Morning Coffee And Sweet Surprises (Closed to Poprockz)

[Drobabes]

After Sayori had gotten in the shower, Cora had sat there in bed for a moment. She debated on waiting until Sayori was done with her shower, but seeing as Ray had not given her strict instructions and she had just had a bath, she went ahead and just got dressed.

Searching through the closet, she chose the most mature outfit she could find. We're it not for the fact that she had no say in picking it out, she might not have minded it all that much. Might have even chosen to wear it herself, had she been feeling in the mood for something a bit more cute.

Once she was dressed, she made her way down stairs and took a seat, watching as Francisco stepped quickly and comfortably throughout the kitchen, his lips pursed slightly as he whistled. She let him be for a moment, her eyes simply taking in the ingredients that he was digging out of the fridge-eggs, bacon, milk. He was probably making some oatmeal too, but she found she had no appetite for any of it.

"Is he still alive?"

Francis didn't turn around to answer her, instead just speaking as he pulled out a bowl to scramble the eggs in.

"Is who still alive?"

"Don't play your fucking head games with me Francisco."

He paused, his arm still reaching down towards the silverware, and then he very quickly pulled out a fork and turned around. His face no longer looked so cheery.

"It's your first day home, can't we just enjoy a nice breakfast?"

"Did you enjoy watching him hit the ground? Or do you still piss yourself like a scared dog whenever you see a little blood?"

"I'll take that as a no."

He turned from her, not bothering to speak again until he had the bacon crisping up in the pan.

"You should know the answer to that Cory. Ray still has some use for him."

"Don't you dare call me that. I don't car-"

"Francisco!"

Cora's look of rage turned to surprise as Sayori called out with such familiarity to the man. It then quickly changed to something neutral and bordering on disgust as she looked back over to Francis, wondering how long it had taken the man to win their newest victim over with his sugar coated lies.

"Well good morning Ms.Sayori!" he said, a big grin lighting up his face as he seemed genuinely happy to see her.

"No need for such formalities. Now, how do you take your eggs? Sunny side up with a large helping of bacon? I can even make you a smiley face on your plate, if you like!" he said, laughing as he turned back to his work. At the table, Cora pulled her glass of water to herself and looked away.
_____________________

As soon as he heard 'Sabastian', his head whipped up and he paid very close attention to what Robert had to say. When he was done, he looked shocked and his eyes got a bit moist.

"Is he...is he alright?" he asked, his voice almost shaking. The rest of the details were minor compared to that one simple question, and the shock of hearing that he had been captured had Vin's imagination running wild. Had they beat him too? What had happened? How had he gotten captured? Was that why they hadn't been able to track him down?

 

[Poprockz]

She smiled, enjoying the fact that she got to see him again. Of course she knew he worked for an evil man, that he was complicit, but that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy his company. In situations such as this where there was barely any hope, light, or laughter to be had, the moments she did find were precious. The very fact that he took no pleasure in cruelty was what she liked most about him.

"Hm..." Walking in, she looked at the pan with the sizzling bacon, her mouth watering. "Yes, I would like that very much. I would also love some coffee if that's alright, but I would settle for juice as well. I hadn't seen you for a few days, so I wondered what had happened." She looked at him curiously before walking over to the table, sitting next to Cora and giving her a smile as well, her own smile becoming a bit confused as she saw that neutral glare on Cora's face. Did she not like Francisco?

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Robert nodded, "he's fine, if a little shaken and bruised. I think Jameson mentioned something about his back too, but he seems to walk around just fine to me. Based on what he told me, he had been picked up right that same morning that your group split up, and that the main reason they kept him was to get some eggs from him." He continued to help Vin along as they walked, the other two people helping Damien along in front of them.

When they got to the end of the tunnel, they were at a small military vehicle, the woman and Dave situating Damien in the back of the vehicle before getting into the front of the car themselves, now unable to hear any of the conversation. Robert himself helped Vin up into it and then set him on one of the benches, buckling him in and sitting down next to him as the vehicle started and drove off. Bowie's head poked out of Damien's collar, the snake having been wrapped around him from inside his shirt.

 

[Drobabes]

"Fresh coffee, coming right up! Just let me get some water boiling."

Cora didn't look at Sayori as she sat down, her mood being too foul to interact with her. She didn't want to take her anger and hate out on Sayori, as she knew the little women likely was only being so friendly with Francisco because she knew very little about him.

"As far as where I have been, well, you know how taxing the military can be on an Officer. Especially in the apocalypse" he laughed, flipping the pieces of bacon out onto a plate before cracking a few eggs into the pan.

"I doubt it has anything to do with the military and everything to do with you fucks cashing in favors" Cora growled, her hazel eyes looking over to Francis with disgust once more.

"I wonder how well the slave market is doing, now that there's no real authority to flush it out."

Normally she would not have talked like this. At least, not to the other Officers. However, Francisco had always allowed them both to get away with a bit more lip as long as they didn't make his job too hard, and as long as they didn't say too much in front of Ray. Though in that case, Fran wasn't the one doing the punishing.

"Well since you are so interested in knowing, Cora," he said, his eyes looking over his shoulder as his voice lost a bit of it's cheeriness. She was really putting a hamper on his mood.

"It is not doing as well as you would think. We've got quite a bit of competition with the violet eyed people."

He pulled out two mugs from up above, and then started to reach for a third.

"Do you want coffee, too?"

"I don't want anything from you, you two faced bastard."

A little smirk pulled up the corners of his lips, but his brow also twitched in mild agitation. If this was what he had to deal with for the next few weeks, then he might have to dip into that bottle of liquor that Angelique had gifted them.

"Ah, well, if you are going to be such a brat then you better not be surprised when you're omelette isn't as light and fluffy as you usually prefer."
__________________

Vin took a few minutes to get himself together as they walked, the news of it almost overwhelming him. He had so many questions, but above all, he was just thanking whatever god existed that Sabastian was still alive and well, and free.

Bowie, sensing the presence of Robert in a much stronger way than he had with Sabastian, looked over to the man with curiosity. His little head then turned to look at Damien as he bobbed for him, and then turned to look back at Robert, almost as if he were excited by the other man's presence, and, like a child, wanted Damien to take notice too.

Though they were in the back of the vehicle, Vin wasn't sure if their conversation would be heard, so he kept his voice a bit quiet as he looked to Robert for answers.

"Who picked him up? And you had said you smelled him on Tommy? I know Tommy, he was at the first base I went to. I had thought he was a friend..."

He sat back and cleared his throat a little, his eyes almost shifting over to Damien before he stopped himself.

"Though, my judgement's been a little off lately."

 

[Poprockz]

"As far as where I have been, well, you know how taxing the military can be on an Officer. Especially in the apocalypse."

Francisco's laugh only made Sayori's smile a bit wider, the woman opening her mouth for a lighthearted reply when Cora answered. Her words were harsh, making the vibe in the room very uncomfortable for Sayori. Closing her mouth, she looked down at the table and shifted slightly, pursing her lips. It felt very similar to when her parents would argue, or when two of her friends would get into a fight.

She really didn't like this conversation, especially so early in the morning. It was putting a damper on her illusion of normalcy and she needed a bit of comfort right now. The only thing that could possibly make things worse were if any of the other officers or the General showed up. That being said, she still wasn't feeling very positive that today would be at all peaceful with the two of them bickering.

Suddenly, she got up, walking away from the table brusquely and saying a short, "I'll be back. Restroom," before quickly ascending the stairs and going into their bathroom. She simply stood there, closing her eyes and breathing a bit as she leaned against the counter. It was so peaceful there that she wished she could hide there longer, but she soon knew they would be asking where she was if she wasn't quick. Sighing, she opened the door and exited the room once more, pausing in the hall to look at one of the pictures of Quint. She wished he was there right now with them, starting to get a bit worried since she hadn't seen him since...well, since their little tryst.

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Damien gave the little serpent a forced smile and nodded at him, sighing tiredly before saying, "I know Bowie. He's just like you."

"Who picked him up? And you had said you smelled him on Tommy? I know Tommy, he was at the first base I went to. I had thought he was a friend... Though, my judgement's been a little off lately."

Robert caught Bowie's eye and smiled, letting one of his appendages come out from his side and extend over to the snake, as though offering for him to come over or to at least sate his curiosity. He got the feeling that Bowie was nothing but the most loyal of animals, admiring how intelligent he seemed. The bible said that the devil took the form of the snake, but he couldn't ever imagine Bowie being anything remotely close to evil.

"He said one of the General's lackies named Jonathan picked him up. Basically, he saw a woman as he was walking and she seemed hurt so he stopped for her to see if she was okay. She was being forced to approach him, and ended up secretly tranquilizing him. They tied him up and carted him to the base. As for him, no, no. Tommy's one of the good ones. He was even the one who led the rescue. He had been infiltrating the General's ranks on behalf of the resistance after getting Jesse and her dad out."

The zombie shifted, following Vin's eyes and glancing at Damien, wondering to himself if something had happened between them.

"Sabastian and I have been staying at the outermost building, third floor up. When you're better, you should visit him."

 

[Drobabes]

Francis turned at Sayori's voice, watching her as she made her way up the stairs. Once she was out of sight, he turned around fully and looked down at Cora with a bit of a scowl.

"Alright, you've had your jabs. It's time to straighten up, now. I was going to take you two out in the yard later to paint, but if you want to keep acting like that, then you can just forget it."

"Oh!" she said, suddenly throwing her hands up in the air and almost knocking her water over in the process.

"How fucking generous of you! To let us out of the house that you are keeping us locked in!"

Francis looked up towards the stairs, and then back to her, dropping his voice down a bit when he spoke.

"Yes, it is Cora. Unlike you, Sayori hasn't felt the sunlight on her skin in a good minute. She needs a pick-me-up."

Her hazel eyes shot fire at him, but ultimately, she quieted down a bit and hunched her shoulders.

"Why are you acting like you care? What, has Ray not broken her in yet? Is he waiting for me to fuck up?"

"No. He hasn't. And maybe he is, so why don't you start getting some practice in princess? Sit up straight and act like you remember your damn manners."

After that was said, he turned away from her and finished plating Sayori's breakfast up, having it ready by the time she was partway down the stairs again. Cora didn't say anything else, her anger giving way to what Francis was saying, and as he poured her a cup of coffee, she only met his eyes briefly before looking away.

"Ms.Sayori, your plate is ready. I don't have any fresh milk for the coffee, unfortunately..."

