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She stopped outside the room and fell back against the wall in tears. Had she really just left this man? The moment she left his embrace and headed for the door, she had began regretting her words and actions. Even though she had to go through with it in order to make her feelings clear, she wondered if he would ever recuperate from her harshness towards him. Emma knew he still loved her...and that she loved him, regardless of all that had happened. But all that she had said about his commitment to his work was true. Unless the situation had been treated in that manner, he would never realize the severity of his mistreatment and neglect of their relationship.
Emma opened her eyes and standing before her stood Lucy. The woman whom she had found holding her once...and hopefully once more...husband to be. Her first instinct was to scream at her for taking her place, but she had done enough shouting for that night. Lucy, however, was the first to speak...
"Miss Emma, I hope you're not angry with me for--"
"No, I'm not angry with you. I'm angry with Dr. Jekyll. You are not to blame for what has happened. You obviously love him, how can I be mad at you for that? I have no say over who you give your heart to."
"You shouldn't be mad at 'enry, either, miss. He's been through--"
"I know very well what he's been through, madam. I've been through quite a bit myself...and unfortunately, he's to blame for it. He is...was...my fiance, and I lost him to his work...and another woman." Lucy's face turned white as snow and her heart broke when she heard the young lady before her say what she did. "Although I may be resentful of you for that, I have a favor to ask of you."
"Of me?"
"He's alone now. He needs someone to comfort him through this and I can't be that someone any longer. As much as I dislike this idea, you have to be the one to help him."
"I know, miss..." Emma continued, her voice softening as she spoke...
"A lot has gone wrong for that man, and he's not strong enough to stand alone. He must know that there is someone who loves him and will be there to hold him up when he feels as though he'll fall."
"But why can't you stay with him, Miss Carew? You have a child togetha' and you were supposed to be married...and...I know you love 'im. You must, otha' wise you wouldn't be askin' me to take care of 'im."
"You don't know a thing about me, madam--"
"I know enough, miss. I 'eard every word you said to him and I can see it in your eyes. Don't leave him, Miss Carew. He won't be able to survive."
"I should think he'll survive just fine without me. He has for this long. Besides, from the looks of things when I found you two together, he seems to have found security in your arms. What does he need me for?" Lucy grew silent for a moment before continuing...
"I don't think he loves me the way I love him." she said hanging her head, "I think you should know something. He may hate me for tellin' you, but, it's your right to know. Henry and I did spent one night togetha'..."
"Stop, I can't listen to this..."
"You 'ave to. Afterwards, he told me with his own mouth what a mistake it was and that it would never 'appen again...because of you. He said that out of everything in 'is world, you were the one he couldn't sacrifice. What you saw in there was a confused man...and a desperate woman tryin' to hold onto the only good thing she's eva' known. The only reason he lies with me is because he thought he would never hold you again."
"He won't be holding me again any time soon. He hurt me in a way that you'll never understand--"
"Don't be so fast to assume that, Miss Carew. I know very well what he's capable of. I doubt he's confessed to you 'bout all the times Edward Hyde beat me...or of all the times he forced himself on me...I never knew it was actually 'enry til' he transformed right in front of my eyes...and then I hurt him after that...when he woke up--"
"You hurt him?"
"Hyde attacked me again and...I guess it was 'cause I knew he was really 'enry...but I suddenly had the strength to defend meself, an' I hit him with the lamp in my room and he went crashing down. When he woke up, he seemed so helpless and I believed it then that he can't control what that monster does...no matter how hard he tries. He's so much stronger than 'enry and he can't do anything about it. You have to unda'stand that, miss." Emma didn't respond to Lucy's remark...she did understand it now that she heard it coming from another. "I'll understand it if you don't want to believe me, afta' all, you don't know me and you just saw him in my arms. But I'm not lyin'...I would neva'...and as much as I do love him, I can see that he loves you whether we had something together or not. His heart belongs to you and you are the only one who can give him what he--"
"Why are you doing this? You love him and he must love you in some way...why else would he make love to you? So why try to convince me that you don't want to be with him?" she whispered, in tears again.
"I do want to be with him, miss, he's the only person in this world that ever treated me as a human being. And the fact that we made love...it wasn't anything. When I looked in his eyes, he was distant and I knew that he'd rather be holding someone else. He must've needed that physical love and I was the one to give it to him...of course, it was more than that to me. But after today, I finally realized that mine is a dream that can never come true because you are the only one he can ever love that way. Forget that he eva' touched me...forget what you saw...because I promise you, he was dreaming of your face as he slept."
"I--"
"If you must, leave. I will be the one to help 'im now...and as nothing more than a friend. But take what I said to 'eart, please. I beg you, you have to know that nothing, even his work, is more important than you." Emma looked at her once more amazed at the way she was giving up her one chance to feel love for a girl whom she didn't even know...and who, up until that day, was the one thing that stood in her way for ever finding the happiness she desired. "I hope you'll decide to come see 'im again...pa'haps bring your son, too. He'd be so happy."
