Play it again ... Tasha?

[Guest]

Tasha woke up from another nightmare. They had gotten rather mild as of late, and some nights, she even got to sleep. They had become few and far between. She yawned and stretched and turned to the right. There was Ha'Ruil. He was asleep on top of the covers beside her on the bed. He had been such a Gentleman all these months. He seemed so understanding of why their relationship had not progressed. Well, it had in a way. But they were approaching the fifth month of their relationship. They had dated for two months when he asked her to be his girlfriend. Most guys she knew wouldn't have wanted to wait that two months. But here it was another two months, and he was still sleeping on top of the covers. The first two months, if he stayed in her room, he slept on the other bed completely. And she didn't stay in his room during that time. She had to hand it to him, the man had patience.

She slid out of bed and headed for the shower. She got cleaned up and ready for the day. She pulled on a pair of short cut off shorts and a form fitting tank top. She ran a brush through her wet hair letting it stay down to dry. She slid her feet into a pair of platform flip flops and fixed her make-up. As she was walking past her dressing table, she stopped. She reached over and opened the small jewelry box on the table. Inside was a folded up, wrinkled, piece of paper. She removed the paper and closed the lid. She looked over at the bed and saw that Ha'Ruil was still sleeping. She headed into the main room of her third floor suite and let Leviathan out. Then she headed into the kitchenette.

She cut a grapefruit in half and wrapped one half in plastic, placing it in the fridge. The other half she put on a plate. She sprinkled sugar on it and grabbed a grapefruit spoon from the drawer. She walked over to the table and placed one foot in the chair before she sat down. She placed the grapefruit on the table and opened the note. She hadn't read the note since the first time, when Gawain gave it to her. She went over the words, penned in her beloveds own handwriting. She sighed as she looked at the diamond on her left ring finger. She took a bite of her grapefruit as she read over the note again. The sun would be rising soon, and the birds would be stirring Ha'Ruil from his slumber.

She polished off her grapefruit, and then cleared her dishes. She stuffed the note in the back pocket of her jean shorts and left a note for Ha'Ruil. All it said was that she was going to be downstairs. And that there was a half a grapefruit in the fridge for him if he wanted it. Then she headed out the door. Where was she headed before the sun even came up? The lobby. There was a demon there she had to face. It was in the shape of a large wooden box, full of wires, trimmed in keys. It was black and grand and it was the one thing she had to face. The piano.

She walked over to the piano and walked around it. She let her fingers trail along the trim as she admired the beauty of something she had always loved. That was something that she and Gareth had in common, he loved to play as well. They would spend countless hours in the Piano Bar at the SBR. That was the reason this beast of musical bliss, was a monster to her. She pulled the note from the back pocket and placed it on the music stand as she sat down upon the bench. She ran her hands over the key cover. She wasn't quite ready yet. But she slipped her feet across the floor to the three petals below. Slowly she pushed the petals down one at a time. Then she lifted the lid. The beauty of black and white side by side as the keys trailed along.

She was still pressing the petals as one lone finger reached up to one of those white keys. *Ping.* She closed her eyes and let the sound resonate through her head. Her heart began to pound, her pulse race. Her breathing became labored as she leaned back slightly. Oh how the sweetest sound could sound so bitter when one was dealing with such strong pain. But she had to face it, she had to move past this ghost of her past. Otherwise she would have no future, with Ha'Ruil or with anyone. *Ping.* Another note, this one not as bitter. She would hit another sooner than before. *Ping.* She slid back and rose from the bench then. She walked around the piano once, twice, three times before sitting back down.

She took a deep breath and cracked her knuckles on her fingers. The pops from the release of the air bubbles seemed to echo through her whole body. She closed her eyes as she once again reached for the keys. Only this time, more than one finger was preparing to caress the ivories. There was a progression of keys being played. She played a scale. Very, very, slowly. *Ping ... ping ... ping ... ping ... ping ... ping ... ping ... ping.* Well, at least it was perfectly tuned. If she somehow managed to play something, it would sound right. She hadn't expected any less from this Inn. They were all about quality here. So a few more keys were pressed. And even a few more after that.