He looked up, noticing her lingering on a picture of Quint, and then he quickly looked away.

"But I do have some powdered creamer and sugar. Or, honey, if you prefer."
_______________________

Bowie didn't hesitate, quickly scooting out of Damien's shirt and then slithering up Robert's appendage until he was able to get on his lap. Once there, he sat up and looked Robert in the eye, his little tongue flicking with an overwhelming sense of curiosity buzzing from his mind. After a few seconds, a little mental image of Roberts eyes could be seen through Bowie's perspective, the feeling accompanying it being akin to amazement or wonder.

"Tommy's one of the good ones. He was even the one who led the rescue."

Vin's eyes widen a little, and then a slow smile comes to his face. He felt as if another weight had been lifted from his shoulders, the good news acting as just a bit of a salve for his troubled soul. He would have to thank the young man later, perhaps even getting him a bottle of liquor instead of just beer.

"Sabastian and I have been staying at the outermost building...When you're better, you should visit him."

A bit of pain flashed through his eyes and he looked away for a second, instinctively reaching up to rub the back of his neck, though he stopped with a hiss of pain as his rib cage suddenly felt like it had just caved in from that small movement. After taking a minute to breath shallowly, he finally looks back to Robert.

"I don't know if he'll let me. Something...happened to him, Robert. Before he left. I think he's scared now, to let me get close."

 

[Poprockz]

"... or honey if you prefer."

Sayori looked up from her thoughts, taking one last glance at the photo before walking to the table and sitting down again. By the brief look at Cora as she passed behind her, it seemed that she was silently steaming, Sayori wondering whether they had had it out while she was gone. While she didn't want them to fight, if they had to then she would prefer if they did it without her around. The pressure was always pressing down on her, the fear of what might happen next. She was afraid that if it got too much heavier she might really break.

"No cream or milk? I'm disappointed in you, officer. I thought I was staying at a five-star hotel." A little smile curled her lips as she looked over her plate and then back up at Francisco. There was a twinkle of mirth in her eyes as she continued, "I didn't want to do this, but I am going to have to leave you a bad review on Yelp."

Picking up her fork, she started eating her eggs, finding them to be delicious, the egg yolks runny and rich. The eggs were soon all gone, the woman starting in on the bacon. After munching on a few pieces, she sighed and wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"Is Quint not joining us? He wasn't at dinner either..." Her big brown eyes were concerned as she waited for an answer, completely oblivious to the fact that Cora hadn't been told yet. She assumed that would be one of the first things they told her, especially since Kuznet now had both of the siblings.

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Robert reached out and stroked Bowie's scales, amused at the amazement the snake was putting off. Though he didn't say it in words, he imagined the snake was saying something akin to: "wow, your eyes are amazing," by directing the image of his eyes to him. "Your eyes are quite handsome too, you know." He said softly to Bowie before Vin's response caught his attention. Bowie bobbed for Robert, a feeling of pride radiating from him from the compliment.

"Yeah, he briefly mentioned something like that. I think he said he went rabid. He told one of the leaders when he first got there with us." He paused for a moment, looking out the back of the truck pensively before returning his gaze to Vin. "I said it then and I'll say it now: I'm a bit suspicious on the timeline of it all. He goes ballistic and then right the morning after, they're already there in town to pick him up at the crack of dawn when he's not even more than several blocks from you. Ready with a prisoner who is forced to trick him. Doesn't that sound terribly convenient to you?"

Over on the other seat, Damien quietly listened to their conversation, Robert's observation piquing his interest. What if it had been planned, getting Sabastian away from them so they could lure the three of them to the correct base. Did that mean that the guy they picked up was a plant? He knew he didn't like him all that much, but at the time it seemed as though he was simply... at the right place at the right time.

Vin's look of pain wasn't lost on Robert, the zombie continuing, "that all being said, he is pretty-strong willed... If he's decided that it's too dangerous for you to be near him, then I doubt he'll change his mind based on speculation. He'll also be able to smell you once you get close unless you come from downwind... If he hears that you're injured though... Maybe he'll pop in at some point to check on you."

 

[Drobabes]

Francis laughed lightly as he brought Cora's plate of food over, avoiding those fiery forest eyes once more in preference of looking at and interacting with Sayori.

"I didn't want to do this, but I am going to have to leave you a bad review on Yelp."

He was about halfway back to the stove when he heard her words, and he almost dropped his spatula as he started laughing.

"Oh no! Please! Not that Ms.Sayori, anything but that!"

After he got himself back together, he scooped himself up the other half of the giant omelette he had made, snagged a few pieces of bacon, and then joined them at the table. He was quiet as they ate together, though his eyes kept glancing disapprovingly over at Cora as she seemed to simply push her meal around on her plate rather than get any in her mouth.

"Is Quint not joining us? He wasn't at dinner either..."

The clatter of the fork hitting Cora's plate rang out in the kitchen, and on the other side of the table, Francis muttered under his breath, "fucking hell". With her eyes wide, Cora turned to look at Sayori and her expression seemed to almost be angry.

"What are you... Quint's dead."

Her brows furrowed, and the anger in her voice made it sound as if Sayori had just told her a very offensive joke, targeted specifically at her. When she saw the look on the little women's face, however, her own expression quickly twisted into pain and she looked over to Francisco.

"Isn't he? Fran?"

The man put his own fork down, chewing slowly as he shot Sayori a bit of a stern look. Honestly though, he was just as surprised to hear the question. Had Ray not told the little bird to keep her mouth shut? Well, seeing as he never did anything without a purpose behind it, then he could only assume that he had meant for something like this to happen.

"I...I saw him...I saw his body... Is this a some sick game?"

Her eyes began to mist as she looked back over at Sayori, her look of anger gone and replaced with pain and pleading.

"Did Ray put you up to this?"

"She's not lying, Cora."

Francis crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, watching as the truth slowly sunk in. He wished he could say he was happy to deliver the good news, but there was never good news in this house.

"I..."

Her mouth fell open a bit as she stared down at her plate in shock. So many questions and feelings were suddenly flooding through her mind, but one suddenly forced itself to the forefront. Sitting up, tears spilling down her cheeks, she looked Francis dead in the eyes and on a whisper, asked,

"Can I see him?"
_________________

Vin was quiet while Robert talked, his eyes looking down as he thought about what he had to say. Indeed, it all was very suspicious. However, this General, as he was almost sure now that that's who had been following them and toying with them this whole time, seemed cunning. He wouldn't have been surprised if the man had been ready from the very beginning, and had just been waiting for the right moment to strike. But...

"It doesn't matter. Whether that son of a bitch had planned it, or was just waiting for a good time to strike, I don't care. I need to talk to Sabastian."

He looked up slowly, trying to give Robert a smile.

"But I'll take your advice and stay downwind."

 

[Poprockz]

“What are you... Quint’s dead.”

The venom in Cora’s voice made Sayori almost wince, her eyes confused and a bit bewildered as she looked at Francisco and then back at Cora. Had they not told her? Had she just divulged something they were keeping secret?

Perhaps that was why they didn’t bring him out: they hadn’t wanted Cora to know that he was alive yet. Her face went just a little pale as she realized that Kuznet would likely be angry at her for telling her. How was she supposed to know though? Nobody had said anything to her when they had ample opportunity to do so.

She glanced up at Francisco again to gauge his reaction and caught that stern look, only making her a bit more anxious. Shifting in her seat, she avoided Cora’s eyes and looked at her mostly empty plate.

“Did Ray put you up to this?”

Finally meeting her eyes, Sayori shook her head and hugged her own arms, “no, I-“

“She’s not lying, Cora.”

She nodded, simply sitting there as the realization really sunk in for Cora. Honestly, had she known that Cora wasn’t aware of him being there, she would have tried to be more tactful in giving her the news (if she was allowed to do so). Though she wondered why Cora thought he was dead in the first place. She had said she saw his body, but if it wasn’t his body, then whose was it, and why did she think it was his?

When Cora asked to see him, she too looked at Francisco. While she really wanted to see Quint as well, at the same time she felt like things might be awkward now between them. He had been coerced into something he didn’t really want due to her pushiness and lack of restraint, so she wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t want to see her right now. It would just bring back uncomfortable memories for him of being pushed down onto the couch, grinded on, and forced to give in.

————————————————

Robert nodded, smiling right back as Bowie continued to study him. He glanced at Bowie and closed his eyes for a moment, sending the snake a very vivid memory of laying out on a hot beach, the warm sand against his back and the sun beaming down on him. It was so comfortable, the man almost relaxed enough to fall asleep if it hadn’t been for the occasional laughter of children.

Bowie leaned forward and rested his forehead on the man’s shoulder, lazily flicking his tongue as he enjoyed such a nice memory. It felt like the sun lamp in Cora’s apartment, the noodle relaxing from the heat.

From across the truck, Damien watched curiously, wondering what it was they were saying to each other from in their heads. He too was happy that Sabastian was safe, but he didn’t think he would approach. Most likely Vin would confide in him and he would lose Sabastian as a friend as well. Pursing his lips, he looked out the back of the truck, watching as the base grew smaller and smaller. Damien would be alright without them, he told himself, trying to push away the feeling of pain twisting in his gut. He didn’t need them before, and he didn’t need them now. He didn’t need their laughter, their playful banter, nor their friendly gazes. He didn’t need them... He would be fine alone as he always had been, until Cora was safe. After that... he wasn’t sure where he would go from there after she was gone. All he knew was that he needed to know she was safe before he could move on.

Laying down on the bench, he grabbed one of the wool army blankets nearby and covered himself, letting his head rest on one of the folded ones, A hand came down to scratch his ankle before he closed his eyes and let his memories of the past weeks run through his head, soon falling asleep again.

“Well, I wish you luck then. The fact that he and I are special is something that is only known by a select few like Tommy, Kyle, Zac, and Jameson. We decided to keep it under wraps since most wouldn’t understand, as you know. I definitely don’t want a repeat of what happened at the church.” Robert sighed and stroked Bowie’s back, his hand running down the smooth scales, the snake looking as though he would have purred if he could.

“Ignorance is such a powerful thing, you know. They had known me for a while, seen the things I did and how I acted, and yet as soon as they discovered what I was, it was as though nothing else mattered. I suppose they felt betrayed by the secret itself, or maybe I simply represented everything that is wrong with the world now. Whatever the reason, I wish they would have at least put a little thought into who I am as a person.” He shrugged, “even if I was guilty, a good Christian would have simply cast me out and wished me luck on my path to redemption. While it is their responsibility to keep the congregation safe, it is not their responsibility, nor their right to condemn me. I’ll be judged by the lord at the gates, and no one can speak for him.”

