Mountainous Estate

'thats not fair. I dont know waht i have done in the past...and you, you will have a biased view on anything i do, because its not the same goal.'

"River.... there comes a time we must all reflect on our lives path.."

'I cant do that!' I sigh, shaking my head. 'I dont know who i am...'

"That's why this is a perfect time to do it! The other side hates you for your continued support of me and Death, now you can lock away all the betrayal from them and just join with us.."

'But it jus...I think about that and it scares me. i dont want to be evil, crouch.'

"What is evil? What is good? One man's saint is another's sinner..."

'Yes, i know that you cannot define things as good and evil. i have you as a brother, i think your good...no one else does. But...i dont want to hurt anyone.'

"Why? What do you owe everyone else? The ones who stood by, laughing as we were tormented and abused, and humiliated daily?! We don't owe them a thing, but THEY owe us everything..."

i flinch slightly. 'How is abusing them back any better?'

"The only way people can understand each other is for them to go through the same experiences..."

'what you went through as a child...I wouldnt want to inflict that on anyone, not even if i hated them.'

"But why not? It's their fault it happened, and they're going to burn for it..."

'your never going to change, are you?' I ask softly.

"I haven't seen a need to... I'm exceptional at what I do, and love doing it.."

'you were also exceptional at being a caring and kind brother...'

"...I wasn't..."

'yes you were. and dont argue.'

"I didn't save you, when I could've..." His eyes looked out the window, "I remember one night..."

I walk over to him. 'Every time he hurt you because of me, you saved me. leave those memories in the past, Crouch...I am here now....because you saved me.'

He turned and looked at her, "What makes you think I can do that? Just turn from the sea of blackness I am the veritable prince of? It's too late for me to be redeemed..."

'You dont have to turn away completely, just put those memories away. Crouch...honestly, i dont know how you feel about our childhood. not really. I know you hurt and i know that i did everything i could to help you but... you are basiclly punnishing yourself for everything.'

"BECAUSE IT WAS MY FAULT!!"

"If I had truly wanted to defend both you and me, what I should've done was go to his room while he slept, take a kitchen knife and carve him like a damn jack o lantern! But I didn't. Why?"

"Because I was weak..."

'You were a child.' I whisper. 'A child who was scared, not only for himself but for the girl that couldnt even fight for herself.'

"Well now nothing scares me... I can look at the world, and smile, and laugh..."

'no. things scare you. you just put on a mask that makes you look uncaring.'