After a while, her keys strokes took on a bit of a rhythm. And that rhythm slowly evolved into a slow version of a song. When it dawned on her what the song was she stopped immediately and dropped the key cover back into place. She was breathing even heavier now. Of all the songs, she could have played anything. But The Rose, why The Rose? She looked at her shaking hands as her eyes welled up with tears. She wasn't going to be able to do this. She picked up the note and opened it again. She kept it from being too close to her face, she didn't want to drip tears on it after all. Very quietly she whispered to the note. "I will never stop loving you." She placed the note back on the music stand and opened the lid again.

[Casandra Lightheart]

Cas was in her bed dreaming, she did a lot of that lately; sometimes the dreams were not very pleasant.

Tonight Cas was just having a very strange dream. In her dream she was running; being chased by the smileys people used when they talked to others using a computer.

It was then that Tasha decided to start playing with the piano. In her dream the smileys changed to the black and white piano keys. Cas began to sing in her dream.

"Some say love it is a river, that drowns the tender reed."

She sat up in her bed still half asleep.

"Some say love it is a razor, that leaves your soul to bleed."

She realized it was not a dream someone was playing The Rose. She jumped out of bed and pulled on her dressing gown. Kjay would be startled awake by the sudden movement and jump up. When Cas left the room Kjay was right behind her.

She moved quickly but as quietly as possible. Whoever was playing that song had to stop.

When she reached the main room she stopped and stared, she was in shock. Tasha sat at the piano.

[Epiphany]

Tasha was not only early riser who happened to be downstairs in the main area of the Inn, Epiphany was also there, or soon would be as she was coming up the road with Donald after their graveyard shift at the clinic ended. She didn’t know how he handled it so well. While Epiphany was no stranger to the sick or dying there was something about being around those in pain.

She did her job though; smiling all the while to help raise their spirits and put them in mind that everything was going to be okay. Sticking mainly to the medical procedures of the clinic –she didn’t want Donald’s superiors to come to him because strange things were happening – Epiphany spread a sense of peace and comfort through the patients she touched. What would have been a fairly easy task was nearly exhausting as she was still feeling retribution for the act she committed months back.

But they were in sight of the Inn, in fact, the morning was still enough that their footsteps were heard as well as any small talk that went on. Not to mention a light tinkering nose that came from the Inn.

“Did you hear that?” Epiphany posed the question to Donald as she was at the door. The windows in the main room and bar area were always cracked open now that the weather was warm. Sound traveled, and therefore it was possible that the tinkering traveled outside. “Let me get the door this time.”

The last said as she reached out to take the doors handle and raised up a finger to try to stave off any protest he might have given to her opening the door for him.

“After you, Doctor.”

[DrDonaldBlake]

"Why Thank you Nurse" She called him Doctor, despite the many times he assured her that Donald was good enough a name. or Blake as she liked to call him.

A bow was offered her as he stepped past her, smiling with a tap of his walking stick towards his brow, which rose hearing the tink tink tink. and here donald was thinking he was the only person who had his own sound effect... hm, interesting.

" You know, I'm absolutely exhausted after Mrs Campbell's crashing twice last night. but... in my experience, an ignored tinging is a bad tinging..." smiling again, this one tired he was home now, and home meant that he could lose steam and be sleepy. but now it was time to go off to find the noise. a look to epiphany." s'your inn, you lead the way."

[Guest]

Quietly hell. Venis was already having trouble sleeping, and Tasha being upset made her stomach worse. She had closed off the mental link to Tasha when they returned to Rhy'Din. Too long in one persons mind. But that didn't mean that she didn't know it was Tasha. It just meant that they had to literally think of each other directly to open the link, and after a conversation ended, so would the link.

So if that link was closed, and she never picked up random thoughts from Tasha anymore, why was it that she was hearing that song again as she was trying to go to sleep? The answer to that question came from Casie and her 'quietly' heading down the stairs. Well, partially answered at least. Because that made her open her eyes and she realized that she hadn't been asleep enough for that song to have been in a dream.

So out of bed she went, she grabbed up a robe and wrapped it around herself. And then she was out the door. Casie had started down the last level of the stairs as Venis headed down from the top. So Casie got an eye full just moments before Venis. And when Venis saw Tasha at the piano she was in shock. She spoke to Casie as she stood beside her. "You don't think that Ha'Ruil ...?" She turned her head for a moment to look at Casie. "Naa."

