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Lost in Paradise (Evanescence)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

~Nobody's POV~ 

Time passes. Almost a month, actually. As December rolls through, Thea's anger slowly becomes dissolved, and she begins to relax. In Costa Rica, she is given a chance to rebuild her mind, as much as rebuild her body. 

She and Videl doubt that the deepest whip wounds will ever vanish from around her waist and her neck. But the pain does dissolve a little bit, so that the only physical reminder of Neidra's mansion are thin white lines that are traced across her stomach and over her collarbone. Her broken wrist mends itself within a week, as do the slices over her hands, although those cuts leave remnants of scars behind. 

Thea is not the only one who begins to relax. The tropical sunsets and warm weather soon work their magic on Videl too. The Velah starts to snap less, and to loose his temper less often. Days spent on the beach are days where he walks along the shoreline barefoot, kicking up the warm water gently, letting it lap around his ankles. The salty sea breeze whips around his golden curls, and seems to sing him a song of peace and love. 

Although, the Costa Rican waters cannot take full credit for the healing of the Asgardian princess and the Velah prince. It is Angelique that proves to be the true balm, with her enthusiasm for life and her enthusiasm for both of her patients. 

A week after their arrival in Costa Rica, and when relief begins to trickle into everyone's minds, Angelique suggests that the three of them venture into the rainforests for some exploration. The forests are thick and misty, but as the three of them walk past howler monkeys and the occasional snake, they find tranquility in the trees. 

Videl, however, is very much against ziplining. 

"No," he states very firmly as he, Angelique, and Thea stand in front of the queue to go ziplining through the trees. "I would prefer very much not to place my life on a line. Literally on a line." 

"Here we go again," says Angelique with fake impatience, "Videl is scared of something." 

Thea shakes her head and puts her hands on her hips, grinning up at Videl. He is considerably tall, and although Thea has told herself that she has grown at least two inches, it is still a slightly amusing spectacle to see the fourteen year old girl face down a six-foot-something fanged Velah. She is wearing shorts and a pink shirt that hangs loosely around her body, letting some of the hot air around her skin. Like usual, she is also carrying her backpack, and at long last, it doesn't hurt her. 

Videl, dressed in a white tank top and likewise loose pants, looks down at her- relaxation hasn't done anything for his perpetual show of arrogance. Narrowing his amber eyes at her, he says silkily, "I'm not scared, I just prefer to not zoom through the trees at God knows what speed on God knows how sturdy of a cable." 

Thea shrugs nonchalantly, "Okay. Then you can wait for Angelique and me."

Angelique shrugs too, and she has the same smile plastered across her face as the younger girl, "Yeah, if you're too chicken to do this, then I guess we'll see you on the other side. Or not, actually." 

Videl glares at the both of them, but his glare isn't one of malice. It's exasperated acceptance. "Fine," he snorts, "But both of you owe me. And wipe those silly grins off of your mouths before-"

"Before you get rid of them?" asks Thea innocently, "I can imagine how you'll get rid of Angelique's, but I can't figure out how you'll get rid of mine unless you're doing CPR or something." 

Thea dodges Videl as he makes a grab at her, and as she darts off the path, kicking up dirt as she does so, laughing. 

"And at that point, I think I'd call it quits on the CPR!" He shouts after her. 

Angelique smiles at him, and he rolls his eyes, beginning to trudge after Thea, the heat glaring down on his skin. He feels someone take his hand and turns to see Angelique next to him. 

"Trying to appeal to my better nature?" he questions, leaning down as he walks so that their faces are close. 

"I don't need to," she says, "I think you'll figure that out on your own."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asks as they come around the corner, where people are lining up to get attached to the zipline cables and vests. 

Angelique doesn't get to respond, because Thea, who has been waiting for them impatiently, sees their hands joined and narrows her eyes at them just like Videl had earlier. 

"Ew, PDA," she says. 

"Ew, immature teenager," retorts Videl. 

"You're a teenager," says Thea. 

"No," corrects Videl, "I'm twenty-two." 

"Twenty-two is considered a teenager," says Thea, "In Bulgaria." 

"No it's not," says Videl, "Shut up." 

"Don't tell me what to do." 

"Don't tell me not to tell you what to do."

"Don't tell me not to tell you not to tell-"

"All right!" exclaims Angelique, "That'll do, you two, you're making my head spin." 

