The Road to Recovery (Madison)

[Florian Raniari]

Sastre flashed her a reassuring smile as he turned to face her.

"First of all," he said lightly, "I'm fine. Second, if you really feel the need to look me over, do it after you've taken care of yourself." Gently laying a hand on her shoulder, he guided her back toward the shower. His eyes flicked to the scissors on the counter, and he furrowed his brow, understanding dawning on him.

After forty years of hunting, there'd been a time or two when he'd had to cut his own clothing off to get at an injury. With the beating that Madison had taken, he should have realized that it might be difficult for her to disrobe. And, as much as he hated the idea of violating her privacy, he met her eyes and nodded toward the scissors.

"Do you need me to help you?" he asked softly, not wanting her to get the wrong idea, but he also wanted her to know that he was willing to assist her. When Madison nodded slightly, Sastre smiled comfortingly at her and gently lifted her shirt over her head. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the bruises along her ribs, and his breath escaped him in a hiss. "Madison..." he whispered, as if to himself.

Willing his mind and body into a state of absolute, detached calm, he finished helping Madison remove the rest of her clothing. Then, taking her arm gently, he led her toward the shower.

"I'll be right here when you're finished, alright?"

[madison]

I can hear the devil call my name
Hopeless, I’m falling down
Filthy, I can’t wake up
I cannot hold on, I will not let go
Worthless, it’s over now
Guilty, there’s no way out

A slight frown settled over her features when Sastre wanted Madison to take care of herself first. She had wanted to argue with him, but he was already leading her back to the shower and apparently had noted the scissors she took out to cut her shirt off. When he asked if she needed help Madison simple nodded. She planned on throwing the clothes out anyway, but Sastres help would be make it easier on her body.

She cringed a little when the shirt came off, and saw the look in Sastre’s eyes when his gaze fell on the bruises coloring her ribs. When he whispered her name, Madison looked away, feeling the emotion behind the one word. Then, he finished undressing her, and suddenly it seemed silly that she should need help, a flush rising to her cheeks, not from the fact that he saw her naked, but from the fact that she hadn’t been able to take off her own clothes.

Sastre lead her into the shower with the reassurance that he’d be waiting. Madison nodded and stepped in the stall, turning the shower on, as hot as she could make it. The water felt like tiny rocks pelting against her skin where it hit the bruises, and it stung where it hit the gashes on her cheek and lips. She didn’t care though as she tilted her head back, letting the cascading water wash over her and wash away the filth she felt. Tears mixed with the water and after a few moments, Madison slunk down in the corner of the stall, the water still rushing over her as she pulled her knees to her chest, once again ignoring the protests of her body.

Madison felt weary and frightened. Frightened that Steven was going to come after Sastre. The hunter always said that there was nothing Steven could do to him, but Madison was worried that wasn’t true. Maybe Sastre Quicksilver didn’t exist on paper or in the system, but he was still a man, and men could be harmed. She had just found him and Madison couldn’t bear the thought of losing him.

Leaning her head back against the tile, Madison sighed wearily, thoughts of going back to Steven just to keep the man she loved safe crossed her mind. Steven would still try to go after Sastre, unless Madison upped the deal and offered to move in with Steven. The price would be that he didn’t go after Sastre, but then she’d lose the man she loved anyways.

Sighing wearily, Madison forced herself up, her face contorting in pain as her muscles pulled and turned the water off. Stepping out of the stall she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself before leaning into Sastre, arms wrapping lightly around him as she closed her eyes, just needing to feel his touch, breathe in his scent, know that he was still there.

[Florian Raniari]

Sastre slipped his arms around her waist, hugging her gently, resting his cheek on the top of her head.

He said nothing, knowing that at the moment nothing really needed to be said. There was a comfort in just holding each other that he'd come to love, and come to rely on. When he found himself lost in dark, brooding thoughts, all it took to soothe him was having Madison close by, and knowing that she loved him despite himself. There was a bond there, something that he'd never known before, something that connected them in a way he'd never felt connected to another person.

He had loved Solphi, with all his heart, and her death had destroyed him, but what he'd felt for her and what he felt for Madison wasn't the same. With Solphi, it had been like a whirlwind, like they'd had to get the most out of every single second they had together. Looking back, Sastre often wondered if somehow they'd both known that their time together was limited, beyond the normal fears and worries of hunters even. What they'd shared had been special, there was no doubt, and he knew he would always think of Solphi, always see her when he looked at Lily.