“Hah...” Robert let out a little chuckle, “anyway, Sabastian has to at least pretend to be human, so at least you won’t have to worry about him trying to jump out a window or something.”

 

[Drobabes]

Francisco stared at her for almost a full minute, his look hard as he thought about her request. He wanted to let her see him, of course he did, but at the same time, he didn't want Cora seeing her brother in the shape he was at the moment.

After Angelique had unknowingly dropped some info on just how strong their telepathic capabilities were, Kuznet had been none too happy to learn of the missed opportunity he had. Especially seeing as it was Sabastian, who was one of the strongest half zombies they had yet to come across, besides the fully violet eyed ones. Quint had taken more than just a beating that night, and his healing tentacle had been removed once again. None of his wounds were life-threatening, but he could barely sit himself up and he had needed assistance with the shower that morning-which was why Francisco was there at all. Otherwise, likely Niles would have just dropped off the equivalent of an Apocalypse Fast Food lunch box for the girls.

"No, you may not. Don't," he said, pointing a stern finger as Cora as she opened her mouth to argue.

"Even try. You've given me enough shit this morning-this is final. You'll be able to see him later once Ray decides it's time. Now eat your fucking breakfast, Cora."

She looked broken all over again. The shock was still clear in her face, but her shoulders hunched once again, and she couldn't bring herself to look up at either of them as she began to silently cry. She did as she was told though, slowly forcing her meal down, bite by bite, and when it was done, she weakly pushed her plate away.

"Alright," Francisco said, after he cleaned the dishes and put them away.

"Ms. Sayori, I need to head out for a bit. When I return, I will make us lunch, and we can enjoy a picnic in the yard. How does that sound?"
____________________________

"I definitely don’t want a repeat of what happened at the church."

Vin nodded solemnly, his brown eyes spacing out a bit as he remembered that awful place. His eyes were then caught by the movement of Damien's hand, as he reached down to scratch the tattoo he had given him. It sickened him to think that just a few days ago, he had drank and confided in the man, talking as if they were truly friends.

"Ignorance is such a powerful thing, you know. They had known me for a while, seen the things I did and how I acted, and yet as soon as they discovered what I was, it was as though nothing else mattered. I suppose they felt betrayed by the secret itself...Whatever the reason, I wish they would have at least put a little thought into who I am as a person."

His gaze shot back over to Robert, his eyes widening a bit before he looked away. Just as Damien had, he watched out the back of the truck as the scenery went by, his tired mind buzzing with thoughts and feelings that he was struggling to put consistency to. The anger was still much too strong for him to acknowledge the pain, but nonetheless, the seed of guilt had been planted.

"Hah... anyway, Sabastian has to at least pretend to be human, so at least you won’t have to worry about him trying to jump out a window or something."

He smiled tiredly and nodded, agreeing that it was a bit funny. But the truth was, he was worried. Just what the hell was he going to say to him, especially now?

...

It was a long drive after that, Vin just staying quiet until something changed. At one point, a car began to tail them. It made Delvin almost have a damn panic attack, until the women opened the small window to the back and informed them that another rebel had merely snagged the key that the soldiers had taken off of Damien, likely while he was passed out from exhaustion, and was driving his car behind them. They hadn't gotten the car's together otherwise their tracks might have been seen together, and that was just two dangerous to risk.

 

[Poprockz]

Sayori glanced at Cora with a bit of a pained expression when she saw her start to cry, diverting her attention to Francisco's dishwashing as she sipped her coffee. While she did want to comfort the woman, she didn't think anything she said would be able to make her feel better, nor would any physical touch of comfort. Guilt was settling in her stomach, the petite woman wondering whether why Quint's presence had been something they had been keeping from her. Had it all been an elaborate trick to make her think that her brother had succumbed to the virus? Had her words now become the reason for Cora's pain?

No, perhaps not. Maybe it was kinder that Cora find out like this rather than for the General to scheme their meeting, making sure that they united at the worse possible time. At least this way she would be prepared to see him, knowing what Kuznet might have planned for their reunion. In that way, part of her was glad she had let it slip, knowing that Cora would now be able to build up a shield for herself in preparation.

Once her coffee was done and the humorous officer was done with the dishes, she watched him approach.

"Ms. Sayori, I need to head out for a bit. When I return, I will make us lunch, and we can enjoy a picnic in the yard. How does that sound?"

Offering a weak smile, she nodded. "Yes. I think that sounds like a very good idea. It will be nice... to finally really be outside again." At that point her expression softened and her smile became more hopeful."

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The rest of the ride was spent in silence, Bowie resting against Robert while Damien slept opposite to them. Other than a few bumps here and there, the truck drove without incident, soon reaching what seemed like an abandoned town, the car trailing behind them. When they approached, Dave rolled down the window and leaned out, waving. A few snipers on the top of one of the buildings took their aim off him, seeing that it was Dave and that things seemed to have gone off without a hitch.

Slowing down and parking behind one of the buildings, everyone unloaded from the vehicles. Robert leaned over to Damien and was about to put his hand on the man's shoulder before those steely eyes opened and looked up at him. He had drifted in and out of sleep, but the stop in movement had roused him, hearing the step Robert took before assuming that it was time to get up. A smile was offered to him by Robert, but he could only return it with a brief half-hearted smile of his own.

What happened now? When were they going to rescue her? Every moment they spent there was a moment that the sick fuck who took her could be doing awful things to her, and that was hard to bear. It felt like it was constantly weighing down on him, the stress of worrying about her well-being. At times it almost felt like if he listened to the wind hard enough, he could hear Cora crying. Hugging himself, he got out of the truck and stood there, waiting for direction.

After Vin got up, Robert helped him down from the truck and pointed at one of the buildings. "That's where he is. Now would probably be your only chance to talk to him if you want to take him by surprise. Honestly, I know you want to talk to him, but you look like you're in pretty bad shape, so I really wish you would come with me and Damien to the medical building." Picking up a nearby backpack, he opened it and took out one of Dave's bottles. "If you're still dead-set on it, though, at least drink some of the medicine before you go, please?"

The bottle was offered to Vin, the man hoping that Vin would simply wait another day to talk to the blonde.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, Sabastian had seen the truck and car arrive in the distance from the second floor, smiling as he watched them approach but turning away before Dave popped out. He had been aware that Robert was going out for a mission, especially since it was really the only time he could jerk off while knowing he was really alone. Of course Robert could block him out, but it didn't change the fact that the other zombie knew exactly when he was touching himself. That fact fucking sucked.

Some of their recent shipment had been a bit jumbled, so to give him something to do, he had been tasked with emptying out all the crates from the shipment and reorganizing them so that similar supplies were in the same crates. He was about halfway done, but he still had some time to go before he would be finished.

They had been kind enough to give him some real clothes, a military outfit that fit him decently. The pants were dark green while the shirt was tan, a white bandage wrapped diagonally as a make-shift eyepatch. And of course, the gold locket still hung upon his neck, swaying as he moved and sorted things.

 

[Drobabes]

Fran returned her smile, wiping his hands on a clean towel.

"It's a plan then. Maybe I'll be able to find some real teriyaki chicken this time."

After things were settled, and with a final warning look shot Cora's way, he left the two women alone in the house, seemingly to do as they pleased.

For a long minute after the door shut, Cora was very still. Then, she sniffed a bit and wiped her eyes before looking at her new 'companion'.

"Sayori," she said quietly.

"I'm going to go see my brother. You can either stay here, or come with me."

Her gaze was determined, as it definitely seemed like there was no arguing with her. However, before Sayori had a chance to answer, Cora tried to soften herself a bit, and in a much quieter, and calmer voice, she said,

"I don't want to leave you alone, though. And I can promise you that if you come with me, you'll be safe until we get back. I can't make that promise if you stay in the house by yourself..."
___________________

There was no hesitation from the nomad, as as soon as it was offered, Vin reached out and took the bottle of medicine. He didn't know what it was, but if drinking it is what it took for them to let him go up to that building, than that's what he was going to do.

He twisted the cap off and stepped a bit closer to Robert as he took a few small drinks, his eyes briefly glancing over to Damien before looking back to the half zombie. Once he put the lid back on, he offered Robert a smile and pulled him in to a hug.

"I'll talk to you about it later," he whispered near his ear.

"But don't let Damien out of your sight."

After he had hugged him, he stepped back and gave him a pat on the shoulder, his smile still genuine while also conveying how important this was. He really hoped Robert listened to him, but if he didn't, Vin knew Damien wouldn't be getting very far.

"Thank you Robert. I really mean that."

His eyes drifted up to the building then, and with one last look over to the half zombie, he started to limp his way over.

...

The stairs were hell. It was only one floor, but it still felt as if he had just ran the highschool mile with a hardass P.E. teacher shouting at him to get a move on every time he started to slow. By the time he got to the top, he was taking rapid, shallow breaths and hanging onto the railing. Still, he was so close, and he wasn't about to turn back now.

After he caught his breath enough to make it the last stride, he walked forward and simply opened the door, not wanting to risk knocking and having Sabastian find a way to run from him.

 

[Poprockz]

"I'm going to go see my brother. You can either stay here, or come with me... I don't want to leave you alone, though. And I can promise you that if you come with me, you'll be safe until we get back. I can't make that promise if you stay in the house by yourself..."

Sayori had indeed been about to open her mouth to say something before Cora continued. When she had finished speaking, Sayori was quiet for a few moments, hesitating before saying, "I... do want to see that he's alright but... won't we be punished? Do you know where he's keeping him? The last time I saw him was in my room at the base and-" She swallowed hard, averting her eyes for a moment. The faintest pink glow could be seen upon her cheeks.

"Well, they had been searching his room and I don't know if they found something or not, but if they did then he could have been punished for it." The woman glanced at the door, wondering if it would be worth it. Would it be cowardly to stay behind just to avoid punishment? Would Quint even want to see her?

"What makes you think I won't be safe staying back here? I'm not safe regardless if the General shows back up again."

---------------------------------------------------

Giving him a slightly confused look, Robert nodded at Vin when he pulled back from the hug. He wasn't quite sure why Vin wanted Damien watched, but it couldn't hurt to do so at least until Vin got back.

