An act of desperation (Plum)

[Dimitri]

Dimitri wanted to yell at her, to claim she didn’t want to help him at all, to accuse her of being a coward for giving up so easily, for not being willing to try, but he was just too frustrated, too lost to form any words. Groaning instead, he let go of Plum’s arm and rubbed his hands roughly over his face.

“I don’t know, alright? I just...” he tried to beg off of answering, but she was one stubborn fairy. Just one look at her, everything from the ramrod straight spine to the level look she gave him and he knew he either had to answer her or walk away. Dropping his hands, shoulders slumping, he let out a defeated sigh. Any pride he had left was just shot all to hell at this point anyway.

“I was thinking of her, okay? For the longest time she was all I could think about,” Dimitri admitted, rolling his eyes at himself. If Allan were here right now he’d probably call him a pussy for this. “I was thinking of going home, to her... and wondering how it would turn out.”

So why hadn’t the wish worked? If he wanted to go home, if home was wherever she was, then why hadn’t it worked? Because there had been more. Because she wasn’t the only thing he thought about any more.

“This isn’t going to make any sense without knowing everything,” he tried to explain, but the last thing he wanted to do was try to explain it all, to talk about everything that had happened in the past year. “There’s another version of her now, one that somehow took her place. She doesn’t belong here, she’s not my Anya... and I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen to her if I brought mine back with me. So I guess that crossed my mind.”

[Deleted]

Plum knew that Dimitri was frustrated. At her, at the situation. He wanted an easy fix to his problems and that wasn’t fair or practical. And that first attempt at an answer was enough to make her blood begin to boil because he wasn’t even trying. He wasn’t trying and he didn’t want to try and it made her so mad. Mad enough that she was seriously considering leaving right this moment.

But then he continued and she listened until everything he had to say was out in the open and her blood stopped boiling. She was finally getting the truth and the whole truth. And the whole truth was that there was another Anya. Which was very odd considering that Roger’s Snow had left and then shortly after a new Snow came to Trenale.

“Well then, that would explain a lot actually. If you were thinking about both Anyas that would explain it because you can’t be in two places at the same time. They can’t be in the same place at the same time.” She tapped her lips, thinking about everything. “Two Anyas and two Snow Whites,” she murmured, more to herself than to Dimitri. “I’ve been doing research on this actually for a friend. He’s going through something similar. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some things to think about. And do more research.”

[Dimitri]

For a moment it seemed promising; Plum understood what he was talking about, and thought it explained why the wish didn’t work. Apparently she had seen it before, and the same thing had happened to... Snow White? Well that was a shocking bit of news! Dimitri had known Snow, and after a bit of a rough beginning with her best friend being his mortal enemy, and some sort of love spell causing her and Anya to fight over him, they had actually built a sort of acquaintance, even had a few pleasant conversations. Now she was gone too, having been replaced by another version as well. He couldn’t help but wonder what this new version was like, and what had happened to her little girl.

Lost in thought, it took a little longer this time to realise that Plum was attempting to escape once more. Wait... he’d given her what she wanted, he’d told her the truth about what he had been thinking and she’d claimed that it explained the failed wish, so why was she still leaving?

Because maybe just knowing what stopped it isn’t enough. She can’t make you not think about them both.

Or maybe there was just something bigger at work here.

“What can... what should I do?” Dimitri asked, stopping her again before she could leave. This time, though, it wasn’t so forceful or desperate. This time it was almost resigned.

[Deleted]

Plum had so much to think about and so much to look into. The thought had never really occurred to her that there could be alternate universes. That had always seemed like the stuff of legend or something in a fantasy novel. Then again, it seemed that fairies often were as well, though here she was, proof that they existed. And if she thought like that then of course it would be possible that alternate universes existed.

Now she needed to figure out what to do about it. Dimitri had met both Anyas. Would it interrupt the fabric of space and time to send him back to the first Anya, the one he called his own? Was it even possible because he had met this second Anya? And then she wondered if this second Anya had been having issues getting through the portal and back home. Plus then there were all the complications of magic and they were hardly ever simple.

And through all over her whirling thoughts and questions, Dimitri’s voice broke through and brought her back to the present. What was she going to do with him?

“Well, I suppose that will depend on you. You’ve got some things to think about and only you can decide what’s best for you. But don’t forget to listen to your heart. Your heart will know the way.” She gave him a reassuring smile. “Now I really must go, but if I find anything I’ll be sure to let you know.” And then she turned and left, her mind suddenly whirring again with all of the endless possibilities.

[Dimitri]

How did he just know she was going to say something like that? How many clichés could she possibly string into one parting remark? He had some things to think about, and only he could decide what was best for him and, the worst of all, he had to listen to his heart. His heart would know the way.

Groaning loudly, Dimitri didn’t even bother with a reply; instead he just sank into the chair Plum had just recently vacated and let her walk away.

If his heart was supposed to know the way, then why wouldn’t it get him home? Why wouldn’t his head stay focused on something so freaking important? Why should he care what happened to this Anya if it meant he got his back? Sure, they were sort of friends, kind of, or they had been possibly before Halloween, but if someone was truly in love, shouldn’t they be willing to sacrifice anything to be with that person?

Running his hands back through his hair, Dimitri propped his elbows on his knees a moment and stared almost sightlessly at the table in front of him and, more aptly, the item it held. Letting out a loud sigh he picked up the forgotten pie and settled back in the chair, sullenly shoveling another forkful into his mouth. Think, listen, follow... these were the last things he wanted to do right now. When he got back to Trenale, though... then it would be time for action.