Her attention returned to Tasha as she heard the door to the Inn open. She looked towards the door and waited to see who was headed in at this hour. From her position still elevated by a few steps and given her height, she saw Dr. Blake enter, with Epiphany behind him. It looked as though the Furgirl was to have an audience. The question was, would they be able to get her to play?

[Ha'Ruil]

He had been sleeping in Tasha room again. It mostly just happens when they are up all night long talking about this or that. He heard the birds chirping so he started to stir moving an arm to put it around her but when he felt that she was not there he opened his eyes seeing that the room was empty.

"That's odd she normally is still asleep."

He got up and looked around when he saw the note. He just smiled as he put down the note and went into the kitchenette area to get the grapefruit. As he was eating it he decided to come out of her room and start to walk down the stairs. When he got down to the bottom he saw two ladies there standing at the bottom so he could not move any farther.

"Um excuse me ladies may I get through?"

[Guest]

Tasha heard Kjay coming down the steps and looked up to see Casie through her tear filled eyes. Venis was a few steps behind her and she could hear voices from behind her as well. She lowered her head and some of those tears dropped. When she looked up Ha'Ruil was standing there too. He was hoping to get past Venis and Casie. "Might as well get over here, all of you." Said to those behind her as well.

She took the note off the music stand and folded it up, holding it in her hands, in her lap. She looked back at those keys and whispered to herself before others came over. "I just can't." She looked up to see who was coming. She hoped that they weren't looking for entertainment. She just couldn't bring her fingers back up to those keys.

She wiped at her tears with her empty hand and scooted to one side of the bench in case someone wanted to sit next to her. She couldn't believe she had been caught. She sighed and shook her head as she thought to herself that she should have never even tried. She looked up at her approaching audience and sighed. "I tried, I tried to play. But that song popped back into my head and now it's stuck there again." She shook her head again.

She knew that Venis and Casie would know what song she was talking about, or what she was talking about period. She figured pretty much everyone else would be a bit confused. So she figured she would end up having to explain things. Might as well start as they were coming over to her. Just as soon as they were all in ear shot that is. She wiped at more tears and clutched the note in her hand while she waited.

[Casandra Lightheart]

Casie just nodded at V. She was still staring at Tasha. She was about to whisper something to V when she heard Ha'Ruil coming up behind them. She also saw Pip and the Dr as they came in.

She was about to ask Ha'ruil if he would wait a moment when Tasha called them all over. She sat down on the place that had been cleared on the bench.

"Tasha you need to play, and that you are down here shows that you are ready."

[Epiphany]

Epiphany was only joking around with Blake by calling him Doctor, probably her last amount of humor she had left after their busy evening. Dealing with a patient like Mrs. Campbell was stressful and the last thing she needed to go to bed on was heavy note.

Then there was that tinkering piano note that still hung in the air and she smiled to Blake as he offered her to go first. The two of them were in good sight of the piano and the staircase and therefore she got an eye full of the small crowd. It seemed to have something to do with Tasha - that's what she gathered anyway because she was the one at the instrument and the others were gathering around her. Not to mention that the three people were looking at her as well. All of that said that it had something to do with Tasha.

"Looks like Tasha was playing the piano." Said to Blake as Epiphany scratched the back of her neck. She was walking past the front desk and heading towards the stairs. Nothing fast paced but she wasn't stalling either. Maybe she had stopped because of the crowd that formed around her? If Pip had been playing and then a group started to surround her she would have stopped too - unless she was at ease and didn't care if anyone heard her.

She might have missed out on what everyone had said but, as she was moving towards the steps she heard what Casandra said. "Hi all, just, passing through on my way upstairs." Yes, she was butting into the conversation, but she had a reason for it. "I don't know what's going on here, but obviously Tasha seems done playing for the moment. It could have simply been a passing fancy that's passed. She doesn't have to play anything just cause she sitting at the piano. She could be there to look pretty and remember old personal memories. Memories that you all seem to be crowding in on."

Epiphany remembered how Tasha had looked at the piano months ago when the two of them had gone out on the porch to wait out events in the basement. If he seemed a bit cold or talked without much care for how her words came across, it's because she was tired and she perceived the group at the piano as a bunch of people moving in on someone's personal time and that was something she never really cared for.

