Tied As One Eternally

Chapter 17: Sovereignty

**TRIGGER WARNING FOR SUICIDIAL IDEATION/ATTEMPT**

IF this is a trigger for you please do not read!

The weeks went by and turned into months. There was no sign of Alessandra anywhere, her presence at the Abbey slowly fading, for some it was as if she had never been there in the first place. She had left the hospital alone per what the nurses had told Terzo, and of her own accord. The reality of all things they lost, too great for her to be anywhere near Terzo. There was nothing that he wanted more than to be back in her embrace, their child growing strong inside her–them preparing for his arrival. A future stolen.

He spent his days in agony, unable to sleep without her by his side. He missed the smell of her skin on his pillow, the way she'd raise an eyebrow at him when she thought he was being silly, and the way she looked at him–the look that he knew meant that she loved him. This world had completely crashed down on him, all it took was a man, a bastard of a man to tear it all away. The person still ultimately behind the attack was still unknown.

After all the questioning and searching everyone did–nothing turned up. The unsettled feeling, knowing that the person responsible was still out there, hummed low in the back of everyone's mind. The Abbey inhabitants were grateful to his Infernal Majesty that Sister Imperator was not so badly hurt, especially Papa Nihil. The subject of Prime Movers was never brought up again, not by Nihil or anyone else.

The Sister and the Cardinal worked hard to keep the Ghost project going with Terzo. It was exhausting to get him to focus, but Terzo somehow managed to do so. He was bound by his commitments and birthright to be Papa. The tour had already started and although he played his part well on the stage, on the inside he felt Alé's loss for every second of it. The moments of meeting child fans out in the crowd, particularly painful for him.

Terzo and Copia had become good friends after the tragedy, perhaps the only good to come of anything. The more time that passed, the more like brothers they became. Terzo had even mentioned to Copia that he agreed with Sister Imperator, that the Cardinal should take over as Ghost's frontman and maybe even as Papa once Terzo was ready to step down. It was common in the days after Ale left for Terzo to weep on Copia's shoulder, after seeking his counsel.

"...for everything there is a reason...even something like this. Every ending, a chance for a new beginning Papa." Copia tried to console him. All Terzo wanted to do was break away from everything.

"I wish I could believe that Copia...I really do." Terzo sighed. He was back on a short break at the Abbey before starting the second half of the tour. Returning home had been rough. At least on the road there was nothing he assign with a memory of Alé. For him, her ghost haunted the halls of the Abbey and always would.

Terzo headed up to his suite while Copia went to inform Sister Imperator of their arrival. As Copia made his way up the stairs, he began to regret all the rigatoni he had been consuming while on the road, a comfort food of his. He got deja vu when as he reached the Sister's office he could hear her and another man talking. This time he knocked, not waiting to spy. It was Mr. Sultarian, a visiting member of the clergy. The Cardinal could only remember seeing just a few times before, but he knew his role was important.

"Cardinal! It is so good to have you at home, but where is Papa?" The Sister asked, confused.

"He went to be alone for a bit Sister, I am sure you can understand." Copia said, removing his biretta and nodding to Mr. Sultarian.

"Ah yes, I heard...such a terrible thing. I do hope that Papa will find peace with it." Mr. Sultarian commented. Copia sat down next to him and waited for the Sister to speak again.