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[Madeline Speare]

I stood infront of the two coffins, eyes fixed on the smaller one.
Poppyseed..
She shouldn't be here, she's two years old, she has her whole life ahead of her.
No, this is where her life ends.
I sigh, letting a small sob escape my lips.
"Aunt Maddie wake up!"
"No..go away you evil demon child..."
"I am not! Come on lazy bum."
"I am no bum."
"But you are lazy."
"Didn't deny that now did I Poppyseed?"
"Come play with me?"
"I played with you yesterday."
"Yes..but that was yesterday, and today's today."
"And tomorrow's tomorrow, I've played enough little one."
"Please come play with me?"
"Again with those manners, fine. I'm coming,"
I place a shaking hand on her coffin,"No more playing Poppyseed," I whisper quietly.

[Ian Hunt]

I watch her from the doorway for a moment. I'd been in and out of here for the past however long, just needed another break, there's only so much a person can take of watching their dead family.
"She can't hear you." The words burn slightly at my throat, and I have to look down and get a grip on myself before I either force myself to say them or break down again. At least I thought I'd stopped being angry now.
I think about saying something, but decide against it and just stay in the doorway.

[Madeline Speare]

I keep my hand on the coffin, before letting my gaze drift over to Rowan, throat burning.
This isn't real.
I keep my eyes on his face.
This wasn't right, that wasn't Rowan. Couldn't be.
He was so still, so pale, so...dead.
That's what they are MJ, dead. Dead. Dead. They're not going to wake up.
I bite down on my bottom lip, closing my eyes, tears prickling behind closed lids.

[Ian Hunt]

I think about turning around and leaving the room, not sure I wanted to initiate conversation and going outside for a smoke in the rain seemed more appealing.
But I didn't really want to leave, so I'd just stay here. From a distance, I could pretend it was someone elses funeral.

[Madeline Speare]

"It shouldn't have been them," I mutter quietly after a moment.
Should have been us.
Would you really trade your life for theirs?
In a heartbeat.
I sigh, running a hand through my hair, before slipping my hands into my jacket pockets.

[Ian Hunt]

"No," I agree quietly, without meaning to, "It shouldn't have been."
It wouldn't have been. If you could have controlled your temper.
Shut up.

[Madeline Speare]

"How many people have come?" I ask quietly, not turning around to look at him.

[Ian Hunt]

"Some family, you, me, Arden, Yumi, Row. That's it," I reply quietly.

[Madeline Speare]

I nod mutely, before sitting down in one of the many chairs set out.

[Ian Hunt]

"How long have you been here?" I ask.

[Madeline Speare]

"Bout an hour or so." I mutter,"Spent some of it throwing up in the bathroom and the other time working up the nerve to actually walk up here,"

[Ian Hunt]

"You don't have to be here, if you don't want."

[Madeline Speare]

"I want to, they're were like my family too."

[Ian Hunt]

"Okay," I nod slightly, then fall silent again.

[Madeline Speare]

"Seems like we've been at enough funerals to last us a lifetime," I mutter.

[Ian Hunt]

"Maybe for you, I usually don't go," I mutter, "They're an exception."

[Madeline Speare]

I keep my eyes on both coffins,"I don't think I want to go to anymore of these,"
But your going to have to.
My hands abesntly slips into my pocket.

[Ian Hunt]

"Then don't," I reply, watching the front of the room, eyes focusing on a spot just above the coffins so I could pretend I was looking at them.

[Madeline Speare]

"I can't do that," I mutter.
It's not right.

[Ian Hunt]

"Then I don't know what to tell you."

[Madeline Speare]

It won't get easier, I can tell you that.
I look back down at my feet, eyes burning.

[Ian Hunt]

"You want a minute on your own?" I ask, still watching the coffins as if half expecting them to move, or for them to walk in from the back and say it was all just a joke, or a plan to keep them safe. Because if people thought they were dead then they'd be safe, it was all just part of a plan, that's it.

[Madeline Speare]

"No," I mutter,"Not really."

[Ian Hunt]

I nod slightly, although she wasn't looking so wouldn't have seen, folding my arms across my chest.

[Madeline Speare]

"Never got a chance to get her that nightlight," I mutter after a moment,"Never did a lot of things I promised I would."

[Ian Hunt]

"There's no point thinking that way, it won't bring her back," I say quietly, watching the floor as if it might do something interesting at any minute.

[Madeline Speare]

It'll just make me feel worse.
I lean forward putting my fae in my hands, trying to pull myself together.
There was nothing you could have done.
I could have done something, anything, to keep them here.

[Ian Hunt]

I watch her, until my gaze drops of it's own accord, feeling that I should say something, do something that would be remotely comforting, but unable to.
Why can't you break down? It's simple. Cry, shout, smash something...it would be better that what you do. Stay quiet and unresponsive then slit your wrists behind closed doors. Anything is better than that.
I won't break down.

[Madeline Speare]

"Sitting here feeling sorry for yourself isn't helping either," I say under my breath.
I was talking for to myself then to him, I glance up, keeping my gaze on their coffins.

[Ian Hunt]

"Then what's your alternative?" I ask quietly, not sure if I was responsing to the voice in my own head, or her.