Love Among the Ruins
By Fewthistle

Author's Note: Written for Prompt Two of the first challenge at the the even_angels_ Community on LiveJournal. First and last lines by Flying_Peanuts.

Spoilers: Set after the end of Episode One, Series Three

Words aren't always simple when they have to embrace the consequences of life. God knows, Helen wanted to be able to tell Nikki that everything was going to be all right.

She longed to be able to walk into her cell and tell her that the court had agreed to hear her appeal. To tell her that she loved her and that they would be together, always.

She couldn't say any of those things.

She couldn't promise Nikki that next month, or next year, or even five years from now, that she would be free of this place.

She couldn't promise her that what they felt for each other would survive the harsh reality of their mutual prison.

She couldn't promise her forever.

She wasn't even sure if she knew what forever meant.

She did know that there was something fine and noble about what they felt. There were those who would say that it was unnatural, that it had nothing to do with love.

They were wrong, Helen thought, as she turned and walked away from Nikki, from the glorious wreckage of a love meant to last until the sun sank forever into the sea.

All things scream silently, she thought: We are a God in ruin.