I Thought There Was Still Time

I Thought There Was Still Time
Grabbing her neck, Samantha collapsed to the ground, causing the entire scene to cease.

“Sam…” Lilith said. “A-are you okay?”

Samantha raised her head. “I’m so proud to call you my friend,” she said with tears in her eyes. “I never thought you thought of me the same way I think of you. Thank you for saving me. I never doubted you for a moment.”

Lilith pulled her into her arms. “Thank you for saving me,” she whispered. “And I’ll never doubt you again.” Helping Samantha stand she took in the surrounding sight. Her loves, friends, new and old—but above all else a new beginning."

I should be happy

Lilith thought to herself, but something still didn’t feel right. “Hey,” she called out to everyone, “where is Morrigan?”

“As if you care.”

Hearing Morrigan behind her, Lilith straightened her back. “I’ve beaten you fair and square,” she said as she turned around. “So if you’re planning anymore tri—” her words caught, seeing Morrigan holding a sharp dagger against her own throat. “W-what are you doing?”

Morrigan laughed. “And again, as if you care,” she spat. “You’ve won. What use is there left for me?” Backing away, she pressed the sharp blade against her flesh, drawing blood. “I know I’m not leaving here alive, so I’ve decided to go on my own terms.”

“Morrigan…”

Morrigan shook her head. “I don’t want to hear whatever trick you think will work on me to get me to change my mind. I know you’re going to kill me.”

“I would never.”

“Yeah, okay,” Morrigan said, scoffing. “I’ve tried to kill you in so many ways; there’s no way you wouldn’t kill me.”

“I would never,” Lilith repeated, walking towards her. “I know we’ve had our differences, but at heart I would never, could never kill you.”

“So you’re telling me you would just let me go and we sing a bonding song and everything is okay?”

Eyes trained on the knife, Lilith took another step toward her, ignoring the concerning looks from the others. “I mean, I know it would take some time for us to get to some semblance of what our relationship once was, but I want to try. All of this couldn’t have been for nothing.”

“I killed Astaroth.”

Sadness found Lilith’s face. “I know, and yet, something in me says to still forgive you. We have a chance at a new beginning, Morrigan. A real chance. I don’t want to let that go.”

“A new beginning?” Morrigan asked, exhaling sharply and for a moment Lilith saw a shift in the darkness in her eyes. “One with…friends…family…love and…” her bottom lip trembled, “hope?”

“Exactly,” Lilith replied. “So please, put the knife down. I want to figure this out with you.”

Morrigan steadied the dagger, her eyes seeming to pierce through Lilith. “And what would happen if I tried to kill you again?” she asked. “Would you hate me then?”

“No,” Lilith said earnestly. “The way I figure, we try until we get it right.”

“So you would still bet on me even at the high risk of losing?”

Lilith smiled small. “What’s love without sacrifice? You’re my little sister. I’ll never truly give up on you.” Watching Morrigan freeze as she lowered the dagger, Lilith held the breath she’d been holding in. She faced the others. “Thank goodness,” she said, but the horror on their faces made her blood run cold. “What’s wrong?” No one could answer her, knowing if they did they would shatter the last of what kept her fighting. Turning, Lilith covered her mouth at the ever-growing self-inflicted slit emerging across Morrigan’s throat. She caught her sister mid-fall. “No, no, no, no,” she repeated as she worked to stop the bleeding. “Somebody help me! Please!”

Morrigan raised a bloody hand to Lilith’s face and for a moment, she saw the little sister she used to know. “Big sis?” Morrigan said with a hint of confusion but then sighed in relief. “Finally.” She clenched her teeth and pushed through the pain. “Sorry, but this is where our season ends,” she said. “I need you to know that, in my own twisted way I was trying to protect you as best I could.”

“Protect me?” Morrigan choked blood in response. “I don’t understand. Why…why would you do this?”

Blood pooled from Morrigan’s mouth. “Love comes with sacrifice,” she murmured her voice growing fainter. “T-this is the o-only kindness I-I c-can give…l-live for u-us.” Lilith watched as her eyes began to glass over. “L-live for u-us…i-it’s not over. W-watch you-r bac-k.”

“No, you don’t get to die on me!” Lilith screamed, shaking her. “Don’t you fucking die on me! Not after everything!”

“Lil…”Liam said, placing his hand on her shoulder but she shrugged him off.

“No! She doesn’t get to abandon me again. I don’t care how fucked up our relationship was, she-she doesn’t..she…” Cradling Morrigan’s lifeless body against hers, her violent sobs tore into everyone. “There was still time,” she cried. “I thought there was still time.”