It wasn't like that with Madison. Whatever it was they had together, it was deeper than the love he'd felt for Solphi, but it was also more laid back, more comfortable. It didn't have the frenzied, frantic pace that Sastre and Solphi's relationship had had, that was certain. Something was growing between them, sinking roots that were deeper than the bond that Sastre had shared with his previous love. And, even though he knew that Darian was lurking, biding his time, the hunter felt at peace with Madison, and with whatever may lie in their future.

So there he stood, his arms around the woman he loved, content with saying nothing so long as she was near. So long as she loved him back.

[madison]

I can hear the devil call my name
Hopeless, I’m falling down
Filthy, I can’t wake up
I cannot hold on, I will not let go
Worthless, it’s over now
Guilty, there’s no way out


It seemed as though they stood there for hours, just taking comfort from each other. Finally though, Madison pulled back, looking up at him, a small smile on her face, any thoughts of going to Steven lost from the moment they had shared together, and no longer scared. She was happy, content, relaxed knowing that Sastre was there. That he loved her as much as she loved him.

Leaning up on her tiptoes she gently brushed her lips over his and smiled. “I should get dressed.” Wandering from the bathroom she went into the bedroom, not bothering to shut the door. She was comfortable around Sastre and he had seen the worst of her body littered with bruises. She saw no point in modesty. Not around him.

She slipped on a pair of panties and opted to grab one of her brothers over sized, button down shirts instead of trying to put something on over her head. It was easier on her body that way. Moving over she sat on the edge of the bed, her hair still dripping water from the shower and looked over at him, remembering that he was hurt as well and patted the bed beside her. Normally she would go him if he were injured, but she was tired. The beating having made her adrenaline surge and then the shower, but mostly the calm she found when she was in Sastre’s arm.

As tired as she was though, she knew she wouldn’t sleep. Her body was too store still, and she didn’t feel like dealing with the nightmares the encounter was sure to bring. Sastre had found a way to somehow keep most of her nightmares at bay. Not that he actually did anything, but it seemed to be his presence. She still had them, but they weren’t has bad, not as vivid. Only every once in a while would one slip through that was truly bad anymore. Madison didn’t want to take the risk at the moment.

“Let me check you over.” There was a little worry in her gaze. She hadn’t seen what happened, but she’d heard the crashing and taunting and the horrible things Steven had said. Madison should have checked Sastre over sooner and she felt a tiny pang of guilt for not doing so, for just worrying about herself at first. Sastre deserved better than that.

[Florian Raniari]

Sastre flashed her a reassuring smile as he sat down beside her.

"I know you don't believe me, but I'm fine," he told her, taking her hand. "That doesn't mean I'm not going to let you look me over, though," he added with a wink. "I know you'd never forgive yourself if you didn't."

Without another word, he pulled his shirt off, holding it in one hand and turning a bit so she could get to the ribs that Steven had been trying his damnedest to kick in. There was faint, barely noticeable bruising across them, but no swelling to speak of. In fact, since the reiki, he'd felt entirely fine.

Still, he knew that when Madison was in doctor-mode there was no stopping her, and he simply sat there in silence, letting her do whatever it took to ease her concerns.

[madison]

I can hear the devil call my name
Hopeless, I’m falling down
Filthy, I can’t wake up
I cannot hold on, I will not let go
Worthless, it’s over now
Guilty, there’s no way out

Madison’s fingers went over his skin checking for any sign of damage. The bruising was very slight, more like an old injury than anything new. She breathed a sigh of relief once again leaning against him, her head resting on his shoulder. It was a relief that he hadn’t been severely hurt. She’d feel horrible if he had been. “I take it the other guy was worse?” She joked trying to lighten the situation, but only managing to reinforce her own fears about Steven coming after Sastre.

She closed her eyes against him, a fresh set of tears silently trailing down her cheeks. “I’ve made such a mess of things. I should have been more careful. We both knew he might come if I didn’t go to him. I should have stayed inside.”

It was true. No matter which you flipped it, Madison should have stayed inside. It didn’t matter that she was in her own backyard. Steven was a devious bastard. He didn’t have a key to the place and wouldn’t break in. Even if he thought she was at home she could have hid and stayed quiet. Instead she had left herself open and vulnerable.

[Florian Raniari]

Madison's tears made Sastre's chest tighten.

He took her gently in his arms, kissing the top of her head and murmuring reassuringly into her hair. Sastre knew that there wasn't anything he could really say to ease her worry, though he wished she could understand that Steven posed no real threat to him. The man was connected, Sastre understood that, but he had nothing to go after. On paper, in the system, Sastre did not exist, so Steven couldn't attack him there. In the real world, the hunter had faced down and destroyed threats far, far more dangerous than the cop on a regular basis for the past forty years, so he was confident in his ability to handle Steven and any friends that might be brought in by the bastard.

