Between Somewhere and Nowhere

The emptiness of the hollow felt like it occupied every cockle of Mary's heart, and with nothing in its path, despair settled firmly within her, a sorrow so deep Mary couldn't even dredge up the emotion needed for tears. Abandonment felt familiar, as that is what God had done leaving her in this forsaken place, and she nestled within it as hope slipped away. Bending down to gather up Diana's clothing, Mary took an excruciating amount of time folding each item as if she could conjure Diana back by taking care of her things. Running her fingers along the hem of her skirt and the buttons of her jacket, Mary welcomed the numbness knowing eventually she would have to deal with the sadness more intensely. For now, going through the motions of folding clothing reminded her of doing laundry and brought a small twinge of comfort.

With the clothes neatly folded and placed in a pile, Mary took in her surroundings. The hollow was filled with Earthly items; candles, matches, an entire corner of books, a confusing amount of pocket watches and pearls, blankets, and a lantern. Moving over to the candles, Mary lit one and thrust it into the lantern, carrying it with her to the overflowing pile of books. Grateful for the mercy of something to distract her and occupy her time, the woman snatched a book off the top of the pile greedily and sat down where she stood. Her eyes ate up the worlds on the page, delving deeper into the world of Dante's Inferno, haunted by the images of Hellfire and demons but knowing if she stopped, she would have to face her own demons. Slowly and thoroughly, Mary traced each letter of each word with her gaze, making them last as the candle burned through the night and her eyes grew heavy.

Mary awoke with a slow blink of her eyes, her back aching as she'd rested it against the sharp edges of the mountain of books, and Dante's Inferno against her chest. Straightening up with a soft moan, she raised her head and startled violently, crying out to see a figure seated across from her.

"Shh...it's me, Mary. I didn't want to wake you." Dressed in the clothes Mary had so meticulously folded, Diana smiled and moved to put a calming hand on the brunette's ankle.

"Diana?!" Mary's mouth fell open and she threw the book aside, moving to grab the woman in a fierce embrace. "You disappeared! I thought you...I..." Tears of relief wet Diana's jacket as Mary buried her head in the other woman's shoulder.

Mary felt Diana wrap her arms around her and squeeze before gently pushing her back, "It was Sabrina, she called me to her and wanted to know how to help me out of Limbo. It was so disorienting and I couldn't focus my thoughts. I was worried about you, Mary." Diana took Mary's hands in hers and squeezed tightly.

Touched by Diana's concern, Mary wiped quickly at her tears, "I'm fine. The Soul Eater took Edward and left, I haven't heard anything from it since." Mary shook her head, "I can't bear the thought of being the reason your connection with Sabrina was cut short, can you get back to her?"

Diana smiled, "I can now that I've been summoned from here but first, I want to put a protection on this place for you Mary; remaining in this hollow will be better for you than the tunnels I've dug."

Mary nodded and watched as Diana stood gracefully and began to walk around the room with a newfound confidence. Mary reflected on the change in Diana, as if seeing Sabrina had brought new life to her, and reminded her of her humanity, as well as her power. Recognizing Diana's motivation as hope, Mary ached to feel some but all she felt was the nagging certainty that Diana would soon move on and she would once again be left alone. Diana's hand fluttered to tap the tops of the earth-bound items around the room as she muttered words Mary couldn't hear, until finally she stood before Mary and reached down to help her up.

"There. I'm no witch but Zelda taught me a thing or two on our long walks in the woods and that should hold you until I return. I hear Sabrina calling me, a babe needs my help, and there are still answers I seek. Stay here Mary, I'll be back as soon as I can." As she spoke, Diana's clothing melted away to reveal a cream coloured gown with fragile lace details, the dirt and worry erased from her face, and a shining golden crown sat atop her head.