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 Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:05 pm
*a year? ... she'd changed this much in a year? He draws near to her*
What's happened? Are you all right?
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:07 pm
:::She sees him walking closer, and she lowers her head further. She shakes it, no:::
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:09 pm
Cora...
*he places his hand on her shoulder*
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:12 pm
:::She swallows hard when she feels his hand on her shoulder, she can't bring it upon herself to look up at him, and she felt her human hand begin to tremble:::
They found out, Bard...the figured me out. But they didn't kill me...
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:16 pm
*Dear God, what did they do to her?*
*Feeling her tremble, he reaches his arms around her and embraces her. He can't think of anything to say, and so he just holds her and rocks her gently*
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:20 pm
:::She can't manage to lift her arms to return the embrace, instead she clentches her fists, trying hard not to let it get the best of her, but it already has:::
Bard...they tuned me into a machine. They used me to do horrible things...
This wasn't supposed to happen...I don't belong like this.
:::She finally begins to cry:::
How much longer do I have to think about it...?
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:26 pm
*his face darkens. he shuts his eyes, feeling tears behind the lids*
Come with me...
*putting his arm around her, he draws her over to the bar, selects a bottle of zinfandel and too glasses, then leads her back to a table. He sits her down in a chair, then sits down beside her. He pours her them each a glass of wine*
Cora... I want you to drink this, and then I want you to listen to me for a moment. I won't make you. But I hope you will. Will you listen to what I have to say?
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:32 pm
:::She watched as he poured the wine...the pain of the memory already hurt, she was afraid as to what actually drinking some might do... but he asked her for his attention, and for everything he'd done for her in the past, it was the very least she owed him:::
:::She nodded:::
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:43 pm
*he places the glass in her hands, then lifted his own to his lips. He'd promised himself he wouldn't drink today. He knows how much it will hurt his mother if she smells alcohol on his breath.*
Cora... I don't know what they put you through. I can't even imagine how horrible it must have been. But I know what it's like to hurt so much... to want to forget everything... to slip back into the numbness. I know very well what it feels like to wake up from a nightmare, and realize that the nightmare was true.
*he lifts his fingers to her chin and turns her eyes gently toward his*
Look at me, Cora. I want you to look in my eyes when I say this to you.
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:46 pm
:::her eyes were already floating in tears, and it was embarassing, but for him she would suffer it. She showed no sign that she would look back down once he took his hand away:::
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:59 pm
*Bard smiles* That's better. That's so much better.
Cora, it's so easy to want to forget. I can't tell you how many nights I cried myself to sleep. Cried until there was nothing left in me to cry. You can cry too if you need to, and no one will think less of you.
But Cora, never forget. Never.
If you forget, then you let them make you into a machine again. If you do that, then they've won, and not only have you lost, but everyone who loves you has lost as well.
And we all love you Cora. We're all here for you. We want you to win.
*he draws his handkerchief from his pocket. He unfolds it, slowly, and it gives off the scent of expensive men's cologne*
Do you know why I carry a red handkerchief, Cora?
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:02 pm
:::She shakes her head, waiting for him to continue:::
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:12 pm
*he chuckles self consciously* Well, it's like old cartoons.... A white handkerchief... well, when you wave it like a white flag, it means, "I surrender," But they always wave a red handkerchief to get the bull to charge them.
I choose not to surrender, Cora. I'd rather take the bull head-on.
So my handkerchief means, "Never give up. Always fight the good fight."
*he holds the handkerchief out to her, offering it as a gift*
No matter how many tears you have to shed, fight the good fight, Cora. Those of us that love you will always be here to fight at your side.
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:21 pm
:::She decided not to tell him, that she didn't expect to live long enough to take his words to heart...that she had no reason to fight, if she didn't have them to fight for. That she had already accepted defeat:::
:::She took the handkerchief::: Thank you...
I want to thank you...for everything you've done for me. You can't imagine how much it's meant to me. In the short time I've known you, my life has been more worthwhile than in the 25 years I've lived. Thank you.
I'll be brave...
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:32 pm
*Bard smiles. He hugs Cora*
I know you will. And you'll always have friends here.
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