[DrDonaldBlake]

Donald followed Epiphany into the room, and leaned against the door frame of the room He was wearing scrubs today, under his lab coat. Donald tended to when working an overnight shift. More comfortable, especially if you needed to crash for a few or something.

Tired eyes watched as the people pushed Tasha to play the piano, and then when Pip spoke up Donald pushed up from his leaning and started towards the group.

"You know, Epiphany here is right..." and he paused, stuffing his hands into his pockets."Now, I know I'm probably a little too glib for my own good, but, being as how I'd rather be honest then nice."

"Cassandra, as it appears, you've got the observational power of a pet rock... You really shouldn't push someone in emotional distress to do something. That's how suicides happen..." Donald should really avoid people when he was exhausted, it made him come off like an asshole. but no he could really be an awesome guy.

"Tasha, I know we've been through disagreements and I'm sorry for that. but I'm a firm practitioner of not doing something until its time, in here to do it" his hand not on the walking stick tapped at his chest right over the heart. "Not a moment sooner. But, Epiphany was also right in that we." a motion to the group as a whole, "are all crowding in on a personal moment. Well, I know I am... which, I'm also sorry for... but! I can remedy at least one of those things... By, excusing myself."

A great over exaggerated bow. "Nurse Epiphany... fantastic work tonight I'm really very proud, Tasha I really do hope you can get there...getting that song played... don't do it until you're ready, Venis... I don't think we've met officially. But we should...another day, after sleep. Cassandra... I am sorry for that jab there, but you really should start trying to see the bigger picture of things instead of what's right there right now... And you sir, I've also never met, but it is nice to meet you as well. Me, I'm going to do make myself dead to the world for like nine hours."

A second bow and a tap of his walking stick to his brow like tipping an invisible hat before he turned and started back towards the stairs.

[Guest]

Venis was smiled at Ha'Ruil when he came down the stairs. She was just about to move for him when Tasha called them over to the piano. She walked over and was going to speak yet again. But Casie sat down and said something to her. Venis bit her lip at that one. She wasn't sure that she could say anything to follow that. But, thankfully, someone else did. Epiphany, and she was followed by Dr. Blake. Now that she could follow.

Now, Venis didn't believe that Casie's comment was meant how it had seemed to have been taken. That being said, it did sound just a little pushy. Venis looked at the two who were only passing through. She chose to voice her opinion. "Actually, I simply came down to check on her. I knew she was a little upset. She asked us over here, so perhaps she was asking that her moment be invaded. I was honestly about to try to be supportive." That was pretty much all she was going to say about it.

She nodded to Dr. Blake as he headed for the stairs. They had not been formally introduced, they had met in passing up on the third floor, the day she met Pris. "Pleasure to see you again Dr. Rest well." She honestly meant that. The more people who rested well, the more rest she got. Plus, he was a doctor, so it was good for him to get his rest, and she remembered how she and Pris had woke him that day.

Her attention was now turning to Tasha. "Are you ok kitten?" She was worried about her friend. "It's been a long time, are you sure that you are ready for this?" She wanted to sound comforting. She wasn't sure if Ha'Ruil being present for this was a good idea, but it was not her place to say anything about that. If Tasha wanted him here than that was for her to decide.

[Ha'Ruil]

He had nodded to both Cassandra and Venis.

"I am good."

He then heard Tasha tell everyone to come over. He saw her sitting down at a piano. He heard a couple of other people in the room and just stood there and listened to them. He walked over to Tasha and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Tasha dear is everything ok?"

He had a concerned look on his face.

[Guest]

Tasha watched as they room filled with people, people she knew. Which made her feel more at ease. For a minute at least. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, still clutching that note in her hand a it rested in her lap. It was nicely hidden from view by the piano, though Casie might see it after she sat down. Because she was the one who sat down beside her. She looked at everyone as they approached the piano and tried to force a smile.

She drew in her bottom lip and closed her eyes again slowly, but when Casie spoke, her eyes flew open. She turned her head and looked at Casie. The look upon her face was a mixture of terror and anger. "Casandra Marie Lightheart. You, of all people, should not be telling me something like that. I thought you had come down here to comfort and help me, not rub salt in my wounds." She looked as if she was ready to cry even more.

