They All Fall Down

Two weeks after they settled in the human realm, Genève ran out of patience. She'd been begging her mother and Aunt Adonis to let her see Talon since the day they had arrived.

Every day, they asked her to give it some time. Her mother pleaded with her, “Derik must blame us for his fall from grace. He is hurting and angry. They will not protect you.”

Genève knew he would not harm her. She also knew for certain she was secure with Talon. He would lay down his life to shield her and then use his last breath to mend her broken heart. She decided that to appease her mother, she would send him a telegram. She watched day and night, waiting for his reply.

While she waited, she searched for the ingredients to make her magical brownies. She had to go to multiple shops to find what was needed, but it helped to take her mind off things. On the fourth turn of the moon, when she had located all the elements but one, a reply arrived.

My dearest Genève, how could we ever blame you? Our parents bear this burden; the fault is theirs alone. My father spends his days sick with grief. He lost his wife, mistress, and best friend all in one day.

' My dearest Genève, how could we ever blame you? Our parents bear this burden; the fault is theirs alone. My father spends his days sick with grief. He lost his wife, mistress, and best friend all in one day... '

Genève felt blistering anger when she realized that her mother had known the entire time that she was in no jeopardy. She understood now that her mother just wanted to keep them apart. The rage was short-lived, though, as Genève could not hide her excitement.

She decided that she would set out as soon as she made a batch of her magic brownies. They were a perfect way to relieve pain, which was overpowering the very essence of the home of the man she loved.

One bite would render someone incapable of feeling sad for hours. Genève remembered her mother keeping her magical herbs in the house, and she was sure Oleander had the last ingredient she needed, so Genève began a frantic search of the cupboards.

Her mother walked in just as Genève started panicking and asked, “What has gotten into you? What on earth are you doing?”

Genève sighed, handed her the telegram, and explained, “I am trying to find ground amber so I can make a batch of brownies. Once I finish making them, I will be leaving. His father does not blame us, and I cannot go another day without seeing Talon. I will forgive all of your selfish lies if you just help me find this last ingredient.”

Oleander regarded her daughter with a weary look, which was tainted with another emotion that Genève could not figure out.

“Yes, I will assist you, darling. In fact, I have a whole jar of amber in my room I will get it. You are right–it is time to settle this for the last time.”

Oleander went into her room and began rifling through her herbs. She found one with a pinch of powder in it. Shaking her head, she picked up a second container. It was almost half full. She dumped the second one into the first and happily walked into the kitchen, shaking the spice as she passed.

Genève and her mother spent half an hour mixing ingredients and watching the wood-fired oven. She could not help but be surprised by how nice her mother was being. She thought that, just maybe, the human realm and losing her husband had finally brought her mother to her senses. Maybe coming face-to-face with reality was the only way to cure her narcissism.

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Geneve knocked on the door. She was nervous, she had butterflies in her stomach. The door opened slowly, and she felt like a schoolgirl. Talon, stood in the doorway. For a moment, she forgot to breathe. she opened her mouth, with intentions of saying something profound - or even witty, but the only thing that came out was " hi."

"Geneve," he said, almost in a whisper, "I have missed you everyday, and dreamed of this moment every night. I wasn't sure, I would ever see you again. Please, don't just stand there grinning, come in."

She took a few steps in, and closed the door, never taking her eyes off of him. Without warning she jumped toward him, and he caught her effortlessly. She wrapped her long legs around his waist and nuzzled her head into his shoulder, carefully balancing the brownies. Talon stood there holding her, in comfortable silence, until Geneve popped her head up.

"I have missed you my love. It feels so nice to have you in my arms again."

,

"Just hold me for a little while, don't let go."

"I will hold you until the stars fall out of the sky, if that is what it takes for you too fee okay."

She finally put her feet down, and let go.

"where is everybody? I brought Brownies.

"My dad, is where he always is, sitting in the dark, feeling sorry for himself."

"well, that is going to change starting today."

"Good luck with that I have been trying since we got too this awful world. I have become the man of the house. I cook, clean, grocery shop. Hell, I even enrolled the boys in school. I miss my bike."

"I miss my wings. No, we are not going down that road. Today is a day for joy. All other emotions can wait their turn.."

