Practical Enchantment (AU, ADULT) Thread #8

[FaithfulAngel24]

OOC: Kick ass Kyle Post

*Max*

She curls up into a ball on my lap and begins weeping uncontrolably."You knew..." She whispers the tears flowing down her cheeks steadly. "You knew about Tess....and you never told me" The hurt encased in her weary features is evident. How I wish I could take her pain away. "How long?" She questions releasing a god awful noise that I can only describe as a wheeze. "How long...did you know?" She inquries the resentment obvious in her tone.

"Were you...going to propose...without telling me?" She raises her shaking head up to meet my eyes. "You've always known haven't you. You knew and didnt tell me. We were intimate and yet you never told me you were destined for my cousin?" She waits in silence for me to answer ,and I have no idea how to tell her I'd been holding out on her. In all honesty I never would have imagined it would come up. In a past life I was married to her sister ,but it wasn't what was meant to be.

I was killed and in becoming a Whitelighter I was assigned the sisters to be my charges. I didn't mean to but I fell in love with Liz. "I've always known." I admit while hanging my head with shame. "I just didn't think that it was the right time. I would have told you." I assure her willing her to understand my intentions. "I bought the ring because I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you." I reveal starting to grow frustrated. "I would have told you about our past lifes when I believed you wouldn't use it as an excuse to tear us apart." I announce feeling upset that she still doesn't get it.

[FaithfulAngel24]

*Lysander*

Isabel seems oblivious as I do about the happenings occuring around us. "Lysander." She states gently. I turn to her as she questions, "What do you think we should do?" Taking a deep breath I mull over our options. They seem pretty restricted. "I think you should call off your engagement with Scott first and foremost." I announce feeling a tad envious of my brother. "Then we should tell our parents the truth. We love each other, and we want to be together." I reveal with a smile.

"What do you think Isabel?" I inquire needing to know what she wants to do.

[KarenEvans]

Isabel~past

Lysander seems to mull over my questions for a few moments before replying,"I think you should call off your engagement with Scott first and foremost."
That is but obvious although I do not feel like showing him that courtesy considering he was cheating on me behind my back,that too,with my best friend.
"Then we should tell our parents the truth. We love each other, and we want to be together."
I totally agree with him on that subject even though my father might not be too pleased.

"What do you think Isabel?",he asks me
"I agree with you on the second bit...my parents must be told as soon as possible.However,about Scott...I just feel like teaching him a lesson.As mean and vindictive as that may sound.He played me for a fool and I do not like that one bit.It'll serve him right if he's the last to find out about us.Anyway he shouldn't be too heart broken considering he couldnt' have loved me very much if he was cheating on me even before we got married."

[FaithfulAngel24]

*Lysander*

She thinks for a moment before answering, "I agree with you on the second bit...my parents must be told as soon as possible.However,about Scott...I just feel like teaching him a lesson.As mean and vindictive as that may sound.He played me for a fool and I do not like that one bit.It'll serve him right if he's the last to find out about us.Anyway he shouldn't be too heart broken considering he couldnt' have loved me very much if he was cheating on me even before we got married."

She finishes in triumphant. I look over to Rosa who notably cringes. For the first time in a long time I actually feel sorry for the firy redhead. Bringing my arm around Isabel I draw her closer to me. I don't know why but I desperately had to have her close to me at this moment. "Whatever you want." I admonish as my hand runs over her hair in a comfortingly manner. "Did you have any specific plan in mind?" I inquire wanting to watch over her closely.

I don't want the woman I fell in love with to become obssessed with recieving justice. I don't want her to become some kind of vengence demon.

[KarenEvans]

Isabel~past

"Whatever you want.",Lysander says,running his fingers through my hair in a gesture of affection
"Did you have any specific plan in mind?"

"Well since we don't have much time according to what Rosa says,what if we go to Father Augustine,first and ask him to marry us in the little chapel which is in the seminary?Once we do that no one can stop us."

