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Legs was tired and wasn’t sad for his life to end.
“I want to watch the sunset. One last time,” he told Cleo
They both transformed into bats, and Cleo followed Legundo to a tall cliff overlooking the river. The same one he’d considered jumping off before Scott and Cleo gave him the offer to save more people.
They sat together, their legs dangling over the side, watching in silence as the sky turned from blue to gold to pink to red to black speckled with diamonds. When it did, they both stood. Cleo's eyes welled up with tears.
“I-I-I don't want to do this,” they cried.
“Shh, shh.” Legs stepped forward and wrapped them in his arms. He stroked her hair softly and whispered, “It'll be okay. You have Pearl.”
“I-I'm scared,” they whimpered, burying their face in his shoulder. “I-I don’t know what I’ll do without you.”
“You don’t need me, Cleo,” Legundo promised, “You have so many people who love you hopefully including yourself someday. Can you do that for me?”
“A-anything,” Cleo wept.
“Thank you, Cleo. For everything you’ve done and everything you will do.”
The doctor placed a chaste kiss on the top on Cleo’s head. Then he pulled away and walked to the edge of the cliff.
“I-I don’t know how I’m going to do this,” Cleo sniffled.
“Just look at it as… both of us going home,” Legs sighed.
“Okay,” they finally managed.
“Just, be good.”
“For you,” Cleo sobbed.
“For Oakhurst,” the doc stated, closing his eyes.
The stake burned as it stabbed through his chest. Then there was only black. He let himself slip into its cold embrace.
---
Waking up was unexpected; he’d thought that was the end.
Legundo looked around trying to see if he was still in Oakhurst, but no. This definitely wasn’t Oakhurst. The field he was in went as far as he could see, unobstructed by woods or mountains like he was used to. The grass was pearly white until it faded into black further away.
He was standing between two gates. The closer one was beautiful gold wire twisting delicately. It seemed to be lit from within with a brilliant white light. The further one had dark, dull, gray rods stabbing the sky. It was glowing red-hot in some places, and Legs instinctively knew that it would burn to even stand nearby. That’s when it truly clicked. Legs was in the afterlife.
There was a single man, dressed entirely in white, staring sadly at a shrinking hole of pure darkness.
The man looked up at Legundo. His eyes were red like a sunset, and his cream-colored skin was framed with snowy hair. A vampire?
“Ah, I thought I’d see you at some point.” His voice was soft, and his gaze was gentle and caring through the grief in it.
“Do you know me?” Legs asked, confused. He doubted he’d ever seen the man before.
“I’ve been… watching you since you got to Oakhurst,” the man replied hesitantly, “I was intrigued by your efforts to cure vampirism and your connection with my Owen.”
“You’re Louis,” Legundo realized.
“Yes, I am,” Louis replied with a small, sad smile.
The doctor looked to where the pit of darkness had been, realization dawning on him.
“What was that pit?” Legs didn’t want to be correct, but he needed to know.
Louis gazed at the now empty field, a tear slipping down his face. “Owen chose his fate with every action.”
He ducked his head and the tear splashed onto his hand. He looked at the drop with surprise as if he hadn’t realized he was crying. More tears started streaming down his face.
“I’m sorry. I had hoped to meet you under better circumstances.” Louis murmured, wiping the tears away.
“No, you don’t need to apologize over losing your love,” the doctor quickly reassured.
“I’m not crying for a lost love, at least not the way in which you mean that,” Louis replied sadly, “I’m crying over never truly having the chance to love him.”
“But Owen said…” Legs trailed off, realizing he probably shouldn’t press the matter.
“I indeed grew close to him over the months we spent together but I refused to let myself love him for I was afraid that he would turn away from me if he knew my true nature. I was afraid to have him turn his back on me and loving him would only make the wound deepen.”
Louis took a deep stuttering breath, even though it wasn’t needed, to calm himself. “I hoped that Owen would take my final gift to him and escape the town, start a new life following my example of peace. I hoped he would find someone that would make him happy or return to me after living his life.”
Louis’s voice hardened, anger and disappointment edging his tone. “He lost my love the moment he killed my innocent townsfolk.”
Louis met the doctor’s eyes again. “He seemed so fond of you. I’d hoped you could pull him back from the brink, but alas, he was determined to keep ahold of the past.”
“I’m sorry,” Legs murmured.
Louis’s expression shifted in surprised confusion. “What for?”
“That I failed you,” he supplied.
“No. No, you didn’t,” Louis reassured, “You did your best to help everyone. You simply can’t help someone who refuses to accept it.”
“I didn’t help though,” Legs sighed, gazing at the dark looming gate not far away. “I only ever hurt people. I know where I’m going after this conversation.”
Louis gently took Legundo’s face in one hand and turned his head towards the closer golden gate.
“You did your best,” he reaffirmed, “This place puts very little judgement on your actions and much more on your intentions. Owen wanted to watch the world suffer instead of forgiving the people who are dead and those who have done nothing. You always wanted to protect and take care of people.”
Legs' eyes welled up. “But I’ve killed and hurt so many. Far more than Owen.”
“You did it in order to protect. You fought for your nation. You prevented your men from dying by poisoning the enemies. You made mistakes and had terrible things thrust upon you, but those don’t define you. They didn’t define Owen either. But you two reacted so differently. He took the path of holding grudges and revenge. You chose to flip your life around and heal others. You’ve punished yourself enough, Legundo. Come with me.”
Louis held out his hand to Legundo. He took it hesitantly, even as he glanced back to the dark gates he was sure he belonged behind. Louis gently towed him to the golden gates.
“I don’t belong there,” Legs murmured, gazing at the golden gates.
“That Pearl girl was very right when she said you’re a hero with much too little regard for his life,” Louis refuted.
“I’m no hero.”
“You saved as many people as you possibly could.”
They’d neared the gate, and Legundo found himself doubting his place even more.
“But what about the people I lost?”
“Ask them yourself.” Louis threw open the gates.
Martyn and Ren were standing there waiting. Martyn threw himself at the doctor as soon as he could, hugging him tightly.
“It wasn’t your fault,” Martyn promised.
“Aye,” Ren agreed, “Martyn explained it to me. I deeply apologize for accusing you, but you must understand why I was fearful.”
Ren’s voice was a deep baritone, uninterrupted by his curse, though he still spoke with some of the formality he was used to from it.
“I do understand Ren. And I’m so happy you won’t hold it against me. I’m sorry for all of them attacking you, though,” Legs offered with a smile
“We were all in shock,” Ren waved it off.
“We’re not glad you died,” Martyn piped up, “but we are happy you’re here.”
Legs smiled. Maybe there was a way for him to make more amends.
“I need to find some people,” Legundo told them, glancing at Louis to involve him in the offer, “Do you want to join me?”
Some more apologies were necessary, and maybe not everyone he'd wronged in his life would accept them, but he hoped Louis was right about the intent mattering more than the action. Maybe he could heal. Maybe he could get another chance with some of the people he cared for. Maybe.
Definitely.