No Harm, No Fowl

Chapter Thirteen: She's Gone

"No." Jenny tightened her grip on Alma's hand, disbelief and fear on her face.
"Go away. You're not welcome here, Agatha." Alma stared her down and the huge woman laughed.
"Ah, so you already know who I am! How wonderful, we can skip the boring little introduction stage and get right to business."
"Get out of my loop. Now."
"Oh, I'm going to leave, but not until I get what I need."
"What exactly do you suppose your business here is?" Alma put a protective arm around Jenny's shoulders, still holding onto her hand.
"Oh, you're lovers. I see. How touching. Little Miss Honey finally found someone. Too bad." Agatha stepped into the light and Jenny recoiled. She wasn't wearing her contacts as she usually was, and her totally white eyes glinted with malice, hands casually hidden behind her hulking figure.
"How did you get here? How did you find me?" Jenny stepped closer to Alma.
"Oh dear, you must think I'm quite stupid, don't you?" She took another step forward and the ymbrynes took one back. "You and Matilda run into a tunnel and disappear for a day, then come back with a mystery woman who took care of you? I wasn't there, but of course the children told me. It was glaringly obvious to me that you found a loop, Jenny."
"Don't call her that." Alma said firmly, glaring daggers at the wight.
"Ah, and here we have Miss Alma LeFay Peregrine. Supposedly the most powerful ymbryne. What an honor to meet you, my dear. I've heard much about you."
"How do you know my name?"
"I heard your last name at the inn. You don't check very well to make sure you're not being listened in on, do you? Plus I've seen many, many pictures. You have quite a recognizable, pretty little face. We've been looking for you. You're very famous among our ranks, you know."
"Among the wights, you mean? Your kind disgusts me." She growled, stepping forward.
"We simply seek immortality, exactly like you lovely ymbrynes have the ability to give."
"You can't get it from us! Your little experiment failed last time, what makes you think it'll work this time? You'll just end up making a worse mess and killing yourselves and whatever poor ymbryne you choose to torture this time."
"See now, that's where you've made a mistake, in assuming we're only using one."
"What?" Horror crossed Alma's face as Agatha brought her hands out from behind her back and revealed an empty bird cage, setting it in the floor and opening it.
"We're collecting as many of you as we can possibly get. And today, I'm here for the fabled Alma Peregrine. The ymbryne of this loop. Hop in, pretty lady. Say bye bye to your little girlfriend." She grinned wickedly and motioned at the cage.
"I'm not going with you. I'm staying here."
"Don't make me force you." When Alma still didn't move, Agatha's expression darkened further as she suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Jenny by the throat, eliciting a sharp scream from her. She spun her into her grip and held her against her chest in a chokehold.
"Let her go!" Alma demanded, stepping immediately forward.
"Alma, don't. Please stay back. I can't let her hurt you." Jenny choked out, gasping for air as Agatha's grip tightened marginally.
The screams had alerted the children, and Matilda rounded the corner and froze at the sight ahead of her. The other children followed, stopping in their tracks as soon as they saw Agatha's eyes and the way she was holding Jenny.
"Get in the cage, filthy little bird." She spat at Alma.
"Leave them alone." Matilda said, as both her and Emma stepped forward and approached the three women.
"Come any closer, maggot, and I snap your precious mommy's neck." Matilda froze and took a step back. Alma tensed visibly and turned to her children.
"Children, do as Miss Agatha says, please. Everything will be okay. I will go willingly with her," She heard a sharp gasp from behind her and sent Jenny an apologetic look before continuing, "And she will leave Miss Honey here to stay with you all. Do we have a deal, Agatha?"
"I- Yes, it's a deal." She glared down smugly at Jenny.
"Leave her. Take me instead." Jenny said, writhing in Agatha's grip.
"Aw, what an adorable display of nobility and love." She spat the word out like poison. "I simply hate to tell you this, my dear Jenny, but we only need ymbrynes. You're of no use to us. You're too pathetic." She smirked, voice laced with passive aggressive venom.
