Medea had been waiting for this moment for a long time. She had spent years searching for Carter Grayson. Had always wanted to face him again, but had never been able to find him until now. When Laurel finally told her that Carter's time of death was approaching, Medea was overcome with emotion. She knew that this was her chance to repay him for what had happened to her all those years ago.
Before reaching the hospital, Medea made a personal request to her V7D teammates to allow her to carry out this particular task alone. She knew that this was someone she had to see, and a soul that she personally needed to reap. The weight of her responsibility as The Eye of Laurel felt heavier than ever before, as she prepared herself to guide the soul of the man who had made such a big impact on her life.
As she walked towards the hospital where Carter lay dying, memories of that fateful day came rushing back to her. The sound of sirens, the smell of smoke, and the heat of the flames all came flooding back to her, as if she were reliving the experience all over again. But most of all, she remembered the sound of Carter's voice, calm and steady, as he pulled her to safety.
When Medea arrived at the hospital, she was filled with both anticipation and trepidation. She knew that seeing Carter again would be difficult, but she was determined to see it through.
As Medea approached Carter's hospital room, she could feel the weight of her responsibility growing heavier with each step. The sound of his laboured breathing echoed through the hall, a reminder of the frailty of life and the inevitability of death.
When she finally stepped inside, she was taken aback by the sight before her. Carter looked so much older and weaker than she remembered, his body a shell of the strong, brave man who had saved her all those years ago. It was a bittersweet slap in the face of the fleeting nature of life, and Medea couldn't help but feel a string of sadness in her heart.
As she approached him hesitantly, unsure if he would remember her after all these years, Medea couldn't help but feel a sense of apprehension. She knew that she chose to guide his soul into the afterlife, but she also felt a deep sense of gratitude towards the man who prioritized her life over his own.
"Hello, Mr. Grayson," she said, with her arms crossed. It was a small, tentative greeting, but it carried with it all the weight of her gratitude and respect for the man before her. She hoped that it would jog his memory, that he would remember the young girl whose life he had once changed.
Carter's weak voice carried a note of confusion as he gazed up at Medea, his eyes clouded with a hint of despair. "I'm sorry, miss. I don't know you," he uttered with a faint shake of his head.
Medea's eyes looked away at the sound of his voice, but she wasn't surprised. After all, it had been years since their paths had crossed. She took a step closer to him, her expression a mix of sadness and tranquility.
"That's alright," she said, her voice gentle as she placed a hand on his arm. "I understand that it's been a long time. But I remember you, Carter." As she spoke, memories of that fateful day went back into her mind, and she couldn't help but feel a swell of emotion in her chest.
Medea drew in a deep breath, trying to steady herself as she looked down at Carter Grayson. He looked so frail now, so unlike the firefighter who had broken into the building room and taken her to safety all those years ago.
"I understand why you don't remember me, Mr. Grayson," she said gently. "It was a long time ago, and you must have saved so many people since then. But I remember you. I remember everything about that day."
As she spoke, Medea's voice began to soften with emotion, and she could feel herself biting her lips. She tried to look away, for some reason, she couldn't look him in the Eye.
"You saved a life," she said, with a voice barely directed only towards him. "That little girl was so scared, and thought she was going to die. But then you came, and you lifted her out of the flames. You were her hero."
Carter's expression softened, and he looked up at Medea with a faint glimmer of recognition in his eyes. "I remember that fire," he said, his voice barely audible. "It was a bad one. I didn't think we were going to make it out alive. But we did."
Carter's eyes widened as he stared at her, as if he suddenly caught the idea. "You...you're that little girl?" he said, his voice trembling with emotion. "I never thought I'd see you again."
Medea's lips quirked upwards as she gazed at Carter with a wistful expression. "It's been over two decades, but I never forgot about you, Mr. Grayson," she murmured softly. "You were my hero." As she spoke, she extended a hand and gently placed it on his shoulder, the contact bringing back memories of the warmth and safety she had felt as a child in his arms.
