Bridging Destinies

Chapter 64: Completion to Wholeness

"I'm sorry, Joonah. I do not know if I can stop the inevitable, or even if it is inevitable. My deepest feeling is that this will not last." I did not elaborate on my choice of words knowing that there could be many meanings to what 'this' was. I did not want to voice the details of what I felt coming, to define it, though we had touched on it in previous conversations, more baldly expressing what it would mean. I glanced at him to see his expression, then towards the door. My eyes pulled back to Namjoon's face, lingering on it, his expression telling me everything I needed to know. I swallowed, gathering the heavy lump in my throat, attempting to drag it down into my stomach, where I hoped it would stay. Namjoon looked up from his short contemplation of my words, his eyes half lidded and ridden with a weighted pain that had been surfacing since the altercation a few nights ago.

The silence dragged on between us for several seconds as we stared at each other before the door to Hoseok's room opened and Melusine stepped in, stopping just inside the room. She announced, "We will begin the second healing now." She informed us, together. Looking at Namjoon, she bowed her head a little in acknowledgement of his position, "You will need to leave for a time, but will be able to visit again in the morrow." She explained.

Frowning, Namjoon looked from Melusine to me, then moved closer to gather me into his arms. I allowed the movement and clung to him as we attempted to meld our skin as one, ignoring the material of the clothing  between us. I softly patted his chest, my fingers lightly moving over his shirt from side to side. Turning my face into his torso, I kissed the skin through his shirt, "I will be with you as much as I may, Jagiya. I do not want to leave you, either." I told him, but began to move away from him.

Namjoon embraced me tightly one last time, kissing the top of my head, then released me, allowing me to emerge from the contented allure of his body against mine. Moving from the bed he reluctantly decamped, walking past Melusine and into the hallway.

~~~

Namjoon stepped into the hallway towards the living room, passing Daniel and Jaron as he did so. He barely noticed Daniel as the vision of Jaron's raised brow and fixed gaze caught him. He felt like prey trapped, but continued to observe the other male, refusing to look away in both a silent entreaty and direct confrontation of position. As Jaron passed by him, Namjoon heard a soft snort and almost felt the shrug that accompanied it. He stopped and turned, watching Jaron walk into Hoseok's room and shook himself of the uncomfortable feeling created by his dismissiveness. 'It did not matter if the man did not like him,' Namjoon decided, 'All that mattered was what Felina wanted.' He walked into the living room and plopped onto the couch, already missing the feel of her in his arms. 'He would hold on until the very last moment when he couldn't anymore.' He told himself. He knew he would. He was as stubborn as Jaron appeared to be and until she was forced, he would not let go. He lost himself in subthought, partially unaware of his circling internal struggle as he appeared to peer at the ceiling, sightless.

~~~

In the room, Daniel, Jaron and Melusine moved into position to create a shield of Light. The healing would be of a different kind today. Rather than mending flesh, they would need to expunge poison, which would take more focus and more Light. The three fed the Light, channeling it and growing it beyond themselves, as they thickened the shield, ensuring none of the concentrated Light would escape the confines of the walls surrounding them. The Light clung to the walls, floor and ceiling, and anyone able to see it, would see the enceinte glow as it seemed to take on a physicality of its own. When the shield was in place and firm, the three positioned themselves around the bed.

As before, Daniel acted as a conduit, while Melusine and Jaron stood to either side of the bed, moving the energy towards Felina's body, their minds focused on finding every bit of the toxin still remaining, pushing it out from her pores through her skin. It was as if the Light touched each weighted poisonous element, spoke to it, calmed it, then consumed it, carrying it out of the body to wet the cloth around Felina's body in cooling sweat.

When the work was done, Melusine and Jaron were mentally and emotionally drained. The Light had enhanced their emotions, so that all four people were tear stained, the salted water, trailing down skin, into their hair lines and necks. Felina had grunted and cried out at the pain, as the heat of the Light enthralled her, causing her entire body to ache as if overtaken by an intense fever. And the Light had been the most intense, the power robbing Felina of sight far longer than before, lasting long into the night.

At its end, Melusine and Jaron collapsed onto the bed, resting, while Daniel sat at the edge of the bed, his head lowered, as he regrouped, then settled down to lay at Felina's feet. All four lay on the bed long enough to regain enough energy to move again, muscles feeling less liquid and strength returning to them. Recovering, first, Daniel stood and maneuvered around the others to pick Felina up and take her to the bathroom, where he cleaned the sweat, containing the poison, from her skin, washing her body free of it. Melusine brought in a change of clothes and helped Felina to dress in something dry, while Jaron slowly stripped the bed.

~~~

While the healing took place, Namjoon had moved from the living room back into the hallway, standing there, listening to the screams. The first scream had startled him, though he had expected it after his conversation with Daniel, and he had risen from the couch, hurrying to the hall. It had caused his whole body to tense and when all had grown quiet, he had leaned against the opposite wall in some relief, anxious but waiting. Many long moments had passed as he remained there, unable to move, his mind in an organized chaos. When Daniel had finally left the room with a depleted and soaked Felina, he'd stood and watched the man walk past him to the bathroom, a shake of the man's head keeping him where he stood. Then with Melusine bringing the clothes Felina would be changed into, he'd again watched, feeling helpless. When Jaron came into the hallway, looking as equally spent as the others, he had seemed to half glare at Namjoon, who narrowed his eyes, yet still appeared to look anxious and helpful at the same time, his body language, if not his mind, telling Jaron that he was ready to help, if he could. With the silent communication between them, Jaron's glare fell away and he simply asked, "We need fresh bedding. Do you have it?"

With a nod, almost smiling, Namjoon hurried to find sheets and a fresh comforter, assuming from Felina's state that the covers on the bed were probably soaked through. Rifling through his own closet for fresh linens, Namjoon brought a stack of materials out and handed them off to Jaron, who disappeared again into the room, closing the door behind him. Having been counseled by Daniel before, Namjoon knew he could not enter the room again for a while, but he wanted to. He wanted to help. Still, Jaron was older than him and certainly knew how to make a bed. Dumbly, Namjoon stood in the hall for a moment staring at the door, then slowly turned towards the location of the bathroom door and began to walk towards it. Knocking, he asked through the door, "Can I help?"