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 Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 5:28 am
Original RP
Dr. Frost Arrives on the Island
May 28, 2006A New Arrival...Moreau looked over at the calender. He noticed the date, had they really been here 10 months? He flicked the pen back and forth between his fingers. He also had another important thing to note today.
His new Team Leader Lab Technician was going to be in today. He'd recieved numerous reports on this particular person. She apparently was quite the genius, and a bit twisted to boot.
He smiled down at the photo...
"Dr. Marlena Frost..." he mumbled to himself and closed the case file.
Moreau reached over and hit the button to intercom Aubrey. "Aubrey, I need to see you, I have a certain new arrival that I believe will be of particural interest to you."Aubrey looked up from the report she was typing on. "Oh? Of course, Nick. I'll be right over." She saved the report and back wheeled from her desk and headed down to meet Moreau down the main lab.
"Interest to me, huh?" she said with a smile as she came in. "How so?""A scientist that was recommended to me by the home office... this happened while you were asleep. She'll be taking a team of some of the new promotions." Moreau nodded to Aubrey. He'd been so busy he hadn't mentioned Dr. Frost to her as of yet.
"Here's her file... you can look her over, since she is to be one of your subordinates." Moreau pushed the file over to Aubrey. The file full of details about the scientist, her time with Feral Labs. Her repeated... unethical research.
"We'll have to introduce her to our research here... obviously she has no information up to this point." Moreau grinned. Based on what he'd read, she should be someone who could appreciate his research.
"But look over that on the way, she'll be here very shortly, I already recieved the radio signal from James." Moreau started to stand up and get ready. "We'll be taking the jeep."Aubrey's brow raised. "You're...promoting someone to Team Leader from the mainland? Isn't that a bit.. risky?" She clicked a button her chair. "Give me a push, baby? I'll read the file on the way then."
Aubrey opened the file and her face fell. "THIS is Dr. Frost?" The woman looked... well, radiant. Mature and confident, with a shapeful, womanly figure. "She's... qualified enough? For here, I mean..." She flipped though the file, looking over her records and files. "I mean.. this all looks well good on paper, but really.. this a position that had to be earned..."
Aubrey felt overwhelmingly saddened for some reason. "You say you got wind of her while I was asleep..." She flipped more pages, looking at her research. "You weren't looking for... a replacement, where you?" "In what way do you mean replacement?" Moreau paused for a moment as he helped Aubrey into the jeep.
"It's not someone I was promoting to your position Aubrey. Don't be silly." He smiled in her direction. "But I wasn't sure how long you'd be out, and we do have the funding and qualified technicians for her team. Even with your speedy recovery... it defintly won't hurt, not since we are working on the mental research as well."
"Don't worry Aubrey... I just wanted you to meet her." he wrapped his arm around Aubrey as he drove the jeep towards the helipad. Her wheelchair in the back.James stayed silent as he piloted the dark haired woman towards the island. He hadn't said much recently. He'd asked for a bit of time off, but even the time with his family hadn't done much for his disposistion. He'd helped do bad things... evil things.
He hadn't been happy since he had finally realized what a corner he'd been backed into. His time on the island had taught him one thing.
He didn't want that life, and more so, he didn't want his children or family to have it. He'd do what Moreau asked, as long as he had to.
Atleast till he got a chance to do otherwise...In the passenger seat of the chopper, the dark-haired woman peered through the glass windows at the approaching island. One long, slender finger played back and forth under her lower lip, her expression pensive. It had been an unexpected offer, and even now she knew almost nothing of what work awaited her in this project.
She glanced over at James, noting his apparent discomfort, and casually offered, "Not fond of your job?"Aubrey was placated, she just nodded, looking abit pouty. "She just looks too good to be true," she said, closing the file. "Especially given your standards."
There were a few moments of silence. "Not often you see scientist that pretty. Real scientists, at least." She gave him a sidelong glace, trying to keep her voice casual. "Ya know?"
