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Post by neverlandlostgirl on May 15, 2017 20:43:45 GMT
Over a week. It had been over a week since the confrontation between Pitch and Thrax, since the Terror Demon had been poisoned and stabbed after the crimson demon's underhanded move. And still he hadn't woken up.
When Pitch had first arrived at the hospital with emerald coursing through his veins, his eyes blinded by burns and a gaping stab wound in his abdomen, things had looked bad. Despite Demons being a common presence in Bellerouge by that point, not much was known about their physiology and how it differed from those of humans. Nonetheless, the doctors had set to work on him.
They immediately administered a substance to counteract the emerald that he had been exposed to before taking him into surgery. After nearly four hours the doctors had managed to treat his badly burned face and stitch closed the gaping hole that Thrax's claw had left in his side. Luckily none of his internal organs had been ruptured, a small miracle in and of itself, but his vascular system had been hit the hardest with massive blood loss and two of his ribs had been broken from the impact.
For that first week, the doctors had wanted to have someone watching Pitch in case complications arose, but as soon as they placed him in a private room the Nightmares had come. A pair of black, sandy horses with glowing yellow eyes appeared in the room and would allow no one else to enter unless they were there for the briefest of times, such as to change a bandage or check the IV fluids. Otherwise they would snort and stamp the ground, using their large bodies and the fear they exuded to force anyone out.
And despite the rest of the hospital being brightly lit, Pitch's room was always kept in a deep darkness. Sunlight might aid others in the healing process, but it would only hinder the Demon's. Slowly, the wounds on Pitch began to heal. The burn marks on his face receded, the greenish hue to his skin from the poisoning turned back to its normal pale pallor, and the cut on his side began to close. Everything seemed to be going as well as it could and yet Pitch still hadn't awoken from his sleep.
When the doctors discussed this, they could find no reason that he should have fallen into a coma. Eventually they reached the consensus that the Demon had placed himself into some kind of healing trance and that all they could do was wait until his body was at a point where he would come out of the trance. Still, they worried.
After another night of no change, the hospital opened for visitors.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on May 15, 2017 22:16:41 GMT
Adeline had been stubborn when it came to leaving the hospital. Any treatment she got was for the bruises around her neck and the shock she had gone into when the paramedics had first arrived. Her parents had thought everything would be okay once she was released. But Adeline refused to leave until Pitch got better. It had taken her mom and dad hours to coax her out of the hospital, assuring her that Pitch wouldn't want her just sitting around, worrying herself to death. The doctors had agreed with them, stating that getting lots of rest would do her good. She had gone home after that, but that didn't mean she stayed there. Over the past week, she had come to the hospital constantly, asking about Pitch, whether he was okay, if he had woken up. So far, the latter hadn't happened yet, although other than that, things looked promising. At least, that was what the doctors said, but Adeline could tell they were just as worried about this coma as she was.
They assured her that it was just a healing trance and that he could come out of it once he was better, but that was just a guess. What if he never woke up? What if he was like this forever? And what would he even be like when he did wake up? Would he recover from this? Would his eyesight be the same? Adeline wondered about these things day and night. Her parents didn't understand why she was working herself into a frenzy over this. They didn't know about the relationship between their daughter and Pitch, how she thought of him as more than her teacher. When visitors were finally allowed in, Adeline was there in a flash. She wondered if any of the staff were sick of her hanging around, then she realized that she didn't really care. Pitch had gotten hurt protecting her. She had to make sure he was okay, or she'd never forgive herself.
The room was dark when she went inside. It seemed fitting, considering the situation. Still, Pitch did better in the dark, and he would heal more quickly if sunlight wasn't around so much to bother him. Besides Pitch, the only other beings in the room were a pair of Nightmares, who apparently hadn't left his side since he had been put in here. Adeline knew most people found them scary, but she knew nothing else was better suited to look after Pitch. They'd protect him. Her footsteps were slow as she walked to the side of Pitch's bed, and a lump in her throat formed at the sight of all the wires and monitors hooked up to him. Part of her just wanted to chuck them out the window. They made Pitch look alien, like he wasn't himself. She let out a slow breath. She had promised herself she wasn't going to get hysterical over this, not again. She reached over and took his hand, feeling like she should say something, but she had no idea what. What could she say in the face of something like this? Could he even hear her? She had no idea.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on May 16, 2017 2:44:08 GMT
When Adeline first entered the room, the Nightmares shook their manes and lightly pawed the ground but didn't try and force her out of the room like they had done to almost everyone else. It was as if they recognized her as someone their Master cared for. They let her pass, their glowing yellow eyes watching her.
Pitch was laid out on the bed, an array of machines around him. One of them beeped softly in time with his heart rate. A metal stand nearby held two bags of fluid, each connected to Pitch's arm via drip lines. He was perfectly still, the marks from his fight with Thrax slowly but steadily fading from his body.
