The Cure For Curie (Complete!)

A March For Closure

"Hey, knock that off!" Nick's voice echoed in the stone room, as he swiped his eye away from the probing finger.

"I'm sorry. It's just so neat." Cosnach said as he tried to touch him again.

"I'm not an it, you idiot. I'm a he dammit."

"Ugh, will you both stop bickering? We have a world to save you know?" Lilelle said over her shoulder as she continued restringing her ebony bow. "Cosnach my love, will you refill my tankard?"

"Is he really from your time?" Cosnach asked John who had been quiet for a long time now.

They had spent the evening filling in the contraption on Curie's condition and the events that had transpired. Valentine, as John called him, said he should be able to help fix Curie.

"Yes. Him and I go way back." John answered.

"Yeah, back when I had legs."

"So you were a robot like his wife?" Cosnach asked.

"A synth son, I was a synth. Curie was never a synth, just a robot who got legs."

"Huh. That's funny." Cosnach smiled. "She grew legs and you lost yours."

"Low blow, kid." Nick sniped.

"So, when do you want to approach the woman?" Lydia interrupted.

"I think we will wait here a while longer and then make our way to the surface of the city. The Rat Way should get us to the Thieves Guild's secret entrance in the cemetery. From there we should be able to get into the temple from the back entrance." Lilelle said.

"You're aware that she does not require sleep?" John asked with concern.

"Yes, but her followers do. There will be less commotion in the middle of the night."

"Sounds good to me." John said with a smile.

His heart raced with anticipation. By morning, he would be reunited with his love. Valentine assured him that he would be able to reset Curie and snap her out of the state she was in. He hoped they would be able to make it. She was so powerful and filled with such disdain, he worried they would not be able to subdue her long enough for Nick to do his work.

Everything had been moving so fast these past few days that he barely had time to process all these new feelings. The rage that had so haunted him all these years had completely melted away. The mere thought of being so close to having her back, had calmed the storms in his soul. He hadn't even needed to keep his powers checked, for fear of harming those around him. The fires in his heart had simply silenced. He knew they were still there, those terrifying abilities, that he was stuck with them now. He also knew that they were finally his to control, a feeling that left him peaceful. Something deep down inside him, assured him that everything was going to be just fine.

He waited patiently as the others prepared their weapons and drank their mead. He watched Lilelle exchange affectionate glances with her husband, as he pined to be as they were. He remembered that look, the same look that Curie would give him. He would catch her giving him that sweet smile as he looked up from his papers and plans. That loving gaze that made the whole world seem to slow down. That sweet voice that turned down the chaos around them.

It was time. Time to leave these sewers underneath Riften and make things right. The troop strapped their weapons to their backs and filed out the door to save the world. To save his world.

The walk through the sewers seemed to take an eternity as they shuffled through the pass. The dank smell of water and rot as they moved through the corridors was overwhelming. The echo of their footsteps were the only sounds in this claustrophobic walk to the end, the end of it all.

Finally, they pushed into the cavernous cistern and towards the finish line. One by one, they climbed the ladder. John took a deep breath as they huddled inside the large crypt. Lilelle squeezed his shoulder as she placed her fingers around the iron chain.

"Are you ready, John?"

"More than I'll ever be."