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Walpurgis chewed his food distractedly in the headquarters cafeteria. He hadn't seen Karina in well over a month. It hurt to not be able to see his wife, and it killed him that he could do nothing to help her. The clatter of a tray being set in front of him broke him out of his thoughts.

"Sup, Walpurgis. You holding up alright?"

Walpurgis nodded at Jeremiah without thinking, his eyes still on his food. "Yeah."

"It's a shame about Kriemhild Gretchen."

Walpurgis paused and looked at his friend. He hadn't told Jeremiah Karina was in the hospital.

He must have looked as confused as he felt, because Jeremiah continued as he poked at his food with a fork. "I mean, you guys were partners. It sucks that the higher-ups cut her loose like that." Walpurgis felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. Cut loose? Like, they weren't going to rescue her? "Didn't want her squealing when she woke up, they said. I figured Gretchen'd be harder to crack than that, but I guess they know something I don't." He chewed thoughtfully on his food for a moment as Walpurgis tried to wrap his head around what his friend was saying. Failed to wrap his head around what his friend was saying.

"I- I- I don't understand. What are you talking about?" Walpurgis stammered quietly.

Jeremiah looked at Walpurgis curiously. "Dude, Gretchen was eliminated as a potential threat to Team Rocket. Didn't someone tell you already?"

Walpurgis stared at his friend, silent as the night. Finally; "No," he whispered, "they didn't."

Tears welled in his blank eyes.

Karina was dead....?

Reaching her house, Urthemiel clasped the doorknob in her hand and gave it a turn, opening the door. She saw a flicker of motion, felt the chill of metal at her throat. She cried out in surprise, but then the chill was gone, and her father was wrapping her in a tight hug. "Ur. I'm so glad they haven't found you yet." He took a shuddering breath as he stroked the back of her head before pulling himself away, keeping his hands on her shoulders. His eyes were stained red from tears.

The teenager looked at her father, confused. "Dad? Who is 'they'? What's going on?"

Walpurgis stepped behind her and shut the door, locking it. It was then that she saw the knife in his hand. Before she could question it, he was talking. "You remember that Karina and I were in Team Rocket, right?" He didn't bother to wait for a response, it was obvious that she did. "Well, I'm out. I'm not with them anymore."

Urthemiel beamed. "Dad, that's great! What about mom?"

Walpurgis gripped the knife so hard his knuckles were white. "Karina - I mean, your mom - she... she's the reason I'm gone. They figured she was expendable, and they..." The tears began again as he choked back a sob. "Karina's dead. I'm sorry. They killed her." He fell back against the wall and sank to the ground. "I'm so, so sorry...!"

Urthemiel blinked rapidly. "Are you kidding...?" She whispered quietly, but as her father wept, it became clear that it wasn't a joke. Flashes of memories of her adoptive mother swept through her mind, and she sank to her knees, tears filling her eyes, as well. Memories of the months they had spent together, and the thought of years they now never would ripped at her soul.

Shuffling towards her father, she wrapped him in a tight embrace, and they wept together for the loss of the one they had both loved.