"You're welcome and... I'll definitely keep an eye on his recovery." His voice was soft, hoping that was subtle enough. An encouraging smile was given to Vin before he looked at the building and started helping Damien in the opposite direction.

---------------------------------------------------

He had been so focused on his work that he hadn't really been paying much attention to the smells around him. If he had been more alert, perhaps he would have smelled the enticing musky scent of Vin and been made aware of his approach. As it was, he simply continued until he heard the door open, a sudden rush of smell coming to him and making him freeze in his tracks. His heart ached at the familiarity of it, the sense of deep comfort and longing it stirred up within him.

Sabastian knew that smell, but it couldn't have been Vin. It had to be some kind of mistake.

Turning around slowly, his eye widened as he saw him standing there in the door. He couldn't deny that his first instinct was to run, to jump out a window and simply spider-man his way to another building or something, but he couldn't do that in broad daylight. His eye had flicked to the window for just a moment before the realization sunk in and he looked back at him.

Though his mouth opened slightly, he had absolutely no words. It was utterly shocking to see Vin when he had been given no warning whatsoever.

That crystalline blue eye traveled over Vin's body, starting to take notice of the bruises and cuts. God, there were so many fucking bruises. He looked someone had beaten the shit out of him with no reservations about it. Even the way he leaned suggested that it hurt to walk. He had his own bruises from Niles's beating with that fucking baton and he was still sore from it, but it was nothing quite like what Vin seemed to have gone through.

He wanted to go over there and ask how it happened, express concern about walking up a flight of stairs in that condition, but he knew that it would only open up a can of worms he couldn't close. Instead, he swallowed hard and tried to get some moisture into his dry mouth before narrowing his eye and asking, "what are you doing here, Delvin?"

 

[Drobabes]

"Do you know where he's keeping him?"

A bit of a wild look came to her eyes before she looked away. A look that was not far off from when The General had scooped her up and pulled her through the door of their room, only to return her damn near broken and comatose. Yes, she knew where he was. That cold tiled room with the fluorescent lights that were so bright, it hurt one's eyes to stare up too long. His own personal dungeon...

"What makes you think I won't be safe staying back here? I'm not safe regardless if the General shows back up again."

She had closed her eyes and swallowed a few times, her hands forming into little fists near her thighs. Still, Sayori had a right to question such things, and likely even more of a right not to trust her. However, Cora knew how this worked. She knew the rules to the game, even if they were constantly twisted so you could never win. Opening her eyes, she blinked back tears so that she could look at Sayori with even a semblance of calm.

"Ray will punish us, yes, but not directly for things that we were never told not to do. He's twisted with his 'rules', but consistent at least... But, I told you before that we would never be left here alone. If Francisco isn't watching us, then it's likely Niles outside the door."

Her hazel eyes flicked up, watching Sayori's face to see if she understood.

"Niles can't be trusted. I don't know yet if you are important enough to Ray for him to keep his hands off of you, but I don't want to take the chance. And even if he isn't allowed to physically touch you, I know that bastard has a million and ten ways to make you miserable in every other conceivable way."
______________

Maybe it was just because his body was still healing from that terrible beating, or maybe it was simply because seeing him again sent his heart soaring, and, simultaneously, crashing back down to Earth, but Vin found himself not being able to stay on his feet. Staggering forward a bit, and with his eyes never leaving him, he reached out with a hand and grabbed onto one of the supply crates. Once he was close enough, he sat down on the edge of it and just stared at that beautiful face. That face that he thought he might never see again.

God he was beautiful, more beautiful than any picture he could have ever hoped to recreate. Even if he had had a camera, likely a real photo would have still paled in comparison. It wouldn't have been able to catch the way the sun softly came through the window and made his blue eye look like a sapphire jewel, or the way in which his honey blond hair seemed to have an ethereal glow, like an angel. Just...like an angel.

Suddenly tears stung his eyes and all the pain, fear, and insecurities of the past few days came flooding back. Now that he was here, right in front of him, Vin found himself speechless. His brown eyes became blurry, though the tears didn't fall, but rather stubbornly remained and clouded his vision of the man. What could he say? What he could he possibly say now, to make him stay? To simply give him enough time to tell him how he really felt?

"They... They took Cora..."

Was it wrong, to use her like that? To use his friend, who he still felt as if he had betrayed in a way, to tether Sabastian down, if even only for a few minutes? Maybe it was, and yet at the same time, Vin knew that no matter what happened between them now, and whatever they said to each other over the coming hours, he would need Sabastian's help to get her out. That much was true, and that much, at least, he knew he could do for her. Even if...even if Sabastian told him to hit the road for good.

 

[Poprockz]

That look Cora gave her wasn't instilling a lot of confidence in Sayori, recognizing the look to mean that she did know and that wherever the place was, it was a place she wished she hadn't known about. To go there willingly seemed a bit risky, but she couldn't deny that Cora's logic was pretty sound. It was true that he had never truly punished her in the true sense of the word, being that she had always been very obedient to his direct instructions. That being said, he could have a temper when he was disrespected, and she had no doubt that if he couldn't punish them immediately, he would find a suitable excuse to release his anger upon them.

At the mention of Niles, a slightly fearful look crossed her face as she too glanced at the door. She really didn't want to be left alone with him. Just as Cora had said, even though the General had assured her that he wouldn't touch her, it didn't mean that he wouldn't whisper poison into her ear, nor that his eyes wouldn't bore into her the way they did. She hated it, how his eyes seemed to drag across her skin and slip under her clothes, making her feel vulnerable and exposed. It was a blessing that he didn't know about what had happened between herself and Quint; otherwise, he would probably make a nasty comment about having gotten her hooked on being fucked in the ass.

"Yes... you're right. I suppose it would be more tolerable to be punished together than to be alone at Officer Niles's mercy." Sayori tried to steel her courage, taking a deep breath before nodding with a determined expression. "I'll follow you, just lead the way."

--------------------------------------------------------

Seeing the way Vin almost didn't make it to the crate in time, his body had flinched forward slightly, almost reaching out to catch him before finding the man safely supported by the supplies. If only he could walk over and throw that stubborn man over his shoulder and take him to Jameson, the blonde really feeling like Vin needed a doctor or rest maybe. Even if he wanted to talk to Sabastian, he shouldn't have put himself through the strain of coming up those stairs.

The way he was looking at him, his eyes fogging up with emotion almost made Sabastian want to do the same. Though rather than reflect Vin's utter astonishment at Sabastian's beauty, Sabastian only felt the stab of guilt piercing his core. He wondered whether Vin was trying to figure out how he could betray him like that, leaving nothing but a scathing note before ditching them all. If only he could explain himself, to tell Vin how he was really feeling. He wanted Vin to know that he didn't mean a single word of that letter, but he couldn't.

He had to turn away in order to calm himself, busying his hands with starting to reorganize again.

"They... They took Cora..."

His movements slowed as he soaked in that statement. So that rotten son of a bitch had finally captured his long-lost doll, had he? It was fucking sickening to think about, that prick with Cora in his clutches. It only made him want to tear Kuznet several new assholes even more, to make him pay for all the evil shit he had done and was still doing. At the same time, he felt a lump in his throat when he thought about how Cora must be feeling. She was probably reunited with Quint and possibly had Sayori for company, but that didn't mean that she wasn't feeling hopeless, alone, and scared.

Not looking at Vin, he simply said over his shoulder, "Huh. So you came all the way up a flight of stairs in your condition to tell me that something happened to her? Well sorry to disappoint, but I don't care. We'll probably get her back anyway once we take that big motherfucker down, but she's on her own for now." He was able to keep his voice even, if a bit curt. Though his curiosity was eating away at him so he had to ask.

"Since you're already here though, you might as well tell me what happened so you can get your broken ass over to the medical building- you look like shit."

 

[Drobabes]

She nodded, getting up quickly from her seat and then pushing it back into place against the table out of habit. Oh, such simple little habits already pushing themselves back into her psyche and breaking down every bit of progress she had made over the years. It was as simple and easy as knocking over a child's tower of blocks, one's that had likely taken such a great amount of effort and time to stack up just right, only to have the bully come along and with one swipe of their hand, send everything tumbling down to the ground. She hated it. She hated that she reckonized what was going on, and she hated that she would do nothing about it. However, stronger than her hate was her need. She needed to touch her brother and see that he was real, and alive.

Heading towards the front door, she didn't look around the house anymore. There was nothing that she hadn't seen hundreds of times, and right now, time was of the essence. Who knew when Ray would pop back in to have an evening snack?

Once at the door, Cora reached out for the handle. She paused briefly, looking down at Sayori and making sure that she was actually ready, and then she opened it.

The sun hit their skin, and despite how warm and nice it felt, Cora couldn't be bothered to enjoy it. Taking a quick look around, she noticed that no one was standing immediately outside, so she stepped out and waited for a moment. When nothing else happened, she turned to the left and started to make her way around the house, out towards the back where there was a 'tool shed'. They didn't make it very far.

"And just where do you think you are going, little whores?"

She froze, hearing that familiar voice behind her, and try as she might, she couldn't stop the gooseflesh that suddenly tickled her skin.
___________________________

It hurt so bad to have him turn around, to just be staring at his back. He didn't even care that he was being cold and callous, Vin just wanted to see his face. To look into his eyes and know that he was alive and really here, and that this wasn't just another tortuous dream.

"We've been looking for you" he said, his voice strained.

"And when we got to the base, he made me believe..."

What did he make him believe? Lies. So much of it was lies.

Stealing himself, he took a breath and tried to stop his hands from shaking as he sat up a bit. He had never been good at this, but he knew that no matter how uncomfortable it made him feel, he needed to talk and be honest about it. Because he was worth it. Sabastian was worth it.

"That General Kuznet tricked me and I...led him right to her. And after they had her, they knocked me out. They were holding me for...I don't know how many days it's been. Between the beatings, I was mostly unconscious."

He felt as if he was rambling now, even if he was just answering Sabastian's questions. He needed to get to the point.

"Sabastian, that note you left," he started quietly, though soon enough he quickly picked up into a nervous volume, the struggle of it obvious in his deep voice.

"I never meant to make you feel uncomfortable, or, like I was disgusted with you. How could I be disgusted with you, Bastian? You're all I've ever wanted and I didn't even know it until I met you. And if I made you feel that way, then I am so sorry and I need to tell you that it was never you. Maybe I reacted badly a few times, and I...well it just, after what happened in that diner... But that's not you and that is not us, and I just..."