She looked over at Epiphany when she spoke. "Hi Epiphany." After all, the lady has said hi first. Of course, that made her smile a little. She liked Epiphany, even if Epiphany was not. aware of that fact. "Thank you." For the compliment of looking pretty, she figured she looked something of a mess about now. "The fancy has not passed though, I am just lacking bravery." She was terrified that the moment she touched those keys, she would play that song again.

Her voice was very soft and on the verge of cracking at this point. She was a little shocked when Dr. Blake spoke up. First, at the way he spoke to Casie, which required some comment. "Dr., she is just trying to help. I am in no danger of suicide at this point." Not to say that she had never been or that she would never be again. Who knew what the future held. But even though Casie's words seemed to be a little sharp, she still didn't require a sharp tongue in response.

He continued so she continued to listen. His words made sense to her. He had a point about not doing something before it was time. The problem was, that it was time. She needed to do this, for herself, if for no other reason. She wanted to desperately to be able to get passed this demon from her past. And she was determined to do so. "Thank you Dr. But I believe it is time, and if you and Epiphany would care to join us, you will understand why." It was a genuine offer, she was going to have to explain this to Ha'Ruil anyway, might as well tell them all.

When Venis chimed in she smiled. She liked when V spoke her mind, it was a sign that she was feeling better, at least a little. When V and the Dr. spoke to one another concerning formal introductions Tasha chuckled. "I see you two have been over working yourselves. You both seem to have forgotten that you met the day that Kahn returned to the Inn and caused that crater outside the Inn. I remember you speaking of it V." She wasn't sure of Dr. Blake's age, so she chose to leave out the old joke.

Then Venis was addressing her. She nodded. "I'm ok, I think." She continued to listen. "I am sure, I know it's been a while, but I can't sit around forever and never get on with my life. This has to be done. I just need to find the courage." If there was a drink she could drink or a pill she could take, she would do so now. But the best she could do was talk about it ad hope that it helped. She had told her patients to talk about it before. It was time for her to take a dose of her own medicine.

When Ha'Ruil's hand came to rest on her shoulder she reached her free hand up and laced her fingers in his as she leaned her head to the side. With her face resting on the back of his hand she spoke softly. "I'm ok dear, or at least I will be." She took a deep breath. It was time to talk about this and get it out so she could heal from it. After all, an untreated wound only festered, right? So she was going to talk about this to whomever stayed to listen.

So now it was time to tell all. She clenched that note tighter in her fist as she began to speak. "Not long before we were abducted, Gareth's sister died. He was very upset that night when we met up at the Piano Bar at the Society. He told me that her signet was a white rose. He sat down at the piano and played The Rose. It was a very emotional night, and one that I will never forget." She took another deep breath. The song was playing in her head again, she could head him singing. It caused a tear to fall from her eyes. "Sorry V." Whispered just in case V was picking up her thoughts.

"While we were being held captive against our will, Gary did something that was very dangerous. And it changed him. He was no longer the kind, loving man I was supposed to marry, he was something else, something dangerous." A sigh as she moved forward with this story. "When Gawain had realized what had happened and what Gary was going to do, he tried to stop him. But there was no peaceful resolution to be had. So what ended up happening was that Gawain ended up killing Gary." Another tear fell, this was so hard for her.

She reached up and hit two keys on the piano. *Ping, ping.* "Just before Gary died, he returned to himself. For the briefest of moments he was once again the man I loved. But it was too little too late, because he was already so close to death that there was no way to save him without the use of the very thing that had corrupted him to begin with." She took a deep breath. "He asked Gawain for a pen and paper so he could leave me a note." She help up the paper in her hand. "This note." Back down to her lap, no one was going to read it, ever.

She looked up at Venis, Gawain was her best friend. And she knew most of this already, but it still could have been taking a tole on her too at this point. "Basically, he told me that he loved me and that he wanted me to be happy and to move on with my life." She looked down and shook her head. "The moment Gary's soul left his body, I sat up and screamed. I screamed the first name that came to my mind. Because I had no idea who had taken my beloveds life, and I wanted vengeance. I screamed out for Dre. He is the God of War, and I was ready to declare war on whomever took Gary's life." She drew in her bottom lip again.

"Every night that we were gone, that song played over and over again in my mind. Yes, so sorry for that Venis. But after Gary died, there was another thought. The thought that Dre would help me, Dre would avenge my life's love. I was convinced that Dre cared enough about me to help me through all of this. And when I opened my eyes here at the Inn and saw Dre standing at the foot of the bed ..." She squeezed Ha'Ruil's hand that she was still holding upon her shoulder. She figured that this had to be very hard for him to hear.

