Chapter Text
Vanessa pressed herself more into the corner of the room. The darkness and hollow screaming that echoed around her - something she’d almost forgotten during the few days she’d spent in comfort alongside the Remnant children - were quick to welcome her back, consuming her, drowning her. She deserved this. It kept repeating in her head. She deserved this. It felt like her skin was on fire. She deserved this. It was so hard to breathe.
“Vanessa, please…”
Dani’s voice sounded so soft and light, just beyond the door. There was only a door separating them, a wooden plank preventing the light from getting in. As much as Vanessa wanted to leap up and throw the door open, to collapse into Dani’s arms and cry, she could only force herself harder into the corner. She didn’t deserve such kindness, such support and comfort. After all, that lovely support, that person that reached out and helped her, was dead, and Vanessa was the cause.
The handle fiddled for a few moments before stopping. Softer noises came from the other side of the door, but Vanessa elected to ignore them. They’d give up. Everyone always does. She didn’t deserve the effort. She didn’t deserve to be saved.
The sharp crack of the wood giving out, breaking apart from the sudden force of a leg breaking the wood free of the lock. The plank flung backward, slamming into the wall with a bang; the light of the hall flooding in. Vanessa flinched at the silhouette in the doorway, pulling her knees into her chest and holding onto them tightly.
“Vanessa…”
She shut her eyes as Dani approached, kneeling. Regardless, Vanessa could feel Dani’s gentle touch on her hand, one caressing her cheek. They were soft and warm on her cool skin. Wasn’t she on fire a moment ago? The pacifying aura that Dani gave off was sweet, almost sickeningly so. It was alluring, almost like that way William enticed her. It made her feel disgusted, comparing the two, but it was the only way she could properly describe the way she felt when Dani cared for her. The difference between the two, was that Dani meant every word.
“I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner…as soon as you came here,” Dani whispered, her position shifted so she was now holding Vanessa as she leaned into her. The position was comfortable, but Dani had become quite accustomed to it from sitting with Sun and Moon. “I should have known you would understand what was going on better than anyone…”
“L-Living Remnants…” Vanessa muttered, head buried into Dani’s lap. “H-how could I not have realized…I-I-I’m so sorry…it’s all my fault! I…I killed you…it’s all my fault! I-I-I…”
Dani patted Vanessa on the head. She should have taken Vanessa into perspective when considering her reveal. Out of everyone, Vanessa knew more, having been connected to William. She knew what a Living Remnant was and what it meant to be one. It was only reasonable that Vanessa - who had blamed herself for a lot of Dani and family’s misadventures - would blame herself for Dani’s death and revival as well.
“You didn’t kill her…”
Dani looked up, though she already knew who was speaking. Michael lingered just beyond the door, backlit by the light of the hallway and partially shadowed by Freddy’s presence peering just around the corner of the frame. Just as Dani had been avoiding telling others about her condition, this was a conversation she’d been avoiding too or maybe she just didn’t want to discuss it for his sake.
Vanessa barely lifted her head, just enough to suck in a deep breath. Her tears were beginning to soak through Dani’s clothes, and it was making Vanessa somewhat self-conscious. She rubbed her eyes, forcing herself to sit up fully. Michael had moved further into the room, standing in front of the two, head lowered.
“Michael…we can talk about this later.” Dani’s voice was insistent and sharp, which made Vanessa flinch a little. It was a motherly voice, scolding and warning their child almost.
“Won’t it help her to know she didn’t kill you?” Michael’s voice, on the other hand, was flat and almost devoid of all emotion aside from the softest hint of sadness. “I mean…she didn’t…”
“Michael. Stop.”
Vanessa peered up at Michael, eyes finally adjusted to the light in the room. Her expression was somber, eyes glistening on the verge of tears. His bottom lip was red with the indents of teeth that had been biting down with force. There was a flushness to his cheeks, and his body shook slightly, struggling to hold everything in.
“Is this why you never bothered to really ask?” Michael swallowed. “I mean…after I told you, you never really…”
“Michael, we don’t have to talk about this now. It’s not the time.”
“You…” Vanessa’s voice barely penetrated the silence between their cold back-and-forth.
“You didn’t kill her,” Michael instructed somewhat harshly. “I did. I broke Dani’s soul, causing it to become a Remnant…”
“But you’re also the one to put me back.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that I killed you in the first place!”
“Enough.” Dani turned back to Vanessa. “Look, it doesn’t matter how or when or why. What’s done is done, and we’re here now. What’s important is…right now. Working through…this.”
“I…I’m so…sorry…”
“It’s okay…I mean, for the most part, I’m fine. Sure, I'm a little out of sort right now, but it’ll be fine, promise.”
“What’s…going on?” Vanessa was feeling her breath returning to normal, her heart beat not pounding in her ears anymore. “I mean…maybe I could…do something.” She tightly held onto Dani’s hand. “I’ll do anything to help…”
“Well, we…we aren’t fully sure what to do. We only just figured out what was wrong.” Dani tried to chuckle in order to lighten the mood, but she could still feel the weight of things between Vanessa and Michael surrounding her. “Turns out, I may have partially absorbed another Remnant…”
“Partial absorption? That’s…” Vanessa hummed, running her fingers through her hand. Dani could see dulled color as the strands filtered through the fingers. “If I…remember correctly…that can be bad for both parties…”
“Yeah, it’s been a little difficult getting information,” Dani mumbled.
“Considering the only real source of information is…” Vanessa took in a deep breath. “I…I know some things…because of him. Partially absorption…destabilizes the one who had been drained and creates influx in the other party. The influx can cause, uh, excess energy and…and, restlessness…”
“Yeah, we definitely know the symptoms,” Dani nodded. “The problem is…we don’t know how to fix it.”
“Well, there’s completing the absorption.” Vanessa paused, looking into Dani’s eyes. The way they looked away. “There’s also…returning the energy.”
“Not an option,” Michael snapped.
“Oh…Oh!” Vanessa gasped, quickly covering her mouth. “I…I understand. I…then the options would be…” Vanessa paused before quickly reaching out, grabbing onto Dani tightly. “Let me take it! You just need to get rid of the energy, so let me take it! It…I can take it…”
“Vanessa, I-I don’t know what that would do to you…You aren’t…”
“I don’t care! I’ll take it! I-I can…” Vanessa lowered her head, leaning forward somewhat. “It’s the least I could do…for everything you’ve done…for me…everything I did…to you…Let me take it. Let me just…”
She tried not to cry, but she could see the teardrops fall gracefully onto her lap. She deserved to suffer, not Dani. She didn’t care if she died because of this, whether she became a Remnant or not. Whatever she could do to help Dani and everyone, she’d do it.
“Vanessa…you don’t have to do anything,” Dani smiled, holding Vanessa close. “You don’t have to earn your place here. You don’t have to do anything. You don’t deserve any of this. You were just as much a victim as I was or anyone else. You…you’ve suffered enough, Vanessa.”
Vanessa sobbed, falling completely into Dani, face buried into her chest. Dani smiled lightly, rubbing Vanessa’s back and humming.
“That’s it…”
Dani looked up, seeing Michael. His somber expression had completely turned around. He was beaming, eyes a light with energy.
“Michael?”
“That’s it!” Michael cheered, leaning down. “Vanessa, you’re a genius!”
