Unspeakable

Chapter 71: Guilt

Diane curled against Ominis as she felt her heart shudder at the thought that she had tried to hurt them, burying her face in his shoulder as she tried to deal with the wracking guilt inside her.

"Hey-" Sebastian didn't like how she was turning away from him, as if she couldn't look at him right now. It hurt... a lot.

"I'm sorry." She said in a wavering voice against Ominis, who was rubbing her back gently. "I can't help it. I feel so terrible."

Sebastian sighed, remembering how she'd been after Talon had nearly killed him, and realized how his close scrapes with death must hurt them. He should be more careful. Ominis understood- because he'd been there as well, but even he had been terrified that night. She hadn't had the chance to cope with what had happened. Not to mention the fact she had done it with her own hand.

He remembered how much she'd clung to him after she'd prevented the killing curse, and sat on the bed beside Ominis, rubbing her back as well. He turned toward her in the bed, holding out his arms for her in offering. "Come here, flower." He said softly.

She looked up to Ominis, who smiled and kissed her forehead sweetly before letting her go. She shifted into Sebastian'a lap, shuddering as his strong arms surrounded her. She loved how different they both felt, Ominis' longer limbs completely surrounding her while Sebastian's stronger grip held her tighter. She gripped at his shirt as emotion welled up inside her, and she shook her head as she buried her face against his shoulder.

"I don't know what I'd do if I lost either of you." She said in a wavering voice.

"I know." Sebastian said softly, resting his cheek against the top of her head. "We're all connected. It wouldn't feel right without any one of us."

Ominis let out a little noise, nodding in agreement at the memory of almost losing Sebastian that night. He let out a shaky breath, the memory of holding him in his arms bloodied and burned when he wouldn't wake up no matter how loudly he'd shouted his name.

"Oh don't you start too." Sebastian said in frustration, sounding emotional as well. "If you start, I will too and we'll all just be a blubbering mess."

Ominis let out a small weak laugh, quickly wiping his tears away and nodded. This was the time for Diane, he'd already come to terms with what had happened during Sebastian's recovery.

Diane just kept her face buried in his shirt, clutching to him. "I hurt you, though." She said weakly.

"You didn't-" Sebastian started-

"I did!" She yelled in frustration, looking up with teary eyes to him. "It was my magic that hurt you! I burned you! I scarred you!" She said the last part through emotional tears, her eyes pained. "I love you so much, and I almost killed you!"

He held her tight against him as she started crying, sighing softly. He didn't know what to say to that, because saying it wasn't her fault didn't seem to be getting through to her at all. "Are you worried I'm going to hold it against you?" He asked, hoping to get to the bottom of why she felt this way.

She shook her head against him, and he was relieved it at least wasn't that.

"Then what is it, love?" Ominis asked softly, coming up behind her to rub her back again.

She shook her head again, having a hard time saying it.

"Come on, deep breaths flower." Sebastian said soothingly, hoping to help her say what needed to be said.

She inhaled slowly. Exhaled slowly, her fists tightening in her grip on his shirt, clenching her jaw as she fought to get the words out.

"I'm a Walsh." She said, barely able to be heard.