Armageddon

“All right,” Philippe said, in a steady voice, “go ahead then.”  He pulled his knife out from his boot.  “I am ready.”

“What do you mean, you’re ready?” Kitty demanded.   

Philippe gave her a grim smile.  “You know what I mean. If you die, so do I.”

“You don’t mean that!”

“Oh, yes, I do.  I have lost you over and over again, but I have survived it because hope, however small, always remained.  But if you die, hope dies with you.  That I cannot survive.  I know this now, so why delay the inevitable?”

“Philippe!” Kitty yelped.  “That’s not fair!”

“How is it not fair?  It is exactly what you mean to do to me, is it not?”

Kitty felt a flash of anger rise up in her. And then she thought of Jack, and the anger died again. What difference did any of it make anymore? “I don’t care,” she whimpered. “Just please go away and let me die.”

“I am afraid that is impossible now. My fate is tied to yours.”

“I don’t believe in soul mates or in this stupid guardian intuit thing!”

“Then prove it,” Philippe said. When Kitty just stared at him, not comprehending, he told her, “If you truly believe I will plunge this knife into my heart, you will not be able to pull that trigger. Your subconscious will not allow it.”

“Oh, for god’s sake, I’m sick of this nonsense,” she said bitterly.  Her finger rested on the trigger.  

In response Philippe moved the knife so that the point touched his stomach.

Another sob rose up in Kitty’s throat, as she shouted at him, “Stop pretending!  You don’t want to die!”

“No, I do not.  But I am more afraid of a world without you than I am of death.”

“Even if I hate you?”

“Even if.”

An eternity of silence passed.  

“Fine,” Katie said softly.  “Then I’m going back.”

“You know you would not survive the passage—it would be no different than putting a bullet into your head!” Philippe barked, but Kitty answered, “Except that it wouldn’t. You see, Jack gave me some of his blood. I have cells again.”

“There is no proof such a thing would work!” Philippe returned.  “It is far from certain that if you step through the window you would survive!”

“Only one way to find out.” 

When Philippe started to argue again, Kitty told him, “I’m sorry, Philippe.  I do love you—I have for so long now.  I just can’t be in this world for another minute.”