What Would Make Alastor Cry?

Awakening

Everything kept fading in and out really fast. In a span of seconds, I managed to only catch fading glimpses of people surrounding someone across the room, and someone looming over me.

I managed to get into an upright position as everything cane into focus. Husk was the one standing over me, his face holding worry. Everyone else was crowded around Angel Dust, who was sitting on the floor next to the couch.

"I'm fine." Angel's voice came out in a croak. I noticed hand shaped bruises on his neck. They we're fresh, as if he'd just gotten them. I suddenly remembered seeing my self choking the spider in my dream.

"But Angel, you're-" Charlie tried to reach a hand out, but Angel gently smacked it away.

"I said I'm fine damnit!" He then proceeded to point at me, "Ya should be askin' Bambi if he's okay."

I felt all eyes on me. Luckily, it seemed my usual smile was still on my face. Husk reached a hand down to help me up, but a waved a hand in refusal and got up on my own.

"Alastor," Charlie approached me as if I were a wounded animal, "are you alright?" I felt my smile twitch. Where had I heard those words and tone before? That's right, my sister would ask that every time our father beat me.

No! Don't think of her right now! You'll start crying, and then they'll see you cry!

Careful not to look Charlie in the face, I took a sudden interest in the back of my hand, "Why of course my dear! Why wouldn't I be alright?"

"Well...you...you choked Angel Dust." Charlie stared at the floor, fiddling with her hands.

"What?" I still didn't look at her, but I stopped gazing at my hand.

"Well, you jumped off of the couch, but it's like you weren't fully here. Your body was here, but your consciousness was somewhere else. You knocked down the person closest person, which was Angel, and started choking him. You were screaming that you were gonna kill him, and that he took someone from you, someone who was all you had or something." My blood was pure ice. I hadn't just hurt Angel Dust, I had been screaming manically, just like I had been in the memory.

"Alastor?" Charlie reached out a hand, seeming to want to comfort me, but I backed away. I wasn't upset for the reasons she thought. Yes, I hated myself for hurting Angel, but it was the thought of what I had screamed that really got to me.

I passed Charlie and walked up to the spider. Vaggie tried to block my path, but moved when she saw my face. I was to distracted to really notice.

"I apologize for my actions dear Angel." I bent slightly at the waist, proving that I was sincere about the apology, "I never meant to hurt you, and I understand if you're upset with me."

"We're all good Al." Angel stared at me as I uprighted myselfself and head towards the stairs. I was never polite to him.

As I started up the stairs, I immediately felt a pain in my chest. I lifted my shirt colour and looked down to see bandages wrapped around ny chest. The spear must have pierced further then I'd thought. What an inconvenience.

Willing my cane into my hand, I tried walking upstairs again. It was difficult, but I managed. I couldn't stay in there anymore, not with them staring at me. I needed to be alone.

But you are alone, even when you're surrounded by them. You've always been alone, and you always will be.