darker_london | Eternity (Peter, Aly, Deirdre)

Peter didn't know why, but it was something he had to do. He had to go back to the place that had been his prison for nearly a week. The place he'd been restored to life. Peter made his way to the family mausoleum Aly had purchased after his death. He had to admit...for a place they put dead people, it really was rather nice. There was a wrought iron door with a lock, and lights on the outside. A chandelier hung from the stone ceiling, and the walls which one would day conceal coffins, were lined with marble.

On the highest rung of the mausoleum, there was a nameplate that read 'Peter Gabriel Kemp, Beloved father, friend and husband 1970-2007'. Peter frowned and he stared at it. It was weird to see his own grave. Incredibly unsettling. Not as unsettling as being in it, though. It still lay open, as Deirdre had had to break through the wall to get to him. Peter climbed up the ladder and he stared at his name. And then, pulling his pocketknife out of his pocket, he jimmied the nameplate away from the wall. It wasn't his grave anymore, dammit.

Deirdre leaned against the entrance and she raised her pale eyebrows. "Isn't desecrating a grave, some sort of horrible crime?"

"GAH!" Peter yelped, and he nearly fell off the ladder. "Holy crap, Deirdre-Rose!" He gripped the handrails with white-knuckled ferocity. "Don't sneak up on a person in a cemetery!"

Deirdre giggled and she moved in to the mausoleum. "Noted. You squeal cute." She waited until he descended the ladder and then she touched his shoulder. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm indulging in catharsis." Peter said with a small smile. "Why are you here? Did...is everything alright?" He hoped she wasn't here because someone was dead.

"I'm here because you are. I guess while you've been getting to know me so well, I've been doing the same." She kissed his cheek lightly, which made Peter smile.

"That is incredibly comforting." He showed her the nameplate. "And...to answer your previous question..I don't think it's necessarily illegal to desecrate your own grave. Mostly because when would they ever need that law."

"For punks like you, clearly." Deirdre glanced around at the mausoleum. "Are you uhm...going to keep this?"

Peter took a deep breath and he let it out slowly. "Aly likes it. In an incredibly macabre way. Every time she says 'I'd like to be there after I die' I want to flap my hands around and tell her to hush. But...she should get to choose where...er...you know."

Deirdre bit her lip and she nodded. Now that her two girls were immortal like her, she'd never have to lose them. But she still understood the fear. And Peter was going to lose Aly. It was a fact. Poor guy. "And there's...no way she'd-"

Peter shook his head and he leaned against the empty wall. "No. She...she asked me once if I'd like her to. I can't ask her to do that. It would keep her from William. And she loved him just as much. It's not fair. And...by the time she asked me, she'd already been poisoned. You can't fix that. Can you imagine? An eternity of...she's sick so often." Peter ran his hands through his hair, which...at the moment..seemed more tame than usual, as if it too was sad. "I don't want her to have to endure that forever. It's like...eternal torture just so I don't have to fear being alone? I can't put her through that. I'm not that selfish."

"Do...you don't think what I did was selfish do you?" Deirdre asked, her voice small.

Peter turned to look at her and he kissed her head. "No, Sweetheart. Kait was the one to bring it up. It was her idea, not yours. And Renee wanted it too." It was because Deirdre needed them. She was a demon. Left alone, she might lose herself to darkness. Deirdre needed Kait and Renee, and both of them knew it. Peter was different. "It wasn't you asking them to do it. With Aly...it would be me asking her. And I can't do that. Not to my Aly. I love her too much."

Deirdre nodded and she kicked at the floor with the tip of her shoe. "You'll always have me. I won't get a nameplate either. And I know you well enough to follow you in to graveyards...to give you hugs."

Peter grinned. "Damn right. And I am eternally grateful to have you with me, Deirdre." He slid the nameplate in to his pocket and then his hand in to hers. "Thank you. For coming for me. Want me to drive you home?"

"Peter taxi!" Deirdre said excitedly.

After dropping Deirdre off, Peter returned home to find his children playing with Gavin, making quite a bit of noise in the living room. "Aly's upstairs." Gavin said with a smile. Peter gave him a grateful nod and, after greeting and kissing his children, he ascended the stairs to his bedroom. He slipped inside to find Thomas asleep in his crib, and Aly asleep on their bed. The sight of her always brought a smile to his face, and he went to sit beside her.

Aly stirred and her eyes fluttered open. "Mmm. Peter. Hi." She gave him a sleepy smile and she curled around so her head was on his knee. "You're comfy."

Peter chuckled lightly and he ran his fingers through her hair, his other hand reaching across her to caress the small bump that was his unborn daughter. "I'm thankful for every day I have with you, Alyona." He said softly.

Aly blinked and she looked up at him. "Are you alright?"

Peter smiled, taking care to look reassuring. Poor Aly was far too used to tragedy. And...husbands dying. "Of course I am." He said, kissing her nose. "I just wanted you to know that. I love you."

Aly's concerned look faded and she leaned her head back down, kissing his leg. "I love you too, Peter. And I'm thankful. For everything. You. Our children. You." She smiled against his leg. "You make me happy."

Peter sighed contentedly and he leaned back against the pillows, his hand still buried in Aly's curls. "Perfect." And, at times like this, it really was.