Through Fire And Water

Sick Mira

I had a fever when I was forced into bed. I was sweating despite being freezing and Anya had to change me into some pajamas. The clothes I had worn to the store stank.

"It was my mom," I told Galen as Anya left to get some medicine. "The darkness inside her, anyways. It's hard to explain, but basically she has some kind of evil alter ego and it's controlling her somehow."

"Did you figure out who's in charge?" he asked quietly, holding my hand tightly. "Did she mention anything, give any hints?"

"Yeah. She said he was a god. She said my power was basically nothing next to his."

"Could she have been lying?"

"She was too proud of him to lie."

"Him?"

"She called him a king of kings. The supreme ruler of every world ever created. If I'd never met my mother I'd say she was obsessed. Besides," I chucked, "it was only what she believed. It might not actually be true at all. He could just be some average Joe."

Anya returned with a bowl of soup. "Here," she said, setting it carefully on my nightstand. "This should calm your stomach down. Take these -" she handed me a few pills, "- and make sure they stay down before you eat this. It's pretty hot, so it won't be cold even in a good twenty minutes or so. Hold on while I go get a glass of water." She scampered out again.

Starkiller squeezed my hand. "Did she do this to you?"

"I don't really know. Maybe. But I was standing right next to a gas leak, so I can't really know for sure unless she showed up again." My head started to pound, making me wince.

"Are you going to be sick again?" Galen asked, looking ready to jump up and (quite literally) yeet me into the bathroom.

"No. I've just got a headache, that's all."

"You've been getting a lot of those recently."

"So I've noticed."

Anya returned with the water. She helped me sit up and held the glass for me while I drank. She then placed it next to the soup. She sat on the bed beside me, placing the back of her hand on my forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Got a headache," I admitted, halfway raising my hand to wave when Galen left, closing the door behind him. "Cold. But I'm peachy other than all that."

She nodded, smirking. Then her smirk disappeared and she looked at the soup in disgust. "Mary made that for you. I'd totally understand if you wanted to just flush it down the toilet."

"Tell her I said thanks."

"You're still mad at her, right?" It sounded almost like an accusation. "I am."

"I'm mad at what she did, not who she is. She's my sister and I love her, but it's going to be hard for me to trust her again. That's all there is to it."

Anya snorted. "I'd never forgive her if I were in your shoes."

"Good thing you're not in my shoes, then," I replied wryly, smiling up at her and grasping her hand. "I know you won't forgive her, Anya. Or Brian. But if that's how it's going to end up at the end of the day, with them getting married, I'd still be happy for them. I'd be jealous and feel used and miserable, but I'd make myself happy for them. They'd deserve each other after all."

Anya giggled. "Was that a diss or a compliment, Mira?"

"A complement. Obviously!" I couldn't help laughing either. "Though I guess that was pretty open for interpretation."

Anya and I talked about random subjects until I thought my stomach was going to eat itself. Anya started helping me eat when I nearly spit my soup out in realization. "Oh gosh! I forgot to start preparing for dinner! And lunch, man, I'm not going to be able to finish in time -"

"Hey, relax!" Anya just about sat on me to keep me down. "Mary's cooking. You don't need to worry. She's got it all under control." As an afterthought she added, "She made your soup before anything else."

I relaxed again, sighing. "Oh. Good. Tell her I said thanks for that, too."

Anya left me to eat in peace and closed the door carefully behind her. She started down the hall when her footsteps suddenly stopped and she started yelling.

"What are you doing here?"

A muffled reply came.

"She doesn't want to see you. Just leave her alone, you've done enough."

Another muffled answer, this one pleading. I caught the word "sister" and practically flew off the bed, spilling the soup all over myself and the floor as I stumbled to the door and threw it open.

I pitched forward and my head started to spin as I got into the hall, falling straight into a strong but slender pair of arms. I heard Anya yelling angrily but I couldn't understand what she was saying. A sweet voice, one I knew but couldn't place, sang out above me, and for a second I thought I was in the arms of an angel. My vision came into focus just enough for me to see her, my sister, Mary, looking down at me more worried then I'd ever really seen her. I clutched her arm as my vision started to go black and I began to pass out.

"Mary," I whimpered, squeezing her arm with all the strength I had in my hand. "Mary..."

"Shh, shh, I know, I'm here," she said softly, sitting down on the floor and still holding me tightly. "You silly girl, you spilled all that soup all over yourself. And after all the effort I put in making it...."

"I'm... sorry. It... was... good, though. Really... good."

"I'm glad you liked it," she said gratefully, brushing my hair off my forehead. "Now rest, Mira. You must rest, otherwise you won't get better."

"Mary?"

"Yes, Mira, I'm right here."

My consciousness was slipping. "I love you, Mary."

I don't know if she replied.