wickedchouette | (no subject)

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[When the car radiator overheats for the third time in a week, Alfie takes it as a sign that it's finally time for more than just another quick tune-up.

They're in a deserted area, which is both good and bad. On the one hand, most of the dangerous gangs are still in urban areas, the way they had been before the world had gone to shit. Out here in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by miles and miles of fields with only the occasional small copse of trees, they're not likely to run into anyone at all, much less anyone dangerous. But on the other hand, if they do come across anyone, there won't be anywhere to run to or hide. Alfie, as always, has his pistol tucked into his coat pocket, and they have more weapons stashed away in the trunk. But they're a small group - no match for the bigger gangs with armored trucks and heavy artillery. If they meet one of those, they'll be slaughtered.

With his sleeves rolled up and the hood of the car open, he leans in with his tools, carefully tinkering away. He can't afford to make a mistake here - replacement parts are rare and precious. When he hears footsteps behind him, he doesn't dare look away from his work as he says sharply:]

Stay back. You don't want hot steam to the face.

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[Alfie runs a hand through her hair and down her back, rubbing, but at the same time loosens his grip on her in case Royce wants to take her.]

Royce. We need to, before it gets dark.

[They can't leave her here all night. They can't let her start to decay, even a little. They can't let flies come, or the rats that surely live inside the walls.]

[ He tries. He reaches for Mercy and she goes immediately, bawling into his coat, and Royce holds her close, bringing his coat around her. He can't think over his heartbeat thudding in his head. ]

I can't leave her here. [ Royce says, looking at Alfie, expression devoid of anything. His voice only skips a little ] They'll destroy h-her -- her grave. Has to be somewhere hidden.

I didn't look at the area around the house. I don't know what's here.

I don't care. It can't be - it can't be here. It will not be here. Further down the road, off near a patch of woods. Not far. I'll carry her myself if I have to.

We've got the car. We'll take her in the car.

Alright. [ Royce avoids looking at her. Carefully, he rocks Mercy back and forth, keeping her covered up, and then, abruptly, scoops her up and slides off the bed. He carries her to another part of the house, away from the body, away from - what was Gwen. What isn't, anymore.

Mercy doesn't have to be right there. ]

[Alfie stands when he does. He stops in the doorway, hesitating, looking back at Gwen on the bed. Then he turns and follows Royce.]

[ Mercy cries for a while. Royce holds her through it, but he doesn't have anything to say. Nothing reassuring, nothing comforting, just silence. When she finally subsides into little hiccups, Royce tells her quietly that she should sit with Alfie for a while, and then leaves, goes outside. It's too much for him to handle and he knows, somewhere, that Alfie might scold him later, but he can't handle both his grief and her's.

Mercy goes to Alfie with a desperately sad face, looking up at him. ]

Come here.

[He holds a hand out to her.]

Come here, come here--

[ There's little to no hesitation - she practically runs to him, throwing her arms around him and hiding her face in his coat, with a little whimper. ]

Your dad's gonna get the car started up, so we can move your mum.

[At least he hopes that's what Royce is doing.]

Oh, darling, Mercy...

[He holds her close, closing his eyes against the grief.]

[ She shakes her head. ]

She's, um. [ Mercy sniffs, clutching at Alfie. ] She's not gonna... she isn't... she isn't really, right? Dad's gonna go look for medicine still, she doesn't have to go stay with your family.

I'm sorry.

[He rubs circles on her back, because what else can he do?]

She's gone.

... Okay. [ Mercy says, a tiny little whimper, and she curls up and hides her face for a while. She doesn't say much else - this is a little too big for her to handle and she's not exactly sure how to feel.

Alfie might hear Royce outside the building briefly - there's the sound of what sounds like something heavy and wooden being tossed against the side of the house, splintering and breaking. Someone's having a bit of a fit. ]

[He needs to get Royce in here - so Mercy can see him, so he can see her, so he doesn't do anything stupid. Alfie leans in a little closer to the girl, whispering:]

Do you wanna see your dad?

[ Mercy flinches down when she hears the noise, but puts on a brave face when Alfie asks. She nods, taking his hand.

Outside, they'll find Royce staring down at the remains of the shattered wooden crate he'd just thrown at the wall. He's breathing hard, shakily, hand pressed tightly over the lower half of his mouth. It hurts. He can't deal with this, he doesn't know how. ]

Royce.

[Alfie gives Mercy's hand a squeeze, then approaches.]

Got someone here for you.

Not now. [ Royce says tightly, muffled by his hand. ] Alfie, not right now.

[ Mercy sniffs a little, leaning heavily against Alfie's side. ]

I think it'll do you both some good, mate.

[But he doesn't step forward, or try to force the issue beyond using his words. He's too tired and grief-stricken himself to be more convincing than this.]

[ Royce sort of just, slowly slides down to the ground and sits there, expression just as tight as his tone. He doesn't argue either, doesn't say anything else.

Mercy watches him for a second before dragging Alfie over to him and making Alfie sit, too. They're in the dirt, but she doesn't care. She climbs into Royce's lap, and Royce's hand shakes terribly when he brings it up to rest on the back of her head.

He has nothing to say, not really. They have to bury her. ]

[Alfie stays. After a moment, he lefts his eyes fall shut and his head fall back against the side of the house. He doesn't say anything either.]

[ They stay that way for a while. Half an hour, maybe. Royce moves, finally, picking Mercy up and setting her in Alfie's lap. He heads into the house, and a few minutes later, comes out with Gwen in his arms, and loads her into the backseat of the car, carefully.

When he turns to look at the two he has left, his voice is low and monotone. Lifeless. ]

Solomons. We need to move.

[Alfie still doesn't say anything, but he curls his arms around the little girl to hold her securely, letting his cheek rest against the top of her head. When Royce comes back out, he looks up.]

Yeah.

Mercy, you sit in the front seat with us.

[He doesn't want her sitting with a dead body.]

Okay. [ Mercy whispers, clutching at Alfie.

Royce drives. He doesn't invite discussion, just gets in the driver's seat and lets Alfie take care of Mercy. He's silent the whole way, until they reach the little grove of trees not far off. It might have used to be a park, or protected land - it doesn't matter to Royce.

He gets out of the car, heads to the trunk, and mechanically pulls a shovel from the depths of it, before making his way to a tree and starting to dig at the base of it.

Mercy's attempt to get his attention is ignored, and she looks up at Alfie with an upset expression, unsure what to do. ]

[Alfie lifts her, kissing her cheek.]

He's concentrating. It's all right.

[There's only one shovel, so Alfie doesn't move to help. With his back, and with Mercy, it's probably better for him to take care of her anyway. So he just watches, holding the girl.]