forum The Siren and the Chimera (with @Dances_with_Shadows)

Started April 12, 2019 by @PrettyLittlePyro

tune

"Hey," he said softly, turning fully towards her. "Hey, it's okay."

She clung to him, trying hard to hold back tears .

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her onto his lap as he sat on the bed. His cheek was pressed against the side of her head as he tried soothing her.

Choking back a sob, Tempest bit her lip, closing her eyes so that no tears could fall.

"Tempest," Lance said softly, "Talk to me."

“About what?” She choked out.

"Tell me what's going on with you. You can't deal with this alone." His tone remained soft, and he wasn't commanding either.

“There’s nothing to say that you don’t already know.”

"Just talk. Get it all off your chest."
"It doesn't matter if I know or not, just let me help you ease your mind," he added mentally.

Sighing, she nodded and opened her mind slightly to him. Pictures flashed through her mind. Aquarius, leaping at her with glowing red eyes. Bay, curled on the ground.

He continued to hold her close, whispering reassurance as he saw each picture.

“I-I couldn’t save them!” She whimpered slightly.

Aquarius has been infected. As had Ford, and Bay was hurt. The gods had staged an attack on the camp, and many people had gotten hurt or died. Or gotten taken.

(No, worse.)

(Sorry, It's almost midnight and my mind's a little loopy)

He lightly grabbed her face so they were eye to eye. "It's not your fault. It's the gods. You can't place yourself at the blame for every wrong they've done. Put it all on them, where it rightfully belongs, and make them pay when the times comes. None of it is your fault," he repeated.

(I totally get it. It’s almost midnight here, and my brain hurts…)

She stared at him with eyes so bleak they seemed to suck the happiness from the room. “But I could have saved them,” she repeated.

"You can't save everyone, Tempest," he said softly, his chest aching when he saw the look in her eyes.

“But I could have saved them.”

"They're still alive, Tempest," he tried again. "We have gods here who can heal them."

“But they’re not here. The gods have them.” She sighed. “This was all my fault. I could have given myself up to the gods, and they wouldn’t have done that…”

"We can go get them," Lance said seriously, "And there's no way I'm letting Zeus get his hands on you."

She blinked sadly at him. “Alright,” she whispered, and closed her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder.

He held her close, rubbing her back soothingly with one hand while the other cupped the back of her head.

Soon, Tempest was asleep again. This time, as she slept, she developed a plan…