Alias- Forever And Always

63) Let Him Go

AN: Music for this chapter (on repeat): Specters in the Fog by Hans Zimmer from The Last Samurai, Breathe Me by Sia, Despair by Hans Zimmer from The Dark Knight Rises Soundtrack, Idylls End by Hans Zimmer from The Last Samurai Soundtrack, To Know My Enemy from The Last Samurai Soundtrack, Whistle Stop Cafe by Thomas Newman from Fried Green Tomatoes Soundtrack, Walkaway by Thomas Newman from Meet Joe Black Soundtrack, I'll Be Seeing You by Billie Holiday.

SIXTY-FOUR

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*Specters in the Fog*

Irina worked out with Lena in the mornings before each left for work and class and the two had fallen into a pattern of silence each day working up a sweat together in the freezing cold outside keeping warm with the layered black hakamas they wore, a dark contrast to the pure white snow they pounded around in with swords, sais and staffs fighting the unseen enemies with an unbelievable grace and beauty as they worked out their pain and sadness practicing various Martial Arts skills; Lena over Antony and the baby and Irina for not being able to take away the pain and seeing the spark completely gone from Lena's eyes as the hollowness grew each day and the weariness from her insomnia.

The only rest Lena was getting came after passing out for a few hours each night after drinking herself unconscious and then violently awakening from nightmares in the very early morning hours and running until sun up, running away from that which haunted her.

Jack was watching them standing in front of the French Doors in the kitchen while Dmitri made tea preparing to make breakfast. Irina and Lena were completely in sync with each other in their movements standing five feet apart without ever looking at each other knowing the skills so well and letting their bodies move without thinking making it look like a dance.

"They are the same, aren't they?" Jack asked quietly to Dmitri without taking his eyes off his wife and daughter who moved flawlessly side-by-side knowing the man knew Irina for much longer then he did, had seen her going through the most difficult years of her life and now seeing Lena going through the same.

"Yes…they are." Dmitri looked up and out the window before him at them; even their hair was blowing softly in the wind in the same direction. "Exactly the same… Looking at them now is like seeing Irina from years ago in a time warp now fighting beside herself in the present." He sighed, "And because they are the same, Lena will get through this too."

"And Irina won't leave her side until she does." Jack took the offered cup of coffee that Dmitri had made him. Irina had only clung more to Lena's side these days, as their daughter seemed to be getting worse and worse.

"No, she won't." Dmitri shook his head knowing Irina so well, "She knows that Lena must fight this battle on her own but she will stand beside her while she does…emotionally and physically." He nodded towards the two out the windows again where Irina was doing both before them now next to Lena. "She will do anything and everything to protect that child and in the end, Lena will acquire the strength she has to overcome…just as Irina did."

Lena was thrashing in her sleep as another nightmare hit and her heart pounded with tears spilling from her eyes with the horrible images flashing incessantly before her and she bolted forward in bed sobbing. Without stopping she flew forward and tore her clothes off putting her running ones on and flying out her door and down the stairs into the night outside.