No, not a loaded question at all. James didn't say a word to the passenger. He wasn't feeling... talkative."I suppose so" Moreau said casually. He didn't sound too interested in talking about any sort of physical attraction he may or may not have had for Dr. Frost.
"I'm more interested in her research work of course. Perhaps Valentine was right about your... interests though." Moreau grinned as he got out of the jeep to greet the new arrival."Huh? WHAT." Aubrey blinked, a bit of red coming over her cheeks. "That's not funny!" She said in mock (mostly) insult. She stuck out her tongue before slowly making her way out of the Jeep. Aubrey was finding she could use her legs a bit, for leverage or help study herself. She definately couldn't put any real weight on her lower body, though, without feeling her insides recoil in pain. She was finally off the IVs, though, and soon could have the feeding tube removed and start eating real food again. So far she was only able to sip fruit juices and eat very small portions, under doctor's supervision.
She suddenly, of course, felt very subconscious and ran her hands though her hair once she was situated in her wheelchair. Once the the chopper landed, the door swung open to release it's occupant onto the island proper. The first of Dr. Frost to appear was a long, shapely leg, adorned with a high heeled shoe in Feral Labs blue. That leg preceded another, followed by the fall of a grey wool pencil skirt. A blue-sweatered arm came next, with a labcoat draped over it, then a cascade of ebon hair blowing wildly in the winds from the propeller. The rest of the good doctor eas obscured as she emerged, bent slightly in reaction to the blades as she stepped away from the helicopter, grasping a steel briefcase in her other hand.
Once clear of the landing pad, the woman straightened, and her thick waves settled around her in a dark nimbus, offset by a single pure white streak at her right temple. Golden eyes narrowed as she took in the scene, glittering in a refined face with features that appeared to be chiseled from marble. Her demeanor was chilly, damn near cold in her clinicalness and measuring gaze. She stepped towards Moreau and Lockheart, offering a hand to her employer as her lips curved in the faintest of smiles.
"Doctor Moreau, Thank you for this opportunity, though I must confess to being somewhat in the dark about the nature of it. I do hope my skill will be useful to your project." She quelled her unease at the pilot's lack of sociability. It had spawned the idle fear that somehow they'd determined her to be a liability due to her past, and were parking her behind a desk somewhere. Nothing terrified Marlena more than the prospect of being inconsequential. Nothing.Moreau took the hand and idly shook it. "Of course Dr. Frost. It's our pleasure to have you here as well." Moreau couldn't help but have his eyes look over Marlena, whether he intended to or not. "You'll be filled in shortly..."
He took a moment to take her in then he motioned to Aubrey in the wheelchair. "This is Dr. Lockheart, she'll be your supervisor here." Aubrey forced a smile. She was, at her core, a professional before anything else. "Nice to meet you, Dr. Frost," she said, holding out her hand. "You've come so highly reccomended."
Aubrey tossed her hair over her shoulder with her left, ringed hand. Whether it was on purpose or subconscious it was hard to tell, if it was even noticed at all.
"And welcome, of course." Aubrey wheeled back a bit, to Moreau's side. Marlena gave Moreau a quick once over, though there was nothing remotely lecherous in her expression. It was more a look of measurement or analyzation. At the introduction to Aubrey, she turned to regard the wheelchair bound woman and took the proffered hand, shaking it with a firm grip. "Dr. Lockheart, the pleasure is mine. The Island looked quite lovely from above. I'm tempted to think you work in a bit of paradise."
She forced another small smile. It looked to be something that required effort on her part, as if she was unused to such niceties. "I was told my belongings would be delivered here by other means. I have a good deal of papers on mental conditioning that have been a focus of my recent research. I hope they might come in handy here?" It was more question than comment, testing the waters to see if she could glean more about the project that was shrouded in so much mystery."I think they will be of great use to us and yes, don't worry worry about their delivery." Moreau motioned towards the jeep.
"Shall we?" he opened a jeep door for Marlena before he wheeled Aubrey over to the front door and helped her get into the vehicle.
