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songofsoma · 4 years ago

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Watch of the Faithful

31 days of wayhaven // day 9: fight

fandom: the wayhaven chronicles pairing: ava du mortain x cecilia beck words: 2,733 rating: general

part 1 // part 2

read on ao3

“She’s lucky to even be alive.”

The words rocked Ava to her core when Elidor spoke.

Hands flew out to grip anything to keep her grounded. The edge of a side table was the unfortunate victim to her white-knuckle grip. She could see the fae’s lips move as he continued to speak with Agent Beck and the rest of the unit, but all Ava could hear was the blood rushing in her ears.

“…internal bleeding from cracked ribs and head trauma from the impact against the wall. I’ve given her something to put her into a temporary coma to allow her body to heal.”

Elidor hesitates for a moment before continuing. “If the demon infesting her hadn’t been keeping her body going, she would’ve died” His voice seemed pained at the thought.

Ava came crashing back to reality and slowly turned to face Morgan who was already backing away.

She held her hands up defensively, her face twisted into a scowl. “She was trying to kill us.”

“Did you have to hit her so hard, Morgan?” It was Farah who snapped, golden eyes still glossy from tears. “Didn’t you hear what he just said, you almost killed my best friend!”

Morgan flinched, her stony gaze faltering. “Listen, it’s not my fault demon Cece was a bitch.”

A snarl ripped from Ava’s lips as she stalked forward.

There was no stopping her. She was a freight train compared to the others, even Nat would’ve been useless at halting her.

Large hands gripped Morgan’s upper arms, slamming her back against the wall. She could practically feel the others flinch from the cracking sound of the wall.

“You have made it clear you do not care for Cecilia plenty of times. But this is unacceptable.” She was in her face. The fierceness of Ava’s attitude was enough to catch the other vampire off-guard.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” She snapped, pulling herself together.

“You almost took her away from us, from me. I swear to you, Morgan, I would have never forgiven you if she had died.” Her voice cracked at the thought of the detective’s death.

Morgan’s eyes were wide as Ava dropped her back to her feet. She turned away, unable to look at her any longer. A trembling hand ran across her forehead in attempts to soothe the anxieties bubbling inside her.

The room had fallen silent in the meantime, shock reverberating around the room.

“Ava?” A comforting touch fell on to her shoulder. She doesn’t even have to look to know it came from Nat.

“What it is?” She asked, a heavy sigh accompanying the question. She was tired, so tired, and was ready to be left alone.

“Why don’t you get some rest? I think Rebecca should have some time alone with Cece.”

She was right. Nat was always right.

Ava looked over her shoulder to observe the agent slumped against the wall. Her head was bowed, her sleek bob had been traded in for an unkempt mess of brunette waves that hid the sharp features of her face. Even if she had been told Cecilia had resembled Rook more—soft, rounded features, kind eyes, a dazzling smile that could charm anyone to their knees—Ava was still taken aback by the parallels between the two women.

She turned her attention to Nat. “I will in a few minutes.”

Catching the hint, she nodded, squeezing her shoulder before she left. Morgan had ducked out seconds after Ava had let her go, Farah following quickly to presumably give her a piece of her mind too, and Elidor had other patients that required his attention.

It left just Ava and Rebecca.

After a long moment of silence, Ava moved to stand in front of her superior, unsure of what to say.

“How could I not have realized sooner?” Rebecca finally muttered.

She pursed her lips. “None of us did.”

“You did.” Dark and tortured eyes met hers. “You knew.”

Ava said nothing. She only looked away with a furrowed brow.

“What kind of mother does not know when her own daughter is acting differently?” Her words were strangled from the fresh tears staining the russet skin of her face. “I swore to her I would make up for all those years I wasn’t there for her properly.” She shook her head, a humorless laugh following. “She said there was nothing to forgive me for, that she understood. You should’ve seen the way her eyes lit up when I asked her if she wanted to have lunch with me. I have never seen someone get so excited over lunch.”

She gave a knowing smile. “That sounds like her, yes.”

Rebecca shook her head. “I can’t keep failing her. Even with a heart as big as hers, I’m going to run out of chances. I’m going to lose my baby just like I did her father.”

Ava swallowed hard as she tried to choose her words carefully. There wasn’t a chance to respond.

Arms wrapped around her tightly as Rebecca’s cold professionalism cracked completely. This wasn’t Agent Beck, it was a tired and broken woman who was on the brink of losing it all.

She returned the gesture hesitantly. Rebecca was on the shorter side, not as small as Cecilia, but still at least four or five inches shorter than herself.