Trying to explain all of that to Madison, though, had yielded no real results. The poor woman was simply too frightened of Steven, and had been hurt too badly by him over and over again to see the man for what he really was: nothing but a bully, same as you'd find in any high school across the country. He relied on his connections and his influence to carry him along no matter what he did, and it had worked for him all this time. Sastre had promised Madison that he wouldn't go after Steven, and that he wouldn't kill him, but that didn't mean that when all this was over, and they were far, far away from the bastard, that the hunter wouldn't take proper steps to ensure Steven's downfall.

Sastre, after all, had connections as well.

"I can still do a bit of reiki for you, if want," he told Madison softly, his cheek resting on the top of her head. "It will help with the pain, and the swelling. You might rest easier tonight afterward too."

[madison]

I can hear the devil call my name
Hopeless, I’m falling down
Filthy, I can’t wake up
I cannot hold on, I will not let go
Worthless, it’s over now
Guilty, there’s no way out

When Sastre took Madison in his arms and started whispering reassuring words, she began to relax, the tension beginning to flow out of her body, and her tears began to slow, though the physical pain remained. It was over for now, and Sastre was here. It was just the two of them. For the moment at least, they were safe. She eased closer to him, needing the comfort that came from just being near him.

When he offered to do the reiki Madison just nodded, not even really sure what it was. She trusted him though and if Sastre said it would help, than she believed it would. He had never lied to her, had never done a thing to hurt her and Madison knew he never would. She had complete faith in him, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t scared for him.

Taking a deep shuddering breath, she pulled back a little, her ribs protesting the movement. She instinctively wrapped an arm around the bruised area and looked up at Sastre showing nothing but love and faith for him in her, red and probably puffy eyes. “What is it you need me to do?”

[Florian Raniari]

Sastre gestured for her to lie down.

"I just need you to lay here, and relax, and I'll do the rest," he told her, already running through the mental preparation that was needed to channel his body's healing energies. "It may feel a bit strange at first, but any discomfort should only last for a minute or so. Then you'll feel a deep warmth, and a tingling, alright?"

As Madison nodded and did as he asked, Sastre placed his palms to together, rubbing them a few times to warm them up and get the energies flowing. Slowly, he slid his hands up under her shirt, placing them gently on her ribs and closing his eyes, willing his own healing energy to pass into Madison. Once that happened, her own body would respond in turn, and the healing would speed up. The bruising and swelling would be reduced, and she'd feel much better, almost immediately.

Shifting his hands a bit to make sure he was covering as much area as he could, Sastre kept his eyes closed and remained silent, praying that this worked. The reiki that he'd been taught in his youth tended to work better on yourself, though it could sometimes be used on others to lesser affect. It all depended on how compatible each person's energies were, for there'd been times it had worked wonders on companions of his, and times that it'd done nothing at all.

He hoped it would work for Madison...

[madison]

I can hear the devil call my name
Hopeless, I’m falling down
Filthy, I can’t wake up
I cannot hold on, I will not let go
Worthless, it’s over now
Guilty, there’s no way out

Laying down was a lot harder with bruised ribs. There were a lot of muscles involved in lying down, whether people realized it or not and she bit on her lip to keep from crying out. Even with Sastre’s help it had been painful and left her breathing a little heavy. Once her head hit the pillow, her body relaxed again, the screaming pain easing to a dull roar.

Madison was still biting her lip, a little nervous from the description of what was about to happen. She’d never had anything done like this before. The most she’d done outside of ordinary medicine was use Remy’s concoctions. She wasn’t frightened of Sastre, knowing he’d never hurt her, but she wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing as he placed his warm, calloused hands on her ribs.

Just his, so warm against her skin seemed to make her feel better, but then she felt the discomfort he had mentioned. The bruises seeming to intensify in pain for a moment, making her inhale sharply, before the warmth from his hands spread into her skin, easing the pain once more, making it even less than it had been before all of this started.

Her body began to relax as tingling added to the warmth, almost as if there were tiny spiders crawling along her ribs. Except it didn’t feel creepy, but rather soothing and the pain eased more. She watched him, the entire time, wanting to run her fingers through his hair, out of instinct, but instead keeping her arms by her side until he was finished, not wanting to disturb whatever it was he was doing, as it was making the aches and pains in her ribs ease.