"Dr. Lockheart was involved in a recent accident, but thanks to some of the research we are doing here she'll be on her feet in no time." Moreau didn't want Marlena to think any less of her superior. Unlock Aubrey, Moreau had a very good grasp of chain of command.Aubrey nodded when Moreau mentioned her accident, glad he didn't go into details but thankful he tactfully mentioned it would be a temporary condition.
For now, she would be happy just watchin how the two interacted. Marlena followed the pair to the jeep and she climbed inside, settling in and crossing her legs. A pale hand tucked the white lock of hair behind her ear, revealing a modest diamond stud earring. Everything about the woman seemed rather reserved, from the conservative skirt length to the turtleneck sweater.
"An accident you say? Is the job dangerous? Not that danger is an issue to me, mind you, I just prefer to know what to expect so I can stay on my toes, Doctor Moreau." The idea that the research could help someone injured enough to be wheelchair-bound piqued her interest immensely, but she bided her time, patiently waiting for the veil of mystery to lift over the project."There are risks... but what scientific venture doesn't involve... risk." Moreau smiled and looked back as he pulled the jeep out towards the lab.
"We are doing great things here Dr. Frost... impossible things... and your going to be a part of it." the jeep sped bumpily through the underbrush and towards the lab facilities.Marlena arched a brow at Moreau's words, and she shifted in her seat. She fingered the handle of her briefcase. Her most important items were inside, as she simply did not trust anyone else to transport them for her. Several vials of her latest hallucinogenic, her case notes on human responses to various stimuli, her records of torture techniques to make a victim trust and obey their tormentor, and other such lighthearted fare.
"Impossible things, Doctor? I can't even imagine what you must be doing here. Curing cancer? AIDS? Bioweapon research?" Those were about the most impossible to do things she could conceive of that might require the skills of a biochemist."Perhaps... all of the above? The research has many applications." the jeep pulled up to the lab facilities as the gates opened up.
Many armed guards stood on the inside and outside of the eletrified fence as Moreau pulled the jeep into a parking place. He then helped Aubrey out and led Marlena towards the facility.
The connected buildings towered the area, and at the top of it all, resting on the mountain above the buildings was Moreau's mansion itself.
"I think your going to like it here..." Moreau smiled again. Her head swivelled to take in the facility as the jeep pulled up. She stared intently, memorizing every view, trying to piece together just what might be going on there. The mansion's impressive expanse held her gaze for a long while, as did the electrified fence. She pondered what it was meant to keep out, were there large predators roaming the island?
"I think I shall as well, Doctor. At least I hope I will. I shouldn't cling too closely to my hopes of enjoyment until I know more about the project." She eyed the armed guards in passing. The security was extremely tight for so remote a location. She followed Moreau and Aubrey curiously.Moreau lead Marlena and Aubrey into the elevator. "Floor 2" the elevator rose. "I've set up everything in there. Dr. Lockheart and I will be able to take you through everything."
The elevator door dinged open and Moreau lead her down a hallway to a specific door. "In here." Moreau opened the door and the lights came on. A digital projector came on automatically with the Feral Labs logo and the slogan "Research Today. Change Tomorrow." on the screen.
It would have been a logo Marlena would have been familar with.Marlena idly pulled on her lab coat as she entered behind her employers, making her already business-like appearance that much more formally doctor-ish. She tucked one hand into a pocket, the other still clasping the handle of her briefcase.
As the projector kicked in, she smiled faintly at the logo and slogan on the screen. She supposed she should have expected an orientation video, it seemed to be the way of all new jobs. She watched the screen with interest."You seem like a woman of results, so I'll just get to the point." Moreau pointed at the projector. "Show village facilities."
The projector flickered and the digital picture changed to various rotating shots of the village from many different angles. The duplexes stacked on top of each other, and the various other buildings surrounding the lake.
"We've termed it The Village it provides individual living space, recreation facilities, a cafeteria, and everything else that our subjects need to find some level of comfort." Moreau grinned. He'd wait a moment for reactions to go on.Subjects....if they were living in duplexes, they were most certainly humans. Human testing. Live human testing. That in and of itself gave Marlena giddy chills which she carefully hid behind her Icy expression. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, sparing a glance at Moreau.
