Chapter Text
Woe Turning Back
"Howdy, roomie."
Wednesday's eyes opened to fabric draped above her, Enid's bed canopy at Nevermore, bright and garish and utterly offensive to her aesthetic sensibilities. Yet here she was.
Enid's face appeared above her, blocking out the colors. Her smile as warm and certain as the day she first greeted Wednesday in this room.
"Hi," Enid whispered.
Then she kissed her.
Wednesday's eyes closed. The pressure of Enid's mouth was soft and gentle, and Wednesday answered by parting her lips. Enid made a small sound and deepened the kiss, one hand coming up to cup Wednesday's jaw.
It was what Wednesday wanted. What she'd been too uncertain, too controlled, to take for herself. Now, Enid gave what they both wanted, and Wednesday let her.
Enid's other hand traced down her arm, fingers trailing over her wrist, then circling it gently. Wednesday tried to lift her hand to touch Enid's face but found the movement sluggish, difficult. Like moving through water.
She ignored it. Enid was kissing her and that was considerably more important than the minor inconvenience of uncooperative limbs.
Enid pulled back slightly, her pleased sigh sparking a shiver through Wednesday's body. "Try to relax."
"My heartrate in your presence is rarely controlled," Wednesday said, though her voice sounded strange. Distant and lacking its usual sharp edges.
Enid smiled, that bright, disarming smile, and leaned in to press kisses along Wednesday's jaw. Down to her neck. Wednesday tilted her head back and felt the heat spread through her chest.
Pleasant heat. The warmth that only came from Enid's closeness.
Enid's hands tightened around her wrists. Both wrists now. Pinning them gently to the bed on either side of her.
Wednesday tried to move them again. They were uncooperative. Too heavy.
"Enid," she said, and again her voice was odd. Thick.
"Shh." Enid kissed her collarbone. "I've got you."
The heat was spreading faster now. Not just pleasant anymore. Warmer. Moving through her like it was mapping her circulatory system.
A sound intruded. Rhythmic. Steady. Was someone knocking the door? No. Something else.
"What is that noise?" Wednesday asked.
Enid didn't answer. Her hair fell forward, blocking out the light, and Wednesday realized the canopy was gone. They weren't in their dorm room anymore. They were somewhere darker.
The heat was uncomfortable now. Too much. Like standing too close to a fire.
Enid's fingers pressed into her wrists, holding tighter. No longer gentle. Restraining.
"Enid, release me."
"You wanted this." Enid's voice was wrong too.
Wednesday tried to focus on her face but the edges kept blurring. Enid's features shifted slightly, as if looking at her through water. Her hair was darker. Or lighter. The colors bled into each other until Wednesday couldn't tell what was real.
That sound again. Louder and relentlessly insistent. Beeping?
Wednesday wanted the sound to stop but her mouth wouldn't speak the words.
Enid kissed her throat. Then lower. Her mouth found Wednesday's collarbone, then her shoulder. Right where the shirt would end if Wednesday were still wearing one.
She looked down at her body.
When had she taken that off? Did Enid?
Enid's teeth grazed her shoulder and Wednesday gasped. Sharp. Sudden. Amazing.
"Yes," the thought became voice.
Enid's mouth opened wider. Her teeth pressed harder against Wednesday's skin.
Wednesday felt a flicker of something. Not quite fear. Recognition.
"Enid."
The bite came fast.
For one perfect second it was exactly what Wednesday wanted. The pressure, the edge of pain, the belonging. Enid's teeth in her flesh, marking her, keeping her.
Then Enid bit down harder.
Pain exploded across Wednesday's shoulder. Real pain. Not the controlled, deliberate kind she appreciated. This was wrong. Sharp and tearing.
The heat wasn't desire now. It was burning. Spreading from the bite, invading her body.
Wednesday tried to pull away but her arms were still pinned. But she could see Enid's hands weren't on her wrists. But she felt it, tight around her wrists.
