mary ♡

Terror surged through Cordelia's veins in an instant. She doubled over at her desk, clutching her stomach. The sharp pain in her side twisted like a knife, and she let out a cry.

"Miss Cordelia?" Zoe burst into her office. "What happened?"

"I..." she struggled to speak through the fear. "I don't know. I just got this pain all of a sudden."

"You're shaking," Zoe placed her hand on Cordelia's shoulder and felt her body vibrating.

"I think something happened."

"What do you mean something happened?"

"I... I don't know. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize."

Zoe helped Cordelia stand up from her chair. She carefully guided her to the couch down the hall and helped her lay down.

Cordelia's eyes were clenched in pain. She brought her knees up to her chest, protecting her stomach.

"I'm going to the greenhouse," Zoe was panicking. "I'll get something to help you."

"No!" her arm shot out from her fetal position to stop her. "Don't go. Please."

"Cordelia, what-"

Zoe was interrupted when the front door slammed open and Madison's shouts echoed down the empty halls.

"Cordelia," Madison yelled like a panicked child calling for her mother.

The twisting pain in her side vanished and she shot up from the couch. Rushing down the hallway, panic built in her chest with each step. Cordelia could feel her composure slipping through her fingers.

In the foyer, she found Queenie and Madison supporting your limp body in their arms.

Your head was slumped forward and your hair blocked your face from view. Your hands, which hung limply at the ends of your arms, clutched by Madison and Queenie, were blue at the knuckles with forming bruises and red at the palms with stained blood. The black dress that hung from your body was torn at the side, exposing the flesh of your stomach and the glaring wound that marked it.

Cordelia felt the floor being pulled from beneath her feet. She was falling, falling falling falling, and then she hit the ground. Lifeless. Her blood pooling in a halo around her head.

"Greenhouse," she commanded.

The girls obeyed without argument and dragged your body down the hall. Your feet stumbled along with them, attempting to hold you up but mostly dragging on the floor and the two girls on your sides carried you by the arms.

"What happened?" Cordelia's voice wasn't shaking as she expected. It was firm, commanding. Almost like her mother's.

"Some man, a witch hunter I think, was following us and attacked her," Queenie said.

"The only reason she didn't get killed is cause she saw his attack coming and fought back," Madison added. "She got a few good hits in, too."

When they reached the greenhouse, Cordelia cleared off the center table and began to assemble the ingredients for a healing potion. Madison and Queenie helped you up onto the table.

"Everyone out," Cordelia's words were still fearsome, none of the girls had heard her speak like this before. "Except Madison. I need someone to help."

Queenie and the other girls that followed the chaos into the greenhouse left without argument. Now, with the silence, you had a chance to speak.

"Cordelia..." you coughed.

She rushed to your side, bringing with her a muddy paste.

"Shh, I'm here," the juxtaposition between her military-like orders and her loving tone was shocking. "It's alright. I'm going to put this on your wound now, okay?"

"Okay," you nodded slightly. You refrained from telling her that it was too late. You knew it was too late. But you also knew she wouldn't believe you.

Lifting your dress, she inhaled sharply at the sight of your side.

"Christ," Madison mumbled from your left.

"You're okay, sweetie," you felt her fingers brush a strand of hair away from your face.

"No... I don't..." you tried desperately to tell her that you weren't okay. That you were dying. But your body wouldn't give you the energy to form the words.

Cordelia instructed Madison to put pressure on your wound after she applied her healing concoction. She could use magic to repair the injury, but nothing was fast enough to pull you back from the edge.

As you felt yourself slipping, counting the last few breaths of air, you could see Cordelia's face over yours. Maybe she was saying something, maybe her hands were on your face. You weren't sure. All your other senses had left you. All you had left was sight. But sight was enough. You couldn't complain. You couldn't be afraid. How could you when the last thing your eyes got to look upon was Cordelia Goode?

"I think she's..." Madison's hands were still on your stomach trying to stop the flow of blood.

Cordelia refused to believe it. You couldn't be dead. Your skin was still warm and your hair still soft and your cheeks still wet with tears. The blood from your wound was still seeping onto the table. Something about the way your blood still ran kept Cordelia's hope alive. It was movement, however cruel, and movement meant life. Right?

But your eyes... your eyes were not still alive. They were glass. Doll's eyes, meant for aesthetics, not for use.

"Resurgence," Madison said from across the table, having long sense removed her hands from your body. "Cordelia, she's not gone. Bring her back."

Her voice was hopeful, so encouraging it made Cordelia's heartache. Never had Madison had such confidence in anyone. Never had she had such hope.

"I can't, Madison. That spell is too powerful for even some supremes."

"I did it. I did it on Kyle and it worked, just not completely right. You could do it. You could do it and bring her back whole."

"Madison there's no way-"

"Just try."

"I can't-"

“Goddamnit, Cordelia, please!” she was screaming now. The words were tangled and came out taut and shrill. Cordelia looked down at your body, almost expecting to see you awake from her cry.