"It appears your subjects have all the niceties. Quite impressive." But subjects for what? Her mind worked at a rapid pace, trying to piece together everything she'd seen thus far."Show Subject 003... Cassidy Smith." Moreau said aloud, his grin growing bigger.
The screen displayed the images.
"This is Miss Smith apon her original arrival to the island. Before this picture was taken she was given her first injection." Moreau grinned. "Next."
"This is Miss Smith after her first injection. Our serums have begun a process of transforming her DNA to be partially that of a Green Tree Python to be exact. As you can see she is already showing signs, but they are normally subtle in this stage." Moreau grinned again. "Next."
"As you can see here, the changes have become more serve and pronounced. Specific parts of Scarlet Macow DNA was also introduced into her system to make her resemble a mythological Quetzalcoatl. This was one of our first attempts at going a step beyond and combining more types of DNA into one subject. At this stage she had more internal changes as well, and lost the ability to walk for sometime. We had prosetics made for her, and she also made use of a wheel chair." Moreau nodded to Aubrey in hers.
"Miss Smith is one of our first islanders and one of the furthest along. As you can see at this stage. She has even gone as far as to feed on full blown live animals whole at this point when she... wasn't quite in her proper frame of mind anyway." Moreau smiled and turned off the projector.
"She still has one more injection to go... but I think you can get the idea."Marlena paused, her steps halting in surprise. Her eyes widened ever so slightly, then narrowed, focusing in on just what it was she was seeing. A forked tongue...scales...then feathers and the loss of legs. Her lips parted as her jaw dropped open.
"One...One of the first? There's more than this? Only reptiles and avians or have you managed mammals as well?" Her eyes were almost glowing in their intensity, the hand that had been in her pocket now in front of her, clenching and unclenching in barely concealed excitement. A village full of subjects being transformed into things like this. It was...beyond imagination.Aubrey smiled, remembering when Moreau first explained to her what they would be doing here. Of course, it was hard to imagine what it would be like to walk in the experiment when it nearly a year in. She had been there when the first subject changed..watching it live as it happened.
But to be plunged head first into something so grand. Aubrey rubbed her arm slightlym getting a tiny chill and a few goosepimples.
She gazed over to her lover and got lost in his enthusiam. Showing someone new is work had to have been exciting. For a moment she felt she was in college again with him. "We've done more than that. We've engineered specific details. We've regrown limbs. We've sped healing" Moreau nodded over at Aubrey and smiled at her expression. "We've combined humans... with plants even."
"Show Subject 18 Anjali Frangipani 50%" The screen flickered and changed again.
"Sundew, to be specific, a carnivorous plant." Moreau leaned back. "How do you feel about the project now Dr. Frost?"
Everything came down to this reaction. Moreau needed people he could trust, if he didn't feel he could trust her, she'd end up on the otherside of that fence in a heartbeat.Marlena gazed at the screen with something akin to wanton lust, if such a thing could be applied to scholarly pursuits. Her tongue flicked out to wet her lips as her throat felt suddenly parched. She tore her eyes from the screen to look at Moreau, the light from the projector highlighting the flush of her skin from the excitment of the project.
"I would want to interview the subjects individually, to get a sense of their state of mind, what makes them tick, what buttons can be pushed or what weak spots prodded...make baselines of their personalities to map changes based on the injection stages. Have you documented any significant behavioral alterations yet other than the eating habits? Do they take on the instinctual urges if the base creatures?"
Oh yes, she was more than a little onboard. Whole ladders of research were dancing around her mind, concepts branching like an orchard in full bloom. She looked brilliantly alive in the moment of possibilities."Actually yes," Aubrey said. "Quite a few behavoiral changes. Mostly towards the negative, but not all, I suppose. A subject injected with a combination of wolverine, grizzly, and tasmanian devil is exhibiting boughts of extreme agression. SO is the man with white tiger DNA."
