The Park, Monday Evening

[lockestheway]

Portals elsewhere might break, send you to the wrong planet, or leave you hanging; this one was forever faithful to its own schedule.

Sadly, for those denizens of the island who might have grown attached to their children, that meant it was time to say goodbye. The portal popped up blazing purple in the center of the park, calling to those it had taken here just a few days ago.

Time to go, time to go home, children.

[[ for your AU kidlet goodbyes! Sniff. ]]

Comments

[furnaceface]

Jonothon was not shaking, so help him. It was... just that there was a bit of a chill in the air, and he'd been standing just over there the last time he'd stood in this park to say good-bye to anybody, and... Blast it, there was a chill. That's all.

And maybe that explained why he held on to her in that hug for a moment too long, even if it still seemed as though it couldn't possibly be long enough. And why he was so reluctant to let go when he finally did. It didn't explain the tears that were stinging at his eyes, but he didn't have to acknowledge those just so long as he didn't blink and let them run down his cheeks.

"I would like that very much," he murmured, his hands on her shoulders. "You... take care of yourself. And remind your father how lucky he is to have you. Not that I imagine it's something he'd easily forget."

It is not given to mortals...

Except that somewhere, it was. He imagined that in any reality where he'd been able to keep Didi, he'd be well aware of how much of a miracle that really was.

[pyrechild.livejournal.com]

Dalia's hands fluttered by her side in a little gesture of anguish.

"We're lucky to have him," she said, steady as she could manage. "And your friends here, they're lucky to have you. I ... wish i understood why things are different, here."

[furnaceface]

"Maybe reality just enjoys exploring its options," Jono offered, softly. "And for you and your family, it was just... it was meant to be."

And for him, it hadn't been. And that was life. Which was a phrase that he used all too often to describe anything that had ripped his heart clean from his chest, figuratively or literally.

"I still have a lot of living left to do. Who knows where I'll end up?" Another attempted smile. Another smile that fell short. "I will miss you, though."

[pyrechild.livejournal.com]

"It had better be someplace awesome," Dalia told him, a smile playing across her lips, and she reached for another hug -- a shorter one this time. "Okay. Be good, Dad. Sorry to run, but there are people waiting for me on the other side."

[furnaceface]

He didn't want to let go.

He didn't want to let go. And it felt as though his chest was burning through as he did so. He couldn't breathe.

"Best not to let them worry much longer, then," he murmured, nodding slightly. His mouth was dry. "Goodbye, Sunshine."

He was holding back the tears. He had to. He couldn't let her see those god-damn tears.

[pyrechild.livejournal.com]

"I love you," she said one more time, and wished she could make this okay for her father. Wished it hard.

And then she walked forward, into the blue light.

[furnaceface]

This time, as her mother's daughter walked out of his life, Jonothon watched.

And it wasn't until she was gone that he let himself blink, let himself acknowledge that there were tears in his eyes as his hand closed around an old, worn piece of green paper, forever tucked away in his pocket.

"Lord, Didi. I don't know how many more times I can bring myself to say goodbye to pieces of you."