One Last Breath Of Hope

“Hey!” Denver burst into Newcastle’s room, a wide grin spreading across his face as he practically ripped the covers from her bed. “It’s Christmas! ¡Feliz Navidad!” He laughed, motioning for her to follow him. “Come on, get up! El profesor put up a tree with presents and everything!” He hadn’t; it was just a ploy to get her out of bed.

“Oh, I’ve told bigger lies,” Denver chuckled, leaning his back against the door. He’d give her a second, but not much more than that. “Come on, hurry up! Santa’s waiting!” He managed to hold back his laughter. By some miracle, he’d convinced Moscow to dress up as Santa, and he was waiting in the kitchen. He couldn’t wait to see Faye’s reaction.

Faye had never celebrated Christmas properly before, but she felt a strange childlike excitement build up as she ran after Denver. She ran downstairs and looked at Moscow. It took a moment for her to register the sight and then she burst out laughing, shaking her head. “How did you manage to make that happen?”

“Hey!” Denver burst into Newcastle’s room, a wide grin spreading across his face as he practically ripped the covers from her bed. “It’s Christmas! ¡Feliz Navidad!” He laughed, motioning for her to follow him. “Come on, get up! El profesor put up a tree with presents and everything!” He hadn’t; it was just a ploy to get her out of bed.

Faye groaned softly as the covers were pulled off her, reaching out and trying to grab at them lazily. She looked up, dirty blonde hair falling in her face as she stood up and stumbled after him. “That is the the biggest lie you’ve ever told, it’s like you don’t even know him.” He replied. “But I’m still coming, give me a second.”

“This may be the last time I speak to you…”

Of course he had backup plans. But Alicia couldn’t know that. Besides, they’d spent so much time going over the more likely scenarios that it was a huge possibility that no one had paid attention to his lectures on what would happen if he was caught. He let out a sigh. “I stay safe,” he whispered, clutching the phone tightly. “Stay safe, Newcastle… keep everyone safe.”

“Stop fucking talking like that.” Faye snapped, tears in her eyes and taking a shaky breath as she clutched the phone. “I need you Sergio. Your son needs you.” She should’ve been using the fake names, but Faye was alone and honestly didn’t care. “Please...I can’t do this without you.”

“This may be the last time I speak to you…”

“No. No don’t say that, please. You’re gonna be alright, you have to be. You have so many backup plans.”

“I need to ask you not to move.” He advised as he began to clean the wound. He then cleaned the skin around the wound and then his own hands before he inspected the wound. “Have you spoken to the police about this?” He asked. The earlier joyful face was fixed with a serious expression. He had been around his friends long enough to detect almost every wound. “You really should but I won’t force you,” He advised. He pursed his lips and then drew back for a moment. “This will require stitches. I can ask a nurse to do that for you unless you’re happy for me to do that,” He spoke. His face was somewhat pale as he looked at her. “I also have some concerns. Your pupils are very dilated. Have you taken something? I need to know for any further treatment?” He asked.  

She hissed in pain, closing her eyes tightly before they suddenly snapped open. “No.” She said firmly. “The police aren’t gonna find out about this, they can’t. Fuck I shouldn’t even be here.” She was clearly getting agitated, shifting before crying out in pain. Faye leaned forwards a little, looking up at him when he asked his final question. She shrank back, swallowing hard and looking down at the floor. “Heroin.” She said quietly. “Please...please don’t call the police. I don’t think I can survive prison and they’re already looking for me.”

She stood ion the balcony in the early hours of the day, staring out at the view and clutching their child close to her chest. She glanced around as she heard footsteps, sighing softly. “Sorry, I couldn’t sleep. I was thinking.”

“Hey.” He stepped out onto the balcony, gently slipping an arm around her waist. “Don’t apologize… are you okay? You aren’t sick, are you?” Worry lines creased his forehead.

Faye looked down for a moment before glancing back up at Sergio, a small frown of worry appearing on her face. “I have everything I could ask for. I mean, I’m a wanted criminal but that’s always been the case. But...I miss cars. Taking cars I mean. Taking these lumps of metal and making them beautiful again. I miss the adrenaline of knowing that it doesn’t belong to me but it soon will. It’s not like I can go about starting that again though. It’s too risky. If I get caught I bring everyone down with me.”

“have i ever told you…” alfred wandered into their bedchambers holding a glass of wine. he had drank too much; it didn’t happen often, but when it did, it was bad. “that you’re the most beautiful woman god has ever created?”

“biased?” alfred smiled, letting her take the glass from his hands. it was better that way, anyway; he couldn’t afford to have a bad hangover tomorrow, and he was still sober enough. “it’s not biased, my love. anyone with eyes would agree.” he stepped towards her, putting his hands over her cheeks and kissing her gently.

Faye finished off the glass of wine, placing it down on the table before grinning and returning the kiss. “Well, being queen helps. I can bathe, have fine clothes, look after myself. If you saw me when I was poor you would never have looked at me twice.”

“have i ever told you…” alfred wandered into their bedchambers holding a glass of wine. he had drank too much; it didn’t happen often, but when it did, it was bad. “that you’re the most beautiful woman god has ever created?”