"Stop," she said, but Enid's teeth were sinking deeper, and the pain was excruciating now, and that sound, that infernal beeping, was too loud, too fast, drowning everything else out.
She forced her eyes open.
The colors were gone. Everything was white.
Harsh fluorescent light. The rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor.
Wednesday blinked, her breath unusually fast. The clinical surroundings clicked into place all at once. A hospital. There would be paperwork. Delightful.
Her shoulder throbbed. Her wrists ached. An IV line pulled at the back of her left hand.
Nothing was holding her down, but her wrists showed a faint mark. Medical tape. As if that could restrain her.
The memory of the wolf's bite, infected and angry, radiating pain even through whatever medication they'd given her.
She turned her head slowly, testing whether the room would stay solid.
Solid enough.
"A bear," a stranger’s voice said. Tired and skeptical. "You’re telling me a teenage girl fought off a bear?"
"A large bear," a familiar, boisterous voice corrected. "Huge! A mountain of fur with awful manners. But you should see the bear, Doctor. It’s in much worse shape."
"Fester, lower your voice," came a silky, dangerously calm reply. "Wednesday is resting, and the police have already taken your statement. Though I still fail to see why you felt the need to steal a car when you have a perfectly functional motorcycle."
"The motorcycle isn't quite as functional now, Tish! And it lacked the benefit of a back seat" Fester protested.
Wednesday opened her eyes fully.
The room was offensively white. Standing around the foot of the bed, creating a wall of black that absorbed the harsh fluorescent light, was her family.
Morticia stood with her arms crossed, looking at Fester with the kind of disappointment usually reserved for stuffed toys or sentiment. Gomez was beaming at a weary looking doctor who held his clipboard like a shield.
And to her right, collapsed in a plastic visitor’s chair that looked impressively uncomfortable, was Enid.
She was asleep, her head resting on the mattress inches from Wednesday’s hip. Her hair a delightful mess. Even in sleep she was attempting to hold Wednesday’s hand. Her pinky finger hooked loosely with Wednesday's. Wednesday smiled slightly, but only inside, careful not to allow any sign of it to escape to the outside world. A persona has to be maintained.
"Wednesday!" Gomez spotted her first. He abandoned the doctor and rushed to the bedside, grabbing her free hand. "My little storm cloud! You’re awake! We were worried you’d sleep through the whole day and miss the Jell-O. It jiggles in a most disturbing way."
"Father," Wednesday croaked. Her throat felt like she’d gargled glass.
Morticia glided to the other side of the bed. She placed a cool hand on Wednesday’s forehead. "No fever. The antibiotics are working. I must say, darling, getting gangrene was quite an achievement."
"It was an infection," Wednesday corrected, though her voice lacked its usual bite. "Not gangrene."
"A mother can dream." Morticia’s eyes drifted to the fresh bandage on Wednesday’s shoulder, then to Enid, sleeping soundly through the commotion. A small smile touched her lips. "I see you found your colourful wolf."
"That was never in doubt."
"She looks exhausted," Gomez noted, lowering his voice to a stage whisper that wasn't quiet at all. "Fester told us she carried you out of the motel herself. Brave girl. Strong, too! She has the spirit of a berserker."
"Is she injured?" Wednesday asked, looking at Enid’s sleeping face.
"Just scratches," Fester chimed in from the corner, where he was poking an electrical outlet with a tongue depressor. "She wouldn't let the doctors touch her until they finished with you. Passed out the second they said you were stable."
The doctor cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. "Now that she’s awake, I need to check the patient's vitals. And the Sheriff might want to ask a few more questions about this... bear."
"I will handle the Sheriff," Morticia said, turning toward the door. The temperature in the room seemed to drop. "Fester, come with me. We need to discuss the proper protocol for contacting family during emergencies before engaging in grand theft auto."
Fester gulped. "But Tish..."
"Now, Fester."