[madroswellfan]

~~~~~LIZ~~~~~
"I've always known."
Those three words break my heart. He had always known...and never told me.

"I just didn't think that it was the right time. I would have told you."
The right time...the right time? We had sex and yet he didnt tell me he was married to Tess before?!

"I bought the ring because I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I would have told you about our past lifes when I believed you wouldn't use it as an excuse to tear us apart."

Before I know what I'm doing my hand whips out and hits his cheek...hard. Well....actually not hard, cos this body is weak. But as hard as I can anyway.
"How...dare you" I seeth. "Your going to turn this on me! Blame me?!" I yell at him.

I jump off the horse and fall to the ground. But since we've slowed so much and I'm in so much pain already I don't feel it. Shaking with pain and anger, I stand up.
"You slept with me and yet never told me about Tess? And then you have the nerve to say "I didnt tell you because you would have torn us apart"?!"

I cross my arms to try and feel like someone cared about me. Because at this moment in time I doubted that Max would ever hold me again.

"Put this on me then Max. Make me out to be the bad one. Why should I c...c...care?"
And with that I melt down in sobs again. I lower myself and huddle down at the ground. Why? WHY Damnit!

Is he trying to torture me? Is he trying to make sure I hate him? Does he want to break me completely.
"M...ma...maria" I whisper to myself. She's the only who would understand...would care. Because I'm starting to wonder if Max ever did.

[FaithfulAngel24]

*Max*

A sharp piercing pain slams my cheek and it takes me a moment to realize that it was Liz’s hand that caused the hurt shooting across my battered face. She appears more than a little pissed and all I can do is stand in shock of what she has done. Never in a billion years could I have imagined Liz striking me. She’s always been such a gentle passive soul. I provoked enough anger and blind hatred to cause her to hit me in the face. Shame and regret etches across my features.

"How...dare you" I guess I deserve that. "Your going to turn this on me! Blame me?!" I’m not trying to blame anyone. I’m just tired of being the only one who is sure of us. I need her to stand beside me to trust what we have ,but she refuses to acknowledge that I care not what others say. All I’ve ever wanted was her. She leaps off the horse and essentially out of my arms. At this particular point in time I have nothing to lose. Liz has made it apparent she loves me ,but can’t or rather won’t be with me. Why must she play the martyr?

She rises and spouts out angrily, "You slept with me and yet never told me about Tess? And then you have the nerve to say "I didnt tell you because you would have torn us apart"?!" I didn’t think what happened then had anything to do with her future, and yes I feared she would make an issue of it and break us a part. Which clearly my fears were justified. She crosses her arms in an act of aggression. Why does she always run from me when things get difficult. I’m tired of chasing a woman that doesn’t want to be caught.

"Put this on me then Max. Make me out to be the bad one. Why should I c...c...care?" She fights the oncoming pour of sobs and I don’t move helpless to inaction. What could I possibly say that I haven’t already to convince her that we belong together? "M...ma...Maria" She whispers sorrowfully. That’s it! That’s all I can take. Jumping from my horse I walk until I am merely a foot away from her. She acts as if she wants to run but my intense stare keeps her in place.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t tell you sooner. I wanted to ,but I was given orders by The Council to never reveal my past lives with anyone when I took my vow to be a White lighter.” I reveal while running a frustrated hand through my hair. “I planned on telling you before I asked you to be my wife. I needed you to know are complete history before we moved forward, but I was nervous about it. I can’t imagine why.” I add uncharacteristically sarcastic. “

Liz, I love you with all that I have but you have been coming up with reasons for sabotaging our relationship from the beginning. So… If you don’t want me just say so. Don’t leave me pining after you if you really don’t care about me.” The deep sadness works its way into my voice. “This is the last time I’m going to put my heart on the line for you. It’s up to you. I feel like I’ve been tying you to me for way to long. If you want me… If you need me…If you love me… Fight for us.” I plead with all that I have left.

[madroswellfan]

~~~~~LIZ~~~~~
I watch him jump off his horse and comes towards me. My brain is screaming at me to run, run before he only hurts you again. But I stay rooted to the spot, unmoving.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t tell you sooner. I wanted to, but I was given orders by The Council to never reveal my past lives with anyone when I took my vow to be a White lighter.”
I blink. His white lighter position meant everything to him. I guess I can vaguely understand that. But...but...it just hurts. It hurts so much, and I dont know if he knows how much hes hurting me.

He runs a hand through his hair and all I can think is, those hands use to touch me.
“I planned on telling you before I asked you to be my wife. I needed you to know are complete history before we moved forward, but I was nervous about it. I can’t imagine why.”
I flinch at his sarcastic words. It just hurts. It hurts so much its as if he has a knife and is stabbing me over and over again. A world of pain.

"Liz, I love you with all that I have but you have been coming up with reasons for sabotaging our relationship from the beginning. So… If you don’t want me just say so. Don’t leave me pining after you if you really don’t care about me.”
He thinks I dont care about him? He really thinks that little of me? (*stab stab stab*)

“This is the last time I’m going to put my heart on the line for you. It’s up to you. I feel like I’ve been tying you to me for way to long. If you want me… If you need me…If you love me… Fight for us.”
Tying him to me?

Oh God...I can't imagine any worse pain than right now. It feels like my world has been destroyed. That my entire world is breaing into pieces before my eyes. And all Max can say is "Do you love me?"
As though hes not sure of my feelings for me.

I close my eye for a second. My whole body feels as cold as ice. Im broken. Utterly broken.

I slowly open my eyes and look at him.
"I love you." I whisper in a quiet voice. Its all I can manage right now. I feel so drained. "I love you so much. Your everything to me"

I take a shuddering breath in. "Do you know how much your hurting me Max?" I murmur. "You've had feelings for Tess. You question if I love you. You think Im tying you down. You keep me talking to me like Im volatile."

