan began to get decidedly antsy. She stopped Stuart as they were about to turn into an alley.

 

“Can't we call it a night?” She asked nervously, all too aware of the slight tone of desperation in her voice.

 

“What for? We've seen nothing yet.” He soothed, curious at her sudden change in attitude.

 

“I really don't feel right about this.” She insisted.

 

“It's only nerves, and it's alright to be nervous. It's a good thing.”

 

Stuart took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She stood almost frozen, and watched him enter the alley. She sighed considering what to do next. Suddenly the hair stood up on the back of her neck and she knew that she shouldn't have let Stuart go in there alone. She started round the corner at a run, her heart pounding in sudden fear, only to find herself pulled back, a cold hand clamped over her mouth and an arm tight about her waist. She struggled against her captor, flailing wildly, but his grip changed, trapping other of her arms and tightening, becoming painful, holding her fast.

 

“Quiet!” He hissed.

 

Tegan's heart was pounding as her captor held her, obviously checking that they would not be disturbed. She felt his chest rise and fall gently against her back as the moments went by, measured only by her pounding heart. By his breathing he was obviously calm. This very fact made fear start to cloud her thoughts. She flinched as his hair brushed against her ear.

 

“This is an opportunity Tegan.” He whispered. He obviously knew her but she couldn't place the voice. “Go home. You don't want to be with your uncle tonight. Even if you stay you won't be able to help him and you will put yourself in great danger. If the worst happens to Stuart then you shouldn't be here to witness it, now take my advice and go!”

 

With that she was pushed to the ground, but as she turned to look for him she had found he had vanished. A feeling of dread came over her; Stuart was walking into an ambush! She got up and ran after him. As she rounded the corner she saw him step out into an open area.

 

“Stuart!” She shouted. “It's a …”

 

At that moment two things happened at once. Tegan found her feet being swept from under her and Demetriov dived out of the shadows and attacked Stuart. Tegan landed hard on the concrete crying out as the base of her spine was compressed. Pain shot up her back and down her legs leaving her unable to move for the moment. Punching Demetriov Stuart turned to see Alicia standing over his niece, reaching down for her.

 

“No!” He cried pushing Demetriov from him.

 

Alicia turned at his shout and Tegan managed to struggle painfully to her feet. Demetriov pulled Stuart back by his shoulders and as Alicia laughed, Tegan kicked her from behind as Stuart began to grapple with Demetriov. Tegan launched herself at Alicia, kicks and punches coming fast from the two, both blocking the others attacks quickly. Tegan desperately put all her strength behind a single kick, finally landing the blow on her opponent, sending her sprawling to the ground. She hauled Alicia up and heaved her head first into a wall, stunning her. Tegan dropped her and ran to help Stuart only to collide into Torin's chest as he appeared from nowhere to block her progress. He grabbed her roughly by the arms.

 

“This is your last chance, now back off!” He hissed.

 

Tegan's eyes widened in shock as his voice registered in her mind, recognising it from only moments before. So it was Torin who had warned her off. Her face hardened and she pushed herself away from him. She dived for him angrily only to find herself sprawling on the concrete as he tripped her. He picked her up by her arm only to find her twisting in his grip. As she swung for him he caught a glimpse of the brick she had picked up just before it connected with his skull. He staggered as the pain hit him, letting her go as he reached for his head. She kicked him hard, sending him staggering into the wall.

 

Tegan turned to see Demetriov pin Stuart to a wall about to take the lethal bite. She grabbed Demetriov by the hair and throat and pulled him off her uncle and smashed his head into the wall. Demetriov crumpled at the knees blood pouring from his nose and she was about to go for him again when Stuart grabbed her by the shoulders.

 

“Go!” He panted. “You have to live; you can't let yourself get caught like this! Not after all we have done.”

 

As she looked at him she saw that one eye had filled with blood and there was a gash in his forehead that was beginning to clot.

 

“I won't leave you!” She argued grabbing his shoulders to steady him as he swayed.

 

“You must, now go!”

 

He shoved her as hard as he could sending Tegan staggering, tripping over the brick she had discarded earlier. Demetriov had now recovered from the blow, the wound in his nose healed, but blood still stained his face. He struck Stuart from behind, Stuart going limp in Demetriov's waiting arms.

 

“NO!” Tegan screamed as she scrambled to her feet.