They swept out of the room, the doctor trailing behind them like a nervous animal, leaving Wednesday alone with Gomez and the wolf wrapped in familiar knitwear.
Wednesday waited until the door clicked shut. She shifted slightly, wincing as the movement pulled at the stitches in her shoulder.
"Father."
"Yes, my wounded viper?" Gomez leaned over the rail, his expression soft.
"I have a query."
"Ask away! Is it about the bear story? Fester had already gone into great detail before we arrived. But you don't need to worry. Lurch and Thing are loitering enthusiastically near the entrance in case any of those pesky lupines you thwarted make an appearance."
A snore escaped Enid's mouth. She would torture her with that detail later.
"It's not about the bear, or lack thereof." Wednesday looked down at her hand, the one hooked with Enid’s. She didn't pull away. "It concerns... matters of the heart."
Gomez’s eyes widened. He straightened up, smoothing his pinstriped suit jacket, looking suddenly very serious and very delighted. "Ah. The most treacherous terrain of all."
"When you first met Mother," Wednesday began, choosing her words with surgical precision. "You have described it as torture."
"Agony," Gomez agreed enthusiastically. "Absolute misery. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. Every time she looked at me, I felt as though I were being electrocuted. It was magnificent."
"And the impulse to... flee?"
"Overwhelming," he admitted. "The instinct of self preservation is strong. That's how I knew it was love. Real love is a guillotine blade hanging at your neck. You know it will fall, you know it will hurt, and yet you find yourself polishing the blade so she can admire the shine."
Wednesday looked at Enid. She watched the subtle rise and fall of her chest. She remembered the forest. The feeling of dread when she thought Enid was gone. The irrational, terrifying logic of the kiss in the motel room.
"How did you know it was worth the potential for decapitation?"
Gomez smiled. It wasn't his usual manic grin. It was sadder, and infinitely wiser.
"Because the silence without her was louder than any blade," he said softly. "Because I knew that I would rather bleed for her than be whole without her."
He reached out and patted Wednesday’s knee through the blanket. "Addamses do not love halfway, Wednesday. We love with the force of a tsunami. It destroys us, and it rebuilds us. To fight it is like trying to pin down a tornado with a spoon."
Wednesday remained silent for a long time. She looked at the fluorescent lights. She looked at the heart monitor. She looked at the pink sweater Enid was wearing.
"That sounds... inconvenient," she said finally.
"Dreadfully," Gomez beamed.
A heavy knock at the door shattered the quiet before Wednesday could dissect this new, unsettling weight in her chest. It was not the polite tap of a nurse.
The door swung open to reveal a sheriff's deputy, his hat in his hands and a look of profound weariness on his face. "Miss Addams? I need to ask you a few questions about your... camping incident."
Enid stirred, her brow furrowing in her sleep. She made a small, distressed sound and shifted, her hand slipping slightly from Wednesday’s.
"I'll have questions for your friend too," he added.
"Enid is currently recovering from saving my life," Wednesday stated. "She is exhausted. And she is sleeping. If you wake her, you will wish you were taking a statement from the bear."
"So there was a bear?"
"Indeed. It was... huge."
"And you... escaped?"
"Clearly. I struck it. With a stick." She met his doubtful eyes with her own unwavering conviction. "It was a very big stick."
"And your friend here?"
"No doubt she carried me to safety after I passed out. Forever my hero. Now if you have no further questions I require much more rest. As you can see I am barely clinging to consciousness."
Wednesday let her head fall back, dramatically closing her eyes. It was mostly for show.
The Sheriff opened his mouth a few times but the words knew better than to make themselves known.
"My wife will be back momentarily, perhaps you would enjoy the pleasure of her company whilst my little delight recuperates?" Gomez suggested with a smile peppered with challenge.
"No," the officer answered too quickly before turning to leave. "Your daughter was very lucky. Try to be more careful in the national park, miss."
The door hadn't fully clicked shut before Enid shifted again, a low groan escaping her as she surfaced from sleep. She blinked, her blue eyes bleary and confused. She rubbed her face with one hand, sitting up with a stretch that popped several joints.