Alma sent Jenny a pleading look, silently begging her to keep her mouth shut. Jenny just shook her head lightly and put her hands on Agatha's arm, still wrapped around her throat.
"I am an ymbryne too. That's how I'm able to enter the loop. I'm an ymbryne. It's my peculiarity."
"No, you're not. You'd have shown signs when you were younger."
"Yes, I am. I just wasn't in a place I could grow and thrive, therefore it didn't develop until I came here."
"Show me then. Prove it. And if you try any funny business, I can and will call up a dear friend of mine. And you don't want to meet him, if you value your eyes." She released Jenny, who stumbled away into Alma's arms.
"Alma. Alma, I love you so much. I'm so sorry we didn't get more time, my precious bluebird. I wish I'd have been able to do more for you. I'll miss you so incredibly much, but I'll always be here, even though you won't be able to see me."
"Don't say that, little bird. Don't you dare say that. I'm not letting her take you. She'll take me, you'll stay here and care for the children. I promise it'll be alright. Love them for me." Alma cupped Jenny's face with her hands and looked desperately into her eyes. "I love you, Jennifer Honey. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. You have my heart, forever and always."
"You're not going anywhere, love. You have to stay here. Protect them. Carry on just as you did before I got here. You'll be fine, it'll be okay. I'm going to miss you so much. I love you with all of my heart, Alma." Tears welled in Jenny's eyes and threatened to spill over as she held eye contact with Alma for what could be the last time.
"Jennifer. You're not leaving. You promised me you wouldn't leave. You promised. I will not let her take you. No matter what. It's not negotiable."
"Sorry to interrupt- Just kidding, no I'm really not- But you're supposed to be proving to me that you're an ymbryne. So, show me." Agatha stepped forward and put a hand tightly on Jenny's shoulder.
"Don't you dare touch her again. She's mine, you bitch." Alma hissed lowly, glaring intensely at Agatha.
"Oh, you're a feisty one. Watch your language, birdie. And don't tell me what to do." She growled, bringing her hand up and fisting it in Jenny's hair, yanking her head up to look her in the eyes. "She's mine, now." She tightened her grip in Jenny's hair and leaned down to her ear. "Show. Me. Now."
"I can't do it if you're holding on to me." Jenny stated quietly and Agatha reluctantly let go. "Goodbye, all of you. I love you all. Matilda, keep being brilliant. I love you, my little bee, and I'm so, so proud of you." She paused and took a quick shaky breath. "Goodbye, my beautiful Alma. I love you so much. I'm so sorry."
Alma lunged out to grab her and stop her but the brunette was already backing up and she raised her arms, and in the blink of an eye she was in bird form. Agatha gasped and held out a hand, which the little bird refused to land on.
"Jenny, no! Please don't do this!" Alma screamed as the honeyguide looked between her and Matilda one last time, then shot into the cage which was promptly slammed shut. She perched inside reluctantly.
"What an ugly little bird. It's fitting. A pathetic bird for a pathetic woman."
Miss Honey cawed loudly but was met with Agatha shaking the cage roughly.
"Quiet. We go in silence, or I'll crush you in the palm of my hand and come back for your little girlfriend and take her instead. I'd take both of you, but it's more fun if I separate you." Agatha hissed, shaking it once again and grinning at the group's horrified reactions.
She wiggled her fingers smugly at the children and Alma, turning and striding out the door. Tears welled in the eyes of the little bird as she looked at everyone one last time, wings trembling. She raised one in a makeshift wave. The last thing that she saw was Alma falling to her knees and Emma and Matilda rushing to her side, tears streaming down the littler girl's face.
Just as Agatha's feet hit the porch, she stumbled forward and blood sprayed across the lawn. Miss Honey caught a glimpse of a floating knife and relief washed over her as she realized that a nude Millard must have stabbed the woman in the side. The next thing she heard over Agatha's angry screams was a sickening thud, then her cage hit the ground and she slammed against the side and blacked out.
