Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Carver Amell]

"Every day," he promises. 

[Tethras Clan]

Merrill nods a little against his shoulder. She's quiet again for a bit before finally asking, "why? Why did you... b-break your p-p-promise?"

[Carver Amell]

His face twists with pain. "Marian's alive," he whispers. "I thought... I thought Dad knew. That he hid that from me. That he lied to me, the whole time we'd been in Nyra. That he didn't love me, that he never had. I thought, if that's what family is, I don't want one."

[Tethras Clan]

Merrill is quiet again, mulling that over. "I... I can see why that... broke you," she admits. "If... if I found out that I am crazy, that Elder Marethari was lying about spirits being real this whole time... I could never trust anyone again. Especially myself."

[Carver Amell]

"I wish I'd known what you were planning," he whispers, shuddering. "I would have run after you. I would have tackled you and held you. I would have done anything, anything, to spare you that. Even as I was, even broken and hurting, I didn't want you to get hurt. I didn't want to lose you forever. I just... I just couldn't. Family is right down in the core of me. It's who I am: the poor sucker who keeps trying to hold us together when everything hurts. If I couldn't rely on family, I... I wanted to die, myself, if it would make it stop hurting."

[Tethras Clan]

Couldn't I have been enough? "But he wasn't? Lying I mean? You called him Dad..."

[Carver Amell]

"He only found out a few days before I did," he admits. "It's.. better, now. I live with Aveline, for the time being. Marian and her girlfriend live here, now, with Beth and Helene. Helene and Dad are going to get married. It's getting better."

[Tethras Clan]

Merrill pulls back so she can look at his face, her own clearly showing her bewilderment. "What?" she nearly squawks.

[Carver Amell]

He blinks at her, wiping away the last of his tears. "What what? Which part?"

[Tethras Clan]

"All of it? How- how long was I asleep?" she blurts out, eyes a touch wild. "You don't look old?"

[Carver Amell]

"Wh-what? No, just a couple weeks. Some of that happened before you were asleep, when you were sick, but I guess you don't remember that so good, so, maybe a month you missed all told."

[Tethras Clan]

"I was sick?" Merrill, something about that ringing truth and known with her but... She tries to shift, then lets out a harsh hiss of pain and grabs her leg with one hand. "Carver?" she asks, voice rising with concern. At the door, Silence decides that, yes, her person is needed and slips out of the room.

[Carver Amell]

"Are you hurt? I'm sorry! Silence-- is going to get a healer, hold on," he says, all alarmed as he glances for the dog.

[Tethras Clan]

"I- my legs, they can't- I can't-" She winces, a hiss of pain slipping from her lips. "Ah, feels like they're asleep. When I move, they- ow, ow, ow." She doesn't sound like she's in great pain, just pained.

[Carver Amell]

"You--"

He stares at her, his face slowly crushing. "You're... you're still paralyzed? Your legs?"