Welcome to Gaia! ::

With a soft smile Amaranth reached to brush away a curtain of dark hair that fell over Dom's face as he clumsily looked over at her with those unfocussed pale eyes.

"Yes, It's me. I'm here," she softly cooed back.

Boy had today gone..... upside down. Tits up. Positively chaotic with a lower-case 'c.' When the line had gone quiet, save for the baying of Graham, during Dom and Marks' call, Marks immediately called her. Through his heavy Dutch accent he conveyed his concerns about his brother and bid her to go check on him. As soon as Amaranth stepped out of the greenhouse she could hear Graham, and found speed she didn't know her little pixie legs even had.

It was a scenario she had hoped they wouldn't face, but one that Domcallion had long ago informed her could happen. It was kind of a part of the 'congrats, you're hired, here's some important info,' spiel. She could tell he didn't like having to give it - it hurt his pride - but was obviously necessary that everyone knew, so the proper procedures could be followed.

If it were just normal epilepsy, calling paramedics wouldn't have been needed in most cases. However when Dom had a seizure, it would send him in to a catatonic state even after the seizure, which could only be helped by a visit to the hospital. The only lucky thing about the whole scenario was that they weren't violent seizures. In fact, anyone that saw him would just think he'd fallen down as if turned to stone; paralyzed, rigid and immobile. The fall was where the greater risk of injury lay - and was in fact how one of the scars on his head had been obtained. This time, from what Amaranth could gather, it seemed like the couch had caught part of his fall - the throw pillows fallen around him and Graham, who's baying stopped once he saw help arrive.

Many people, Amaranth too even, would have thought she would be more panicked in this situation. Indeed, she felt quite alarmed and worried, and had there been any one else around to help, she might have not held it together so well. However in this urgent circumstance there was no one else. It was up to her to phone for help. Up to her to deliver the message to Janet, who would then make the necessary arrangements as far as the business went. And she did it all with more calm than expected.

When the paramedics came and took him, which would have been a feat given his height, if not for his rigidly curled in on himself position, Amaranth could have gone with them, but opted to follow in her car instead. Earlier that year she had traded in the tiny VW bug she'd owned for years for something less compact - something Dom could at least semi-comfortably ride in. It was less showy than his 96' Cadillac Hearse, which had long ago been retired for ceremonial use and now served as Dom's personal vehicle.

It seemed like she waited forever once she got there. After a brief discussion with the doctor who was kind enough to tell her to expect some moodiness and not to take anything he said or did in the next few days personally, she was allowed to see him. Dom was sleeping and at least now appeared relaxed. Of course, with the amount of medicine pumped in to him, anyone would be, but...

It was sad, and filled Amaranth's care-free heart full of nurturing warmth. It was also a little, okay, a lot, scary.

This was the man who, for as long as she'd known him, had always come across as strong, capable, independent, an absolute rock. Always there to protect her, always taking care of her with such tenderness and thought. An absolute guardian angel. Someone who had everything so together that they really didn't need anyone. Didn't need help. Didn't depend on anyone for anything. Wouldn't allow it, while taking care of everyone and everything else single-handedly. A lighthouse in a hurricane. That was her Domcallion. And now here he was, laying in a hospital bed, weaker than she'd ever seen him. It was illusion-breaking. In the end....he really was human.

Nurses had come and gone in the time between when she'd gone in there and when Dom finally woke up. They'd be back soon, too, but for now they had time.


[743 words - Amaranth]

Amaranth smiled warmly, if not a bit apologetic, "I know, I know," she reached out to once again brush Dom's hair out of his face.

It was startling to see someone she'd always thought of as so strong and infallible suddenly so weak and fragile, but it also moved her and set alight other feelings that she didn't know she had - a kind of softness to round out her wild and spirited edges, a warmth to her refreshing coolness. It pushed her to a greater place of responsibility and being the adult she really was. A kind of sudden push in to personal growth that was like being pushed off a cliff, only to realize that cliff was merely a hill and the landing much softer and less scary than anticipated.

If Dom couldn't bring himself to look at her in his personal shame, then she'd accept that, and lay her head gently on his shoulder as she comforted him;

"It's okay - you don't have to try so hard to be perfect for me, Dom. To see everything, even your shame, your anger, your pain, to get to know all of you - I'll only love you more. I want to take care of you, if you'll let me. I can't always be the one being spoiled - you deserved to be, too."


