All that is dark | ✓

14| friend

WHEN HELENE HAD BEEN younger, she had had this recurring dream. Every time she was in front of a burning house and every single time she walked straight in the flames, feeling them scorch her skin off but not stopping until she was burned to ash. That day, after her conversation with Dante, it came back to her again, like an old friend who she had lost contact with, both nostalgic and uncomfortable at the same time. His words rang in her head, about how he didn't want anything to happen to her, such certainty in his eyes when he had said it, like he was sure something would.

To be honest, she didn't blame him. With the way she had been acting around him he probably thought she was going to be behind her own doom. He was probably right. She didn't care much for death though, the word never having provoked much emotion in her. More than anything, death sounded like a refuge, like a sleep which finally wouldn't be disturbed by her thoughts.

When she arrived at the prison, Dante was waiting politely outside the door of her office, waving at her.

"Parker is waiting," he said," they took him to the interrogation room the same time as usual."

"Perfect," she said, placing her bag down before they headed over. "How is your hand?"

"Fine," Dante shrugged," it doesn't hurt."

"Keep the wound sterile," she said," it'll hurt when it gets infected."

"I'll try," he said," how are you? Did that guy bother you again yesterday?"

"No," she reassured him," it's fine."

Honestly, it was. Knowing Zion, he would need a couple of days to process the way she had shown her emotions, because anything related to violence was ugly for him. Afterwards he would have found a way to make it beautiful in his art again, so she expected him to show up soon enough with a painting which resembled a mirror. She wasn't sure though if she wanted to see herself in it just yet.

When they reached the interrogation room she stopped, placing her hand on the door before Dante could enter.

"You can wait outside, Dante," she said.

"What?" he frowned," I thought we discussed that we were going to be more friendly with each other."

"We did," she said," I'm not ordering you to stay outside, I'm offering the choice. Nathan will do anything to get under your skin, so I won't mind if you said you'd rather wait out here, so he won't peel back your unhealed wounds again."

His expression softened at her words, an unfamiliar sight on him.

"There's no need," he said," if I can't even be your bodyguard right, I'm of no use here at all."

"You don't need to be," she said," we're friends now, aren't we? You can put yourself first, Dante, it's healthy to do so."

"And what about you?" he asked," when will you put yourself first?"

She smiled, opening the door.

"When it will be useful to my job."

Arguing with Dante was of no use, so she took her seat, leaving the door open so he had the choice to leave, if he wanted to. He didn't. Instead he closed it and took his usual spot in the corner of the room, even though he had difficulty composing himself at the sight of Nathan. Helene always had wondered what it would be like to be a honest person, to be able to show your thoughts on your face and say what you feel. Perhaps, in another life, she would've been the same and her heart would have been much lighter for it.

Unfortunately in this one she swallowed all her truths, until one day it would make her so sick to her stomach that she'd never want to speak again.

"Helene," Nathan smiled warmly," I've missed you."