 

She tried to run to him as hands closed on her arms pulling her back, turning her round. She found herself looking into Torin's stern face.

 

“Its over, let it go. You don't want to see this!”

 

She twisted around in his grip trying to escape, to hurt him, only to see Demetriov bite into Stuart's throat. She screamed in frustration and agony as Demetriov killed her uncle, sagging in Torin's grip, unaware of the tears that poured down her cheeks. Torin pulled her upright turning her round, away from the killing. He stood firm as she raged against him, trying to escape, twisting in his grip. She stopped trying to get away from him and started to try to hurt him as grief and rage took over her. He stood unflinching as she pounded at his chest, it hurt, but it couldn't compare to how much she was hurting right now. Slowly she stopped, sobbing for breath, crying in grief as Demetriov approached the pair.

 

“It is done.” He stated flatly. “And now…” He turned his attention to the weeping girl.

 

Tegan's knees buckled suddenly and Torin held her tight to his chest as she sobbed against him.

 

“Leave her Demetriov.” He hissed. “She's been through enough.”

 

“There is much that needs to happen between us. We have things to face; she has to make her choice.”

 

“Yes, but not now. Leave her to grieve.”

 

Tegan sobbed softly, grabbing fistfuls of Torin's wet t-shirt as Demetriov left them. He went to help Alicia who was coming round. Tegan never saw them leave. Torin held her for a long time stroking her hair gently. She cried until she had no more tears. Torin held her by the shoulders and stepped back.

 

“I should have helped him. Why didn't you let me?” She whispered.

 

“Demetriov is too strong, he would have hurt you too, perhaps even killed you.”

 

“Why are you trying to protect me?”

 

“I can't stand to see the innocent suffer.”

 

“I could have stopped this.” She cried.

 

“No, you couldn't.” Torin said gently. “You know that in your heart.”

 

Tegan hung her head. He was right. She was just a teenage girl, and right now she was frightened and alone.

 

“It's over now. It's time for you to do what needs to be done, and for you to go home.”

 

“How can it end like this?”

 

“It was always going to.”

 

Anger started to well up inside her, hatred being born in the flames of her anger. Hatred for the man who tormented her so, for the man who had killed her uncle and torn her life apart.

 

“I can't let this go. I can't turn my back on him, I know I can't. Demetriov has plans for me and I can't run all my life. I have to stand and fight.”

 

“You don't need to live like this. This can all end for you tonight.”

 

“I have to fight him, fight all this.”

 

“You don't have to. It's your choice.”

 

“Won't Demetriov come after me? He has before.”

 

“I don't know. I won't lie to you; he's impulsive and fixated with you. If you try to stand and fight him….” He trailed off. “I would fear for you if you did that.”

 

With that he stepped away from her. She stood there numb, unable to bring herself to look at anything but the floor. Torin had shown her extraordinary kindness, but it hadn't quite registered as yet. Eventually she turned to the fallen body of her uncle. Somehow she managed to kneel down beside him and through a teary haze she saw that Demetriov had healed the wound in his throat.

 

“I'm so sorry!” She cried. She bent over pressing her face to his, fresh sobs racking her body, Torin observing from a distance. She cried hard for a while and eventually kissed Stuart's cooling cheek. She wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. Now she had to do the hardest kindness of all. She had to make his death seem accidental; she had to leave him to be found, so that his death could be closed in the outside world. Torin watched as she began to take off his jewellery and to empty the contents of his pockets. At this point, satisfied that she would be okay Torin turned and left.

 

Tegan took a few moments to collect her thoughts before turning for home. It was a lonely walk, and when asked later she would not remember how she had got there. What she would remember was the sight of Demetriov killing Stuart, she would remember entering the house alone and placing Stuarts belongings on the telephone stand knowing she would never see him again, and worst of all she would remember her aunt's face when she had come to her in the kitchen and wordlessly placed her husband's wedding ring in her hand. Tegan had stood silent and numb as she held Lynn in her arms. Lynn had wept for a long time before becoming faint. Tegan had carried her to bed and then retired herself. She had no idea how she had managed to fall asleep, but thankfully her sleep was dreamless.

 

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Author's notes:

So many tears, I am so damn mean. Well I did warn you I would kill off characters didn't I. Never mind. It seems short to me, and yet achieves what I wanted to, but suggestions would be welcome.