[221 + 743 = 964 words - Amaranth]

She knew Dom was prideful, but she didn't know about his deep-seeded lack of self-worth that lay on the flip-side of that pride. It was vexing - they were counter-opposite feelings. How could one be so prideful, yet at the same time feel so undeserving and lowly? So of course Amaranth had never thought that Dom felt such a way about himself.

That was why, when he said he didn't deserve her love, it hurt so much. This beautiful, beautiful man... Then that tear dropped on her head, and it felt like a boulder had hit her. She sat up with a swiftness and looked at him half horror-stricken, half sorrowful. She cupped his cheeks in both of her small hands and brushed smooth thumbs over warm tears.

"Domcallion," her voice, firm and more serious than she'd perhaps ever been, called out his name as her opalescent eyes fixed upon his pale blue-yellow hazel. She continued, "You could be single-handedly responsible for the downfall of society, slaughter all of humanity, and raze this world to the ground, and I would still love you. It's not a matter of deserving or not - love is not contingent upon how deserving one is, because everyone deserves to be loved. And even if it was, you deserve all the love of a million life times together. There is no man with more compassion, more empathy, or more beauty in their heart than you."

It was her turn now for her words to wobble with the repressed tears lumping in her throat, "There is not a day that goes by that I am not amazingly grateful to have you in my life, let alone as my beloved. You do so much for me, let me do the same for you. Let me care for you when you're tired, hold you when you cry, cheer you on in your victories, and raise you up from your defeats. Let me see your sadness, your anger, your embarrassments, and all you hide from the world. Let me love you, not in spite of it, but because of it, because it is you and I love you."

How could she make this man understand just how much he meant to her? Not just her, but so many people... Sure, his personal circle was small, but he touched so many lives. There was a reason why he was in the funeral business. She had seen time and time again the compassion he had for the mourning, and the respect with which he treated the loved ones those people placed in to his care. She has seen how that effected the families left behind, where more often than not he was not only mortician, but grief therapist, beacon of light in the shadow of sorrow... He put so much love and light out in to the world. If anyone deserved even a fraction of that reflected back at them, it was him.

[493 + 964 = 1457 words - Amaranth]

Amaranth cracked a small, sad, smile and rubbed her tear-streaked cheek against her shoulder to dry it, "It's okay. Everything's okay."

There might have been more said, but the sound of the doorknob pulled them away from each other before they could be caught in their emotional exchange.

Amaranth sat back, content to go back to simply holding Domcallion's hand while the nurse asked questions, took notes, and did other nurse things before advising that Dom get a little more rest before the doctor came back by. It did look to her that between the meds, their previous exchange, and dealing with the nurse that Dom was growing drowsy again. She waited for him to fall asleep before leaving to get some dinner real quick then returning to his bedside. Still asleep, Domcallion would never know she left, though she knew he would never fault her for doing so. In fact, if he had been awake he would have even greatly encouraged her to go take are of herself.

The hour grew late, and although visiting hours should have seen her shooed out ages ago, it seemed Domcallion himself had some sort of pull with certain people that made them turn a blind eye to her. At least, that's what she gathered when the doctor had come back later that evening, hoping to catch Dom awake again, but failing. Whatever he needed could wait until morning. Instead he spoke with Amaranth.

This doctor seemed familiar with Dom. Not in a Doctor-Mortician kind of way, but a Doctor-Patient kind of way. She found herself a little flattered that it seemed Dom had spoken to his doctor about her before. Clearly not today, but in regular previous visits. She could only imagine the things they'd discussed, but knew the doctor couldn't tell her, even if she asked. He seemed happy that Dom had her in his life, mentioning that it 'was good for him,' and that he 'seemed to be doing better than ever, well, before this.' Clearly the sentiment was that she was a positive influence in his life. It warmed her heart after everything that had happened today.

She thanked him for taking care of him as he left, and as it grew later, nestled in beside Dom with one of the uncomfortable heavy-yet-thin hospital blankets draped over her. It was a far cry from the comfort of their home, but pure exhaustion soon won over her as Amaranth fell into an uneasy sleep.

[1457 + 414 = 1871 words - Amaranth]