"Yes, well...I..." Lucy touched her arm...
"Don't say anythin', miss. It's ok."
"I'm not feeling too well, I think it's best I go home and lie down."
Lucy's hand still rested on Emma's arm and she covered it with her own
and said quietly, "...thank you..."
Henry stood staring at the door unable to move. His body and mind in complete shock from the event which had just taken place. Lucy slowly walked inside and her eyes met his cold, vacant ones. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw his face...his skin was losing it's color...he was breathing in short breaths. This scared her half to death for she immediately thought that he had transformed into Edward Hyde again while she and Emma were gone.
"Henry?" ....no answer came, "Henry, are you alright?" His eyes closed and then opened quickly again. He turned his head in her direction and examined her face as though he had absolutely no idea who she was. She took a step backward. He seemed confused...then started shaking his head and mumbling something to himself. "Do you want me to get Dr. Slusar??"
"Who??"
"Dr. Slusar? Your docta'? Henry, what's going on?"
"I...I don't know...I feel so strange. Yes, yes, go get doctor...Jekyll."
"You're Dr. Jekyll."
"What?" Lucy approached him and went to feel his forehead. The second her hand came in contact with his skin, his hand flew up and grabbed her by the wrist. She jumped as the breath caught in her throat while his grip steadily became tighter and tighter. He had a wild look in his eyes which she had some to associate with his darker side. "I'm Dr. Jekyll?? Since when?"
"Edward Hyde, if this is you...I won't let you hurt me anymore, you hear? No more..." she muttered, her voice full of anger and fear.
"Hurt you? Why would I hurt you?" he let go of her and took a step backwards. "I don't even know you, miss. And who is Edward?" He sounded so innocent and she didn't have the slightest idea what she should do.
"Henry, what are you saying?"
"Why are you calling me Henry?"
"That's ya' name."
"Is it, then."
"Perhaps you should lie down."
"I don't want to lie down, Miss...Miss...whoever you are."
"Henry, please, what's wrong? Talk to me..." she went to touch him again and he caught her once more. She flinched and turned her face away, fearing that he might strike her.
"Sweet child, why are you so scared of me?"
"I'm 'fraid your gonna' hit me..."
"I won't hit you...why would anyone...who would do such a thing?" she looked at him in disbelief...
"Are you seriously telling me that you don' rememba' anything?"
"What is there to remember?? Have I hurt you?" She was speechless.
"Henry..."
"And stop calling me Henry...who the hell is Henry??" By that point, she was completely unable to comprehend the exchange happening between them, so she felt it best to silence her pleas for an explanation on his part.
"You are. I don't know what's happening here, but I think I should leave you now before somethin' happens."
"Like....this for example???" He lifted his right leg and kicked her directly in the stomach, which sent her falling to the ground, "I'll never understand how there can be so many ignorant people inhabiting one city. You're so gullible, Lucy. What did you think was happening? Hmm? You can't say, oh...well, you're out of breath, that I understand." He looked up at the doorway, "Oh, how convenient. You left the door wide open and unlocked!! You certainly haven't been using your brain lately." He ran out the door and up the hallway, past Dr. Slusar's office and in just enough time to meet up with Emma as she was reaching the large doors which lead to the street. He wrapped his arms around her waist and jerked her close to him as she screamed in terror.
"Silly, silly girl. You should know better than to believe anything that imbecile tells you. It's me now, love...remember? I should hope our lovely evening hasn't been forgotten just yet...hahaha..." he struggled to keep her silent as she sobbed and shook with fright at the sensation of his big, monsterous arms enveloping her, "Why are you crying? Am I that bad? Goodness, I always thought I was a charming fellow..." He was panting heavily...he dragged his tongue all the way up her neck to her forehead...she cringed with disgust, "What's wrong? You don't like that? Aw, Emma, come now..." his hand slid down her middle...steadily going lower and lower and then stopping suddenly. Dr. Slusar and John came stampeding down the hallway and stopped in back of him. He spun around quickly, "Well, what a lovely reunion? Hmm, tell me, where's Father Jekyll? hahaha...that decrepid poor excuse for a doctor. That's how his son will end up Emma, you realize that, don't you? All that 'I will always love you' nonsense was all lies...nothing but lies that sad human being was trying to make you believe so he won't die a lonely old jackass with nothing but his work. Did you honestly think for one minute he'd be satisified sleeping with a whore for the rest of his life? A whore with absolutely no intelligence and no common sense who's screwed the entire East End when he could have a somewhat pure and delicate creature such as yourself?"
"Goddamnit, leave this poor child be, for Christ's sake!!!"
