RP: Breaking the News Characters: Tyler, Ariana, with mentions of Simon and Jaime Time/Date: morning, after the video, October 20 Location: Infirmary, Ari's room Warnings/Rating: Angst Summary: Tyler tries to take charge Status: Closed
He couldn't believe the video.
No. He didn't want to believe the video. But he could. He did. He'd watched it three times, each time focusing more and more on the savaged bodies. It looked real. That didn't mean it was, but Tyler thought that was a lot of trouble to go through -- faking it for their benefit.
Tyler ran his fingers through his hair as he sorted out a course of action. First things first ... Jaime. Then he guessed he was playing damage control. With his phone in his pocket, Tyler headed down to the infirmary.
He rapped on the doorframe before letting himself in. Jaime was still out, but as he glanced to Simon, he knew the doctor had seen the video. "I'm sorry," Tyler said softly. Simon glanced up and shook his head slightly before he ran his hand over the lower half of his face. He didn't say anything though, and after a few more awkward seconds, Tyler tilted his head toward the door to indicate he was leaving. He didn't think he needed to tell the doc that Jaime shouldn't be watching the video.
As he was strolling down the hall, a thought came to him. He recalled Ariana bouncing over to him the other day to inform him that Lizzy was back. The young teen did not need to see that video.
Exhaling, Tyler turned to make his way up to Ariana's room. He knocked softly on her door before he opened it enough to peek in. "Ari?" he called softly. "Are you awake?"
"Kind of," he heard a sleepy voice drift back to him.
Tyler eased into her room and wondered if there was some way to disable the video ... and doubted it. "Our kidnappers put a very bad video on the network today," he said quietly as he sat on the edge of her bed. "I want you to promise me you won't watch it, all right?"
Ari rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she sat up, gazing curiously at Tyler. "I promise," she said. "What's on it?"
Tyler gazed down toward the floor between his sneakered feet. He hadn't exactly thought this one through, had he? "Ari," he said quietly. "They did a very bad thing, and they ... they sent the bears to the new island. The bears attacked the people there, and ... no one's left."
Ariana pressed her hands against her thighs through the covers. What did he mean, no one was left? "Is ... did they come back here? Is Lizzy ... back here?"
Swallowing hard, Tyler shook his head even as he felt his heart starting to crack a little. "No," he said softly. "No, they're all gone, Ari. They've gone up to Heaven to be with the angels." He wondered what kind of afterlife wizards even had, if that made any sense to her, and he swallowed again. "They're not coming back," he added to make sure she understood.
Her nose wrinkled slightly, and she shook her head. "No, they're still there. Lizzy said. She has to meet Lee and we're going to play games. She's not gone!" she shouted at Tyler. "She can't be gone. She just came back."
Tyler bit down hard on his lower lip, and he shook his head again. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
"Go away," she demanded, her lower lip quivering. "You're a liar. She's not gone." Tears prickled at her blue eyes, and she blinked rapidly. "I said go away!" She cried, and for a moment was very profoundly reminded of Lizzy yelling at the reaver, all those months ago. Lizzy wouldn't ever tell anyone to go away again, not if she was dead. If she really was dead, but she wasn't, because Ariana couldn't believe that.
Tyler didn't know how to deal with this, to deal with her, and who was left here that could? "I'm sorry," he repeated as he stood up from the edge of her bed. He glanced over to her before he turned toward the door. He wanted to say something else, to find some words of comfort, to ... do anything at all to make the situation better, but even he couldn't bring back the dead.
Ari watched Tyler go, not wanting to believe him, but he'd looked too sad, and he wasn't a liar. He drew turtles to keep away the dementors and he let them glitter all over the floor and he wouldn't lie to her, but the alternative was Lizzy being dead.
Ariana turned away, burying her face in the pillow and sobbing into it. She felt her magic, but it was faint and buried. They probably were keeping it repressed so she didn't blow up the hotel. Or so she didn't blow them up.