The Hamilteam

I don't know what's going on. (But then again, what's new?)

I felt numb. I couldn't breathe. I could barely feel Elijah's hand on my shoulder.

"This is all our fault..." I muttered.

"Anji, don't blame anyone. It's Hades' fault. He is purely evil." Elijah reassured me.

I did not completely believe him.

"He is very powerful." He continued. "I do-"

"We have to go back."

"What?"

I suddenly stood up and nearly fell over. "We have to go back, there has to be a way to bring Mary back!"

My voice was hoarse and my eyes were red. I had cried a good deal when Elijah gave me the news.

"Anji, you are much too weak to go home right now. I brought you here so you could rest."

"We can't just sit here and watch. What about school? What do they know about this?"

"Well, as of now, you are sick, and Mary is on vacation." He informed me.

"You didn't tell them Mary had left the school?"

"Do you remember what you had when I had gone missing over summer?"

"Sadness?" I asked.

"Besides that."

"Um.... hope?"

He smiled. "Yes. Maybe I'm just insane, but I do have hope."

"You aren't insane, I have hope too. Or we're just both insane."

We bittersweetly smiled.

"I have to go back and check on the others- don't give me that look! You have to rest. I'll be back soon to inform you of what's happening." Elijah said.

I walked out with him. "Do we ever really know what's happening?"

He chuckled, sadly shaking his head. "Nope."

•••

Everyone was strangely quiet. That's what Elijah told me. They were not speaking. Lydia was still missing, and Mary was supposedly dead, though I refused to believe it. She was much too stubborn. Sherlock has not been seen since Mary's disappearance. Later, the gang discovered he had been crying in 221B.

"It was depressing." Sophia said. She had come to visit me. My best friend could sense when I felt useless, sitting on another planet while everyone else was fighting things.

"More like it is depressing." I mumbled and looked down.

"Hey friend, don't have the long face. We've been through a lot, the Hamilteam. We'll find a way to get through this too. To be fair, it has never been this extreme or hopeless, but-" She stopped when she saw my face. "Sorry."

"Elijah says I should be able to go home tomorrow." I told her, staring at my hot chocolate he had poured for me.

"That's good."

"Anything new going on down there?"

"No. Hades hasn't been seen since Elijah came back. Do.. you think Hades is scared of him?"

"Of Elijah?" I asked.

"Yeah.."

"I don't know. Hades is very powerful, but Elijah is the only one who's been able to get rid of him for longer than a day or two. I wouldn't be surprised."

I traced my finger along the rim of my mug. Everything has been feeling surreal with Mary being gone. I half expected her to waltz through the door holding Lydia and singing the lyrics to "For Good" with me.

"I should head back. It's getting late, Gabe will be coming home with Chinese food, and you need to rest." Sophia ordered me.

"Because apparently that's all I'm useful for." I mumbled.

Sophia sighed and took my hands. "Anji, you're useful for many things. You've saved our lives so many times. Once in a while it's okay to sit back and catch your breath, otherwise you won't be able to fight anymore."

I smiled. She always knew what to say. Hugging her, I whispered a thank you in her ear.

"Of course. Now rest, child." She patted my head and walked out the door.

•••

"I'm back." Sophia announced as she walked through the mansion doors. It was eerily quiet. Something was off.

"Sugar, you might want to see this."

Gabe, her fiancé, took her hand and led her down the hallway. His usual mischievous face full of cheer was upset and blotchy. His grip was firm, but he looked tired.

"Gabe? What's happening?"

He led her to where Lydia's nursery used to be, next to Mary's room. The nursery was gone. In its place was a note, in black ink.

She is gone too. What will you do now? My plan is all falling into place, and you have only helped me. I thank you for that.

~H