She paused, scrating the medican tape that still concealed some wounds on her neck. "We're concerned about some of the mental effects. We feel some patients are exhibiting psychosis that we're not certain is related to their animal as well. One subject injected with a a large combination of - mostly - non-agressive animals is having mental instabilities. Have moments of rage and destruction, especially after just being injected."Excellent, just the reaction Moreau was looking for. He waited for Aubrey to finish, obviously she had a bit of a personal connection to some of this.
"Some of them have gotten too far out of hand. We need to know though, in many of them if this is actual psychosis that came from previous, or a stronger reaction to the serums. It's been the cause of many headaches. I'm not object to instinctual changes, I almost think they are nessesary but we can't have 30% of the subjects going stark raving mad." Moreau's tone was a bit more serious at this. He didn't want to negate the mental effects, he wanted to understand and to a point, control them.
"You'll be given a team of scientists, and responsible for some individual monitorings, as well as the possibility of newer serums that might take some of your theories and apply them." Moreau walked over to a cabinet which opened as he waved his hand over it. He pulled out a thick binder that had copies of all the important research, kind of a catch-up course.
"Of course, there is a chain of command to understand here. I of course head this facility, what I do is my business, your to do as I ask when I ask it. Dr. Lockheart is my second in command, unless it directly contridicts something I have said her word is as good as mine. If that's not clear, you'll never see this." Moreau smiled and layed the book down on the table, his hand over it.Marlena's gaze diverted to Aubrey at her words. She tapped her fingertip to her chin, pondering deeply. "It could be an allergic reaction, or something to do with hormones. Or it might just be passive aggression due to...I take it they aren't here...if you don't mind me being indelicate...by choice?"
She grinned a little, and it was anything but warm and friendly, almost menacing. "I should be able to launch some behavioral modification expermients as well as trying to determine what in particular they are reacting to, and see if it can be stopped biochemically without hindering their transformations."
At Moreau's explanation of the CoC she nodded tersely. "I understand completely and will do as you ask. I just want the opportunity to be a part of this, Doctor Moreau, Doctor Lockheart. I am very thrilled to be here.""I'm glad to hear that." He handed her the binder, as well as a map. "I've taken the liberty of having you scanned by our systems. You should have some limited access. After you are taken on a tour of the facilities you'll be given full clearance." Moreau motioned to the elevator.
"If you take the elevator to the first floor, and follow the long hallway to the right you should find another elevator. Take that up to floor 14. You'll find your accomidations in that room. It's late, and we can all retire for the time being. It'll give you time to go over those notes. Everything is voice commanded, it's rather luxurious. There is a small override panel near the bedroom, in case you ever do find yourself unable to speak." Moreau nodded.
"I think you'll enjoy working here Dr. Frost."Marlena accepted the binder, barely able to conceal the trembling of her hands. She knew it was adrenaline from the excitement, but she didnt want to show any weakness in front of her new employers, not when the research was so astounding.
"Thank you, Doctor. I look forward to observing some of the subjects." She quirked a tiny smile, then turned and made her way back out into the hall, her heels clicking rhythmically on the floors. Inwardly she felt the elation surge. She would never be irrelevant, never, not with this research ahead of her.
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:51 pm
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Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 4:21 am
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Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 10:14 pm
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Sabin Duvert Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 1:22 am
Aubrey rolled herself down to the indoor pool facility after talking to some of the docs in the hospital wing. She was being pushed along in a standard wheelchair, not her normal eletric one. The docs had helped her get into a special pair of scrubs she could use to get into the pool, perhaps try to move her legs a bit under the water. The hottub was heated to a warm, bubbly throth, and the doctor helped her carefully move into the water.
Oh god, it felt heavnely. Aubrey smiled and nearly moaned. She was stressed, a bit angry, and so ******** sick of her chair. "Can I just be a lone for alittle while?" she asked the doc. He nodded, stating he would be right outside if she needed help. Aubrey nodded her thanks and leaned back, sinking into the bubbly water.