"Okay I will take care of your dad. You go get your brothers, we will reconvene in a few minutes at the dining room table."

"Deal."

Talon walked toward the back of the house, Geneve approached, Derek.

"Hey, Derek how have you been? I've missed you."

"Oh, honey don't miss me. I am not worth it. I thought about death, but I am not even worthy of that."

"Derek, I don't blame you. What happened was not your doing."

"well, I should have..."

"Should have, could have, would have.You will drive yourself crazy with the what if if game. I made these magical brownies, with the intention of cheering you up. You wouldn't want to disappoint me would you? It's time for you too step up, and be a dad again. Those boys need you."

"Well, Since you put it that way, how could I possibly refuse?"

As he finished talking two little boys bombarded her.

"Hey Erik, Hey Chris. Wow you are getting so big, what are you twenty, now?"

They both laughed and chris explained, "no geneve, I am nine, and Erik is seven."

They all sat around the table and ate brownies, the whole atmosphere changed. Derek got up, and started opening the curtains.

"Thank you Geneve, you have brought life back into this house."

"No problem, I am just glad to see you smiling."

"Guess what Geneve?"

"What Erik?"

"Talon, bought this box you hook up to a television to play games with. I been working at it everyday, and I finally beat my game! It was super hard."

"That's great Erik!"

"That's nothing, I won the state wide spelling bee. Talon took me. it was so easy!

"Wow, you should be proud of yourself! "

"I am, and Talon is proud of me too. He cheered so much louder than any of the other parents. It was great!"

Geneve looked at Talon, and smiled. She always he would be a good dad. She just didn't think she would play the role of mother too well she didn't see herself Being very maternal. She was able to recognize some oh ger own flaws. One thing she new fo sure, she was often selfish. She blamed Being an only child.

Talon was the complete opposite. He didn't have a selfish bone in his body. His biggest flaw was he was a people pleaser, even athis own expense

Suddenly, Genève realized that it was getting late, and her mother had told her to be home before nightfall. No one wanted to disappoint Oleander since it seemed like she was trying to be a good mother for the first time in her life. Genève got up to leave, but Talon would not hear of her walking home by herself. She reluctantly hugged everyone goodbye, and they set out on their way.

Outside the sky was gray, yet the moon was bright. Ten minutes into their journey, Talon's entire demeanor changed. His breathing became raspy, and it sounded as if there was fluid somehow trapped in his throat, trying to escape.

Genève wordlessly willed him to cough. She walked over to him and grabbed his hand, noticing that his skin had grown cold to the touch and his face had grown disturbingly pale. With a smile, she stared him in the eyes and only half-joked, “Does my gallant knight need to stop and rest?”

He looked at her. Unable to hide his fear, he simply nodded. His legs buckled, and he hit the ground. Within seconds, Genève noticed his chest was sinking in, and his ribs protruded a little more as he struggled to breathe.

Genève’s smile died a slow death as she fell to her knees, taking Talon in her arms. He reached out and touched her face, smiling weakly. Even now he tried his hardest to protect her from the inevitability of what was to come.

“You are my greatest treasure, my truest friend; alike in death, our devotion will never end. Our souls will one day meet again."

He closed his eyes for the last time, and one last tear rolled down his cheek.

Genève had never felt the level of pain and fear she had at that moment. She had thought nothing could hurt her more than the death of her father. Oh, but she was wrong.

"No, baby you cannot leave me. I will be completely alone in the world."

Adrenaline coursed through her body, and her heart suffered as if it were a rope bridge holding a thousand armies. The weight of it all would be too much, and she would surely break into a million tiny pieces.

Her thoughts were racing, keeping pace with her feet while running to get help. She told herself aloud, “Breath in, breathe out. Pull yourself together, Genève.”

There was no time for mistakes. They hadn't made it extremely far, and they were closer to Talon's residence, so that is where she ran as fast as her feet would go. As she ran, she repeated to herself, “He cannot be lost, there is no way. This is just a dream or a mean joke.”

Finally, Talon's house appeared in front of her. She slammed open the wooden door, seeking answers but coming up short. What was now in her view stopped her dead in her tracks.

She opened her mouth, and screamed as loud as her voice would go. Genève was sure she would never stop screaming. The world started spinning, and her eyes closed as she slipped into sweet blissful nothingness.