𝔞 . ʜᴀʀᴋɴᴇꜱꜱ

" his had barely begun and already , you were prepared to take him from me . " hurt flashed within her eyes , lower lip quivering . the hold his loss still held after centuries . a mother never truly recovers from such a loss . " who are you to dictate time , to take one of the only other beings in this life that gave mine meaning ? " voice tight , hiding the hurt layered behind . " is that not enough ? " tattered heart shatters , tears spilling from aged eyes . " there will never be enough time . he was everything to me . . . the purest part of me . " the one and only thing she had gotten right in her lifetime . the fantasy of having been a family had long since faded , tarnished the moment death took her son by the hand . " and what of it ? have i not defied your beloved sacred balance ? why am i the sole exception ? " she knew , of course she knew but why , why couldn't their son have been too ? gaze lifts , directed not towards darkened eyes awaiting response . " when i first learned i was with child , i knew there was no other . i spoke no spell nor incantation but something within me knew that . . . from death , comes life . " she spoke very little of rio's true nature to nicholas but she has mentioned who his sire had been . " i spoke of you , that there were powers in this world far greater than ours that kept you from us . " the truth finally comes to light and agatha wonders when she had allowed herself to express such a vulnerable side to them again .

" THERE IS ALWAYS A CHOICE ! " temper flares , like a flip of the switch , topic still so painfully tender . agatha had run , she had fed souls in nicholas' place . anything to ensure rio wasn't hot on their tail . it had worked , for a while until he grew older , his heart pure and full of love . he didn't understand , how could he ? although she got a rush from siphoning , she did it out of fear of losing him . agatha couldn't bear it . he deserved a chance , he needn't have been lost . " a gift ? you call what you did a gift ? YOU DIDN'T LET ME SAY GOODBYE ! " voice cracks as she spat such words , throat constricted as tears pour from her eyes . " you took him from me , without warning , without - you owed me better ! I wanted more time ! I needed more time ! " a small part of her finds comfort in the notion that he is well , that rio had ensured he was well cared for but it still hurt . " for an all powerful being , you're a terrible liar . " despite the heartache and despair , death would too be her greatest and most tragic love . " i told him there was nothing to fear . i could have bought us more time . . . but he looked at me . as you are now and i knew i couldn't refuse him . he was never like us . . . he was better . "

　" terrorizing the children sounds better but fine . . . . we'll do it your way . " agatha lightly waves her off . " i've got it . "

　　　eyne narrow…　　　a beat later, meredith’s head tilts forth with a sigh. she strays from sight and returns a beat or two later with her jacket and keys, shooing agatha along. ❝ just — go. come on. i’ll drive. ❞

　　agatha sets out in search of her shoes , mumbling about something unintelligible . curses involving children sensitives . reaching for a hat , she adjusts it to her liking while waiting for meredith to join . gaze lifts and lips curl as she follows . " don't you trust me , hun ? " hand raises over chest in false innocence. " I can be good . "

" it could have been worse , i could have bitten the kid . " never mind the fact she was tempted . " i'll get you another one . "

　　　❝ PAY for this one. just use my card. or the cash i stole from john. ❞

　" terrorizing the children sounds better but fine . . . . we'll do it your way . " agatha lightly waves her off . " i've got it . "

　　　…what do you mean you fought some kid for it,   aggie?

it’s exactly like it sounds . he ran off crying to his mommy . I took it and left .

　　　❝ what is wrong with you? ❞

" don't . " a word so simple yet full of such meaning . never had anyone possessed the ability to hear death plea , to witness such a powerful being weakened by a singular mortal : a witch . cerulean eyes lift to peer within deaths own , all but well acquainted with it's weight and power . " don't i ? were I to offer myself instead , would you have same *him* ? " it often troubled her , the thought that had she offered herself in his place , perhaps nicky would still be here . " those boys deserve a chance , rio . " steps carry her closer , frame but an inch away from death , eyes a reflection of all emotions bottled for centuries . " what i want is for you to choose for once . defy the natural order . do what you should have done from the moment our son drew his first breath . "

" his had barely begun and already , you were prepared to take him from me . " hurt flashed within her eyes , lower lip quivering . the hold his loss still held after centuries . a mother never truly recovers from such a loss . " who are you to dictate time , to take one of the only other beings in this life that gave mine meaning ? " voice tight , hiding the hurt layered behind . " is that not enough ? " tattered heart shatters , tears spilling from aged eyes . " there will never be enough time . he was everything to me . . . the purest part of me . " the one and only thing she had gotten right in her lifetime . the fantasy of having been a family had long since faded , tarnished the moment death took her son by the hand . " and what of it ? have i not defied your beloved sacred balance ? why am i the sole exception ? " she knew , of course she knew but why , why couldn't their son have been too ? gaze lifts , directed not towards darkened eyes awaiting response . " when i first learned i was with child , i knew there was no other . i spoke no spell nor incantation but something within me knew that . . . from death , comes life . " she spoke very little of rio's true nature to nicholas but she has mentioned who his sire had been . " i spoke of you , that there were powers in this world far greater than ours that kept you from us . " the truth finally comes to light and agatha wonders when she had allowed herself to express such a vulnerable side to them again .

" don't . " a word so simple yet full of such meaning . never had anyone possessed the ability to hear death plea , to witness such a powerful being weakened by a singular mortal : a witch . cerulean eyes lift to peer within deaths own , all but well acquainted with it's weight and power . " don't i ? were I to offer myself instead , would you have same *him* ? " it often troubled her , the thought that had she offered herself in his place , perhaps nicky would still be here . " those boys deserve a chance , rio . " steps carry her closer , frame but an inch away from death , eyes a reflection of all emotions bottled for centuries . " what i want is for you to choose for once . defy the natural order . do what you should have done from the moment our son drew his first breath . "