Disclaimer: I do not own Silent Hill 2 or any of its characters. I do own this particular fiction and the original characters therein, and blah de blah de blah and so on and so forth.
Author's Notes: This is the fic that I had originally intended to be my first Silent Hill fic, but other stories (chiefly SH4) came to completion sooner. Impaired is going to remain my main focus since I started it first, but I have been working on this one for a while and will continue to do so. So, anyhow, this is an SH2 fic, a sequel really, post the 'Leave' ending. I'm doing my best to keep people in character, so I hope I've achieved that.
Also, this fic will reveal itself to be AU later on, because of the state of Silent Hill. I tried to write it differently, but it didn't turn out as well at all, so, well, buh. Please read.
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C H A P T E R - O N E
She wasn't sure how long It had been calling to her, but she knew that she still did not want to go. If she went, she didn't know what would happen.
She hadn't done what she was meant to. Well, that could be argued. She'd certainly done all she could, and it certainly had almost worked. But almost was not complete. He, in the end, hadn't given in to his guilt or to his wants. He had been lost, and so had she.
James…
Perhaps it was the convincing facsimile of humanity she had been given, but she wanted him. She wanted him badly, even though her time as a human was long over. That taste of earthly existence and the desires that came with it had tainted her forever.
Maybe that was why she was afraid to go back to It. She would lose this aching feeling inside and gain a place with the whole. But how could she do that? It felt too important to just forget about. And in the whole, she would never have this intense need. She wouldn't have anything. She knew that, since she couldn't remember anything before awaking in Heaven's Night. All the memories It had given her had been taken away ever since her fall at James' hands. It was frightening to realize that she had no real identity.
So long she had been here, completely alone. So long.
("I don't have any reason to go on living, but… But I'm scared to die. I'm so afraid of pain.")
She was so afraid. So afraid that she was beginning to feel angry. How could It do this to her? How could It give her life and then just expect her to give it back? After all It had put her through? Three times It had brought her death and the pain that went with it without any concern for her. All It cared about was James.
James… James… James.
("I don't like being alone…")
All because of It, she had lost James. James didn't want her because of It. Because of what It made her do. James had killed her.
The anger built up; all the rage that had before been drowning in her suffocating misery and fear bubbled together, and everything else was consumed. Consumed and changed to a fuel or a catalyst and it was like she was screaming, screaming, screaming and reaching out. Reaching out to take like she had been taken from. No, no, not just that, but more. More! She tore at It; the ribbons ripped away and fell over her. Then she snatched at the shreds, pulling it all down. She took and took and It didn't know what to do.
It finally struck out, but her anger only consumed the blow. It enveloped her, tried to force her to come back, but she viciously latched onto It, forcing It to become a part of her. It pulled itself away.
And as It withdrew from her, as she felt herself grow to match It, she became aware of the cold floor beneath her. She drew in a deep breath, and the sound echoed in the vast room. The vast room atop the Lake View Hotel that didn't exist.
Maria opened her eyes. Her painted lips parted, and she breathed one word.
"James."
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On to Chapter Two, if you please.