Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind

Aeria nodded her head silently, understanding everything the hug stood for. Suddenly she started to cry, not only for her own pain, or for her brothers, but for everything they had lost. For Anniah, and their father, for the past two years.

She didn't say anything because she didn't think she could, she just stood there holding the only one she had left and crying.

Alton and Aeria embraced for a while. Alton had no sense of time, so he didn't know if it was a few minutes or several. They were interrupted by someone coming in the room, who Alton at first thought was Katsa. When he looked up over Aeria's head though, he saw it wasn't Katsa, and it wasn't just one person. It was three people, and they were wearing uniforms that suggested they were part of Amelia's ineffective law enforcement.

Alton knew what they were here for. To question them about what had happened. As much as he didn't want to talk about it, he'd rather they question him than Aeria. He let his sister go, but stayed close to her.

Katsa backed out of the way as the three policemen walked into Alton's hospital room. She wanted to stop them, to tell them to wait, but it wasn't like they'd listen to her.

"Son, maybe you should sit back down," the first policeman who I'm going to name Vern, said. "We've got some questions to ask you." The other two stood behind him.

"Aeria, go wait with Katsa outside," Alton mumbled to her. He didn't want her or Katsa to be in here for this. Aeria showed signs of protesting, but then one of the policemen, who I will name Petun, loudly said that they needed each statement individually (as if Alton was going to let them question Aeria later.) Aeria reluctantly left and Alton sat down like he was told.

He focused on the two men in front of him, closing off any emotion, any feeling at all, and braced himself for the questioning.

What Alton didn't know was that Petun was taking Aeria back to the room to question her. As he led her out of the room and down the hall, Aeria turned to Katsa. "Will you come with me, please?" she asked. She was afraid to be alone with the man in that room.

Katsa wasn't sure why she wanted her to come but she nodded, sensing the urgency and followed the two in silence.

Later, she would wish that she had said no.

The questioning went on for a while. Even though Alton could have just told them that he saw August attack his sister, got in a fight with him, and ended up killing him in self-defense and get off easy, he didn't. He told them everything. Because at least then one good thing would come from this. Ian would be a free man. And that would make Katsa happy. He owed that to her.

After it was over, Vern told him that they'd have to go over some other things before a decision was made about what to do. He left, leaving Alton alone with his thoughts.

Katsa was shocked multiple times in the story. Oh my God... Alton... Aeria... D;

Even if she would have been asked a question she woudln't have been able to speak, her mind wasn't even able to form coherent thoughts as the policemen bid Aeria good day and finally let her sink back onto her bed.

Katsa looked at the sad girl curled on the bed and didn't know what to do. "A-aeria," she mumbled, her throat numb. "I-I'm-"

But she was cut off by Aeria. "I don't want to talk about it," Aeria said quietly. "Tell Alton I'm going to sleep."

Katsa nodded, and turned to leave. She didn't know what she could say to Aeria anyway. Except that she was sorry and that she didn't deserve any of that. Even if she had tried to kill Ian.

But Katsa didn't know what to say to Alton either... she thought weakly as she walked back to his room.

Alton had a lot to think about in the few minutes it took for Katsa to come back to his room. He couldn't help but wonder if he was going to prison now. He obviously hadn't acted in self-defense, even if the guy he killed was a serial rapist/killer.

This was just all too much. Alton would give anything for a few blissful hours of sleep, but despite feeling sick and drained of strength, he was completely wide awake. And he was sure if he did fall asleep, it wouldn't be very peaceful...

"Alton?" Katsa asked quietly as she slowly opened the door. She slid through and shut it again. "Aeria's going to try and get some sleep," she said just as quietly.

What could she say to her poor innocent boy? D:

Alton looked up when Katsa came in. There was something different about her. Instead of looking scared and confused, she looked sad and...understanding. "D-did Aeria tell you what happened...?" he asked tentatively. He was a little afraid that she had. What would Katsa think of him?

Katsa nodded slightly and then walked over to his hospital bed. "We can talk about it later," she said softly. She wasn't thinking much of anything right now, except that something terrible had happened to Alton. Something extremely terrible.

"You did what was right, Alton, you saved your sister," Katsa said quietly. "I love you for that."

Alton a watery, shuddery sigh. "I could have saved her without...without..." his voice cracked a little, so he let himself trail off. It wasn't like Katsa didn't know what he was trying to say. He looked at Katsa in despair, his eyes bloodshot but no tears falling. "How can you still love me?"

It hurt Katsa deeply to see so much pain in Alton. "I'd love you no matter what," she said simply. "You're not heartless, you didn't go out with a plan..."

She sat on the edge of Alton's bed. "Alton, I would have done the same thing," she said. Whether it was right or not, she probably would have. August had killed not only his sister, but also, through that, his father. Then he had tried to kill his other sister. Katsa knew, had that happened to her, and had she been the one faced with the choice, it would have gone down similarly. "I'm not saying it's right," she said quietly, "but I wouldn't have seen a choice."

Alton's eyes widened in surprise, but then narrowed in skepticism. He didn't think she was lying to make him feel better, but he wasn't so sure she knew what she was talking about. Of course maybe she was right, but it was just hard to imagine someone so...so good doing something so horrible. In fact it was impossible for Alton to even envision Katsa doing such a thing.

"You're too good for me, Katsa..." he told her tiredly, reaching out and putting his hand on her face. He gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. His arm dropped back down and he laid back down on the bed. "I'm so tired..."

"Let's go to sleep," she said, kissing him on the forehead and crawling into bed next to him. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed gently. "I love you," she whispered softly, running a hand through his hair.

Alton wanted to tell her she should go home, and be with her babies, and that he'd be released from the hospital tomorrow. But before he could she was already curled up next to him, her arms around him, and he just couldn't bring himself to say anything.

So they went to sleep. Or at least, Katsa did. Alton, though exhausted, stayed wide awake all night, the scene of the previous night playing over and over again in his head.

END