Damnit! He was losing it, and he was losing him. Every little body movement he made was so hard to read, and Vin couldn't tell if he was listening to him, or simply trying to figure out a way to tell him to fuck off.

"Sabastian, look at me. Please look at me..."

 

[Poprockz]

Like a shadow, Sayori was merely a second behind Cora, meeting her gaze when she paused at the door and nodding to let her know that she was as prepared as she would ever be.

When the warm ray of sun graces her skin, Sayori let out a little sigh. It felt so nice, almost like a reminder that she was alive and that things weren't completely dark. She wished she could simply stay and bask for a bit, but it seemed as though there was no time to waste. Based on the situation, it was likely that she wouldn't get her little picnic with Francisco. It made her a bit sad, but if giving that up meant that she could see Quint, then it was worth it; he was his own warm ray of sunshine to her, after all.

Hesitantly, she paused with Cora as the other woman seemed to look around to make sure the coast was clear. Her own eyes looked around for any sight of Niles or even Jonathan but she didn't see anything. They weren't safe yet though, her shoulders still tensed as they moved toward the back of the house.

"And just where do you think you are going, little whores?"

Sayori jumped, whipping around and backing up a bit as her eyes searched for and finally found Officer Niles. The last time she had seen him, he had been taking out his anger toward her by torturing Sabastian, the memory of him struggling under the water still fresh in her mind. Her chest felt a bit tight, the woman's gaze extremely anxious as she tried to say something, "Officer Niles! We're just... I mean... I, um, we-' It felt like her brain was frozen, the panic of being caught making her unable to articulate any good excuse.

---------------------------------------------------------------

He listened quietly to Vin's explanation, knowing how much of a snake that General was. It wasn't surprising that he had been able to trick Vin, seeing as he could probably trick Sherlock Holmes if he visited. That being said, it wasn't easy to hear about Vin being tricked and kidnapped, beaten to a bloody pulp. He could smell the vague scent of Quint on the man, so he wondered whether they had given him some goop just to keep him breathing. The thought of Vin tied to a chair, dripping in blood was awful, his heart twisting at the fact that even by leaving Vin alone he hadn't been safe from the General's lust for Cora. If only he had gone back to the cabin to his sister, then he might have been okay.

What Vin said next was somewhat expected; it was what he had truly been afraid of. The way he tried to explain himself, to make things right was torturous for Sabastian. While the notion of Vin thinking he was disgusting was something he struggled with, he recognized that it wasn't Sabastian himself that he found disgusting, it was a select few parts of his body (being understandable due to the fact that they were inhuman). He had no doubt that Vin found him attractive, it was just that he wasn't used to these new parts of him.

"Sabastian, look at me. Please look at me..."

He didn't recall a time when he had ever heard Vin plead so earnestly and with such need. Reluctantly, he turned around and let himself simply gaze at him. The zombie was just about to open his mouth and tell Vin to fuck off, but he couldn't seem to do it while seeing that expression- it was as though Vin was bearing his heart out for him, and Sabastian was struggling to overcome the strong urge to comfort him. The blonde tried not to let it show on his face, but he couldn't hide the way that his eye had a touch of sadness about it.

Drowning in those deep brown eyes, it was as though his brain and heart were at a stalemate. God he wanted him, he wanted him so badly. His smell was overwhelming, and though his body was bruised and beaten it was still the body of a man he wanted pushed up against him in a tender embrace. What he wouldn't give to have his legs wrapped around the tall man one more time, to feel his lips and the heat of his mouth. He wished that he could even just quietly cuddle with the man, his warmth being enough for both of them. Shit, the silence was going on for way too long, he needed to say something, anything.

Finally getting ahold of himself, he crossed his arms and scowled, his blue eye fixed upon the larger man. "There. I looked at you," was his stubborn reply. Turning away again, he started to open one of the boxes to unload it and put the contents in its corresponding spot.

"For the record, it's not like you can change what you're disgusted by- you would probably always think about that other zombie whenever I touched you with my own arms." One of his tentacles slipped out from under his shirt and reached for an item a couple crates over.

"Not that I care. I still don't want to have anything to do with any of you fucks. You said you'd leave me alone when I said it and meant it, well I meant it in that note and I mean it now. Did you not get the message, or are you just a-" He swallowed hard before continuing. "a dumbass? I suggest you get the fuck out before you make a fool of yourself." It hurt to be so vicious to him, but it was made easier by the fact that he didn't have to look him in the eye. The blonde gritted his teeth and tried to focus on his task, not daring to turn around again lest he lose his nerve. Tears were starting to gather at the corners of his eyes and he didn't think he could put up the act for much longer if Vin didn't leave.

He knew he loved Vin, but this was how he needed to show his love. Love was about wanting what was best for someone, to want to protect them even if it was painful. God, did it hurt though, right to his very soul. Sabastian wanted to sob into Vin's shirt and tell him that he really did care and that he never wanted Vin to leave, but he couldn't be that selfish knowing that one day he could be the reason that Vin was ripped apart.

 

[Drobabes]

Niles stepped forward at a leisurely pace, the sun barely doing anything to lighten his dark eyes as they roamed every inch of Sayori's soft skin. It made Cora feel sick to her stomach, and with a courage she never knew she had, she took Sayori by the hand and gently pulled her until she was standing behind her, forcing Niles to look at her hazel eyes head on. It wasn't easy to do, to stand before one of the men that often haunted her nightmares, but her anger was almost stronger than her fear.

"We're going to see my brother," she said, and to her surprise, her voice did not shake.

His eyes glared down at her, looking as if he was disgusted by her mere presence.

"What makes you think I'll let you do that? Go back inside you little whore."

Cora glared right back at him as she stood her ground, refusing to hunch her shoulders and tuck her tail between her legs like a beaten dog. It was obvious that it was getting to the man, as his hands began to ball up at his sides and it looked as if he was getting more angry by the second. This was a side of Cora that he had seen before, but never had she had the gall to direct it at them. Usually it only came out when her and her brother were fighting, and whenever Niles himself came around, she had always turned soft and demure, shaking like a frightened little kitten. Had she forgotten? Perhaps the real world had built up a fantasy world in her head and she needed to be reminded of her place.

"I said, go back inside."

"No. I need to see him."

"Have you forgotten where you are little slut? Who you are?"

Behind her, Cora reached back and took Sayori's hand with both of hers, clasping her tightly but not painfully, as she began to shake a bit. In all honesty she was terrified, but, having someone behind her was lending her strength. The feeling of having something that she needed to protect was reminding her of what had gotten her through before.

"No Niles, I haven't forgotten where I am..."

"Then you better remember your place little whore. You follow the rules, and you follow my orders."

"I can't..."

Her voice twisted with pain, momentarily losing her resolve until she could swallow and look back up into his eyes again.

"I am going to see him, so get out of my way."

The fire in her voice seemed to be his last straw, as suddenly he reached up and grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her head back painfully. Cora let out a hiss of pain, but other than that, she simply stood still and shook, her eyes still glaring up at him with determination. Despite him physically grabbing her, she knew that it was all bark. He wouldn't actually do anything to physically harm her, and he knew it too, as after a few drawn out seconds he finally let her go, his nostrils flaring as he stood back.

"Go ahead then. Sayori, come here whore. I'll take you back inside."
___________________________________

When he turned around, all Vin could do was sit there and pray. He wanted so badly to get up and go to him, to hug him and beg him not to take off again, but he was scared that if he moved from that spot, Sabastian might run out the door, and this time, he would really be gone. They had so barely found him. What would happen now, if he were to leave? Vin knew he would never stop searching, but it could be years, possibly even a lifetime, before he ever found him again.

"For the record, it's not like you can change what you're disgusted by- you would probably always think about that other zombie whenever I touched you with my own arms."

"That's not true" he said, his voice shaking.

"I was never disgusted by any part of you Sabastian, and I never will be. And you said a lot of things in that note, but look at you. If you were such the monster that you thought you were, then what the fuck are you doing here Bastian? Why are you trying to help? It's because you are not a monster, and deep down, you know that."

Fuck this. He didn't care if he tried to run, Delvin needed to touch him. He needed to look into his eyes as he said it.

With some effort, he managed to get back on his feet and stumble over to the little blond. He stopped about a foot from him, and reaching out, laid his hand on his shoulder and tried to gently pull him around so that he was facing him.

"I don't care what might happen. I know what the risks are, and I don't care because I want to be with you because I..."

He swallowed hard, trying to choke back his emotions as those pesky tears finally started to spill down his face.

"Because I love you Sabastian. I love you, and I wish I had said it sooner, because nothing you could do to me could hurt me more than when I had to watch your back as you ran away."

 

[Poprockz]

The way his eyes unabashedly traveled up and down her body made her skin crawl, especially considering the fact that she still hadn't been given any underwear. It made her shrink slightly, unable to meet his gaze. It surprised her that Cora then took her hand and moved her behind as though to shield her. It seemed like Quint and Cora were very similar in some ways, each with a bravery she couldn't fathom and soft heart for protecting others.

The conversation that followed was extremely tense, Sayori just waiting for the shoe to drop and for him to literally drag them back into the house. Though Cora was in front, her legs still trembled and her hand squeezed Cora's back anxiously. When the tension finally broke and he grabbed Cora by the hair, Sayori didn't know what to do but stand there and let out a frightened little, "please don't!" her arms stretched toward them hesitantly. She was afraid of what would happen if she moved forward and helped her, but her heart wanted to protect the kind woman in front of her.

A sigh of relief came when he finally let her go, though it was short lived.

"Go ahead then. Sayori, come here whore. I'll take you back inside."

Who knew if Kuznet's protection was still in effect over her? That was back then when she was bearing Kuznet's eggs and now she didn't really have a reason to be kept alive other than to amuse them. The General already had what he wanted- Cora and Quint, and she was now merely a second thought. It scared her, knowing that at any moment they could decide that she was no longer worth keeping around; she didn't have the same protections as Cora.

Out of habit, she took a step toward him before halting and taking a step back. Her gaze hesitantly went from Cora to Niles and she ducked her head slightly, those large brown eyes trying to find something on the ground to focus on.