“Thank you for taking care of her, Ava,” she whispered. “Please, please, be good to her.”

Ava felt her chest tighten.

She wanted to say that she wished she could do better by her or that the girl deserved better, but she couldn’t bring herself to admit it aloud. The internal fight of her selfish need for Cecilia and the desperation for her to have what she truly deserved was a war fought by tireless soldiers.

“Always.” That was what she finally settled on, ignoring the lump forming in her throat when she spoke.

But it was true. So long as Cecilia would have her, Ava would be there.

***

For the next week, Ava spent the majority of her time in the tiny hospital room Cecilia had been set up in.

She sat beside the bed, watching over her every second she could until Elidor ushered her out of the room so he and the other staff could care for her. It was a daily occurrence, and still, Ava was disgruntled every time she was evicted.

Sometimes, Nat came and sat with her. She brought a few of Cecilia’s favorite novels to read aloud. “I read that it helps,” she had said to the curious gaze she was given.

Ava appreciated the company. It was lonely without the detective’s lively chatter.

Farah and Agent Beck frequented the room as well. From what Ava could tell, Farah and Morgan were still not on speaking terms. To be fair, she and Ava hadn’t spoken since either, but that was partly to Morgan avoiding the leader like she was a reckoning. She supposed she was in a way.

When the fact was brought up, Nat predicted—quite tiredly—that everything would smooth over once Cecilia woke up. She also found out Morgan had popped in the few times Ava wasn’t there.

But still, none of them were Cecilia.

It had been a week since she had seen those pretty brown eyes or witnessed rosy lips curl into a smile that never failed to weaken her knees. She wanted the warmth of her touch, the softness of her lips. Ava was starving for her.

Her mind had been running in circles since that night as she thought of all the ways she could have stopped it. The ways she could have saved her. But right now, all she wanted was for Cecilia to recover.

Elidor had given the notice that they would be waking her up today.

“It might take some time. She’ll wake up on her own.” He gave a sympathetic smile to the little group who had gathered, feeling the mood deflate in the room.

So once more, Ava stood guard over the sleeping figure of her lover. She acted as an impenetrable wall between Cecilia and the dangers of the outside world.

She had been lost in thought when Cecilia first awoke.

Ava hadn’t noticed the way her eyelashes fluttered or the way her toes and fingers curled as her body slowly began to wake up.

What caught her attention was the soft sigh as her eyelids finally slid open, groggy gaze searching the room, confusion written all over her face.

Ava took a bandaged hand between her own. “You’re awake,” she said dumbly.

Cecilia attempted to sit up. Ava hadn’t been quick enough to stop her before a cry of pain left her lips and she fell back against the bed, breathing ragged.

“Mea vita, you need to rest.” Her lips brushed over the rough bandages covering her knuckles. Cecilia’s grip tightened pathetically on her fingers.

“Ava—” she croaked, voice hoarse from lack of use.

Letting go of her hand, Ava stood to fetch her a glass of water to help soothe the dryness of her throat.

She helped the cup to dry, cracked lips, her other hand cradling the back of Cecilia’s head tenderly. She made a note to bring her the lip balm she favored later, feeling guilty for not doing so before.

After settling her back down gently, she pulled her chair closer to the bed.

She smoothed down dark wisps of hair that were unruly from sleep. Purplish bruises were scattered over her face, deep shadows hanging under her eyes. A thick white bandage was wrapped around her forehead to cover the stitches she had received from her head wound. She was so beautiful even now, injured and under the fluorescent hospital lighting. It was one of her many talents.

Deep brown eyes shone with sudden tears. “Ava, I’m so sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, my love.” A soothing hand caressed her cheek, being careful of the discolored skin.

“What I did,” she shook her head, shifting so Ava’s hand was forced to fall away, “that is unforgivable. What I did to you and the others. Oh god, to Morgan.” She slumped further down, hiding her guilt as she wept.

“Cecilia, please,” Ava’s words were soft as she gently pulled her hands away to reveal her face once more. “It is not your fault. All that matters is the fact that you are okay.”

Plump lips rolled together as she thought, silent tears still slipping over her cheeks. Without thinking, Ava wiped them away, her touch a whisper against her skin.

“Is Morgan alright? It’s all blurred together in my mind. All I can remember is that I hurt her.”

Ava snorted, leaning back in her chair. “She’s fine. She heals.”

She took a few seconds to study her. “You’re mad at her. Why?”

Blonde brows shot up in shock. “Do you not remember her throwing you against the wall?”