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"No!" An ear shattering shriek erupted as Agatha walked out the door with Jenny. The next thing that happened shocked everyone. A floating knife sliced firmly and quickly from Agatha's side to her stomach. Alma watched as she stumbled in shock, then an arrow flew over her head and embedded itself so deeply in Agatha's chest that only the feather at the end was still visible. She dropped the cage and it bounced off the porch, flinging the frail bird around roughly. Alma turned her head to see Enoch holding the crossbow that she always used to kill the hollow, a grim look on his face. Agatha turned around slowly and opened her mouth to speak, blood pouring out across her chin.
"You'll pay for this." She coughed and spat blood across the floor before she fell backwards with a lifeless thud.
"Go get Miss Honey." Enoch ordered, and Olive hurried out the door to grab the cage. She came back inside and shut the door, then examined the bird inside, splayed across the bottom, unconscious but still breathing.
"Jenny. My Jenny. You're going to be okay. You're okay." Alma pulled her out of the cage and whispered to her, cradling her in her hands. "Get me a towel and the medical kit. Right now." She said to Emma, pulling Matilda closer to her. The blonde nodded quickly and ran off to find what Alma had requested. "Children, you're dismissed. Get ready for bed. I will do reset alone." She said firmly, and the children all knew better than to even try to argue. Once they were gone, it just left Alma, Matilda, and the little bird.
"Is she okay? Is she going to be alright?" Matilda sobbed, horribly shaken.
"She'll be just fine. She's just knocked out now. She's going to be okay." Alma said, the certainty in her voice soothing Matilda's nerves. "I'm so sorry you had to see that happen, Matilda."
"It's alright. Death is a natural thing. I was bound to witness a death at some point. But do you know when she's going to wake up?" She reached out a shaky hand and touched Miss Honey's soft chest feathers, feeling her little heart still beating in her chest.
"Hopefully tonight. But even awake, she might not be able to change back for a little while. We're stuck if we're injured, and I don't know if she is. I don't think it's that bad, though." Alma stroked her tiny brown head, nestling her into the crook of her arm. "I'll take care of her, I promise."
"I know you will. I trust you. And she does, too."
At that moment, Emma returned with a small green towel and a large box. She set the box down and Alma took the towel from her and made almost a nest, laying Miss Honey gently inside it and placing her in her lap. She then opened the box and pulled out a syringe, filling it with a sweet liquid and opening the little bird's beak, sticking it in and pushing the plunger down gently. She smiled when she saw her throat moving and knew she was swallowing it. Alma wiped little stray drops from the corners of her beak with her thumb, whispering sweet words to her the whole time. Matilda watched intently, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her shirt and waiting for her mom to wake up. After the entire syringe was empty, Alma continued stroking Miss Honey's feathers and whispering. Suddenly the bird's eyes shot open and she squirmed and squawked incessantly, looking around with clear alarm.
"Calm down, Jenny. It's me, and Matilda. You're safe now." The bird squawked one more time and sat up, hopping from foot to foot and fluffing her feathers, looking around impatiently.
"Anxious, aren't we. You'll have to get a little more strength before you can shift back. It shouldn't be long now. I have another syringe, it'll help you. Will you take it for me?"
Miss Honey fluffed her feathers and held her beak open expectantly, trolling when Alma took a moment to get it out.
"Okay, okay. Message received. Here." She gave her a second syringe, which was swallowed immediately. After a few more minutes of this back and forth, with Matilda joining in at times, Miss Honey hopped away and leapt onto the air, landing still as a bird. She cawed and flapped her wings angrily.
"Still not able to transform? Try again, dear. You can do it." So she tried again, and this time she landed in a disheveled human pile, which was immediately tackled by a teary eyed Matilda. Normally she'd have laughed at this, but she couldn't right now. Her mind was still spinning with everything that had just happened, and fear took the reins as she remembered that Agatha was around. 
"Where is she?" She looked around wildly. "What happened? Did she hurt any of you?" She grabbed Matilda and examined her, then moved over to Alma.
"She's not a problem anymore." Alma said quietly, taking Jenny's face in her muscular hands. Realization wrote itself on her features.
"She's... She's dead, isn't she?" Her voice cracked and she recognized the look on Alma's face instantly. "She is. She's dead. Agatha Trunchbull is dead."
