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Emerwyn was weary. Her mind wasn't holding up it's charade as well as it had been. Only one thing remained left to do, however, and she was going to see it done.

It ached her more than anything, merely the thought of seeing him. But, she had to. Otherwise, she may be like this for God knows how long.

Her day was filled with searching. Deftly, she moved through the village, out of sight, out of mind.
He wasn't there. For all she knew, he'd never returned. Perhaps he didn't even know it was back. Perhaps...

No, he's somewhere.
So, to the jungle she fled. In and out of trees like a darting fly she moved, hardly seeming to look for the boy. She'd know when he was near. She didn't travel too far in. It wasn't that she was frightened of getting lost. She just, didn't.
In fact, Emerwyn abruptly turned her course, making a sharp right, picking up speed again. The sound of the water was perhaps calling her back. For soon, the smell of the ocean flooded her senses, and a figure appeared in the distance.

Julian.

She'd finally found him again. The beach was not the opitmal place for spying, but as before she made do. Crouching among the farthest pair of trees and shrubs, she watched, and listened.
"Julian... give me a sign."

This was terribly frustrating for Emerwyn. She was facing his back. Almost directly.
His arms were moving, if slightly. Other than that, nothing, no sign that he was even alive.

Emerwyn crouched so much lower, trying to creep forward a little, just a couple of feet, so that her stretched leg was still touching the bush she had taken cover in.

What had Julian so intent? What was he doing? What was he thinking?

Emerwyn's heart stopped.
Cheshire.

But...

Slowly, she stood up. For some reason, his voice made her... sad. It rekindled the terrible guilt she felt for Julian's pain.

It was as though what happened to Julian... affected everyone else within him.

Slowly, still, so slowly, Emerwyn walked over to him, stopping a few feet before him.
With cloudy eyes, she surveyed him, the first person she'd be coming in contact with for a long time, though she'd still been dwelling among them.

What happened to him? This was not the Cheshire Cat... It was, of course, but at the same time... Something was lost about him.

And what was left, Emerwyn could only feel - pity - for.

She wasn't used to pity. Except, perhaps for this self-pity she'd partially driven herself into.
And she certainly couldn't get used to pitying him, of all 'people.' He, who had hurt Julian beyond repair.... the blood in her cheek coursed, burning where he had struck her.

And yet.

She knelt down slowly, trying to will herself to make eye contact.
"What happened?" she whispered.

There were many ways to interperet a question like this.

Emerwyn tried to understand. Had he taped his fingers to prevent him from hurting himself? To prevent the Jabberwock.

That was the last one she'd seen, the Jabberwock.

She looked on in sad disturbance at his fingers and toes.

"And... Julian?" she was afraid to ask. Did she even have a right?

Julian.... had she done that? Suddenly, Emerwyn's stomach churned and she remembered why she had decided to disappear.
What she did to other people.

Ian, after she left, he got better. He looked better than he had when she first met him.

But, to Julian, lasting damage that could not be undone.
She should have realized....

Her face contorted a little. This Cheshire was hurting her more than the last.

But, this Cheshire... Emerwyn slowly raised her head to meet his unnerving stare.
"You... really do care about him, do you?"

Maybe they had something in common.

Emerwyn, in spite of herself, smiled at the Cheshire Cat weakly.
She rose with him, not leaving his gaze.

But, her smile slowly faded at the sight of his own. She frowned, puzzling. It was positively eerie. The unerring grin. The slight twitch. Something else had happened to the Cat. What was it? Maybe, if she found out, she could help bring Julian back.

Oh, no you don't. You can't help him anymore. Leave it alone. You'll only kill him.

So, Emerwyn fought herself, behind her foggy eyes.
Meanwhile, her hands had found their way to one of his, to feel his fingers he'd so tightly wrapped. Her face was one of gentle concern.