“Kind of hard to forget.” She winced at the memory. “But I did deserve it.”

Ava stood up, beginning to pace the small length of the room. “Cecilia, she almost killed you.” It was becoming harder to stay calm.

“But she didn’t—”

“She could have!”

Cecilia’s lips hung open, unable to think of a response.

Ava’s chest was heaving and her fists were clenched. Her gaze was beginning to blur from tears. Not wanting Cecilia to witness the cracking of her stoic armor, she turned her head.

“Come here.”

She whipped around.

“Please,” Cecilia whispered, opening her arms.

Ava sat back on the previously abandoned chair, the top half of her slumping forward onto the bed. The comforting warmth of Cecilia’s embrace enveloped her even at the awkward angle she held her shoulders. Her forehead rested against her chest, her own arms sliding around her, being cautious not to jostle her.

Cecilia grunted as she moved to press a soft kiss to the side of Ava’s head. She quickly settled back down before she could be scolded, opting to run her fingers through the tendrils of loose blonde hair that spilled on to the sheets.

“I will be fine,” she promised, the pad of her thumb wiping away a tear that had escaped her glacial gaze. “Besides, I have you looking after me. I think I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have such a hot nurse.”

A strained laugh left her as she sat up, enjoying the pleased grin on Cecilia’s lips. “I am sure Elidor will be overjoyed to hear such a compliment.”

She rolled her eyes. “No, you, silly. I meant you. Elidor isn’t my type.”

“And I am?” Ava chuckled.

The air was sucked from her lungs when she noticed the shift in her gaze to full adoration. “You know you are,” Cecilia murmured, grabbing at the collar of her shirt to pull her closer, pressing a tender kiss to her lips.

The door crashed open, accompanied by a loud squeal.

“I told you I heard voices!” Farah cried out happily.

Ava turned, quite irritably at the ruining of the moment, to see the young agent with an arm full of colorful balloons and flowers skip into the room. She had Nat in tow who seemed to be in charge of transporting an oversized teddy bear, but she seemed more than happy to be a part of it. Morgan trailed in after them. She had a small pink stuffed dog in her hands and an unsure look in her eyes.

Farah shoved everything she was holding into Morgan’s arms before rushing over to hug Cecilia who let out a small oof.

“Oh shit!” She jumped back. “I’m sorry, I forgot. I’m just so glad you’re okay,” she said sheepishly, glancing over at Ava.

“It’s alright, really,” she assured her, reaching out to take her hand gratefully.

Farah smiled.

“You didn’t have to do this.” Cecilia gestured to where Nat was helping Morgan set down the various gifts they had brought.

“We wanted to.” Nat’s warm smile accompanied her words as she greeted the girl with a gentle hug. “It’s the least we could do.”

Farah was bouncing on her heels excitedly, pushing a tight curl out of her face before Cecilia patted the edge of the bed for her to sit. She did without a second thought, already talking a mile a minute.

Ava settled back into her seat, finally feeling like she was able to breathe again.

She watched the detective carefully. The joy was overpowering the lingering exhaustion in her eyes. It wouldn’t be long before Ava would have to chase everyone out so she could rest.

Cecilia’s eyes suddenly looked around the room, landing on Morgan lurking in the corner. “I thought I saw you come in,” she said happily, clearly taking the vampire by surprise.

She seemed uncomfortable as she slinked over to the side of the bed, stiffly holding out the stuffed animal she had brought. “I’m sorry for, uh, throwing you against a wall and almost killing you.”

Ava stiffened, but amusement played on Cecilia’s face.

Cecilia grinned. “I knew you liked me.” She grabbed Morgan’s wrist, tugging her into a semi-forced hug, one that she eventually gave in to.

They had been allowed to stay for a bit longer. Elidor had come in to check on her a few times as well. He seemed just as relieved to see her awake as the rest of them did. Eventually, the rest of the team had been shooed out to allow Cecilia to rest. Ava had only been permitted to stay because it was quite clear she had no intention of going anywhere.

Ava had taken Farah’s spot on the edge of the bed, gently brushing hair away from her face.

“Do you think these beds are too small for you to lay with me?” Cecilia murmured with a quiet smile.

She chuckled. “These beds are barely large enough for me alone, carissima.”

“Guess I’ll just have to beg Elidor to let me move back to my room tomorrow.” She yawned, nuzzling into Ava’s hand on her cheek.

Her heart clenched as she watched her. She didn’t dare to move until she was sure Cecilia had fallen asleep. And when she did, the farthest Ava went was to her post in the chair so she could stand watch over her darling once again.

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