//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Waltz of Two Hearts // by Misty Meadow //------------------------------// Taking a moment for her brain to compute, Aria stood stock still. The barmaid starting waving a hand in front of her face, before she blinked, back in the room. “Wait - are you telling me this isn’t the first time she’s sung a song about me?” Disbelief laced her voice. The Adagio she knew couldn’t even play the guitar, nor would she be caught dead singing anything so ‘mushy’. Top that with providing entertainment for free, and wearing her heart on her sleeve - no, she just couldn’t see it. “Yeah,” she nodded enthusiastically. “Three, four times a week she’s in here. Each time she plays that song - her first one, followed by a new one. Didn’t get to hear the new one today.” Aria stared at her incredulous. “Really. And each song is about how much she misses you, or her messing things up.” Once again she felt her heartstrings go taught. She had no reason to doubt the words of this woman, which meant that something about Adagio must really have changed. But right now, it hurts to much to think about. “If you don’t mind me asking miss, what happened between you two?” Suddenly feeling cold, Aria relived the last few months in her head, the memories overwhelming her. She was saved from both her thoughts and the question when her phone began to ring. “Hello?” ”Hey Aria, it’s Sunset.” “Hey Sunset, what’s up?” ”Sonata and I will be passing Pandora’s Box in about two minutes if you need a ride home?” “Yes - please. See you out front.” Aria slipped her phone back into her pocket, and turned to the still waiting barmaid. “Sorry, I’ll have to explain it another time,” she hefted up the guitar, “and if she comes back looking for this, tell her I’ve got it.” Without waiting for a reply, Aria stalked across the room and out the main entrance. The wind immediately bit her through her clothes, and she crushed herself into one of the buildings alcoves. She huddled there, hiding from her thoughts as much as the other patrons of the bar, until the low roar of a vehicle caught her attention. Through the window of the car, she saw Sonata smiling back at her. She waved her hand, beckoning Aria to get in, popping the latch on the rear door. Grateful for the short wait, Aria slipped into the back seat, clipping her belt on. “So how was it Aria?” Sonata’s voice was chipper, and looking at both her and Sunset showed two large smiles. She gulped, not willing to ruin their evening, she decided to lie about her night. “It was definitely something.” Aria feigned a smile, Sonata taking it at face value. With that accepted, the three settled into a comfortable silence for the rest of the way home. “Oh come on!” Sunset griped at the wheel. Half way home, they had encountered heavy traffic, to the point they had crawled to a standstill. While Sunset fumed, Aria had lay down, trying to get some sleep on the back seat. As the car started moving again, the telltale flash of blue lights flickered across the interior of the car. They were still moving at a crawl, so Sonata got a good view of the cordoned off accident. “Ouch, this looks nasty. Someone's being loaded into the ambulance. It’s… it’s… it’s Adagio.” Like a bolt, Aria was up and out of the car. “HEY!” Sunset called, before more motion rocked the car, Sonata being in hot pursuit. With no other option, Sunset mounted the curb, pulling her car off the road. Aria made it most of the way to the ambulance before she was intercepted by a police officer. “Miss, what are you doing?” “I’m her next of kin!” She pointed to Adagio’s prone form, lying to the officer. A grimace crossed his face before he let her go, waving her on towards the emergency vehicle. Sonata was less fortunate, another officer stopping her before she even got close. Reaching the the back of the ambulance, Aria explained who she was, a member of the EMT unit helping her inside. She found Adagio on the stretcher, and she almost wanted to vomit. She wasn’t conscious, but right now, that was a good thing. Her skin was pale, but there was a lot of blood, but few sources. A bandage had been wrapped around her head, a large red patch already soaking through, and her shirt was torn, another bandage slowing a large red line up her side. Getting her nausea under control, she sat down beside her, and took a hand in hers. “What happened to her?” She asked the closest paramedic. “We’re not entirely sure. Best guess at the moment is she was on the sidewalk when two cars collided. Pieces went flying, and she got caught in the firing line.” “Is she gonna be ok?” Aria half whispered. The EMT checked a clipboard, and checked the I.V. line he had just fitted. “Barring anything serious we’ve missed, she should be fine, and back on her feet in no time.” Letting out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding, Aria settled back against the wall of the vehicle. She kept ahold of Adagio’s hand, but forced her eyes anywhere but the girl in the gurney. Each time she did, she couldn’t help but fear the worst. The constant rocking back and forth did it’s best to lull her slightly intoxicated mind to sleep, but worry put a stop to it. Soon, they lurched to a stop, and the rear doors were opened from outside. Watching as they unloaded Adagio, Aria followed them through the hospital’s ER, until they went into an x-ray room, forcing her to wait anxiously in the waiting room. A quick scan revealed pieces of shrapnel were still inside some of her wounds, and she was rushed into the operating room. It was during time that Sunset and Sonata arrived at the hospital. The blue woman shot in, quickly wrapping Aria in a tight hug, while Sunset strolled in and had a quick word with the nurse at the desk, before taking a seat next to her. “Hey. How are you? The nurse told me she’s in surgery.” “I’m, I’m… I don’t know,” Aria rubbed her hands together self consciously, “I was making some headway about my feelings, and now this happens… I feel so lost.” “I’m sure she’ll be fine,” Sonata grabbed one of her hands, “You know how thick headed she can be sometimes. It will take way more than this to slow her down.” The ghost of a smile appeared on Aria’s face. “Yeah, you’re right.” She looked to both of her friends, her face falling slightly. “Thanks for coming you two, but you should head home. Chances are I’ll be here and up all night, but you should go home and rest.” “You sure?” Sunset questioned. “Yeah. Besides,” Aria smirked, “I’ll need someone to bring me breakfast and a change of clothes.” She stuck her tongue out at Sonata, who returned it in kind, before the three of them lapsed into giggles. They soon left, each giving Aria a hug before waving goodbye. On her own again, the worry set in, but it was petered out slightly was a more rational part of her mind began to work. She knew full well that she had lingering feelings for Adagio, and the thought of losing her hurt, but they had split up for a reason. She didn’t want to fall back into something just for it to fall apart around her again. But recent events had given light to a possible changed Adagio, so would it fall apart again? Still skeptical, Aria’s mind flip-flopped between cold logic and emotional turmoil, leaving her crying at some moments and introspective the next. With the emotional roller coaster adding to an already long night, combined with the beginnings of the alcohols vengeance, the purple Siren was soon fast asleep in the waiting room chair.