"Once Venis and I were healed Dre and I started to hang out more. I wasn't out for blood like I had been, of course that was because Gawain came to me with the note and an explanation. But I still wanted to be around Dre, and be with Dre. We even dated for like a minute. But just when I thought things were going good with us and it looked like we were headed for the relationship that I thought we both wanted ..." Her tone changed as she nearly spat the words that followed. "He met two broads in the bar and spent every possible moment with them from that point on."

She looked at the amethyst ring she was wearing. "It was like I had never mattered at all. I just knew I was cursed to be alone forever." She looked at Casie, they were kindred spirits. "But along came this elf over here. Who has been trying so hard to convince me that I am not cursed. And as much as I want to believe you dear, I have to prove to myself that I'm not. So that is what brought me down here today. I have to get my life back. I have to be able to do the things that I love, and remind myself that I love myself and that I am worth being loved by others. If that makes any sense at all. Because, yes, I have been changed by the events of my past, but I have to be true to myself. And playing the piano is part of that."

She reached up and hit a few keys again. *Ping, ping ... Ping.* "I would say that Dre broke my heart, but my heart had not healed enough to break. But he did damage my spirit. And I have to repair that, as well as make my heart whole once again. Because that is the only way I can move on with my life." She looked up at Ha'Ruil. She cared about him more than she had ever thought she would or even could. "And I want to move on with my life." She smiled at him before she looked at everyone else again. "I want to be able to love again, to feel loved again. So here I am, trying to fix that which is broken." More tears fell from her eyes as she looked at everyone to see how they would react to what she had said.

[Casandra Lightheart]

Cas listened to Dr Blake, she wanted to slap him; instead she bit her lip and remained on the piano bench. Almost every time she had seen this man he had insulted her; had he really just insinuated that she was trying to make Tasha commit suicide?

She was not going to start this fight; now was not the time. She barely registered what Pip and V had said.

Then Tasha was talking.

"I'm sorry Tasha, I didn't mean it to sound so harsh."

She just wrapped an arm around Tasha and remained quiet while she spoke. Casie knew about ninety percent of the story that was being told. What she didn't know was that Gawain had killed Gareth.

Silent tears began to fall, what must Tash have been going through. Gawain was like her alpha male, and he had killed the man she was supposed to marry. Then there was Gawain he had killed his brother. No wonder Tasha had been so distant since she came back.

When Tash looked at her she smiled back and listened as she finished talking.

[Epiphany]

Well, didn't Tasha have a circle of friends about her. As she was told, that's what they were: a collective of concerned friends all there to check on her well being and to help her through this trying time in her life. People that were a lot closer to her than Epiphany who had not met any of them until they came to the Inn.

Therefore, while she was invited to stay - more or less - she didn't think that she should as things seemed under control by everyone else. Maybe if there were less people . . . with everyone here - especially Venis and Ha'Ruil - what difference could she make? Besides, Tasha had said it herself, the fancy had not passed, she simply lacked the courage.

Now Epiphany did want to say something on how if a person was not strong enough to push through a trail, if they had to second guess it and try to convince themselves that now was the time to move on, then they were not really ready at all, but she kept the comment to herself. By the way it was shaping out Tasha was going to do this whether she truly wanted to or not. Epiphany had learned the hard way when it came to forcing growth to happen before its time. Perhaps this was something Tasha had to learn as well.

There was something that caused her to linger (yes, she was still on the steps, having never come over when the invitation was offered) and that was the possibility of story. She loved hearing stories and therefore she walked slowly up the stairs while Tasha spoke. That was, until, she had mentioned Gawain. Hearing his name in relation to this story made her flinch. Not because of what he had done, but because of other things.

So, while they all were busy listening in on the tale, she croutched down and crept quickly up the stairs and away.

[Guest]

((WW Just curious about if he's gunna post to the piano thread again or just leave it at he went upstairs and missed the story.
Super Hero i dunno yet
Super Hero i think he probably left also
WW That's cool. Just askin so I knew who's turn it was.
And on that note, I'm taking my turn. If Super Hero changes his mind he is welcome to jump back in.))