Despite the fading marks on his body, he looked the most serene he had ever appeared before. His features, normally so cold and distant or hard and harsh, had been smoothed out so that he looked peaceful. It made him appear far less inhumane. And yet he still had not woken up, had not opened his eyes.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on May 16, 2017 2:59:37 GMT
Adeline sighed. She hated this silence. It wasn't like the quiet that usually passed between her and Pitch. During those times, she felt content, at peace. This silence was different. She couldn't feel at peace, because it didn't feel like Pitch was with her. It was like he was gone, and who knew when he would be coming back. He wasn't dead, but he wasn't exactly here either. He was somewhere in between, and Adeline hated that she couldn't do anything. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, her fingers tightening around Pitch's. "I wish I could help you. But I don't know how. I don't know what you need." She paused for a moment, trying to keep herself calm. But it was difficult. Her emotions had been running rampant over the past week and it was hard to keep them in check. "You gotta wake up. I know things hurt a lot right now, but people here need you. I need you." She didn't care if Pitch could hear her or not. She just felt like she needed to get off her chest what she couldn't say to anybody else. Everyone around her thought she was just freaking out over her teacher getting hurt, but it was so much more than that, and she couldn't tell them.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on May 16, 2017 4:11:50 GMT
For an unknown length of time, there was nothing to break the silence except the steady beeping of the machines and the occasional drip of liquid through the tubing. Pitch continued to slumber, his chest rising and falling slowly as his badly damaged body continued to heal.
Suddenly, one of the Nightmares moved up next to the beside where Adeline was holding Pitch's hand in hers. The pair of equine shadows had been as still and silent as statues up to that point, but now the right one had moved to her side and nudged her arm lightly with its head. It tossed its head and snorted before once more gently hitting her arm.
Talk to him.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on May 16, 2017 17:37:41 GMT
The only reply Adeline got was the beeping from the heart monitor and the occasional snort from the Nightmares. She sighed. This was dumb. She couldn't just talk Pitch out of whatever this was. If that was all that was needed, somebody else would have done it by now. However, one of the Nightmares tapped her arm lightly with its snout, as if encouraging her to keep talking. She glanced back at Pitch. Maybe whatever she was saying wouldn't wake him up, but maybe he could still hear her. She let out a breath, trying to keep her emotions under control. If her fears went into overload, they might make the Nightmares freak out or something. Then again, the hospital was probably full of that, and yet they were still perfectly calm. Maybe they were used to it. "Look, I don't care if your eyesight is messed up or anything like that. I just want you to wake up, okay? Whatever happens afterwards, I'll help you with it. Because I..." She paused for a second, glancing at the door. Was anyone nearby listening? However, it only took her a second to realize she didn't care. Nothing really mattered much right now, except that making sure Pitch pulled through this. "Because I love you. And I want to help you, like you helped me."
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on May 17, 2017 7:10:36 GMT
At first glance nothing seemed to change as Adeline spoke, and yet the subtlest of things were indeed happening. The shadows which filled the room seemed to slowly start moving towards where the young Witch sat, but rather then seem threatening it was almost as if they moved to comfort her. They curled softly around her, almost as if they wished to embrace her but hesitated to do so.
The Nightmare bowed its head once more, encouraging her to keep speaking. Although Adeline couldn't know it or sense it, the shadows and both Nightmares could feel that Pitch's trance was coming to an end. He was close to waking but seemed to be waiting for something. The question was what?
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on May 17, 2017 16:58:09 GMT
Adeline wasn't sure what exactly it was, but something seemed to be shifting inside the room. She wasn't sure if it was Pitch responding or if she was just imagining things, though. It was hard to tell. The Nightmares seemed to want her to keep talking, but it was more than that. It looked like they were waiting for her to do something. But what? She had no idea how she could help this. Any healing magic she knew was good for basic stuff, like cuts or burns, but nothing like this. However, something else came to mind and she gave a humorless chuckle. "If this were like a fairy tale, I could probably wake you up with a kiss or something," she said. "But you're not under a curse. I don't know if it would do much." If anything, she and Pitch were a far cry from the heroes in fairy tales. The two of them were nothing like the knight in shining armor and the beautiful princess waiting in a tower. Pitch was one of the most powerful demons around, and Adeline had a side of her that was monstrous. But that didn't mean that the two of them were incapable of things like love and devotion. And even if Pitch wasn't totally conscious, Adeline just wanted him to know that. She'd never leave him, no matter what. She gave him a light kiss as she said softly "We may not be like the heroes in fairy tales, but we deserve a happy ending just as much as anybody else does. And I want you to be around to see that."
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on May 18, 2017 3:21:38 GMT
"I've always thought fairytales were overrated."
The voice was soft, barely more then something a desperate mind might pretend to hear or the smallest of whispers. And yet it was real.
