Falling From Salvation
by
Captain Anonymous


He could almost feel the chill in the air.

Johnnie opened his eyes, breathing heavily. Maybe it was all just a dream. It just didn’t seem real to him.
He got up and walked into the bathroom, and looked at his reflection in the mirror, looking at the person staring back at him.
He touched the gold finished faucet, turning on the cold water.
Johnnie laid his fingers into the cold water, bringing it to his face.
He splashed the water against his warm skin. The water ran down his face.
He ran his fingers along his eyes. He looked at the darkness around his eyes.
His lips were trembling as he looked into the mirror, still staring himself, as the cold water streaked down his face.

He touched the glass, letting his fingers leave a mark on the smooth glass, tracing, moving them in a familiar pattern.

He didn’t notice Marlene coming into the room. She had put on his white shirt that he had worn that afternoon, the first night that he once again returned to her. She only had fastened two of the buttons, and pushed up the sleeves over her wrists.

Marlene could feel the cold bathroom tiles against her feet.

The way he traced his fingers on the glass.

Staring back at himself.

Marlene moved closer to him, standing behind him. She looked at his reflection in the cold glass.
“Johnnie........” She spoke softly, uncertain.

“I just can’t stop thinking about it.” His voice empty, tired.

Johnnie took down into the sink, at the droplets of water that were left. “There is just nothing that I can do about it now. Its like I’m trapped. No way out.”

Marlene made a soft sound.

Johnnie looked at her. “I’m sorry.”
“Its all right, there’s nothing you have to be sorry for.”
Johnnie let himself melt into her arms, letting her hold him, put her arms around him.
As if to shield him from the pain.
“There’s just nothing I can do. I just don’t know what to do. How to feel.”
Marlene rubbed her hands along his back.
“I know how you feel, how much it hurts inside of you.”
Johnnie could feel her soft touch.

He knew deep down, that he couldn’t keep this up.
The pain was just so deep inside of him.
He kept thinking about her.
Why did it all have to come to this.
Deep down, he knew that he probably could forgive Lady for she had done to them.
Maybe if she stayed, Midii never would have left.
Maybe they wouldn’t have to hurt anyone.
Maybe Ordway would still be alive.
Maybe. Maybe.
God. It just didn’t fair.
The life that he took, the people that he hurt.
Maybe there was nothing else he could do.
He didn’t want to hurt anyone.
There was no way out. If he went after Lady, if he did something, it would cause more pain.
He didn’t Midii to be hurt of all this, to be hurt anything that he might do.
If he didn’t the pain inside of him would destroy him.

Marlene ran her fingers through his blonde hair.
Holding his head against her.
“Please.” Johnnie spoke softly, “Just stay with me. I just don’t know what to do.”
“Its okay, its okay. You don’t have to worry. I’m here with you. You know I love you.”

-------------------

Midii watched as the small angel crawled across the bed in the early morning light.
Midii sat on the other end, over what seemed to be an endless sea of the comforter.
The small angel stood up, trying her best to keep her balance on the soft material.
She made a few small steps towards her mother, slowly coming closer to her.
She lost her balance and fell over, bouncing back on to the bed.
She giggled as she sat back up, as her mother came to pick her up.
Midii lifted her daughter, “Come on, that’s my girl.”
The small angel made soft sound, sounding almost like “mama.”
She laid in her mother’s arms, being sure to grab on to her long blonde hair.
Midii touched her tiny hands, trying to see if she could loosen her grip, but to no avail.

Midii glanced over her shoulder, towards Trowa.
Trowa was leaning against the wall, with his arms crossed, staying silent.
There was a smile on his face as he watched his wife and daughter.
He only watched for moment, not wanting to ruin the moment.
After everything that was going on and all that had happened, he was glad to see Midii smile.

Midii swept Marie’s fine hair back. “She’s getting a lot better.”
Trowa stood up straight for a moment, then leaning down onto the bed.
Trowa touched the small angel’s face. She giggled softly as he moved his worn hands back.
Marie moved her free hand, gripping Trowa’s index finger.
Midii smiled, “Looks like she’s got you too.”
Trowa didn’t do anything to try and free his hand from the small angel.
She took his finger and moved it to her mouth.
Trowa could feel her gums as she held her finger in his mouth, feeling the small bumps where her teeth would be coming in.
After a few minutes, she lost interest in Trowa’s hand, and released him.
Trowa pulled out a white handkerchief, wiping his hand, and the corner of his daughter’s mouth.

Midii lifted her up, “I think that she’s getting hungry. We’d better take her down and get her something to eat, before she goes after you again.” There was a playful tone in her voice, something that he wished that he could hear more often.

Trowa followed Midii out of their bedroom, down towards the kitchen.

----------------------

The sound of his heavy boots on the polished hardwood floor echoed through the study.
Townsend walked across the floor, towards the old army chest that he kept by his handmade oak desk.
It was probably inside. Townsend worked the latch with his hand.
He opened the lid and looked inside, moving around the contents, looking for something.
Near the bottom, under a box of shells, was the folder that he had been looking for.
He opened it, glancing inside for a moment.
He placed the folder on the desk, as he replaced the items back into their place inside the chest.
Townsend closed the lid.
He picked up the folder and walked to the leather bound chair by the window.
Townsend sat down, leaning back, taking a moment to stretch his stiff muscles.
He looked out the window.
It was almost dark. There was still a pale light in the air, the last light of the day, before fading into darkness. Townsend could see down towards the low ridges, towards Fairfax, where the lights were just coming on.
It all seemed so different now to him.
The ground was the same, but the way it felt inside of him.
Townsend opened the folder.
He pulled out the old photos that he had preserved inside.
He held them in his hand, looking at them for a moment.
They were from a different time.
A life time ago.
From the before the start of the great war.
Townsend looked over them.
Going through the groups of photos.
The color had faded on some.
He looked at each one, looking for a moment, before placing them down on the small table beside the chair.
He stopped when he had the photograph he had been looking for.
He placed the remaining ones down on the table, keeping that one in his hand.
He looked at it.
Four people, all together at a party.
Only one had his attention.
Mrs. Darlian.
He hadn’t seen this photo in years.
He stared at the way she looked.
She hadn’t changed her appearance much since then.
Townsend had thought about her since he saw her again.
He sure that if they met face to face, she wouldn’t remember him.
Townsend turned the photo over, and looked at the writing on the back.
It was written in a handwriting that wasn’t his own.
Probably whom ever passed the photo on to him.
Probably the hostess of the party.
The name on the back.
The smeared slightly, but it was all still legible.
The one name. The way it was written.
“Heather Darlian.”
Townsend turned the photo back, to look at her again, before placing it down on the table.
He could feel himself breathing deeply.
He looked outside once again, he would watch until dark.


To be continued.