"I can make your head spin," comments Videl, "All you have to do is ask." 

"I could make your head spin too," replies Thea, "All you have to do is piss me off, and then I'll knock you out." 

"Ouch," smirks Angelique, winking at Videl, who rolls his eyes. 

Ziplining proves to be an interesting experience. Videl is very against the idea of separating, but Thea ends that particular debate by jumping ahead a few people in line and getting herself harnessed by a thirty-something Asian woman. 

Videl glares at Thea as the woman continues to secure Thea with various clips, "If you die," he says, "I do not take responsibility for you." 

"I think I can live with that," says Thea. 

"Not if you die," says Videl. 

She makes a face at him and then jumps off of the platform. Videl watches her go whizzing down and away, into the trees, whooping the entire time. 

"There's something seriously wrong with that girl," says Videl as the Asian woman begins to harness him and Angelique to the zipline.

"Be appreciative that she's actually trying to enjoy life," is Angelique's only response. Videl is not pleased with this unhelpful piece of advice. 

Videl, as it turns out, becomes quickly exhilarated from the zipline. The actual zip course lasts about two minutes, and the entire time, as the wind crashes into his hair, his eyes, his ears, he can't help but let out a shout of delirium from the speed at which he is flying through the rainforest. 

The weeks soon melt by. The three of them become an awkward little group, nearly a broken, unusual family at that. Thea stops limping and starts laughing. Videl stops snapping and starts waking up early every morning to watch the sun rise. Sometimes, Angelique joins him, and they stand silently against the balcony and let the rays of the sun come pouring into the room, warming them both up. 

But although Thea tries to keep him from her mind, Thea can't help but wonder about Loki. A month is a long time without his presence, given that he had found them within days back in America. Worry begins to worm through Thea's heart, especially as the golden necklace begins to spark on a daily basis, sometimes sending small electric shocks pulsating through her. She doesn't tell Angelique or Videl about this, but she has a feeling that Videl knows anyway, given the way he often looks at her whenever these shocks happen- a look filled with curiosity and the slightest bit of worry and understanding. 

Thea, for her part, begins to understand Videl a little more. She realizes that he is not unlike an untamed animal, but an animal that craves love and devotion more than anything, even power and vengeance. It's the little things that make Thea recognize Videl's true self: how he yanks her out of the way of a speeding bicyclist while she's busy watching a flock of birds, how he lets her sleep in as much as she wants, how he looks at Angelique with distant tenderness and wanderlust. 

At the same time, Videl begins to understand Thea. He knows that her occasional temper comes from the anger at the world that is festering inside her, because he experiences the same feeling often. He also knows that Thea is keeping something from him, like he is keeping something from her. He sees the fragility of her soul in the distant, fleeting moments: when she sees a giant dog walk by, when she sees two teenagers kissing in the middle of the streets, when she sees a man lift up his young daughter in the air and spin her around. But most of all, Videl knows that Thea misses her father. Her true father, not the one controlled by a manipulative witch. 

Videl and Angelique's fascination with the other slowly becomes to come more outright. He begins to speak to her with less derision, and with more respect and care. She begins to be bolder, like when holding his hand or letting his arm come around her waist. 

One evening, as the sun begins to set, the three of them find two string hammocks strung between three palm trees. Immediately, Thea kicks off her shoes and backpack and jumps onto one of them, nearly flipping upside down in the process. She curls up and, as she swings, looks out into the ocean. 

Videl and Angelique are holding hands, but as they approach the hammock, Videl shirtless and Angelique still in her swimsuit from where they've all spent the day at the ocean.  Videl lets their hands drop as he climbs into the hammock, throwing his head back. The hammock swings, and Videl looks over at Angelique with an expression of half-curiosity, half-daring. 

Angelique smiles, and then climbs in after him. He shifts only slightly, giving room for her body but making sure that it is also resting against him, especially considering the hammocks are very large. He wraps his tone arm around her shoulders, and she rests her head on his chest. Her soft, delicate fingers go up and around his chest, tracing over his muscles, tracing over the scars. Videl sucks in his breath as Angelique continues tracing over his skin. 

Never to be outdone, however, Videl's hand begins to wander over Angelique's ribs. His long fingers trace over the edge of her bikini top, fiddling with the fabric for the quickest of seconds. He feels her breathing begin to quicken against his neck, and smiling, he lets his hand move down, tracing his own patterns over her warm stomach and over her hips. 