Faye looked up as the door opened. She smiled, but that soon faded at the sight of the wine in his hand. She knew what had happened. She stood up, gently trying to take the glass from his hand. “I’m sure that’s a little biased.” she teased lightly.

“is it a sin to want to die?”

let her take care of things tomorrow, yes. it was risky, but she was right — he couldn’t be king if he wasn’t strong. and he had to face the facts — he wasn’t. not right now, at least. “i wouldn’t want to place that burden on you,” he whispered, his eyes watering as he started to close them. “i’m… i’m so tired…”

“You carry that burden every day, it will be my privilege to carry it for some of the time as well.” She whispered, kissing his forehead and playing with Alfred’s hair gently. “I know. Let me take care of you. Just focus on yourself for now. I beg of you.”

It only took one step for her cover to be blown. She cried out loudly in pain, head thrown back as she dropped to her hands and knees. Faye gasped loudly, pulling her hands away from the stone and staring as red marks appeared, looking as if she had been burnt. She glanced up at Alfred, clearly nervous. “I…” She started before shaking her head. It was impossible to explain and she knew it.

he cupped her cheek, wiping a tear from her eyelid. “sweetheart,” he whispered. “tell me who hurt you and i will make them pay for it. you need not hide it from me; i am your husband.”

“I was sent to hurt you Alfred. I didn’t want to. I never wanted to but it was the only way to stop the torture. I’m sorry.” She lifted her head, and her eyes flashed gold before settling on a deep unnatural red. “I died on the streets, but the amount of people I stole from sent me to Hell. You have reason to fear it Alfred. It’s worse than you can imagine.”

It only took one step for her cover to be blown. She cried out loudly in pain, head thrown back as she dropped to her hands and knees. Faye gasped loudly, pulling her hands away from the stone and staring as red marks appeared, looking as if she had been burnt. She glanced up at Alfred, clearly nervous. “I…” She started before shaking her head. It was impossible to explain and she knew it.

what he hadn’t expected was for faye to scream and collapse to the ground. perhaps she had some sort of ptsd, some sort of bad experience with churches… either way, they could forget about church for a moment. he needed to keep her safe. “it’s okay, my love,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her tightly. “it’s okay. it is only a sermon, nothing more. do not be scared…” and that was when he noticed her burnt hands. “god have mercy,” he gasped, staring at them and grabbing her wrists. “who did this to you?”

“I need to get away from here. It hurts.” She mumbled. As soon as Faye stepped outside, the wounds on her hands began to fade until it was like they had never been there in the first place. She looked up, taking a deep breath. “God did it to me.” She whispered. “I can’t go on consecrated ground.”

it had been a long day for both of them, as usual, and now it was time to de-stress and relax for the night. alfred hadn’t been expecting her to pull him into her arms, but he wasn’t complaining. he rested his head on faye’s shoulder, letting out a soft sigh as his arms wrapped around her. “i have been waiting for this all day,” he murmured softly, closing his eyes.

she knew him too well. he could hide nothing from her anymore. he didn’t respond, just simply laid there stroking her hair gently to relax her. “i know,” he said softly, kissing the top of her head. “that time will come; once there is relative peace, i shall be less busy. i promise.”

She pressed into his touch, letting out a soft sigh and closing her eyes. “Do you truly believe there will be a time of peace?” Faye asked, hesitating for a moment. “You’re dying Alfred, you’re sick. I just....I want to spend as much time with you as I can because I don’t know how long we have left.”

it had been a long day for both of them, as usual, and now it was time to de-stress and relax for the night. alfred hadn’t been expecting her to pull him into her arms, but he wasn’t complaining. he rested his head on faye’s shoulder, letting out a soft sigh as his arms wrapped around her. “i have been waiting for this all day,” he murmured softly, closing his eyes.

sure, he could, but it wouldn’t be right. lying was a sin. besides, wessex needed him more than faye did. it was sad, but it was true. “perhaps,” he murmured, not wanting to outright say no to her. “come here.” he held out his arms, pulling her into his chest as he hugged her tightly. “i love you.”

“That’s a no, isn’t it?” She asked quietly. Faye let out a heavy sigh as she curled up next to Alfred. She let her head rest on his chest and closed her eyes. “I love you too. I just wish I could spend some actual time with you. Time that isn’t spent...fussing over Wessex.”

it had been a long day for both of them, as usual, and now it was time to de-stress and relax for the night. alfred hadn’t been expecting her to pull him into her arms, but he wasn’t complaining. he rested his head on faye’s shoulder, letting out a soft sigh as his arms wrapped around her. “i have been waiting for this all day,” he murmured softly, closing his eyes.

alfred’s arms wrapped around her body, refusing to let her go. he closed his eyes and pulled her closer, barely suppressing a soft groan when she got up. he was a sucker for physical affection, as much as he hated to admit it. “of course, my dear,” he replied with a nod. “if… if i do not have other commitments. i will do my best to be by your side tomorrow.”

Faye didn’t even bother getting changed. She stayed naked as she slipped until the sheets, glancing up and Alfred and shrugging softly. “Can’t you just...lie?” She asked. “Say you have prior commitments, that you have plans? I mean, you’re the king. No one would dare question you about it.”