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so she just collapsed forward into Alma's arms. It was then that she remembered what she had seen and heard just before she blacked out.
"She's gone. She can't hurt you anymore. You're safe now." Alma rubbed the woman's back with one hand, the other feathering through her messy hair.
"How... How did it happen? All I know is that- I-I think that I saw a knife, I heard a sound- I don't know what it was... And then I blacked out."
"Don't worry about it. It won't be pleasant to think of."
"Will you at least tell me who did it? Was it Millard? I know he must have been the one with the knife." She asked quietly, not making eye contact.
"Enoch." At this her gaze snapped up.
"Enoch saved me?" Her voice wavered and Alma nodded.
Instantly she stood to seek him out, but didn't make it a step before sucking in a sharp breath and clutching her head.
"Jenny, you need to lay down."
"I'm fine." She said, stubbornly taking another step and wincing.
"Where does it hurt?"
"Everywhere. It feels like I've been hit by a train. But my head is especially bad." She admitted and took another step but felt herself being picked up by Alma. "I'm fine." She whined, wriggling in her grip.
"Hush. I'll take you to see him, but it has to be after reset. I need to get you in bed first." Alma raised an eyebrow as Jenny flicked her nose. "Now, are we going to do it the easy way, which is you doing as you're told and letting me help you walk, or am I going to have to carry you?"
"Hm, I quite like you carrying me." She smirked and Alma shook her head with fake disappointment.
"When I leave, you will stay in bed. Understood?"
"Fine."
"Matilda, go on upstairs and get ready for bed. I'll take care of her, I promise you."
Matilda nodded and made her way upstairs, looking back to see the two women conversing quietly.
Alma examined Jenny as she began her own trek upstairs and noted that she was shaking. She was smiling, but it wasn't real. She was hurting, and Alma knew it. Her eyes conveyed pain, though she was doing her best to school her features into happiness.
"You don't have to pretend to be okay."
"I'm not pre-"
"I can tell, darling."
Jenny's fake smile fell and she closed her eyes, a tear slipping silently down her cheek, which Alma quickly kissed away. Jenny wrapped her arms around Alma's neck and rested her head on her chest as the other woman carried her up the stairs and into their shared bedroom, setting her down carefully on the bed and pulling the covers up around her.
"Stay here. I'll take care of reset. Try to get some sleep, my love." Jenny nodded and Alma placed a kiss on her forehead, slipping back out the door with a soft click of the latch. Before she did, though, Jenny spoke softly and Alma paused with her hand on the knob, turning and looking at the woman curled up under the comforter.
"Good night."
"Good night. Sleep well. Try your best to keep your mind clear." With that, she went out into the hall and left Jenny alone.
She tried to go to sleep but knew it wasn't going to work, so she climbed slowly and painfully out of bed to go to Alma's closet, where she pulled out one of the other ymbryne's nightgowns and held it to her chest, breathing in the comforting scent as she made her way back to the bed. Every step shot pain through her body, like fire in her veins. Though it was a different kind of fire than when she was kissing Alma. This one actually burned painfully, it didn't give her the intense pleasure that the other one did.
She curled back up under the blanket, hands tangled in the silk nightgown that smelled so familiar, and tried once again to get to sleep. Once again, she failed, so she lay there staring at the ceiling and waiting for the other woman to return.
Listening to the droning of the war planes drawing closer and closer, her stomach sank slowly. Then there was the whistle of the bomb, which made the woman shake and clutch tighter onto the nightgown. It was terrifying from inside, especially after what she'd just gone through, though she knew it wasn't going to hurt her. She squeezed her eyes shut as it grew louder and louder, then finally froze and she knew it began shooting back into the sky. Lights flashed through the windows as the daylight cycle flew backwards and landed once more at night. She let out a breath and opened her eyes, sitting up and willing her body to stop shaking and her heart to calm down. Her mind raced as tears fell slowly down her cheeks, her thoughts plagued with Agatha and her past, plus what had happened that night. Soon she was shaking again and her breathing was irregular, as she tried so hard to stop crying over the death of the woman who had abused her throughout her entire life.