Madison's face was marble, cold white, lips pursed and eyes shaking. She wasn’t crying. Cordelia was reminded of all the nights you and Madison came stumbling in the front doors of the school, drunk and giggling. She had always been clinging to your arm, whispering something in your ear while Cordelia was lecturing you that made the two of you collapse into giggles.

Madison’s eyes held the memories of drunken giggles and tight dresses and long talks into the night and a friendship, a love, that was being stolen from her.

“it isn’t that easy, Ma-“

“You’re a coward!”

“Madison, please, I-“

“What is wrong with you? I can’t believe you’re being so selfish!”

“Stop!” Cordelia shouted, pressing her palms into her eyes. She couldn’t cry. She couldn’t cry because then all of this would be real. Crying was a submission to death.

The deal wasn’t done yet, and she refused to pay death in her tears.

“If you don’t do it, I will! I will and it might n-“

“I love her!” Cordelia shrieked. Madison's frantic yelling ceased. Her eyes narrowed at Cordelia, like a snake observing a mouse. The air in the room was weighted by the confession.

“I love her, and what if I can’t do it and she’s…”

“Fucking try,” Madison hissed, her voice laced with venom. “You love her, right? So try."

Trying was a dangerous game. It almost felt, to Cordelia, that failing to bring you back to life would be an even bigger heartbreak than failing to save you in the first place. But she needed you. She couldn't live if you weren't with her to laugh and cry and eat and sleep. She had no choice. She refused to be selfish or to give in to her insecurities.

Cordelia closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, summoning all the life in her to give to you. Her mother always told her she would never be a great witch. For her whole life, she lived in her mother's shadow. The great supreme and her weak, timid daughter. If she wanted to save you, she would need to step into the light after so many years of hiding in the dark.

In theory, she knew how the spell performed. In practice, it was much more complicated. The amount of magic she would have to summon to pull you back from another world would be immense.

Leaning over your face, she moved her lips over yours, hovering just a few centimeters. The kiss of life. When she exhaled, her soul spilled into yours, pouring down your throat. Liquid gold.

You shot up, eyes wide and mouth agape.

Cordelia collapsed.

-

When she awoke, the first thing she noticed was the way her body felt infinitely lighter. The fear and self-doubt were gone, at least for the moment. But she noticed something else. Her very essence, her soul, felt like it was singing.

"Cordelia, you're awake. How are you feeling?" Zoe rushed to her side as Cordelia stirred on the couch.

"Y/n? She's alive?" She knew you were alive, she could feel it, but it felt appropriate to ask.

"Yes, she's okay. She's upstairs sleeping. Madison and Queenie are watching her."

"I'm going to see her."

"Are you sure you should be moving? You've been out for like thirty minutes. I promise she's alright."

"Zoe, I have to see her."

Zoe noticed the tears gathering at the bottom of Cordelia's eyes.

"Okay, just let me help you up."

She allowed Zoe to hold her arm and guide her up the stairs. A useless endeavor because Cordelia felt like she could fly.

When she reached your bedroom door, she didn't hesitate to enter. Madison and Queenie were sitting on the adjacent bed, watching you and not speaking.

"Can I just... um," Cordelia cleared her throat, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"Yeah, of course," Queenie nodded and stood, pulling Madison with her. Madison looked like she was ready to rip Queenie's head off.

They left, and Cordelia was alone with you. She rushed to your bedside and knelt, finally letting her tears spill now that no one could see. Pushing the hair back from your face, she ran her fingers across your forehead, down your nose, over your cheekbones, over your jawline, and finally, stroking your bottom lip.

"Sweetheart..." she whispered, mostly to herself.

You stirred on your bed, bringing your hand up to your face and knocking away Cordelia's to scratch your nose. She grinned down at you, giggling through her tears.

"Delia?" your voice cracked.

Her heart soared, it burned in her chest. It ached. It was so painful but so blissful and she never wanted it to stop.

"I'm here."

Opening your eyes, you reached for her, and she reached back, intertwining your hands. You smiled up at her and stroked your thumb over her hand.

Propping yourself up on your elbow, you let go of her hand and moved to hold the back of her neck. She looked at you curiously until you moved her lips down to meet yours.

It was over quickly, but it was so tender it could bring you back to life a thousand times.

"Thank you," you whispered, your breath hitting her lips just as hers had to yours.

"Was that kiss just to thank me?" she grinned cheekily.

"Partly," you responded before leaning up to capture her lips again.

This time when you broke away, Cordelia wasn't smiling.

“I missed you.”

You laughed at her cheesiness.

“But I was hardly gone.”

“Mmh,” she nodded, “But you were so far away.”

"Thank you, Delia," her nickname got a smile out of her, "I can't believe you just... brought me back."

"I can't either," she was hardly paying attention to the words leaving her mouth, too enamored by the sight of you to care.

"With powers like that, you could be the next supreme."

Her eyebrows raised.

"I don't think so, sweetheart," she paused, considering her words for a moment, "Besides, I don't even think I'd want to be the supreme."

Thank you for reading <3