"Wha..." She looked around, disoriented before her eyes snapped to Wednesday. "Wednesday! You're awake. Are you okay? Do you still feel hot? Do you know who I am? I will take it personally if you've forgotten me."
"I'm perfectly healthy," Wednesday lied.
"Good." Enid slumped back in the chair, letting out a long breath. "I had the weirdest dream. Was someone talking about guillotines?"
"A common occurrence," Gomez said cheerfully. "Good afternoon, sleepy head."
Enid jumped. "Oh! Mr. Addams! I didn't... hi." She looked frantically at her clothes, running a hand through her messy hair. "Sorry, I look like a state."
"You look like a warrior," Gomez said, bowing slightly. "The Addams family is in your debt."
Enid blushed, a deep red that clashed with her sweater. She looked at Wednesday, her expression turning shy. "We save each other. It's just what we do. I was ahead so Wednesday had to try to catch up. I'm sure she's furious about it."
"I believe a hospital implies a certain etiquette whereby you shouldn't torment a patient."
"Unfortunately this is true. They don't even let you use the defibrillator recreationally. Such a shame." Gomez shrugged with a reluctant acceptance.
"She likes it when I'm mean." Enid turned to Gomez but ensured she could still just about see Wednesday's expression refusing to change.
"I've succeeded in causing my infection to retreat today. Pray you aren't treated with the same hospitality."
Enid relaxed. "Most people don't chase someone through the wilderness because they want distance."
"They do not." Wednesday's hand, the one Enid had been holding while she slept, reached out to hold Enid's.
Enid remained perfectly still for a second, then gently squeezed back. Her skin was warm and clammy. Wednesday kept her smile behind her lips.
Gomez clapped his hands together. "Excellent! Now, I believe Morticia is likely threatening the medical staff. Who wants to watch?"
"Whilst that does sound appealing, I would appreciate some time alone with my thoughts." Wednesday replied diplomatically.
Her father pressed a kiss to her forehead before giving her a wink and making a quiet departure.
Enid stood to leave but Wednesday tightened her grip.
"You feature so prominently in these thoughts, your physical absence would not be a benefit."
"The doctor said you need rest, Wednesday." Enid was clearly trying to be firm, but the smile at the edge of her eyes showed her hand. Amateur.
"My memory of the last twenty-four hours is unreliable. I..."
"I swear if you pretend you don't remember the motel room, there won't be enough doctors in the building to save you this time."
"Of course I remember," Wednesday began before a rare hesitation appeared. "I remember the facts. They remain undeniable."
Enid just stared at her, the silence Enid usually couldn't help but fill, now vast enough to unsettle Wednesday. Perhaps a side effect of the medication she had been given. No, Enid was simply more experienced at navigating these particular waters. How frustrating.
"Enid, I have given much thought to the time you were gone. Your absence was torture. Not the enjoyable kind."
"Stop. You're going to talk for three minutes when three words would do. Now move over." Enid interrupted enthusiastically.
"The bed is clearly built for one." Wednesday delivered the excuse as she began shuffling to make room for Enid beside her uninjured arm. "And I am injured."
Enid climbed up carefully so as not to rock the bed, and leaned her head against Wednesday's good shoulder. Close enough that Wednesday could feel her breath against her skin. "I missed you too, Wednesday."
Pain had always brought a comfort Wednesday could rely on. She reached across and guided Enid to move closer, watching the smile grow wider on Enid's face in direct correlation to the decreasing distance between them.
Enid paused tantalisingly close, leaving that last tiny distance for Wednesday to close. The world behind Wednesday's eyelids lit up.
"Was that okay? Not the kiss, I mean, I didn't hurt you did I?" The soft breaths of Enid's panic ghosted across Wednesday's lips.
"It was agony." Wednesday replied dryly before leaning forward.
The machine beeped faster.