Blood from Stone [AU]

[Bethany]

"...why is your... male side a demon exactly?"

[Carver Amell]

"You're not making sense, Marian," growls Carver. "Start at the beginning, don't leave anything out."

[Bethany]

"Carver, tone. We have to be patient. But he's right. Try and start at the beginning and explain it slowly," Beth agrees. "Take your time."

[Marian Hawke]

"I... I... I can't, it's, I barely remember... it was a Delve, it didn't have to m-make sense."

[Bethany]

"Okay, fair. But why do you think of male-you as a demon? Do you... not think me- most men are good people?" Bethany hazards.

[Marian Hawke]

"N-no, it's, I'm, I'm telling it all wrong," she says, wiping away tears.

[Bethany]

"It's alright, M- Liz. This sort of thing is hard to talk about. You're doing fine," she assures her sibling. "Take a deep breath, think of something calm and relaxing, then try again."

[Marian Hawke]

Liz takes a deep breath, then another, slowly calming herself. "I.. the Delve. It, I was... not me, but, also me, it was, you know how Delves are... There was a mask, a, a persona, Garrett the Demon King. He was a bandit, or, the leader of bandits. Tiefling. When... when everything was sorted, he told V-varric  not to let him fade. To, to, he wanted to live."

[Bethany]

"Well... like you said, he was a mask. A... part of you," Bethany says slowly. "So... that makes sense, yeah. It was a part of you that you repress that didn't want to be be pushed back down and forgotten. Your... male and..." She bites her lip. "Selfish side? Which isn't a bad thing! Being too self-sacrificing is a bad thing after all." She gives Carver a pointed look, though there's no heat to it at all. "Sometimes you have to remember you're worth having wants and needs too."

[Marian Hawke]

"But... but I'm not," she whispers. "I'm not like Carver."

[Bethany]

"That's okay," Bethany says with a shrug. "You don't have to be like Carver. Or me. You can just be you."

[Marian Hawke]

"I can't," she whispers, looking away. "You all keep pushing me. Can't you just-- can't I just leave well enough alone?" Hot tears of frustration push forth from her eyes, but she wipes them away, determined to stay strong.

[Carver Amell]

"Liz, I.. I'm sorry, okay?" Carver says, gently. "Let's just... let's get you back to Cindy, we don't have to talk about it anymore."

[Bethany]

"Yes we do," Bethany says, not moving. "Because you're not... you're still healing. But heart wounds and mind wounds don't just heal with time, not like your body. You have to push to heal, Liz. You've had two years to rest. It's time to start pushing again. It doesn't have to be fast and we'll help, but you have to start pushing again."

[Marian Hawke]

"What more do you want from me," she whimpers, closing her eyes. "I've given you everything. Can't I rest now?"