Within ten more minutes, during which Jenny assumed Alma was tucking the children in, she heard two short raps on the door and it opened quietly.
"Why are you still up, Jenny?" Alma asked softly, stepping inside and crossing over to the brunette. Jenny just shook her head and took an audibly shaky breath, drawing Alma's attention to the fact that she was crying. "Oh, my darling. Come here." She held out her arms and Jenny fell into them, dropping the nightgown in her lap in favor of holding tightly onto Alma's lapels.
She let herself go and allowed herself to sob as Alma whispered sweet nothings to her and pressed soft, soothing kisses all over her face and the top of her head, rubbing her shaking body gently. When she had gotten herself back under control, she wrapped her arms tightly around Alma's waist.
"I'm so sorry." She whimpered, holding on to Alma so tightly that it was like she thought if she let go, she'd dissipate like the smoke from her pipe.
"There's nothing to apologize for, darling. You haven't done a thing wrong." Alma whispered, a touch of confusion lacing her voice, though it was overpowered by the loving comfort.
"I led her here. She wanted to take you away from us, from me, you could have died. It would have been my fault."
"They've been looking for me for a long time. They'd have found me eventually. It's not your fault at all, and I will not permit you to blame yourself for this." Another sob wracked Jenny's body and Alma pulled her head up and kissed her gently. "It's not your fault, petit oiseau."
Jenny reluctantly nodded against Alma's chest and opened her mouth to speak again, but closed it.
"Is there something else that's bothering you, dear?" She nodded slowly. "Would you like to talk about it?"
"She's gone. Agatha is dead. And I'm upset about it. I shouldn't be, she was awful, she threatened you and made so many children's lives into hell. But somehow, I'm upset about her death."
Her body started shaking again and Alma immediately pulled her tighter against her.
"That's absolutely valid, Jenny. She was the only biological family that you grew up with, it makes perfect sense that you're mourning her. You have a connection to her."
Jenny nodded and nestled her teary, wet face in the crook of her shoulder.
"I just feel awful for this. She hurt so many people, and here I am moping about her death."
"You deserve to feel things. You don't owe anyone anything. You heard the death of the woman who raised you. That'd have an affect on anyone. Whether she was a good person or not."
"Thank you. I don't deserve you. You're so good at this."
"You deserve so much, Jenny. I know you've been made to feel like you don't deserve anything, but you deserve the entire world. The stars, the universe, everything. You deserve so much more." Alma whispered, emphasizing various words with kisses to her hair. Jenny pressed a kiss of her own against Alma's collarbone and pulled her face away, attempting to wipe her slowing tears away with her fingertips.
She sucked in a sharp breath at the sudden sting of nails scratching against her face and held her hands out, examining them. They had clawed tips, nails that looked identical to Alma's. She touched one gently and looked up at the Alma with a confused and concerned look.
"I didn't do this..."
"You didn't transform back fully, you were still too weak. That's why I have mine. I didn't go back correctly, a long time ago when I was new, and I was left with talons." She held her hands up and wiggled her fingers. "And perhaps I had a couple of other bird like features, but we won't talk about those... Anyways, they're not permanent. You can cut them, or get rid of them by shifting properly again. But I decided I liked them on me, so I practiced until I could consistently keep them when I turned back human. It's really a preference thing." Jenny looked down at them and experimentally raised one hand and dragged a nail down Alma's face, to her jaw, then neck, and finally landing at the dip in her blazer. The woman shivered, every touch making her muscles tense and drawing a satisfied hum from Jenny.
"Yeah, I like them." She smirked, feeling better now. Alma was able to do that to her somehow, distract her and make all of her pain disappear. It melted away like snow in spring, leaving her with the blossoming flowers of contented happiness and that feeling that was still so new to her... Love. She snuggled back into Alma, sighing as she laid her ear over her heart and listened closely to the soft pitter patter of her heartbeat.
"Now what's this, Miss Honey?" Alma said playfully, pulling her nightgown off Jenny's lap and holding it up with one hand, the other still wrapped around her girlfriend.