"I want to see him too..." Her voice got smaller and trailed off by the end of the sentence. "Please?" Unlike Cora, she didn't have enough fire in her to be as openly defiant. "Please, officer? I just... want to see if he's okay." Hesitantly, her eyes went back to his, the woman hoping beyond hope that he would allow her this.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Through his task, he absorbed Vin's comments about him not being disgusting or even a monster. That part of the note, about him losing his mind had been completely fake. He knew that for now, his mind was his own and that only time would tell whether his own heart would be eroded by the insanity that the violet-eyed zombies experienced. He had a good excuse though, thinking of saying that he was only there to get revenge on Kuznet for treating him so poorly. He didn't get that chance though as he was so preoccupied with the lump in his throat that he wasn't able to reply before felt a soft pressure on his shoulder.

Try as he might to resist, that gentle hand had a power over him, moving him until he had turned around and faced his greatest love and greatest fear.

"I don't care what might happen. I know what the risks are, and I don't care because I want to be with you because I...Because I love you Sabastian. I love you, and I wish I had said it sooner, because nothing you could do to me could hurt me more than when I had to watch your back as you ran away."

Sabastian simply stared in shock at Vin for a minute, his cheeks going a bit pink. Vin loved him? It was quite a confession, one that he absolutely hadn't been prepared for. It scared him a little, the idea that Vin was actually in love with him. If that was the case it made it so much more difficult to push him away, knowing what they could have if he only gave in and went to him. Still, there was a reason he was holding back, and a damn good one at that.

Though he tried to retain his scowl, he couldn't stop his own tears from coming down at this point, the blonde knowing that the jig was up. That didn't mean he had to give in, but he knew it meant it would be more difficult to get Vin to leave him alone now that he knew Sabastian was hurting too.

"You're so... stupid!" He sputtered, reaching up and trying to wipe some of his tears with his forearm. "Love won't keep you safe, this isn't some goddamn fairy tale! That meat I threw up? That could have been you, Vin. It wouldn't be like in the movies where they snap out of it after a sweet scene, I would fucking rip you apart." His voice broke near the last part and he sniffled before continuing.

"I would wake up scared and alone with the knowledge that I killed you. Do you know how fucking terrifying that is?! Do you think it would be any comfort to me to know that it was "what you wanted?" If I leave at least I know that you'll be somewhere out there living your life and trying to be happy. You can heal from a broken heart, you can't fucking come back from the dead!" Sabastian's eye glared fiercely at Vin through his tears, though it was obvious that his display of anger was the only thing keeping him from breaking down further.

 

[Drobabes]

There was absolutely no mercy in Niles, and her soft pleading only seems to anger him more. He tries to step around Cora, letting out a harsh "get your ass over here!", before she suddenly steps in front of him again and puts her arms behind her, pulling Sayori close to her back.

"She's coming with me!"

"The fuck she is!" he growls, glaring down at Kuznet's personal pet.

"If you try to touch her Niles, I will make you sorry."

"What are you going to do? Tell me slut."

Cora's hands were still trembling a little bit, but her spine straightens up, and in a bit of a deeper voice then she normally has, she spits right back at him.

"I'll hurt myself and I will tell Ray that you did it Niles. Yea, let that sink in for a minute."

And it was, as already Niles had taken a step back and was looking at the two women like a man trying to strategize his best move after being cornered.

"Who do you think he'll believe? Me, who has hardly ever lied to him? Or his second that can barely keep his dick in his pants and his head from exploding? You call me a whore, and yet you can barely keep your hands off of anything pretty that walks under your nose."

The officer gets such a dark look over his face, that when he suddenly takes a step forward, Cora almost flinches and moves back, forcing Sayori to step back with her.

"See?!" she says, interrupting him to buy herself enough time to make the sick fucker think.

"You already almost just crossed the line, and all I had to do was goad you a little bit."

"You're bluffing you little bitch."

"Am I? How do you think it's going to look on the cameras, later? Do you think he'll believe it when you try to tell him I defied you? Or do you think he'll listen to me when I tell him I had to protect Sayori from you?"

Her hazel eyes glared at him hard, the silence between the two seeming to stretch out for hours until finally, Cora broke it. She brought her arms forward rather suddenly, and then with a quick movement, brought her right hand up to place her nails against her upper left arm. She had planned on scratching herself, and she would have done it, but before she could have the chance to draw blood, Niles hand suddenly shot out and gripped her wrist firmly. He didn't squeeze, but by the look in his eyes, Cora could only imagine how badly he wanted to bruise her.

"Stop."

She waited until he started to loosen his grip, and then she yanked her hand out of his grip and put her hand down.

"You have twenty minutes, and then I'm coming down to get you."

Cora didn't waist time, quickly taking Sayori's hand once more and dashing around Niles, who stood there and glared at their backs as they jogged away.

__________________

It hurt to see him crying, but it also gave him hope. The little man was finally letting go of that callous attitude and confirming what Vin already knew, but still needed to see-that he cared.

"I would wake up scared and alone with the knowledge that I killed you. Do you know how fucking terrifying that is?!...You can heal from a broken heart, you can't fucking come back from the dead!"

Vin had started to reach forward, wanting nothing more than to just pull him up into a hug and comfort the both of them, but those harsh words made him flinch and stop, letting his hand come back down to his side as fresh tears spilt down his face. After a long pause, and a bit of hesitation, he brings that same hand back up and cups Sabastian's face, tracing his thumb along under that beautiful eye as he stares down at him with a pain that he had never felt before.

"You don't have to go," he says softly.

"I will. I just...needed to know that it was you who was making the decision, and not...something else. And I needed you to know."

He felt like his heart was being ripped out, but he knew that if the roles were reversed, he would have done the same thing because the only thing that could hurt more than losing him, was to be the reason he was gone. Vin couldn't ask Sabastian to risk that, he knew it wasn't right, but the shot through his very soul was no less.

Letting his hand drop down, he let's out a little sigh and finally looks away as he starts to turn.

"I'll get out of your hair."

Limping towards the door, he stops just before it and looks back at him, and for the first time since Sabastian had left, he manages to smile. Not for himself, but for his angel.

"Goodbye Sabastian."

 

[Poprockz]

A frightened little squeak left Sayori as she moved the opposite direction from where Niles had tried to circle around. When Cora's arms came back to her, she gladly hid behind her.

As she listened to Cora's gambit, she had to admit that Cora had balls. She couldn't ever imagine herself thinking to threaten Niles like that, knowing that her resolve would melt like tissue paper in water. All in all, she was shocked that Niles had actually let them go, her eyes widening as he said they had twenty minutes. In the back of her mind, she knew this wouldn't be the end of things, that he would probably try to think of a suitable revenge, but for now they were safe and it didn't matter.

Also not wanting to delay, she followed Cora quickly to their destination which wasn't too far.

"I think... I am going to have a heart attack before any of them have the chance to actually kill me," she huffed as they eventually slowed, her eyes now appraising a shed. It wasn't an abnormal shed, nor was it larger than a shed should be. Was the General just keeping Quint in a regular shed? That seemed pretty cruel considering that it probably got cold in there at night and might be full of spiders or bugs. Not to mention what hideous tools Kuznet probably kept in there.

"Is this... is this the place?"

----------------------------------------------------------

That rough hand was so gentle as it stroked him, Sabastian wanting nothing more than to reach up and lay his own hand over his. As it was, he closed his eye for a moment and sniffed as Vin spoke, so many words he wished he could say back bubbling under the surface. When that hand finally withdrew and Vin limped away, he opened his eye and watched him, not knowing whether he should call out and beg him to stay, or simply let him go.

"Goodbye, Sabastian."

This was it. Vin was about to really be gone, to start the healing process and eventually let Sabastian drift from his mind. If he didn't at least touch him one last time, he thought he might regret it. Now was not the time for pride, it was his last chance to say goodbye.

Walking swiftly forward, he stopped in front of Vin and wrapped his arms around him, burying his face in his chest for a moment and silently crying. While the grip of his arms was firm, he was very gentle since he knew Vin would be sore. It was so warm and nice, the blonde trying to soak up enough of that feeling to get him through the rough times ahead. Standing there pressed against Vin, heart to breaking heart, even this bittersweet pain was better than the emptiness that would follow when Vin was gone.

"If someday... you want to see me or you need a friend... you might find me here. I'll be staying with Jameson's men until I can get Quint and Sayori and now... Cora back from him. I..." He swallowed hard and gave him the smallest little squeeze. Sabastian wanted to tell him that he loved him, that if things were different that he wouldn't have hesitated to be with him. Now though, he knew it would only drive the knife in deeper.

"I'm so sorry." If only the nomad knew how precious he was to him.

 

[Drobabes]

"You don't have to actually have sex with me, just...maybe use one of those smooth tentacles."

Quint shuddered again, trying and failing to lay in a more comfortable position on the cold tiles. The memories kept repeating in his mind, over and over, as if he needed reminding. As if Kuznet's little visits, showing him the tape, were not enough.

"What do you think, my little Quinton?" he had said, holding him against his chest as he drug the knife up his leg, his huge cock twitching whenever Quint failed to keep himself from squirming on his lap.

"Do you think that she will be still be able to look you in the eyes, after you betrayed her like that?.."

That bastard had no right to talk, and yet, his filthy words were still true. Quint had completely and utterly failed Sayori. She had been vulnerable, high, or at the very least, simply not in her right mind. He had every opportunity to stop, and should have never even started, and yet, he had went ahead with it anyway. He had taken her, over and over again, because what? Because it had felt good? Because he wanted it? Because he was being selfish and wanted to forget where he was for a moment. He was no better than the very thing he despised so much.

A movement caught his eye, the door cracking open drawing his tired gaze. He didn't even bother to try and sit up. Not only would it hurt, but he just didn't think he had the energy for it anymore. At least, that was, until he saw who stepped through.
_______________________________

She could only glance down at Sayori when she mentioned having a heart attack, not saying anything though her hand squeezed the shorter women's just a bit. It might have been a mercy to have such a quick death, but not yet just yet, not until she knew.

Once they reached the shed, she paused outside the door. Her hand let go of Sayori's and for a long few seconds, all she could do was stand there and stare at it. She had been out here just yesterday, just a room away from him. He had been right there, right beside her, and Ray hadn't even hinted at what he may have been hiding just a few feet away.

"Is this... is this the place?"

Snapping out of it a bit, she gave Sayori a bit of a nod before saying quietly, "yes. He's down below..."

