Blood from Stone [AU]

[Smith Family]

"It wouldn't have mattered if you were." Truth be told, I'd be glad for you to have missed out on that evil fuck's blood. "As for that nonsense of not helping? Might be hard to see the good, after so many nights of seeking out the worst mortals have to offer, but you did help. I... I'll never forget about Mel. Nor will I try and say I don't wish you hadn't been able to bring her back. I did. I do. But you stopped the men that took her from us. You stopped the next mother from weeping herself sick in a lost child's room. Stopped the next father from burying his heart because he doesn't even have a body to mourn over. And you did it for the love of someone that most would say you shouldn't have even noticed. So you shush about just playing at being a hero."

[Coquette Blacquin]

Coquette takes a deep breath, closing her eyes. "Thank you," she says gently, as she twists her arm out of his grasp. "Please take care of Jaina."

[Smith Family]

"Not done yet." His tone is mild, but any of his children would know it for a warning. "There's still that last bit you said, about lies and hardship." He takes a deep breath. "I love you. You're my daughter and always will be, even if you never claim me as your father again. But yes, a part of me hates you a little for making me lie all these years to my wife. Same part of me, I think, that hates Mel for being taken."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"You can tell her, if you like," she says quietly, still facing the door. "You can tell her all of it. I won't... it won't matter."

[Smith Family]

"She deserves to hear it from you." His eyes close. "I think you deserve for her to listen to you say it."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Perhaps," she says quietly. "I suppose we'll never know. I... I'm leaving Nyra," she adds. 

[Smith Family]

"Why?" Just that. Just a single word, a plea from a father.

[Coquette Blacquin]

She begins to speak, but stops herself, not wanting to lie. Not now, not when it's possibly her last interaction with her family. Not even the lies she tells herself.

"Liz tried to kill herself night before last," she whispers, trembling a little. "She nearly succeeded. I can't... my lies are destroying the people I love, and I don't know how to stop. So I'm leaving. I'm sorry it will hurt you and Jaina, and I'm sorry I poisoned your family wanting to belong to it, but I can't... I don't know how to... I'm sorry, but it's time I left."

[Smith Family]

"If it's your lies that are breaking things, then stop speaking them! Stay with us! Please Cindy, don't- don't make us lose a daughter, not again." His voice cracks as he speaks, the words thick as they come from his mouth. "Please Cindy. Stay."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"The truth is worse," she whispers, shuddering. "The truth is... the truth is I hate myself, the person I really am under all the lies. I can't get close to people because I'm terrified at any moment I'll misstep and lose everything. That I deserve to be locked away, that I'm not sane and never have been. They called me a terrorist and Ciren help me, I believe them. All I know how to do is lie and terrify people into obeying, and I tried to use it for good, I tried, but I'm a born liar and a drow and I'll never be anything else. I'll always be this darkness inside me, the pain and fear and hatred. And so, and so, finally, I'm doing the best thing I can do for the people I love: I'm removing myself from the equation. The truth is I'm not planning to leave town, I'm planning to tell everyone I'm leaving so they won't look for my corpse."

[Smith Family]

Kyle's mouth is as dry as his checks are not as she speaks. By the time she finishes, he's forced to swallow twice before he can speak. "Y-yeah. I... I got that. I... So did Varric." It's worse, hearing it, seeing it, than just having him say it. "He, uh, he made a point of talking to me. Before I came here. He... he has a great many words and seems to like sharing each and every one of them." He clears his throat, tries to swallow again. "I can't speak on all the things he... Stuff about trauma and mental... scars from abuse and... such. But none of that matters any. You've killed, frightened, stole and broke the law. But you did it to evil and did it for the innocent and the hurting. So I figure the Bright gods would give the nod. If a part of you is a monster, then it's one I sleep better knowing is out there, keeping us safe."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Out there," she says quietly. "The mistake was thinking I belonged inside, with good people. I don't. I never will."

[Smith Family]

"Bah. You belong with people that what you to belong to them. I knew who you were before you put on the mask and that's never changed. False name, false face, but never a false heart. Not really."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"You've never been on the other end of my blade. All you've seen is my bright face, and glimpses of the dark one. Not the real thing."

[Smith Family]

Kyle blinks at her, faintly perplexed. "And so what? You've never seen me in one of the rages of my youth, thank your mother for taming me. I wouldn't think most families have seen their loved ones across a blade."