Slowly, the yellow eyes in the pale face opened and Pitch looked up at Adeline. And despite everything that had happened and the circumstances that surrounded him, Pitch managed to give the young woman the smallest of smiles.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on May 18, 2017 3:31:13 GMT
Adeline's heart stopped. Was that...could it be... For a moment, she thought she had just imagined it. But she gasped as Pitch opened his eyes and smiled at her. For a moment, she was at a loss for words. She had come in here expecting the worst, to leave feeling just as desolate as when she had walked in. But here Pitch was, awake and alive. A happy, breathless laugh sounded out of her and tears filled her eyes. Her earlier promise to herself about not getting hysterical was thrown out the window. How could she control herself at a time like this? "Pitch, you're okay!" She laughed again as she threw her arms around him, still hardly daring to believe it. She wasn't going to lose Pitch. Thrax hadn't taken him away from her. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this happy.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on May 18, 2017 3:39:43 GMT
Pitch watched Adeline for a moment, the smile on his lips growing slightly and even managing a weak chuckle at the young woman's reaction. However, when she threw herself over him in utter joy, a stab of pain from his broken ribs raced through his side and he hissed at the sensation. Nevertheless, he managed to move one arm around Adeline so that he was holding her, his hand gently stroking her hair as he closed his eyes and simply felt her in his arms.
For an unknown length of time he merely held Adeline to him, tolerating the pain that came with the embrace. The fact that he could simply hold her close to him was worth any pain.
"I'm sorry, Adeline. I never meant for you to feel such fear or pain because of me."
He kept his eyes closed as he spoke, taking in the scent of her hair and feeling her warmth beneath his hands.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on May 18, 2017 3:59:46 GMT
Adeline shook her head. "It's not your fault. Nobody expected Thrax to do something like that. I didn't even expect him to do that. He probably hurt himself using that emerald dust..." Her voice trailed off, as she realized that hugging Pitch probably wasn't the best thing right now when he had a recovering stab wound. Not to mention, it probably wasn't good for any wires that were hooked up to him. "Oh jeez, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to..." She went quiet again as she pulled away, making sure no wires or IVs had gotten tangled up. She looped her hand around his again. "Are you really going to be okay? How are your eyes? The doctors were thinking you went into some kind of healing trance or something." The words came flying out at a mile a minute, but Adeline had so much she wanted to know. She felt like every detail was important right now. She didn't want to leave anything in doubt, for fear she might worry about it later. If everything was okay, then she would have nothing to get anxious about.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on May 18, 2017 4:30:35 GMT
Adeline seemed to realize she might be causing him pain and pulled away, but she kept her hand in his and held it tightly as if nothing could ever break them apart.
She looked at him with over-bright eyes for a moment before starting to speak, asking question after question. It was apparent that the doctors hadn't bothered to try and relieve her concerns and only given her basic answers. They probably hadn't even known how to answer a fair number of her questions to begin with.
"Adeline, just calm down."
His voice held the slightest hint of amusement but it was also clear that Pitch was tired. True, he had recovered well from a series of injuries that would have easily been fatal to a human, but the emerald dust had hit him hard. Even if he had received the same injuries minus the presence of emerald, he would have been back on his feet in only a few short days. Now it would take him much longer to recover.
"It's alright. The pain isn't that bad and my eyes are fine."
This wasn't completely true. While he could see now, his view of the world was slightly blurred. And the burn marks where the emerald had hit him in the face were still present, a patch of skin that spanned over his eyes and was slightly darker then the rest of his pale skin. He could only hope that with more time, these too would heal.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on May 18, 2017 16:33:37 GMT
Adeline let out a sigh of relief. That was good to hear. If Pitch pulled through, then everything would be okay. "Thank God. The doctors were kind of at a loss. They don't treat demons much." Maybe that was something that should change. What if someone like her got majorly hurt? Or Axel? The doctors wouldn't know what to do. She'd have to look into that. "So...going into that healing coma or whatever helped?" People always said that sleeping was the best medicine after all, although Adeline knew this was something different. It made her wonder if she would ever slip into something like that if she got really hurt. Was there enough demon in her for that to happen? She didn't exactly want to bring out her demon side in order to find out, but it was still something she thought about.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on May 19, 2017 7:53:20 GMT
"Yes, it did."
He didn't go into the details with her. It was powerful and difficult to explain, something he avoided as much as possible. In a way it was allowing his body to meld with the darkness, the thing from which he had come into existence. In such a state he had been able to tolerate the emerald within his body until it could be treated, but it didn't come without a risk. If he wasn't careful and if he spent too long in such a state, his conscious mind might simply disappear, returning him to the darkness from whence he came.
"It was a dangerous gamble but it was all I had in that moment."
Slowly, he managed to push himself up into a sitting position but it was clear the pain was far from minimal. He pressed a hand to his side, his face set in a grimace as his broken ribs throbbed in protest.
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