Carter's grip tightened around her arm. "I never forgot about you either. You were so brave, even as a little girl," he said, a tired smile appearing on his face.
Medea's eyes were glowing with a golden light as she listened to him. "Thank you, Mr. Grayson. You saved that little girl's life, and now I'm here to repay you by guiding you to the next step."
Carter's eyes grew wide with disbelief. "The Next Step? You mean to say, you're a messenger of death, like an angel?" he asked, his voice trembling with fear and awe.
Medea let out a soft chuckle, the sound echoing gently in the hospital room. "No, Mr. Grayson, I'm not an angel. But I can imagine it may feel like that," she said, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "I'm here to guide your soul to the Underworld, to ensure that you don't make that journey alone." Her eyes sparkled with a mix of emotions, gratitude and sadness battling for dominance. She had been dreading this encounter for so long, but now that it was here, she felt an odd sense of peace settling over her.
Carter's expression turned serious. "I see," he said softly. "Well, I appreciate it. I never thought I'd be scared of dying, but here I am, scared to leave this world behind."
Medea's grip on Carter's shoulder softened as she spoke with the understanding of an angel, like Carter initially thought, her voice filled with compassion. "You don't have to be afraid. I understand that this is a difficult journey, but you don't have to make it alone. I'll be here for you, every step of the way."
As she spoke, she could feel Carter's fear slowly dissipating, replaced by a sense of comfort and relief. She knew that the thought of death could be terrifying, especially for someone like Carter who had dedicated his life to saving others. But she was determined to make his transition to the Underworld as peaceful and painless as possible.
Carter's eyes glistened with unshed tears as he gazed at Medea, his mind now solely focused in memories of that fateful day. "I'll never forget the fear in your eyes, but also the bravery you showed, despite everything," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. "I was just doing my job, but I knew I had to get to you, and get you out of that building. When I finally found you, I knew that I couldn't let anything happen to you."
Medea bit her lower lip once again. "It meant more to me than you could ever know, Mr. Grayson. You were a true hero, a beacon of hope, that little girl's saviour. I never forgot about that day, how you risked your life to save mine. You showed me that even in the darkest of moments, there's still good in humanity. And now, I'm honoured to be able to repay that debt."
Carter looked up at her, a sense of peace in his eyes. "I'm ready," he said softly.
As the time of Carter's passing drew near, Medea remained by his side, holding his hand and offering words of comfort. When the time came for him to take his final breath, she leaned in close, her hand resting lightly on his chest, and whispered a soft prayer for his soul.
Medea stood up, taking his hand and helping him out of the bed. Together, they walked towards the light, with Medea leading the way. As they walked, Carter looked up at her, a sense of recognition dawning in his eyes.
As they walked, Medea could sense that the weight of the world was lifting from Carter's shoulders. He looked up at her with a sense of recognition, knowing that his time on this earth had come to an end.
"You haven't changed much since that day," he said weakly, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. Me dea smiled, thinking one last time about that day. "I guess some things never change," she said.
As Medea walked down the sterile hospital hallway, the memories of Carter Grayson flooded her mind, and a bittersweet smile played at the corners of her lips. She couldn't help but feel grateful for the chance to repay her debt to the man who had saved her life all those years ago.
As she stepped out of the hospital door, she was immediately engulfed in a group hug by Nicoletta, Yuuki, and Quincey. They held her close, offering words of comfort and support, knowing that their friend and comrade had just completed a difficult task.
At that moment, Medea felt a sense of relief for having her teammates, knowing that they were there for her in her time of need. They were more than just colleagues; they were a family, united in their duty to protect Italy, deliver a royal ass-kicking to the enemies of the House of Laurel and honour the memory of those who had gone before.
With a renewed sense of purpose and a newfound appreciation for the bonds they created, Medea knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, she would face them with her head held high and her heart full of resolve. And as she stood there, wrapped in the warm embrace of her teammates, she knew that she was no longer alone.