DROWNING | saul silva [fate, the winx saga]

xi. all the days they stay dead

xi. all the days they say dead

[warning: implied death,

implied violence]

[present - normal

past - italics]

"It's funny" said Naida dryly to Farah as hey sat around a table waiting for Ben and Saul to join them.

"What's funny?" asked Farah cautiously, because Saul was dying - and Naida wasn't funny at the best of times, so this was quite concerning.

"That the say you loose someone isn't the worst - because then you've got something to do, grief or anger" her voice was blank, "It's all the days they stay dead"

"No one's dying" said Farah sternly, "Marco will find the Burned and the team will kill it, and Saul will be alright" despite the firmness in the voice, there was an underlayer of uncertainty that shone through, an edge of unknowing that was so unlike Farah.

"That's bullshit" said Naida, "They've never faced a Burned One, Farah they stand no chance"

"They're our best students"

"Exactly - they're students, we should be out there" said Naida, standing up angrily.

"And then Sky looses both parents. Is that what you want?" asked Farah, standing up in response.

"Don't, don't say that" said Naida, her eyes clouding with tears.

"Why not?" snapped Farah, "Seems like it's what you want"

"Fuck you - "

"Whoa, whoa, whoa" said Ben, as he and Saul entered the room, Ben supporting his friend with an arm around his shoulder.

"What happened here?" asked Saul weakly, looking between the two women cautiously.

"Nothing love" said Naida, breaking her glare and going to help Saul make his way towards the map.

"It's Marco" said Farah, making her way towards Naida and Saul with a ringing phone with her hand that she answered and placed on the table in front of them.

"Marco give us an update - are you still tracking the Burned One?" Saul asked.

"Where are you?" asked Farah.

"Clatville" replied Marco from the phone, "We missed the last attack by an hour, we're right behind it"

Saul followed along the map, "Go by the river"

"Burned Ones have difficulty navigating water" explained Naida.

"We know" said Marco, his voice laced with what sounded like annoyance, "We'll have it cornered by morning"

Farah gave Saul and Naida's interlinked hands a scared glance before cautiously saying, "We may not have 'till morning", there was a sharp intake of breath from the other side of the phone.

"We'll call you when we get it" said Marco.

"Marco just keep us updated" said Farah before being cut off.

"They shouldn't be on the phone" said Saul, lifting Naida's hand of the phone.

"We should be helping them" said Farah angrily.

"Dunno how much help I'd be... but I understand your frustration" said Saul, before Naida rushed to help him sit down.

"Marco and Noura are two of our best graduates" said Ben as he started pouring out the whiskey.

"Have they ever faced a Burned One? No. Do they know what they are up against? No." ranted Naida, "We do."

"But we decided to stay here and teach the next generation" said Ben.

"Ladies, we taught them everything we could" placated Saul, "It's time we trusted them, handed over the mantle"

"I do trust them" said Farah, as she and Naida sat down, "Doesn't mean I like to sit here waiting"

"Feel like I'm a glorified babysitter again" said Naida, thinking back to when she was stuck inside with Sky, Terra, Sam and Rose - her 'maternity' leave that Andreas, Farah, Ben and Saul forced Rosalind to give, and forced Naida and Rose to take.

"You were never a babysitter" said Saul, attempting seriousness but failing miserably.

"Don't laugh at me Saul" said Naida, pointing a warning finger that cracked him up even more.

"Speaking of" said Ben, "Isn't tonight the Specialists annual debauched kegger"

"Imagine they think we don't know" smiled Saul, tipping his head backwards slowly.

"Imagine they thing you didn't start it" laughed Farah, playfully clinking her shot glass with Naida's - their previous scrap forgotten.

The favour of them laughed before tipping back their whiskey in sync.

"We'll be okay" said Naida.

"Yeah we will" said Ben before the moment was broken by a loud crash upstairs.

"We were never this loud" said Saul, looking up in disbelief,

" Never" agreed Naida.

The all exchanged looks for cracking up with laughter, "We were louder" said Farah in between laughs.

A/N

a bit late, but here's a trailer I made for this fic