Healing Hands of Time

Door stepped out of the church, shielding her eyes against the sunlight. Her brothers followed after her, Tremor trying to explain to Thatch what had happened.

"So... wait. All this time, he was set up?"

"Yes," both his siblings said simultaneously.

The unfamiliar Zora nodded, "I'm his family's maid. I found things out."

The twins nodded. "All of this was an elaborate scheme." "Ariel filled me in." Aislin added.

Thatch nodded. "Okay... so what happens now? Everything goes back to normal?"

"It was normal before?" Door muttered, smiling faintly.

"Never." the twins laughed.

Aqua looked about, "Where is Alexander, by the way?"

"In the church, consoling his mother," Door answered quietly, pursing her lips. "She's... a wreck."

"He's a wreck," Aislin pointed out, "I think he's gonna be sick...he nearly killed a girl!"

"Yeah..." She nodded, breaking off. "Do you think... he needs help? Like... should I...?"

Thatch gave her a look. "You know you're helpless without him. We'll look the other way."

Door punched him on the arm before going back into the church.

Aislin rubbed her forehead, "Today...goes on the calendar as the most confusing, action-packed day of my life."

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Alex sat in the empty church, hugging his crying mother. He wore a vacant look on his face, and she was mumbling something into his shirt. He stroked her hair absently, looking at the broken window.

I'm a monster...

"...Alex?" Door stood under the arched doorway, her head tilted to the side as her voice radiated concern. "Can I... come in?"

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"You and me both," agreed Thatch. "And that guy... Who was he?"

He glanced up, the spell momentarily broken, "Y-yeah." he managed, patting his mother's back, "Come on in."

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Ariel spoke up, "He's a dirty cutthroat. Turns out he's a criminal that's wanted for a number of charges. Apparently Door and Alex got the better of him."

Thatch blinked, lost, then rasied a brow incredulously. "Wait. When Door came home that night, a few months back, with Alex in tow... She said that he'd been... kidnapped?"

Tremor nodded. "Yep. Remeber now?"

"And then... oh!! I get it now!" His eyes went wide, and he gaped at the church. "Golly..."

"About time," Trem muttered under his breath.

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Walking slowly over to the pew, Door hesitated before sitting, making sure they had plenty of space. "Are you... are you alright?" Urgh, so cliche, she thought.

"Y-yeah. I guess so...I mean, well..."

He blinked down at his sniffling mother, her face buried in his shirt. "As well as could be expected."

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The twins nodded in unison. "There're scary people out there..."

"Still out there," Trem reminded them. "Seeing as he got away... they both did."

Thatch buried his hands in his pockets. "I hope they jump off a cliff. And I mean it," he added, thinking of what had nearly happened to Door. "I'm not saying that lightly."

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She nodded, sighing lightly. "I'm... really sorry for what happened," she said at last. "...Really. Truly."

He shrugged. "You couldn't have known."

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Ariel glanced at Thatch, "Well, the blonde one nearly jumped off of something. Or pushed. I can't swallow that Alex...Iddaknow. Desperate times, desperate measures, I suppose."

This seemed to bring Thatch back down, and he nodded slowly. "Yeah..."

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"And you were trying to tell me the whole time... and I ignored you..."

"No, you had every right to be angry...but it hurt, I won't lie about that."

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Aislin sighed heavily, "They're out there somewhere. If I ever seem 'em again, they won't like it."

Bit talk for a small girl.

Blinking sadly, she reached out and tentatively lay her hand on his. "I'm sorry..."

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"Baddies, beware," Thatch agreed.

He closed his hand around hers, "It's alright now..."

Ms. Vanderpuye took her face out of Alex's shirt and snuffled, "I'll just...be going. I have to...find your father."

Alex nodded, watching her go.

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Ariel was quiet for a long time, "I feel bad for Alex. And Door. This was a whole mess."

"Now that I think about it, I punched out his tooth for no good reason..." Thatch frowned. "Of course, he retaliated..."

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Door was silent, just watching. Be well, she thought silently.

Alex didn't speak for a long time, "...Do you still..."

He faltered, not finishing his sentence.

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Aislin grinned, "At least he didn't hurt ya too bad."

"That wasn't your reaction when I came home," Thatch shot back, grimacing as he rememberd. "You though he ripped my entire face off. Yeesh, you were freaking out..."

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Turning her head towards him as he spoke, she nodded, slowly, once. No words came, but her eyes...

I never quit loving you, Alexander... I thought that you had...

"I thought that you didn't... anymore..."

Aislin's lips parted in a sheepish grin, "Well, excuse me for worrying about you...or did I hurt you manly pride to think that Alexander Vanderpuye could have done any damage to Big Bad Thatch?"

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"It killed me." he said suddenly, "It really did...I just...I couldn't let them hurt you, but I had to hurt you instead...I'm so sorry..."

"Yes," he said matter-of-factly. "Yes, you did."
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I will not cry.
I.
Will.
Not.

Door swallowed them back, just nodding. "I forgive you..."

Alex smiled softly, "That means the world to me."

She met his eyes, gazing into them for a moment. "I... I can't say that I'm glad you did, but... I know you did what you... you had to, and..." Her voice cracked, and she swallowed again, trying to keep her tears at bay. "I was just so confused, Alex..."