Hierarchy of Need [t.r]

Chapter Forty

Blinking slowly, Delilah came too and realized she was slowly rising and falling. She'd fallen asleep on Tom's chest. He was still passed out and she took this time to simply watch him. Running her fingers lightly in small circles on his chest. After today she'd never get to see him again. She'd have to face that monster back in the nineties.

Delilah also knew one way or the other he'd have to die. That's the only way the war would end. She felt like she was dreaming, or maybe it was a nightmare in disguise, and pushed away the sadness threatening to come over her.

It was for the best.

Tom eventually woke up and glanced down at Delilah tiredly, sleep still hanging heavy on his eyes which made him look so much younger. She was looking at him with an odd expression he couldn't place before it clicked. For a single moment he'd forgotten what lied ahead of them today and it was bliss. Reality breached his mind however, it was over now.

Sighing through his nose, he wrapped his arms around her and lightly ran a finger through her golden hair. Peppermint greeted his nose, it was no longer overwhelming but familiar. "I know," his voice was a slight rasp and she closed her eyes, placing a kiss to his clavicle.

I don't want to go.

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The group had gathered in the downstairs pub of the Inn, chatting and running around, trying to get their nerves under control. Delilah tried to eat something but it was of no use. Poking at her tea cup, she perked up when Pyrrhus walked over to where she was standing.

He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't find his words and eventually he just sighed as he dug into his pocket. He pulled out a bag of pepper imps, "for the trip home." Pyrrhus mustered up a smile and pulled her into a tight hug, his thoughtful notion making her feel dizzy. "Thank you," she muttered into his shirt.

She felt the weight of the letters she wrote in her robes.

Delilah wouldn't be taking any of her new belongings with her. Save for the candies and Elio's necklace. The memories would last forever. It was so odd, she's lived a completely different life in these past few months. She was scared how much she'd changed, or if she had at all. Would her friends and family recognize her?

Aleksander was pacing and he seemed a bit more jittery than usual, then again all of them were nervous. They were about to break into the Ministry of Magic for fucks sake. Delilah spotted Cain and she walked up to him, offering a slight smile. "You doing alright?" He shrugged, "trying to, you?"

"Trying."

After a moment of silence Cain pulled her into a hug, squeezing his eyes shut at the realization this was essentially goodbye. Delilah reminded him of his sister and it nearly felt like losing her again.

Funny how people can just walk into your life and then walk right back out.

"I know the timing sucks," she admitted and he shook his head halfheartedly. "It was bound to happen eventually, I'm just glad we got to know you. Merlin knows we didn't deserve to."

"Don't say that," a frown was threatening to tug at her lips. "You're the best of us, you know that right?" Cain nudged her shoulder lightly and it was her turn to shake her head. Laughing lightly Delilah twirled her necklace, "nah, I think that's Elio."

She went to return her untouched tea to the bar, but she barely got to turn the corner when Abraxas ran right into her, pulling her into a bone crushing hug. His head was buried in her shoulder and he shook her side to side a bit. "I'm going to bloody miss you."