((Outtake from ACN, post-fight with Brand and Aria. Lyrics come from Vai.))
Aria>:;lying on floor in shock::
Brand>::reading. Angrily flips pages. After several moments throws book against
the wall:: Get up, goddamn it!
Aria>::staring in shock at the ceiling::
Brand>WHAT!? What for godsake?!
Aria>::Dazed:: You kiss like a fish.........
Brand>::throws hands in the air:: THAT'S ALL?!?!? You lie on the floor for
ten minutes, and that's all you have to say?? What's WRONG with you!!!!!!
Aria>::recovering:: I'm sorry. Did you want a speech? Hmm.....::sings haltingly
at first, but her soprano voice soon rings clear and true::
Summer nights such lonely times
This memory does bleed
I need you in my life again
Fantasies release me from the
Bondage of my fate
The days pass like the falling rain
Your eyes reflect like mirrors
The beauty in your soul
But anger shatters precious glass
Can't recall the intimate
Secrets that we truly shared
The faith and trust we swore would always last
I only have myself to blame
You know it takes my breath away
To see you cry
To love I implore, I scream in the air
Claw at my chest and rip out my hair
Embrace me, or let my sprit die
Rescue me or bury me
Rescue me or bury me
Time is like a prison cell
For those whose crime is loneliness
When freedom's banging at their door
When all has been said and done
You must decide, swallow your pride, and
Reach out and take these hands forevermore
Rescue me or bury me
Rescue me or bury me
::Aria's voice fades away. Brand stands in utter shock, tears running down
his face.::
Aria>That better?
Brand>No.
Aria>Worse?
::Brand steps forwards and kisses Aria for a long time::
Brand>'I hate you.' 'I hate you too.' 'I love you.' 'Ok, me too.' Now that
we have gotten past that...........
::Aria moves to kiss Brand, but he stops her and leads her to a couch. He places
her on one end and him at the other::
Aria>::sardonic wonderment:: First date or something?
Brand>::hands to his head:: Stop Aria. Stop. I can't do this anymore. I know
you are playing with me...::she begins to interrupt:: I know you. You'd do it
just to amuse yourself. But I cannot, I will not let you play with me like this
anymore. You are killing me. I've been drinking myself to death, trying to drown
out thinking about you. ::picks at a scar on his wrist:: My sons are dying.........I
can't do this Aria. Rescue me or bury me indeed.....You are going to be honest
with me. If I find out you are lying, I will make you wish you had never come
back to life again.
Aria>Don't threaten me!
Brand>Don't avoid the issue!
Aria>Brand!
Brand>Aria!
Aria>::pouts in silence for a while, winding a pigtail around on finger::
Brand>::grabs Aria's hand and yanks the ribbon out of her hair:: Can the
cute act, I can't stand it!
Aria>::sits up straight, serious:: Alright. What do you want to know?
Brand>:;breathes deeply, forces himself to ask:: Do you care for me at all?
Aria>::Wearing her Confessors face:: That is not the question you want answered.
Brand>::grits his teeth:: Do you love me.
Aria>Yes.
Brand>Yes? ::she is silent:: Richard?
Aria>Richard what?
Brand>Do you love Richard?
Aria>Yes.
Brand>::frowns:: But.......
Aria>One does not preclude the other. Corwin is trying to kill you.
Brand>I....::lost:: Huh? I know. What does that.....
Aria>:;interrupting:: Why?
Brand>Why? Because I interfered with his love life.
Aria>Why?
Brand>Because ::points to her then up two (you, up two generations = Grandmother)::
pissed me off.
Aria>Why? ::Brand is silent:: Why?
Brand>Because I had an affair with your mother a long time ago. ::Aria raises
one eyebrow, but otherwise is unmoved:: And I rekindled it.
Aria>::there is a still moment between the two before Aria explodes and lunges
at Brand. They topple over the end of the couch and, after a brief scuffle,
Aria has Brand pinned with his face against the rug:: YOU LIED TO ME! YOU JUST
FLIPPED OUT ABOUT ~*MY*~ HONESTY AND YOU LIED TO ME!!!!!!!!!
Brand>::getting a rug burn on his face:: I'm sorry Aria. I didn't want you
to be upset.
Aria>Upset?! UPSET?!?! YOU ARE FUCKING MY MOTHER!
Brand>::struggling to keep his cool:: And you are sleeping with half my family
tree, need we go through this argument again? ::Aria screams in rage and pummels
him. Brand shields his face and weathers the storm. Aria soon collapses against
him sobbing silently:: I am not sorry for what I have done Aria. I will not
apologize, same as you will not apologize for being with Richard, or Bichette.
I will not ask you to. I will not ask you to foreswear them, either. I know
it is futile. But you must do the same for me.
Aria>::nods shakily and cuddles against his chest, curling her fingers in
his hair.::
Brand>::summons a pack of ice and places it against his head where she hit
him. Kisses her forehead:: I doubt we are ever going to have peace between us......
Aria>It is because we are fools, Brand.
Brand>You will not kill my son? I have lost too many of late.....
Aria>::nods::You will try to make peace with Richard, my part in things notwithstanding?
Brand>::nods reluctantly:: We have peace for now.
Aria>It won't last.
Brand>It is good enough for now. An eye in the storm can be a Godsend at
times. ::They kiss and eventually move on to other things. Aria leaves to find
Black several hours later::
Fini
Copyright me 1999