The Strength to Never Give Up

Posted on Thu Nov 3rd, 2022 @ 8:48am by Avalon [ADMIN NPC] & Quinn [ADMIN NPC] & Commander Arrianna Salannis an Vantar

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Jeffries Tube
Timeline: Sometime after Sudden Avoidance
759 words - 1.5 OF Standard Post Measure

Arri returned to the Jeffries Tube frantically and began to tear the tube apart looking for the ring and the communicator.

Quinn appeared beside her. "What are you doing Arrianna?" She asked carefully.

She looked around, looking for an engagement ring she threw away, until she found both thr ring and the communicator under a grate. She tried to get the ring out. "C'mon, curse it."

She then pulled her fingers out. She looked at the engagement ring, and the communicator she threw away. She loved her too much to give up.

Quinn rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers in front of Arri's nose. "Arrianna!" She snapped out. "Speak with me"

Arrianna looked at Quinn. "We ran into each other. Things did not go well. I looked away. But.. not because I was ashamed. I was scared."

Quinn sighed. "And she is also most likely scared Arrianna. The two of you need time to get yourselves in order before facing each other." She touched the other woman's arm. "I could make it hurt less for you both but that would be wrong."

"No..." Arrianna noted. "We would not be better for it."

Quinn nodded "I could make you both forget you ever knew each other if you wanted." She would never do that. "Again, it would be wrong."

"That would be wrong. If I didn't have my memories and pain, I lose myself." She noted. "I need my pain."

"No you need to heal Arrianna. You both do. You both said and did things to each other and you both need to come to terms with what you each did and to accept that and then you may be able to heal."

"And there's a part in me that wants to hunt Bishop down and give him every moment of pain he gave me. A part that wants to make Cragen suffer. I know there is no coming back if I go down that path." She noted.

Quinn gently put her arm around Arri's shoulder. "Cragen is suffering. He lost his child, the woman he loved centuries ago. He is remembering everything he has done." What Quinn did not tell her was that Cragen was on work release. "And Bishop, well he will get his one day. Fate has a way."

"I have to be strong again. I have to be the woman Phoenix and Josie remembered. I killed a part of myself, Quinn. When I broke out of my subconscious. I murdered a part of my mind... Flossie was a part of me."

"Flossi was yes apart of you. But she was created by Bishop. And now she is gone." Quinn said softly. "I know you know that. And I cannot change what happened nor give that part back to you. Arri, when you think of Josie, what do you feel?"

"I love her.... deeply.... endlessly. I am going to recover. I am going to cherish her. And I will even love our children. All of them. I care not if her child's father is Cragen. I will not condemn her for her father's crimes." Arri noted. "I will never fail her again. I swear to the Ascendants."

"And will you forgive Josie if she forgives him?" Quinn asked softly.

"He is a monster that tortured his wife into becoming his concubine." Arri noted. "I cannot forget that. But I will forgive her if she does." She noted. "And I can let go, he cannot."

She looked at the ring again. Through the deck grating.

Quinn twirled a finger and the ring appeared in Arri's hand. "She had to forgive him to move on from him. She has to be able to tell her child about their father without anger so the child gets the story. That child, the child of Josephine and Kyle is precious to both her parents Arri. She will be precious to you as well. One day, you may have to find it in yourself to forgive Kyle Cragen."

She put the ring on a golden chain around her neck. She kissed the ring. "Give me time, Josie.. The anger against Kyle Cragen inside me will calm." She noted. "The pain inside me will be soothed. The hatred inside me will be calmed."

Quinn sat there in silence and eventually she moved away from Arrianna. "Arri, I suggest you head back to your cabin. Get yourself cleaned up and on duty. You are going to be needed."

"I'll never understand the Q. Quinn, but thank you. I owe you one." Arri noted.

OFF