Chapter Text
This time it wasn't Isabel who was moving violently in bed, Alma was clearly trapped in some terrible nightmare. The ymbryne moved nonstop, to the point that it made Cuckoo wake up scared.
Alma was sweaty, and she was talking nonsense, babbling in pain and fear, tears were rolling down her absurdly pale cheeks and then Isabel couldn't stand seeing her like that anymore and woke her up.
Alma sat up straight in bed with her heart clearly racing, she looked around and breathed heavily, her lungs filling and emptying quickly afterwards, she was trembling.
"Alma? Are you okay? It was just a nightmare, Mon cher, I woke you up to get you out of it..." Hearing Isa's voice, Alma turned to her and hugged her, bursting into tears. Isabel was confused, but she smoothed Alma's hair and tried to calm her down by whispering words of comfort.
“It’s okay, you’re okay, the kids are too... You’re home, you’re with me, it was just a silly nightmare... Everything’s going to be okay.” Isabel said calmly.
“It was horrible...” Alma spoke with a crying voice and trembling lips. “What he did to us was horrible...”
Cuckoo didn’t even need to ask who she was talking about. He was Caul.
“He’s dead Alma, you scattered his ashes in the air, he’s gone mon amour, it was just a nightmare. You’re going to be okay. It’s over Alma, your nightmare is over.”
“Isabel... He’s not dead.” Alma said still crying.
“Honey, it was just a nightmare, it’s just a trick your brain played on you, he is dead, this time you witnessed it yourself.” Isabel assured.
“That’s not what I meant, Isa! He’ll never die. He’ll always live in my traumas. He’s lodged in my subconscious and will never leave. He’ll live forever in my trauma-torn mind. I’ll never have peace. He’s my own personal bogeyman.” She sobbed with each sentence, crying like a child.
Isabel didn’t expect that answer. There was no way around this unfortunate situation. Alma was right in that statement. Caul left such a deep mark on that poor woman’s subconscious that his ghost would accompany her for a long time.
“Alma, I’m so sorry about that. You’re traumatized, very traumatized. I understand that you’re afraid to close your eyes and relive all the horrible things you went through at his hands. But Alma, if there’s anyone who can overcome trauma, it’s you...”
“Isa, you don’t understand. I don’t have any more strength. I’ve fought so hard, Isa. I’ve been fighting for a lifetime without rest... It’s so frustrating, knowing that now that he’s gone... He still manages to haunt me... I’ve internalized him as one of my demons, and I think he’s beyond any exorcism.” She sniffled and breathed heavily, still hugging Isabel, as if she feared that if she let go of her friend, she would be thrown back into the hell of nightmares.
“You didn’t let me finish, Alma. I’m sure you’ll be able to get over this. It’ll be a slow and exhausting process, but you will. Maybe you need psychological help. Let’s look for someone capable of helping you, cher... I’ll be here whenever you need me, I promise you. And your children, who love you above all else, will also be here to help you. We’ll help you in any way we can to overcome this trauma...” Isabel gently smoothed her hair.
“It's so hard... When he was alive, I lived in fear... But I knew he was far from me, after his imprisonment in Abaton he appeared in my dreams, but I told myself that he was limited to that, being an inconvenience during my dream, he was alive, but he couldn't physically harm me... But now... I'm sure he's really gone, but he still bothers me so much... I should be free Isa, I deserve to be free, but I'm not. I still fear that he'll cheat death once more and return, that he'll finally take me with him to hell... It seems like my own mind is against me...” she moved away a little from Isabel and looked at her friend. “Isa, what's wrong with me? Why can't I get over him? He's dead! I'm physically free, but my mind remains captive... I think I've been broken beyond repair.”
“Hey, don’t say that, you’re too pessimistic sometimes, listen to me carefully. Alma Lefay Peregrine, wipe those tears away, you’re much stronger than him, so much so that you’re here with me, alive, and I hope hell exists so he can burn there. If there’s anyone in this world who’s going to get through this, it’s you, you’re strong, brave, and the best person I’ve ever met, I love you with all your incredible determination, you’re going to get through him, you’re going to bury him once and for all, and whenever your brain tries to play tricks on you by convincing you that he’s going to come back, remember: he can be resurrected a thousand times, and we’ll be here every time to defeat him. We are daughters of time, Alma, never forget that TEMPUS EDAX RERUM.”
Alma gradually fell silent and whispered softly.
“Tempus edax rerum.”
Alma gave a shy smile and hugged Isabel again, who slowly lay back down on the bed.
Neither of them returned to sleep, they spent the entire night awake and silent, just listening to their hearts beating in sync in that embrace.