Venis did already know a good sized chunk of that information, but it was still hard for her to relive as Tasha told of it all. While she was listening, she closed her eyes and lowered her head. She could feel Tasha's sadness, she could feel Casie's sadness coming into play as well. Dr. Blake had headed for the stairs, he just seemed very tired.

Epiphany, now Epiphany was admittedly harder to get a read from. But she did catch a moment of something, she just wasn't sure of what it was. Then there was Ha'Ruil. All she could feel from him was caring and compassion and empathy. So that was who she focused on, Ha'Ruil. Ha'Ruil's emotions were going to serve as a balance.

When Tasha was done speaking, Venis looked up at her. She waited until Casie was finished with what she was saying before she spoke. "Tash, you just need something to drown out the song playing in your head so that other songs can break through. Do you want me to help?" After all that time in Tasha's head she wanted to ask first.

She wasn't about to do it without permission. But she figured she had a pretty good idea of how it could be done. She was still focusing on Ha'Ruil to maintain balance, because if she let their sadness over take her, her stomach would be too upset to help and that wouldn't be good. So she needed to keep her stomach as calm as possible.

[Ha'Ruil]

He kept his hand on her shoulder feeling her cheek on his hand. Then she started to talk about her past, He has never asked her about her past well at least not that far back. When he started to hear about the past men his face did not flinch, in his mind he is a realist he knows there has been other men in her life, but in his mind also went the thought who would hurt this woman, she was nice, caring, funny, beautiful and has the most gorgeous green eyes he has ever seen. He listened intently as she talked about the other person named Gawain. He hasn't met that person now has he met this other one named Dre. And then when she talked about him he just smiled squeezing her hand like she had with him. And then when she talked about her heart being broken, he said what came into his head.

"Dear I am sorry for your broken heart but I hope I will be able to mend it. And dear you do not have to do this if it hurts to much, it can be done at anytime that you wish dear. I am patient."

He just smiled as he leaned down and put his arms around her and he hugged her. While he had his arms around her, he heard what the other people have said and he just smiled. She had so many people here to help her. And when he heard about Venis talking about drowning out the song he got an idea.

"Dear if you want you coudl always play a different song and I would be able to help you with it. I do know how to play a few instruments."

[Guest]

So there it was. The source of her nightmares, which was why she wasn't sleeping well, which in turn was why she was forgetting things. But all that had changed. Little by little, over the last four months, things had changed. She was sleeping better. She was eating better. She was remembering things. And the nightmares were few and far between, not to mention milder by far.

Would she go into the details of those nightmares? Not a chance. She didn't want to remember them. Especially not while sitting in front of a piano. She smiled to Casie as she saw her tears start to fall. "It's ok, I know you didn't." She felt bad that she had made Casie cry. She leaned over long enough to give her a hug because Cas had put her arm around her.

She waved to Epiphany and Dr. Blake as they left then listened to Venis. As she was listening something truly wonderful happened. Ha'Ruil hugged her. She so loved it when he hugged her. It always made her feel so safe and secure. After Venis had finished what she was saying Ha'Ruil chose to add to it.

She smiled at her sweet and wonderful boyfriend. "Dear, it happens, hearts get broken." She just left it there. After all, she was sure that there was someone out there who had been in more pain than her with their broken heart. His offer to help caught her a little off guard. "I do want to play a different song dear, but I think that you might be misunderstanding. It is not that I need to be taught a different song, I know several." Or maybe she was misunderstanding?

She looked at the keys again. "No, I have to be able to play the piano again, and it is time that I stop avoiding even trying. But will you pull up a chair so you can sit behind me? If you sit there, and hold me, I will be able to smell you very strongly. That would help me a great deal." Yes, her sense of smell would give him away and would make it easier for her.

She looked up at Venis, then over at Casie before turning to Ha'Ruil and kissing him. It wasn't their longest kiss, it was more like one of those lingering pecks to the lips. A sort of movie kiss in a way. Then she looked at Venis and nodded. She closed her eyes and placed her fingers upon the keys once again, leaving the note in her lap. She waited for Ha'Ruil to be wherever he chose to be and then would begin.

[Casandra Lightheart]

Cas gave her an encouraging smile and stayed where she was. Her story sounded all to familiar. Men she loved dying and leaving. It was her fate, It did not have to be Tasha's.