Moving forward, she grabbed the door handle and unlatched it, swinging it open wide enough to let the light in. Inside, it looked like a regular tool-shed, though perhaps more clean and orderly than most. There was a lot of equipment to the left, saws and routers for woodworking, and a few large work tables. It was here that she led them too, and once near the table closest to the wall, she bent down and fiddled with the bottom of the table legs. Once she had attended to each on, she then walked to the front of the table quickly and gave it a good push, causing it to roll back on well oiled wheels and reveal a smooth door beneath. It was the type of door that one might see for a wine or storage cellar, and as Cora bent down to grip the handle and pull it up, her hands were shaking.

Once it was up slightly, it too simply slid back, giving them both enough room to walk down the flight of stairs that were illuminated with strips of white LED lights.

"Please stay close to me...I hate this place..."

With that said, Cora began the descent, taking them down roughly two flights of stairs that turned at a sharp right angle near the end. During the descent, she was deathly quiet, only the small huffs of her nervous breath being heard above her light steps, her bare feet sending shivers of terror up her spine that left her skin pale and clammy.

Once they had reached the bottom, they found themselves before two heavy metal doors, side by side, and each one simply barred from the outside with a twin set of large metal bars. Shaking a bit, Cora stepped over to the left door, and, with a bit of a heave, lifted the bars from the door and dropped them to the floor. The clang of the metal should have reverberated throughout the small entrance, but, perhaps unsurprisingly, the echo quickly died off as the walls all but absorbed the sound. With her breath hitching a bit, and fresh tears stinging her eyes, Cora reached out and pulled the door towards them until it opened enough to allow her to see in.

She didn't even finish scoping it out, as as soon as she saw the shape of a body, she yanked the door open all the way and took a few shaky steps inside, stopping just inside the door.

"Quint..."

He looked bad. He looked so, so bad. Not because his body was bruised, or because he had dark circles under his wide eyes as he shook and struggled to sit up, but because he looked broken. He looked, just before he realized who she was, like he didn't care anymore.

"Qu-Quinton!"

She all but screamed his name as she ran across those cold tiles, her fear and disgust of the way they felt underneath her bare feet being forgotten as she fell into his arms and began to cry in earnest.

"I, I, I thought" she sobbed, hugging him close and trying to speak between her choked sobs.

"I thought you, you-"

"I'm here Cora. I know, I know what you thought..."

He hugged her close, her weight against his chest hurting him, and yet, causing him such an unbelievable amount of relief that he began to cry right along with her.

This was his twin. The person who he had known before he had first felt the touch of his mother, or first heard the light laughter of his father. This was the person who he had come into this world with, who had been beside him for every major event in his life, and who he would do anything, anything, to protect. She was his other half, not in the soul, but in a way that simply could not be replicated by the presence of another. It was a psychological, perhaps, even, mystical connection, and as they clung onto each other, he felt as if a piece of himself had been put back into place.

"How did you...I saw your body!" she sobbed, turning her face to bury it against his neck as her hands clung to his shirt. Looking up, Quint noticed that Sayori hadn't come over, and although that particular wound was still fresh, in that moment, he really just needed all the support the two women were willing to give him. Lifting one of his hands up off of Cora's back, he gestured towards her and beckoned her over, praying that she didn't hate him enough that she wouldn't stand to be in his presence anymore.

"It wasn't me Cory. They tricked you."
__________________

He wrapped his arms around the little blond, ignoring the pain in his body because he knew this could possibly be the last time he ever had a chance to touch him. Bending down a bit, he let his nose rest against the top of his hair as he closed his eyes and tried not to let his tears fall. Tried not to show Sabastian just how much this was breaking him.

"If someday... you want to see me or you need a friend... you might find me here."

Vin had heard the rest of what Sabastian had to say, but, in the state that he was currently in, there was no recognition behind the names at the moment besides Cora's. What stuck out to him the most was that Sabastian had thrown him a bone, perhaps not even meaning to. No, most likely he was just trying to soften the blow for the both of them, but right at that second, Vin was looking for anything, anything to latch onto and give him an excuse to stay near him. To simply stay in his life, even if perhaps, he could only do it from a distance.

But would he allow that? How long would Sabastian let him come around before he caught onto what Vin was doing, and then tried to run again? He didn't know, and right now wasn't the time to try and figure it out. He needed...he needed to think about this.

"I'm so sorry."

A few tears managed to escape his efforts and fell upon the blonds scalp, soaking through his baby soft hair.

"I'll always be here for you Sabastian. No matter what."

Pulling back a bit, Vin reached up to cup both sides of Sabastian's face, and then he gently guided those soft pink lips to his own. Sharing one last kiss with the little man, Vin broke it off too soon, and then quickly looked away as he headed for the stairs. He knew that if he stuck around for another second, he was going to lose the last shred of his self control and start begging Sabastian to let him stay.

 

[Poprockz]

Walking into the shed, she was on-guard as Cora cleared the way for them to descend into the pits of Kuznet’s personal dungeon. Cora’s statement about hating the place and wanting her companion to stay close was met with a nod, Sayori indeed sticking close. The place gave her the creeps as well, and even setting foot willingly in such a place gave her goosebumps. As they moved, her eyes would dart nervously around the harshly-lit place, half-expecting Kuznet to reveal himself from behind a door or something.

It was a place where the silence was deafening, the quietness only making her more anxious.

“Quint...” Sayori uttered with a pained expression. He looked so awful, as though Kuznet had flirted with the idea of actually killing or even crippling him. Had the General actually found something in his room or... did he happen to take the brunt of the punishment for what the two of them had done? She vaguely remembered seeing Kuznet at the beginning, but at the time she hadn’t given him the time of day, single-minded and horny as she was. That being said, it could be safely assumed that it was Kuznet who eventually came down to see the aftermath of their romp and disentangle their naked bodies.

She shifted, having indeed hung back when Cora rushed forward to him. It almost felt like she was intruding on an intimate family moment, both of them clinging to one another in their emotional reunion. Knowing that she herself would never see her own family again, she knew how precious it was to have them back together. For that she was glad, her heart warmed slightly by the sight.

A darker part of Sayori wondered if it was a good thing that they were back together again. Both Cora and Quint had someone to live for and keep themselves afloat, meaning that if things ended up becoming too much for Sayori to bear, Quint would still be taken care of. Not to say that she planned to give in to the part of her that wanted to escape by any means necessary, but she knew that she had come close before and would likely be tempted once more if Kuznet had anything to say about it.

When he beckoned her to come over, she hesitated for a moment before closing the distance between them, her soft padded footsteps making almost no sound as her pink skirt swayed slightly.

A bit of relief flooded her system along with some guilt. She wasn’t sure if he was simply pretending to be okay with her in order to save her feelings, or whether he felt obligated to include her. Whatever the case was though, she couldn’t deny that she wanted to go to him and make sure he was... still in one piece.

“Why didn’t he let you heal yourself?” She asked softly, her hand hovering over one of his knife-wounds on his legs. Her eyes started to mist, seeing all the pain he had been forced to endure. The petite woman couldn’t help but feel partially responsible, wishing that Kuznet had allowed her to take half the punishment. “Did he cut it off again?” Her eyes went to his with concern, remembering how Kuznet had straight-up sliced his tentacle off when he had tried to destroy her eggs.

----------------------------------------------------

Vin's kiss was met with no resistance, the little blonde letting him guide him with those beautiful hands. His lips were so perfect, almost as though they were made to entice anyone who dared to look or touch the rugged nomad. More than that, his lips were warm and seemed to reflect his own longing for Vin. He closed his eye and leaned into the kiss, simply basking in it for the brief time that Vin gave him. Even had they kissed for hours, it would never have been enough.

It had to end though, Sabastian watching as Vin exited the room and left. He wasn't sure if Vin was truly leaving the camp or whether he was going to hang around for a few days or even until they found Cora, but all he knew was that he ached for him and that he wished things hadn't been like this. Right now it felt like being a zombie was more of a curse than a blessing, his affliction currently only having given him more pain.

Once the sounds of Vin's steps receded into nothingness, he turned and went back to the crates, sitting down on the floor with his back leaning against one. It was there that he simply cried, sitting with his knees up and his elbows perched upon them, his hands holding his wet face. It wasn't fucking fair.

----------------------------------------------------------

Robert looked a bit sad as he sat in a chair in the corner of Damien's room. They had checked the steely-eyed man and determined that he was severely dehydrated and just generally weak. The prescription had been an IV drip, nutritious meals, and plenty of rest. That being said, Damien didn't have any intention of staying in that bed if he was asked to go help rescue Cora. It was unlikely that Vin would now ask him to go, but he could still hold out hope.

Hope was all he had right now, as everything else seemed to have already slipped through his fingers. Was it selfish of him to want her love? Was he worthy to be loved? He turned his head to look at the IV before looking over at Robert with a sober expression.

"What do you think makes someone deserving of love?"

Robert's gaze focused on him and he seemed to ponder the question for a moment before replying, "I'll ask you a question back: what makes you think we have to do anything to deserve to be loved? If only those who were "deserving" were loved, then what kind of world would we live in, and who would determine what it meant to be deserving? One might say that God determines it, but it's written that God already loves us from the moment we're born."

"But..." Damien shifted in the bed so he could better face Robert as they spoke, "what about people who do... awful things. Unforgivable things..." His hand gripped the blankets snuggly, his eyes searching for an answer from the red-haired zombie.

"What about them? Hatred begets hatred and to deprive someone love as a punishment is only reinforcing the bad behavior. If one doesn't feel that they will ever beloved again based on their actions, then what's to stop them from continuing those actions? What is there to lose?" Cocking his head to the side, Robert gestured with his hands as he talked. He got the feeling based on Damien's questions and demeanor that something was weighing heavily on him, but he wasn't quite sure what it was. Perhaps it was the sins he had committed since the apocalypse started, perhaps it was something more personal. He was certainly curious, but he knew better than to push.

Taking a sip of a bottle of water he had, he then continued. "To be loved and to be accountable are two entirely different things. It is only through love that scars can truly heal. I'm not talking specifically about romantic love, but of platonic love as well. For example, I love you Damien, and I hope that if you have something weighing on your soul that you would confide in me. Until then..." He smiled a very kind smile, his eyes seeming to see deeper than Damien would have liked. "I'll be here."

The blankets were only gripped harder as Damien looked away and tried not to get emotional. For some reason hearing that Robert loved him triggered something within him. He didn't know if he could trust it, knowing that Robert would likely be disgusted with what he had done. If he knew, would he still give him that kind smile? Would he still extend his hand, offering acceptance and love? No, it sounded too good to be true, and he knew that most things that sounded that way were that way.

