Herbalists' Cache The demon sat there waiting on her porch

Her soft hums might have soothed him - maybe to be tied to the memories that she'd shared with Tambourine as the boy had grown. Maybe if they had come here before - when things were still good, and they were happy. The little vacation they'd always talked about. Maybe he could wish enough and it would be easy for his mind to convince him of something happy but he was too logical. He was too embedded in the reality of the situation. She was stuttering, stilling, and no matter how much Stark wished he could heal Octavia he wasn't enough to keep her. 

It would have been selfish to try, considering her state and how she was behaving. Her body was relaxing and he was so tender as he gently rested against her, every breath that he took in almost stolen from her. It was overwhelming, considering these last precious moments and how guilty that he felt for what had come between them. Maybe they might have been happy together. Maybe if she had stayed he might have been able to find someone to stop this. Maybe if he had gone after her she might have come home to spend her time with her son and even if this was still the path set upon the woman it might have been with more fond memories for her son. 

Now all Stark could do was stay with her and he would. He felt her body still twitching, still trembling, and he hoped that whatever he was offering her was enough to sooth her and keep her comfortable in the last little bit. "You'll be so missed, sweetheart." He said softly, realizing with a horrified whirlwind that she was fading quickly, far more so than he'd realized. 

A few scarce syllables left her lips and Stark's ears cupped towards her, trying to process them, hoping he'd remember them - but the moment would come back with easy clarity. Octavia would meet him in his dreams, nightmare and dreamscape all in one. Stark met her eyes, finding them glossy and dimmed, and he couldn't handle it anymore. Realizing that her breath has stilled, her heart ceased its beating. He buried his face in her fur and finally allowed his emotions to overcome him.