She knew this was an important step for her. This was something that she needed to do to move on. Something she loved but had avoided doing for a long time because of Gary.

She made a note to go seek out Gawain. She felt the need to see her brother. That would wait, it would have to. Tasha needed her friends around her for support.

[Guest]

Venis nodded as she looked at the other two present. Then she looked at Tasha. She watched as Tasha closed her eyes. she whispered softly to her. "Now, play." And as Tasha's fingers began to tickle the ivories, in her head she would hear Venis' melodic voice. She had let her mind find the first song that would come forth as she opened a mental link to Tasha.

The first thing that came to Venis' mind was a song from an animated movie she had seen with Nat a while back. ~Ahahah ahahah ahahahahah ahahah, ahahah ahahah ahahahahah ahahah, ahahahhhhh.~ She continued this getting louder and louder so she could drown out the song that had been playing in Tasha's head for so many years.

[Ha'Ruil]

He just smiled at her as he shook his head.

"No dear I meant would you like me to play something on another instrument, I can play a few like the lute, a harp, a few wood ones."

He just help her close letting her know that he was there for her. He then heard Venis talking and then heard her sing something that he never heard before. It sounded nice that all he could think.

[Guest]

"No thank you dear." Was all she could say in response to Ha'Ruil before Venis told her to play. She let her fingers move along the keys in any random order. There was no rhyme or reason to the order in which the notes rang out. She could hear Venis in her head.

Unfortunately, she could still hear The Rose as well. And soon her fingers started hitting the keys in the right order for the song to play other than in her head. She shook her head and stopped playing for the length of four beats of a four four scale. Then she began to play again.

She chose to speak as she played, though it was rather hard at the volume of Venis' singing. Venis was getting so loud, that Tasha wouldn't have been surprised if Ha'Ruil and maybe even Casie could hear her at this point. But she chanced another story anyway.

Another difficult topic. "In the dream, Gary is sitting at the Piano. He's playing The Rose in the Piano Bar of the SBR." A sigh as she started to play The Rose again. Another four rests then playing again. "He kept playing, faster and faster, harder and harder."

A turn and twist of her head to pop her neck as she continued to sit there playing with her eyes closed. "When I notice the red, first spotting the ivories, then running off of them like waterfalls, it was like he had gone absolutely mad." A rather ironic statement as he had gone mad.

But Gawain had ended his suffering and saved them all from what Gary could have done to them. "I asked him to stop, pleaded with him." Back to that cursed song. Four rests then play. "He kept playing. I walked forward and reached for his shoulder. But he vanished." Another sigh.

She was getting to where she would play along with Venis' voice for a bit but then would find her way back to The Rose. Four rests and play. "All that was left behind was a pile of clothes upon the bench. Then I would hear laughing. It was Schala." Her notes changed from light and airy to dark and looming.

It was almost as if she was playing a soundtrack for her story. "I turned around to see Schala and she was laughing at me, at Gary going away. But then a giant hand came out of nowhere." The music had yet to return to The Rose, but the notes she was hitting were very gloomy and wicked sounding.

But the slightest tug of a smile at the corners of her lips gave away that she wasn't completely displeased with this part of the dream. "Just like when Onyx had crushed me nearly to death in the Piano Bar one night, so he was doing Schala in my dream. She screamed out in my dream, until she could draw no more air." The music was lightening again.

She took a deep breath. "Then when Onyx released her I went over to her. I told her that she must have really pissed someone off. Then I tended to her wounds and healed her." A shake of her head. "But most of the time, I woke up as soon as Gary poofed." She had a tear escape her eye as she played.

Venis' voice was still filling her head, she was surprised she could even remember the dream with the sheer volume in which V was singing. But she hadn't reverted back to The Rose, yet. She was getting closer to getting that song to stop playing in her head. And that was the goal.

The problem was the talking about the nightmare. She had not expected to do that and it was right there on her mind now. And he was struggling because of it. She opened her eyes and looked up. Fingers stopped all movement and she reached up to close the cover over the keys.

She took a deep breath and grasped the note in her hand. "I need some air." She rose from the piano and headed out the door. She wanted to clear her head before she tried to play again. But she didn't end up returning to the piano before Venis announced it was time for them to move on.

((Done here too.))

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