Absolution (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"I think that anything we can put in her will do her good. No matter how it makes her feel in the long run." Kitty said softly, rocking Valentina as she whimpered in her sleep. "Even if she keeps it down for an hour, she'll get something from it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I just don't want to make it worse... The more strain she goes through, the more likely she is to fall to fever." Vincenzo sighed deeply, standing up straight. "It won't be long before more cases crop up... I've already sent word to the entire surrounding area, we've caught it early... but I have no idea if this could become another epidemic." He and Carmena held one another's gaze for a moment, remembering what they'd been through years back, when a strain of the same plague had sent thousands to Poveglia Island for quarantine, and most of them had died and been burned.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Vincenzo, we can't be afraid. If she's going to die, we don't want to have regrets." Kitty said, her voice wavering slightly as she thought about losing Valentina after everything that they had been through to have her. "And we'll protect her as much as we possibly can."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm not even going to consider that possibility," Vincenzo said firmly. "She should have inherited some of my immunity. Plague is not going to take any more from me."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You might not have a choice, love." Kitty said softly as she adjusted Valentina against her shoulder, knowing that he was dealing with some harsh demons. "But we'll all do what is best for her. She's not going to go quietly."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I didn't become a doctor and face multiple strains of plague to lose my daughter to it," Vincenzo nearly growled, more to himself than anyone. He stepped back outside, going to fetch more of his supplies.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty watched him go with a sigh, looking to Carmena and then to Brogan. "Go help him, love." Kitty said softly. "Make sure he isn't alone."

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan nodded, silently following after Vincenzo while Carmena fetched a fresh, cool cloth to place on Valentina's forehead. She took a seat beside Kitty with a long sigh. "I can't believe it's happening again..." She murmured. "Vincenzo has seen four different plagues in his life across the continent... And he and Valentine nearly died from one when they were just making their way in the world. Now, this..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"If anyone on this earth can pull her through this, it's Vincenzo." Kitty said as she held the cool cloth to Valentina's brow and gently kissed the top of her head. "He simply needs to focus on the task at hand and forget everything else."

 

[KieranSoares]

"And what about you?" Carmena met the younger woman's gaze. "You seem much calmer. I know you and Valentina have had a difficult time getting closer."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's all in her hands at this point. I can't force her to love me and accept me as her mother. All I can do is continue to love her from afar and hope that one day she sees that." Kitty said softly as Valentina whimpered and shifted in Kitty's arms. "I gave everything I had to her when I was pregnant. Much of it was spent in bed recovering and simply trying to keep her alive. I know she will never know any of that, but I'll never forget."

 

[KieranSoares]

"She'll understand it when she's older... Right now, she's a lost little girl. And plague isn't making it easier to recover."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I can only hope." Kitty said softly as Carmena encouraged her to hold out for Valentina to mature and come to realization that she needed her.

Valentina only slept for a short time before she woke up in pain, shivering and delirious. She begged for her Papa and Kitty helped get the little girl settled in bed where Vincenzo could lay with her.

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincenzo returned the instant Carmena let him know that Valentina needed him, and settled in bed with her, sitting against the headboard with Valentina resting against him. They both fell asleep before long, both exhausted after a lack of rest the previous night.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty quietly took care of the both of them, bathing Valentina with cool rags when her fever got too hot and encouraging her to drink and eat a little bit each time she was awake. When the swelling started on her neck, Kitty knew that they weren't out of the woods yet. She and Vincenzo and Carmena would take turns between them making sure that Valentina was comfortable.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan eventually returned to Vincenzo's cottage to look after his siblings, and at one point, Carmena went to check on them as well and took dinner over. The second night was even worse for Valentina, always on the verge of falling asleep, but in too much pain to actually sleep. Vincenzo napped around taking care of her, eventually using a hollow needle attached to a waterskin to inject fluids directly to keep Valentina hydrated. It gave him the ability to also add in extracts of certain plants to dull pain as well. By morning, she could finally sleep for a while.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty finally got Vincenzo to let Valentina rest on her own for a few minutes, making him eat a meal that she had prepared. She knew he was stressed and she knew he was frightened but she needed him to hold on.

“I can’t believe this happened.” Kitty said softly as she sat across from him, silently watching him.

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincenzo had gone through about half his plate before he leaned on one arm, resting his head in his hand as his appetite failed. "We couldn't have known..." he murmured. "Valentina must be one of the first cases... No one could've predicted it... But she's the warning sign for all of Venice... Because of her, fewer people will get sick and die, and the illness won't have a chance to develop and get worse..." He tried desperately to see the bright side, but when it was his own little girl, he simply couldn't.

 

[heartofcourage]

“She’s not going to end up like the rest of them, love. We’re not sending her to an island to die.” Kitty said softly, reaching across the table to take his hand.

 

[KieranSoares]

"That's not up to us. The local church and government decide that and send around plague doctors. But no one else aside from my apprentice knows about her... and this isn't an epidemic... They won't come around til it is. But if Valentina can make it a week, she'll recover and be immune."

 

[heartofcourage]

"If they come for her, I will run with her." Kitty said, looking at Vincenzo as he spoke honestly about what might happen next. "I did it in Greece and I would do it here."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It isn't worth thinking about." Vincenzo sat back and re-tied his hair back before standing. "I have to get back to work... People will be looking to me for help soon."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Vincenzo.” Kitty said softly, standing and coming to his side. “You’re doing your best for her. No matter what happens, you’ll have left no stone unturned.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"That won't make it better if she dies," Vincenzo told her quietly. "I know I have the twins and the boys and Selena now too, but... Valentina is my only little girl. I can't help panicking on the inside about this."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I’m sorry for all of this, love.” Kitty said softly, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tightly. “I wish I could take her place.”