"You did what?" Tony's voice on the other end of the line was loud with surprise. "Sprained my stupid ankle in a pothole full of gravel. I'll be back in Monday, I'm just missing today." I said. "Do you need anything while you're laid up?" "No, I've got a friend helping me." I smiled at Madlax, who had just entered the bedroom wearing a towel, fresh out of the shower. "And the painkillers are just lovely." "You're something else, Vanessa." "You have no idea." I sighed, and laid the portable phone back down on the nightstand. Madlax went over to her dresser and commenced her morning rummaging. "I'll get you more ice in a minute." she called out from the corner of the bedroom. "Sorry I can't stay with you today." "That's what drugs are for." I smiled. "I've made some arrangements though- you won't be alone." "What?" I asked, feeling alarmed at the prospect of some strange agent in my home. Just then the doorbell rang, and Madlax sprinted down the hall to answer it. "This just will not do." I grunted, getting up and hopping down the hall, leaning every few hops into the wall for support. I heard a small gasp and looked up. There was a schoolgirl, in a plaid skirt, with pigtails on either side of her head, and eyes wide, staring at me. She dropped her books and ran over to me. "Vanessa!" she cried out, almost knocking me over with her embrace. I felt tears through my nightshirt, and hugged her back with one arm, bracing myself against the wall with the other. She seemed to be a very sweet girl, and obviously knew me. "It's okay." I reassured her. "It's okay..." I looked at Madlax, needing a name for this girl. "Margaret." Madlax looked pleased with herself, picking up the fallen books. "Um, Margaret. So pleased to meet you." I stroked the top of her head. "Margaret Burton." her voice was muffled into my chest. "I missed you very much, Vanessa." "Burton?" I asked. It never occurred to me that Madlax would have any brothers or sisters. I just assumed she had no other family. But here was a sister, hugging me. Madlax came down the hall, engulfed us both in a big hug, and declared that she was leaving. Scooping me up unceremoniously, she carried me to the sofa and sat me down. "Behave." she admonished me, as I rolled my eyes at her. "Study hard." she waved at her sister, and slammed the door. I scooted back on the sofa, making room for Margaret. She sat down, looking somewhat shy. Although she resembled Madlax in some respects, she was not as tall, and definitely did not possess the brashness of her older sister. "I don't have classes till the afternoon on Fridays. And I wanted to see you." she shifted uncomfortably, as if needing to explain her presence, and embarrassed about her emotional outburst earlier. "Well I'm glad." I said, and watched her smile return. "So...you know me...from before?" I asked, trying to get a pillow under my ankle. She got up and did it for me. "Thanks." "You're welcome." she looked around the room, then crossed her legs and looked at me. "I knew you before Madlax." "Really! How?" I was very curious as to all this, Madlax revealing very little to me about the time before. "You tutored me for school." I laughed, as I could not imagine I ever had the patience for such a thing. "What's so funny?" she asked, looking a little hurt. "It's not you- it's me. I can't imagine I would be a good tutor. Besides, you look like a very smart girl and I'm sure you do well in school." I added, trying to cheer her back up. "So I met Madlax from teaching you?" It sounded like a reasonable way to meet, and I tried to imagine our meeting. Maybe she came to check on her sister and I was there... "You went on a trip." she stared ahead, focused in the past. "You went on a trip, away, and you met her there. She was your bodyguard." "My bodyguard! What on earth did I need one for?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to hear any more. "You stole some data." she was so busy staring ahead, she missed my jaw dropping in disbelief. That I would do something so criminal! "She was assigned to protect you. She wanted to protect you...but..." "But I was killed." I said softly, trying sort out all this new information in my mind. She jumped up, clenching her fists to her side. "It was an accident! It wasn't supposed to happen- we didn't mean for it to happen..." the rest of her words were choked, and she started to cry. I gestured to her, and she practically flung herself onto my chest, sobbing. I wanted to cry too, but tried to remain composed, for her sake. I murmured to her softly, telling her it was okay, that everything was okay now, stroking her back until I realized that she'd gone to sleep. I closed my eyes, seeking the same escape. ---------- I watched the rain pour down outside, then dully poured another glass of wine. It not only helped with my ankle pain, it helped blur all the emotions I was feeling. "An accident..." I muttered, hearing Margaret's voice in my thoughts. So we had not even been friends- Madlax had been paid to be with me. I shuddered, remembering how Rimelda had said I was weak, and not worth killing. I must have been a terrible burden to Madlax back then- maybe that's why she spoke so little of it. I looked at my ankle, propped up on the coffee table, and sighed. "Still a burden, aren't I?" "I'm damn good too. I take pride in my work." the way in which Madlax had said those words.... "But you failed. With me, you failed. So am I just your second chance to prove something?" I asked aloud to the storm, then drained the glass and lay back on the sofa. "Am I – nothing more than a mistake that has to be corrected?"
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