"Oh stuff it, John. You seem to forget that I am pure evil...completely animalistic with absoutely no self control whatsoever, ooooh, aren't we impressed at my ability to be clinical? And here your are, expecting me to spare this young thing. What is wrong with you, my dear fellow? Have all those years buried in your books stripped you of all logic?"
"Leave this girl alone!! She has done nothing to you...please, we beg you, just let her go."
"Why should I, hm? Explain this to me. She's a selfish little girl with a lot of growing up to do and since no one wants to show her the ways of the world, I've designated myself to be her teacher. I've taken care of one aspect," he says, grinding into her lower back, "and I can certainly take care of the rest."
"Please, Edward, let me go...I'm sorry...just let me--"
"Oh, spare me the sincere pleas for help. They will do you no good. Emma, I don't like you very much. As much as I may dislike Henry as well, I'm forced to share a great many things with the chap, and in speaking to him the way you did a while ago, you hurt me as well. Aw, the poor baby can't tolerate his constant absence. You realize that this is what you'd be missing, my sweet." He had his arm around her neck as if he were going to choke her...he squeezed her tightly, and smiled when she gasped for air. "Do you really want him present_constantly_when a majority of the time...I'm the one you face? No...I didn't think so..." He let go and pushed her away. Dr. Slusar took her quickly in his arms and stood far back, "Why not kill me and get it over with? Or...are you afraid to do it?"
"Killing you has never even been a thought in my--"
"Oh, John. Can you really expect me to believe that?"
"It isn't a lie, Henry, it's the truth."
"Under normal circumstances, I would beat you senseless for referring to me as Henry. But I must say for some peculiar reason, I'm not feeling like my usual violent self." They all stood staring at him...anxiously awaiting his next move...
"Go ahead, beat me Henry. Let's see if that helps matters."
"Don't tempt me, John...I just might surprise you..."
"Really then. Do it, Henry. I dare you....here, hit me. I'm standing here for you...I'm an easy target. Just beat me Henry, let it out...I won't fight you."
"You must be losing your mind."
"As you've already lost yours."
"How nice of you to notice..."
"Well, what are you waiting for, Dr. Jekyll?? Why haven't you lept at me and pounded me to death? Hmm? Where's the brute force you were once graced with? Could it be that Mr. Edward Hyde is not as strong as he once was?"
"That will never happen...John, never. I will always over power Henry...til the day we die, I am in control..."
"Is that so? Then why haven't you done anything to prove yourself other than attacking a harmless girl? Here I am, Henry, a grown man....ready and willing to stand here for you and take everything you have to give...why aren't you moving?"
"I..."
"What, Henry?? What???"
"It's too hard..." Henry's voice was breaking through. He was doubled over, holding his stomach and breathing quite heavily. John moved in closer as slow as possible. Even though Edward was seemingly more weak than usual, there was no telling when it was a mind game and when it was the truth.
"Don't let him win, Henry..." The two guards which had aided Dr. Slusar previously ran up while he and Emma and looked on, prepared to act quickly if they were needed.
Oh God, don't fight me, you can't--"
"Yes...I...can, I can......"
"Fight him. Jekyll, I can hear you..." He slammed his body up against the wall and began rolling his head back and forth violently, both moaning and weeping from the agony he was experiencing. His struggle could be heard by all those watching in both amazement and horror as his voice changed back and forth between his own and Hyde's.
"Jekyll, give up....just stop this madness..."
"NO Hyde, this ends now." With that final word, Henry fell to his knees...he began crawling, his fingers digging into the hard floor, the sweat dripping from his brow and leaving droplet marks on the ground as he pulled himself slowly and painfully...
"With what? You dying here in the hospital's corridor? How touching..."
"No...I'm not going...to let you...kill me, Hyde..."
"You have a poor way of showing it, now don't--"
"Enough!!!!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, his body collapsing seconds later. Other doctors ran from their rooms and peered out into the hallway to see what had happened. Not one person made a sound....there was complete silence as everyone looked down on his body, nearly positive that he was, in fact, dead.
Emma suddenly began struggling with Dr. Slusar for him to release her. She pushed him away and walked slowly towards Henry, never taking her eyes away from his face. As she came closer, she knelt beside him suddenly unafraid and brushed away a wisp of hair which had fallen to his face during the battle. His body spasmed slightly. He was alive...barely.
"Henry...how could I let this happen..." Emma said, suddenly overcome by guilt.
"Emma?" He mumbled.
"I'm here, my love."
"Angel....please...forgive me..."
"Shh..." she whispered, still caressing his face gently. Dr. Slusar walked over and knelt with them, checking his pulse the minute he touched the floor.
"He's alive. But his heartbeat is very weak. We have to get him back in his room. John, someone...come here and help me lift this man." The two guards stepped forward as John helped Emma up.
"He's going to be alright, isn't he, John..."