The sun beams down on them, and Videl finally just wraps his arm around her waist and lets it rest there; Angelique's hand stops at his chest too, and she closes her eyes, her lashes fluttering on his skin. His head falls on top of hers, and he closes his eyes too. He rocks the hammock back and forth with his one foot that is hanging off the hammock on the other side. 

At that moment, he feels something poking his arm. Opening one eye, he sees Thea standing next to him, the ocean breeze blowing her hair slightly. It has begun to grow out just a little- at least now, it has reached the bottom of her chin, and slightly below. 

As he looks up at Thea, Videl's eyes dart to her own stomach, where he can see her ribs, from where her body is still recuperating from her time at Neidra's mansion. More poignantly, however, are the scars he sees, so many for one so young. 

Videl holds his hand out to her, and gingerly, Thea clambers onto the hammock, causing it to rock harder. Angelique opens her eyes and then, seeing Thea, smiles and closes them again. 

Thea is slightly hesitant, so Videl pulls her down gently, so that she is resting her head in the crook of his neck. He moves his other arm so that it rests beside her instead of around her. She sighs with contentment and closes her eyes. Videl puts his head back down on top of Angelique's, but he is extremely conscious of the much smaller body on his left. He reaches up and puts his hand on Thea's boney shoulder, and then begins to run his thumb in circles on her. He waits for her to shy back, prepared to move away if she does, but she doesn't. 

As the ocean crashes around them, and as the sun sets completely, the three of them are already asleep. The hammock comes to a rest, as do all of their souls, at least for a little bit as Videl, Angelique, and Thea sleep together, their breathing something of a beacon of hopeful peace. 

It is Christmas Eve. 

*

But time cannot heal all wounds. 

In Neidra's mansion, in one of the stone dungeons, Loki is in perpetual agony. Every day, Neidra descends the stairs, and cuts into his skin with the knives, letting his blood mix with the poison. Every day, she taunts him about Thea, and every day, he bears the pain and the anguish by vowing to kill Neidra and her son. 

When Neidra leaves, the poison takes effect, and Loki's body spasms and chokes against the chains as the burning sensation fills himself and explodes, so that he has no choice but to scream. The worst though, as he hangs from the chains and is forced to let the poison flow through him, is that he knows that by his hands, Thea was subject to this same terrible pain. Whenever he screams, he remembers her own shrill shrieks. Whenever his vision goes blurry as Neidra's poison tries to work itself against his brain, he remembers Thea's bright green eyes that so often used to look up at him with trust, but have turned to fear and hatred. 

Because he can recall everything he has done to his daughter as Neidra's poison has filtered through his body for longer than he has known until now. The screaming, the shrieking, the pleading that became silent. He remembers throwing her into that room in the palace and slapping her precious face over and over, and can still hear her agonized sobs as he slit the guard's throat in front of her once-innocent eyes. He remembers her broken toes, the way she shrunk back from him instead of ran to him, the way she fought against him with every strength she had. He remembers, in Neidra's mansion, when she had clung to him, begging not to be left alone, and how shocked he had been when he had seen her shorn hair, exposing her frightened, confused, and lonely eyes. 

When the pain is at its worst, Loki takes deep breaths in between the screams and tries to picture Thea, the Thea before he made all those terrible mistakes. He tries to remember how she would dance and run in the mountains as he taught her how to use her fire, her dress swirling around her ankles. He tries to remember her laugh, especially the laugh that she tries to keep back when she is being mischievous, how devious her glittering green eyes would turn. He tries to remember her sleeping next to him, her breathing slowing whenever she was at his side, and how she had turned the tables and helped him get through his own nightmares. 

It is all this remembering that stalls Neidra's potion for so long. 

But eventually, after weeks of blood, weeks of pain, weeks of knives, weeks of wounds, weeks of bruises, weeks of painful and infuriated tears, weeks of cursing and snarling and screaming, Neidra's poison proves to be the victor. 

On Christmas Day, Loki's eyes finally turn silver, and his torn-up, bruised, bloodied body relaxes. On Christmas Day, Neidra's smile relaxes too, and she frees the chains from his wrists. 

On Christmas Day, Loki begins to hunt down Thea once more. 

Did anyone see the parallelism of this chapter? :) It's so sadddddddd I'm so sorry.

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Again, will answer any comments or questions... after I eat food. Food is important.

xxSierra/Aspenxx