"It's a nightgown." She said, as though it were the most obvious thing ever.
"And why do you have my nightgown, dear?"
"...I thought it might help me get to sleep." She said sheepishly, drawing a low chuckle from Alma.
"Would you like to sleep in it tonight?"
"Can I?"
Alma nodded, standing and moving so she was in front of Jenny.
"I'll help you into it." Jenny raised her arms for Alma to slip her shirt off over head head. She marveled at the exposed skin for a moment before clearing her throat and continuing, reaching behind her and resting her hands on her bra clasp.
"Are you okay with me taking this off?"
"Go ahead."
She tugged it off and bunched the gown in her hands, pulling it over Jenny's head and settling it onto her shoulders.
"Arms." She put her arms through the holes as Alma unbuttoned her pants and pulled them off from the ankles, folding everything and setting it to the side.
"There. That looks good on you, Jenny." She commented, taking it in. Jenny flushed and gave her a small smile.
"Thank you."
Alma nodded and touched her face absently, then went to her closet and pulled out a second nightgown that matched the one Jenny was wearing perfectly. She changed quickly into it and pulled her hair down, crossing back to stand in front of Jenny once more.
"Now come here." Jenny held out her arms and grasped at the empty air.
Alma stepped forward and felt herself being pulled down until she was laying by Jenny, breathing in the honey scent and feeling the warmth of her body.
"Thank you so much for everything, Alma." She whispered, draping an arm over the woman's waist.
"You don't need to thank me, my love."
"I really don't deserve you."
"You're right. You deserve so much better." Alma smiled and thought about how insanely lucky she was.
"Bluebird, I can't think of anything better than being with you."
A tinge of pink rose into Alma's cheeks as she pulled Jenny impossibly closer, running a hand through her hair.
"How are you holding up?" Alma whispered against her hair.
"I've been better, but I'm nowhere near as bad as when I first realized. You helped. You always do." Alma hummed and traced little circles on her back.
"I'm glad I could help."
"Honestly, I'm kind of glad she's dead." Jenny admitted quietly, a touch of bitterness in her voice. "After what she did to my father, now she gets what she served."
"Did she...?" She left the question unspoken and felt Jenny nod. "Of course she did. I'm so sorry, Jenny."
"She killed my father. And today she could have killed my girlfriend. If she had laid a finger on you, or Matilda, or really any of the children- I'd have lost it."
"We don't need to worry about her anymore now. You're safe, my love. And I will do anything to make sure you stay that way." Alma wrapped her arms protectively around the other woman. "Now, let's stop discussing unpleasant subjects and get some sleep. Goodnight, my Jenny."
"Night, bluebird. Sleep well." The two women cuddled further into each other and fell into a deep sleep. Jenny's dreams were plagued with Agatha and images of Alma and Matilda dying, being tortured by Agatha, her own screams and pleas mixing with Agatha's maniacal laughter echoing through the halls of the now empty house.
Alma's dreams were occupied similarly, Agatha walking out the door with a caged Miss Honey, cackling wickedly as she roughly shook the little bird in the cage. Her large hand around jenny's throat, squeezing the air out of her and the life force draining away with the joy as she mouthed one last 'I love you' and apology. Agatha hooking Jenny up to a machine and shooting electricity through her veins as the wights gathered and became just what they had always dreamed of being- immortal.
Both women awoke at the same time, breathing hard and clutching tightly to one another. Alma snapped her eyes open and held Jenny's head in her hands, feeling her to see that she was real and still there with her. Jenny did the same, tracing Alma's wrists and neck and searching for any injuries. When they were both satisfied that the other was fully there and okay, the tension slowly seeped out of their muscles and they held each other just a little closer. Their breathing evened out and fell into sync with each other, Alma absently combing through Jenny's hair. It had become a habit by now, becoming a feeling of comfort and sureness to each of them. They whispered to each other and soon they were both calm again, and fell back into sleep.
They each dreamed of the other, but this time it was good. Jenny dreamt of the day at the beach, and Alma dreamt of the night before. They slept through the night with no more disturbances, having been comforted by the presence of each other, as they would for many more nights.