"I... appreciate that, but I think I'll be fine." He nodded, pursing his lips and shifting his position again.

 

[Drobabes]

"It wasn't me Cory."

She sobbed hard, trying and failing to muster anymore words. It was a voice and a nickname that she was sure she would never hear again, and all she could do was sit there in his lap and let the feeling of his hands on her back confirm that it was real, that he was real. She didn't know how or why he was here, but all she could do was let the feelings flood through her and fill up the empty ache in her heart.

"Why didn’t he let you heal yourself?...Did he cut it off again?"

Quint was rocking his sister gently, his tired eyes spilling tears down into her hair as he looked up at Sayori and gave her a halfhearted smile that twitched with the effort that it took him to summon it.

"No, he didn't cut if off again" he said just as gently.

"He just told me I can't use it. I guess he found out about me and Sabastian communicating with more than just feelings. Someone dropped the ball and let him in on our secret, that we could share memories, and almost whole sentences if we tried hard enough."

"Sabastian?" Cora asked, swallowing hard and then leaning back a bit so that she could look at her brother. Sayori had mentioned him too, that they had been together. She wiped her eyes a bit, and then for the first time, she noticed it-that purple ring of amethyst circling around his pupils. With her eyes widening a bit, she sniffed and swallowed hard and then brought her hands up to cup either side of his face.

"Quinton...what?"

He smiled, and again, it was only halfhearted. Bringing a tentacle out from his side, he brought it up between them so that she could see how he had changed.

"It's how he caught me" Quint said, his tone taking on a bit of a dark edge as he looked away and pulled his tentacle back inside.

"After I called you-"

Cora flinched, bringing her hands back to her chest as a look of guilt and shame took over her features.

"I tried to leave, to go find help. And that's when I started changing."

She was quiet for a long moment, her tears still pouring down her face and her breathing still a bit unsteady. When at last she spoke up again, her voice was pained with confusion and guilt.

"I don't understand. I went to Washington. I...Quint, I saw y-...a body..."

His stormy blue eyes looked towards the door, and then met her own.

"That was Brandon's body. After they found me at the hospital, they set it up, knowing you would come looking for me."

It was a lot to take in, and it showed on Cora's face as her emotions shifted from confusion, to anger at being played in such a way, and then finally to pain as she looked up once more, the sudden realization that Quint had lost the only friend they had ever known besides Sarah. Her face twisted once more as she started to cry again, and she sobbed out,

"I'm so sorry Quint! I should have been there!"

He reached out and pulled her back against his chest, shushing her as he rocked her slowly. His actions were both to alleviate her guilt, and his own. This was not the first time he had purposefully lied to his sister, nor would it be the last, but he simply couldn't let her feel guilty about not being by the phone when he had done something far worse. He had called out and willing given up their freedom, letting the monster know where they were, on a chance that he might have saved his wife's life. While it was something that he would have done again, he still felt no less weighted by the heavy burden of his actions.

"I don't understand," she sniffled, her hand reaching up to grip onto his arm.

"If he knew where I was, why didn't he grab me then? While I was at your house?"

"Because he wanted you broken again Cory. That's why he let you think I was dead. I think he planned on grabbing you at your apartment, but something happened."

She stiffened against him, causing Quint to furrow his brows and look down at her.

"Those guys..."

"What was that?"

She swallowed and shook her head, turning her face so that her nose was buried in his shirt.

"It's nothing...I'm just, so fucking happy you're here..."
__________________________

Jameson had placed Damien on the other side of a curtain that was set up in the same room as Tommy. They didn't have a whole lot of space to work with, so much like a real hospital, they simply had to use curtains to separate the areas. He was standing just outside the door of the actual room, talking with the female soldier about the medicine she had brought, when he saw Vin come limping in with Zac. He had sent the young man out to fetch him, having seen how bad of shape he was in when he had gotten out of the truck, although Robert had insisted they let him have a few moment's before getting him over to the medical room.

Handing the bottle over to the women and giving her a nod, Jameson let her walk off to give Tommy a dose while he dealt with the new arrival. The young man still had not woken up, and he was really beginning to lose hope that he might ever recover, but he had gotten word that this new medicine may be a bit of a miracle drug.

"Jameson," he said, extending his hand to the rough looking nomad.

"Delvin. Thanks for taking us in."

"It's no problem, always looking to help as many as we can. Your friends are in that side of the room, right over there, but if you would humor me, I would like to get you sat down next to another patient of mine. The equipment in that section isn't being used right at the moment."

Vin gave him a nod, and then followed him in. When Jameson reached out and pulled the curtains back, he was a bit surprised to see Jesse sitting in a chair and another young man passed out on the floor on the other side of a hospital bed. The patient in the bed was so bandaged and covered in equipment and tubes, that he didn't even recognize who it was.

"Hey...Jesse" he said slowly, his blood shot eyes still looking around the room with a bit of confusion before he suddenly got a bit of a worried look in his expression.

"Shit...that isn't Randy, is it?"

 

[Poprockz]

"No, he didn't cut if off again... Someone dropped the ball and let him in on our secret, that we could share memories, and almost whole sentences if we tried hard enough."

She caught the way he struggled to smile, not knowing whether it was from how awful he felt right now, or whether he couldn't summon up a smile with Sayori in his gaze.

"Ah." Her eyes flicked downward toward the floor, the woman hovering for a moment, unsure of what else she could say. Sayori didn't know whether to be relieved or not. While on one hand it was good that Kuznet hadn't seen fit to mutilate him like that again, Kuznet had still caused a lot of pain and it almost seemed more cruel to bind Quint with merely a command not to heal himself. Based on Quint's wounds, it looked like Kuznet was very angry with him for withholding a secret that no one but Quint and Sabastian would have known. Who would have been able to inform the General about it?

Part of her was a bit glad that he hadn't been punished because of what they had done, but it almost unsettled her. It was unnerving that Kuznet as of yet hadn't mentioned it once, even though he had several opportunities to do so. It made her wonder whether he was just biding his time, or whether he really didn't care what they got up to together as long as it was between his Quint and Cora and their little pet bird.

What followed was more tears and the two of them talking about things she didn't have context for, the woman simply standing there a bit awkwardly. She angled her body away from them slightly and hugged her arms, thinking to herself that it was quite chilly down there. Sayori found herself feeling a bit out of place, not wanting to draw attention to herself, but not wanting to simply stand there gawking at them. Normally she might have hugged him right along with Cora but... things were different now.

---------------------------------------------------------

Jesse's eyes were also bloodshot, the woman having seemed to be staring at Tommy as though she hadn't really expected anything to happen but was watching just in case. When she heard Vin's voice greet her, she blinked and looked up, squinting at him for a moment before her eyes widened with recognition. Though when he mentioned the man in the bed and guessed that it was her father, her expression darkened a bit and she shook her head.

"No. The idiot in the bed is Tommy." She glanced at Kyle on the floor and leaned forward in her chair, reaching out and laying her hand on his. There was a bracelet on her wrist which swayed slightly with her movements. "I don't know if anyone told you, but basically he got intel that said Sabastian was being locked up, so he organized a rescue mission on the fly. The General he..." Her eyes watered and she sniffed, struggling to keep her voice even. It had been many days since Tommy came back, and there weren't any signs of improvement. Seeing as he had been battling to stay alive in the first place, it meant that he was constantly at risk of slipping away from her.

"He beat the ever-loving shit out of him. I don't even know if he'll wake up. He should have just waited or called for back up or... anything but what he did. Sabastian better be grateful because it's all his fucking fault that Tommy might never wake up!" her words were filled with pain and bitterness, though once the words were out she couldn't help but feel guilty, her expression becoming a bit apologetic as she looked down into her lap. "I'm sorry, I- I shouldn't have taken it that far. It's not is fault, I'm just-" She clenched her fists, "I just feel so helpless."

 

[Drobabes]

"I'm just, so fucking happy you're here..."

He tried to blink back tears as he laid a small kiss on her head. While he was happy to see her, he wished that she had never been caught in the first place, and a part of him blamed Damien for it. Why couldn't he protect her? He had to have known that someone was tracking them, likely leaving little breadcrumbs along the way. Then again, Quint recognized that that feeling was likely just born of his hatred of the man, knowing how cunning Kuznet could be, though he didn't feel much in the way of guilt for having thought it.

Looking up again, he noticed how Sayori was being a bit stand-offish, and it twisted the knife in deep. He felt revolted with himself all over again, and though he knew it wasn't right of him to do, he still couldn't help himself.

Reaching up, he pinched the fabric of her skirt and tugged on it just the smallest bit, his tear filled eyes looking at her beseechingly as he got her attention.

"Can you sit with me? Please?"

He felt vulnerable, sitting there on the ground and waiting for her to make the next move. Did she hate him? He had barely known her for more than a week, and yet, he found himself craving her forgiveness nonetheless. She had truly become someone who was very important and special to him, in that short amount of time, and if they ever got out of this place, he knew he was going to do everything he could to make things right between them again.
_______________

"No. The idiot in the bed is Tommy."

"What?!" he asked, his voiced stunned as she revealed who it was. Robert had told him that Tommy was here, but he hadn't said that he was laying at Death's door.

As Jameson led him over to a chair, and instructed him to get his shirt off, Vin simply listened as she went on. Getting his shirt off was a bit of a struggle, and it wasn't until right when he got it over his head that she went off, blaming Sabastian for what had happened. He wasn't mad, the pain in her voice obvious enough, and he could only give her a sympathetic look as he balled his shirt up and waited for Jameson to start inspecting his wounds.

"It's okay Jesse. You're, definitely not alone in that feeling."

His chocolate eyes then roamed back over to the young soldier, lying comatose in that bed, and despite himself, he found his eyes starting to mist up again. Though this time, it was fueled by anger and hatred.

"That motherfucker is going to pay for what he's done to us."

Jameson stopped what he was doing and looked at Delvin's face for a moment, a bit of weariness in his own expression. Indeed, he wanted to take Kuznet down just as much as any of them, but they needed to be more cunning than the mastermind in order to do it.

"Dave said he used some medicine on you?" he commented, prodding a particularly sore wound.

"Whatever that stuff is, it's healing you up like no one's business. This cut you have right here should have taken at least two or three weeks to heal as much as it has, and it doesn't look like they'll be any scarring if you keep using it."

Vin glanced back, giving him a surprised look.

"We used a bit of this on Tommy, too. He hasn't made any real progress since we got him back, but his wounds have stabilized at least."