I look down my feet as tears trickle down my face. "I love you so much I cant breath Max. But I dont know how to handle how broken you've made me feel."
I sniff, trying to hold back my sobs so I can get out what needs to be said. "Your words cut through me Max. Everything you say...it hurts so much. And I dont know if you realise how much every word your saying just hurts me."
I shudder as I look up at him. "You tell me you dont know if you love me...well I do. More than you can ever know. But I don't know how you can love me and yet say all these things that hurt so much."

I feel utterly spent. Utterly broken. I can feel myself so close to fainting. I feel a leg beneath me bend under me and I fall to the ground. I dont bother to pick myself up. I cant. I'm broken. And the only person who can fix me... wants me to fix myself.

I look up at him weakly, wishing he knew the pain of his harsh words."It hurts" I murmur.

[FaithfulAngel24]

*Max*

She closes her eyes tightly as if she can’t even stand to look at he. As if the mere image of my face pains her. Damn, when did things get so screwed up? I refuse to believe that all this resentment and hostility just developed over the past day. After what seems like forever she calmly opens her eyes and whispers, "I love you." Relief fills my weary features. For a minute there I was sure she was going to shatter my heart into a million pieces. "I love you so much. Your everything to me"

Her words are everything I’ve ever wanted to hear, but something’s off. She doesn’t seem happy or proud of her declaration. Instead she utters it as if it is a prison sentence. Is that how she sees her love for me? As a harsh punishment? I’m about to take her in my arms when her next questions stops me dead in my tracks. "Do you know how much your hurting me Max?" Huh? What did I do now? Can I ever get anything right? I swear half the time I’m breathing wrong.

I swallow harshly as I listen to the love of my life spout out things that will haunt me in my sleep for years to come. "You've had feelings for Tess. You question if I love you. You think I’m tying you down. You keep me talking to me like I’m volatile." Uh… Well, my feelings for Tess died hundreds of years ago with my mortal body. How can I believe that she truly cares for me when all she does is run from what we have? She can’t even bare to look at me.

Instead she stares unhappily at the ground. Tears flow steadily down her cheeks and I have no clue what I’m supposed to do. "I love you so much I can’t breath Max. But I don’t know how to handle how broken you've made me feel." I broke her. Pain hits me like a ton of bricks across my chest. I never believed in a million years that I could feel so much anguish and … fear. That’s the one that surprises me. I am afraid that just by being with Liz I have destroyed her very spirit.

Maybe this was why the council didn’t want us together. They knew I was nothing but bad news for the oldest Charmed One. So then why did they assign me to them in the first place? "Your words cut through me Max. Everything you say...it hurts so much. And I don’t know if you realize how much every word your saying just hurts me." I make an unknowing vow of silence. I’ll never speak again. Not if that’s what causing her so much oppression. "You tell me you don’t know if you love me...well I do. More than you can ever know. But I don't know how you can love me and yet say all these things that hurt so much."

I take her words at face value. She needs me. She loves me, but she doesn’t want to. She stumbles at falls defeated to the ground."It hurts." she whispers sadly and look down at her blankly. Unsure of how to fix this I just let the tears cascade down my face without shame. “I’m sorry, Liz. I. I… never meant to hurt you, but I just can’t do this to you.” I admit before turning around and walking away. Stopping a few feet away I don’t even turn as I announce,

“All I wanted to do was to keep you safe and make you happy. I’ll leave so that you can find someone else who can.” With that I continue my pace and leave the only thing I’ve ever truly loved in this world to mend her own heart.

[madroswellfan]

~~~~~LIZ~~~~~
I watch as he cries. Please....please....
Help me, I beg silently.
“I’m sorry, Liz. I. I… never meant to hurt you, but I just can’t do this to you.”

And then he really breaks my heart. He walks away. My tears stop as I realise what he's doing. He's leaving me. My breath catches in my throat. He's leaving me. He's leaving me.
Love me

He takes a few steps and stops.
Come back to me I beg silently. Oh God please...bring him back

“All I wanted to do was to keep you safe and make you happy. I’ll leave so that you can find someone else who can.”
And then he starts walking.
He's leaving me. After everything...he's letting me go.

That won't fix me. I need him. He has my heart. He's everything to me.
Memories of are first kiss...us together on Tess's bed....everything fills my mind.

"Max!" I call out loudly. Please god let him stop.
"I cant live without you Max."

And with that everything floods out of me. "Max please don't go. There will never be another you. Your my world. You always will be."
I take a deep shuddering breath and force this STUPID body to stand up. I am SICK of being the victim. I am not this girl in this lifetime. Im the Liz from my lifetime. And in my lifetime Im meant to be the strongest charmed one. And Max is my strength.

I look at his retreating figure. "I'm sorry if you don't want me to do this" I whisper to him, even though he cant hear me.

And with that Im running. I make this body run. I dont care about its waddle, and in fact I think my determination makes it waddle less. I run like my life depends on it...
Which in my eyes it does.

I stop infront of him and look into his eyes. Those eyes that love me.
Screw the curse. Screw the council...and screw timelines.
Its Max.

And with that I reach up and bring my lips to his.
Please, please dont reject me I beg in my head. Oh Goddess please...