Sabin, meanwhile, had seemed to have taken a page from Aubrey's book a few months ago. Since his reinstatement, he had been frazzled, had barely slept, and was up to his neck in paperwork. It almost seemed as if Moreau was taunting him with the fact that he had his job back, but seemingly three times the amount of work he normally had. He was being asked to do things that he KNEW he wasn't qualified to do, make judgment calls that he was uninformed with and normally having to turn to his research heads for advice, making him feel inadequate.
His papers were in a complete disarray, the filling systems he had set up were now all.... computerized... Half of his old team was gone (with that Robin person who had taken his place while he was out), replaced by new people who he had to instruct and bend to his will teach them how he ran things, he was supposed to catch up on all the research since he was gone, further the studies into behaviorial effects, continue other jobs like moniter duty, AND on top of that many of the serums that his team had been working on were missing. He didn't know where they were. In the labs? Used? Discarded? It was enough to drive him to strangle something.
Instead, however, Sabin cut out right at five, wiht some pretty strignant directions, and went to one area that he had not frequented nearly enough The staff pools.
SO, at about the time Aubrey had been in the hot tub for around twenty minutes, the smacking of flip-flops on the tile came to her ears, and there was Dr. Duvert. Aside from the shoes, the only thing he had on was a small black speedo, and a towel around his shoulders. He was standing by the main pool and apparently had yet to notice Dr. Lockheart - circles were under his eyes, his hair looked even more erratic than usual, and his shoulders were hunched.
Aubrey opened one eye to see who was coming, half expecting it to be Moreau, then eyes shot WIDE as she given much more of view of Dr. Duvert than she ever expected to see. "My god," she cried, "What the hell are you wearing!"
Sabin looked up quickly, suddenly feeling much more awake as Aubrey's scandalized voice caught his ears. "What?!" He looked down at himself quickly - just to make sure that, yes, he hadn't been so out of it that he forgot his swimsuit entirely.
Noisily approaching he spread his arms to the side. "My swimsuit!" He protested.
"THAT is NOT a swimsuit... its like..." she gestured... " a rubberband or something. Oi!" She dipped her hands and splashed her face, trying to wake herself up a bit. Had Sabin not known anybetter, getting a better look at her, it might even look if she had been crying.
His teasing grin wavered as he cocked his head and eyes narrowed at her face. Opening and closing his mouth, he thought about his words for once, and closed the distance between them, taking a seat at the edge of the hotub she was in, putting his feet on the steps. "You okay, Aubrey...?" He glanced at the scrubs that she wore, the feeding tube, but the lack of IV. "You're down to one less cord sticking out of you, eh?" He tried to force a smile.
"Yeah, slowly getting there," she said, returning the smile slowly. THough wet and out of her wheelchair and labcaot it was much more obvious that she had shed a lot of weight. She learned back and ran a rand though her hair - or attempted to. IT was mostly still try, except for the humidity that made it comically frizzy. "Just.. had a rough day."
He nodded, his eyes examining her figure for a moment before returning to her face. She might have viewed it as lecherous, except for the somber expression that remained on his features. "I... have been there myself." He chimed in, rubbing at the bridge of his rather prominent nose.
"Oh? I thought you'd be happy to be back at work?"
"Oh I am! Don't get me wrong.... It's just... well... there seems to be an awful lot more work than there was when I left it. Things are missing, things are moved, I've got new staff, they're all in the middle of this great project that I wasn't even there for the begining..." He took a breath, ready to lapse into a continuation of the list when he just shook his head and waved it off. "It feels sometimes like I am purposely being distracted."
Aubrey tilted her head. "Aye, this place can get pretty stressful. I'm.. sorry. Anything I can do to help?"
He gave a shrug. "I don't know. Maybe part of it has been because you have been sick. I heard they hired a new doctor, but I have yet even to meet him. And I haven't seen any reduction of work."
Aubrey visably bristled. "Dr. Frost," she spat out bitterly.
"Ah...... I see you've met? Is he that bad?"
"SHE is horrible. She makes Moreau look like a limp kitten. At least in my book." She cracked a dry laugh. "But I guess I'm biased."
He quirked an eyebrow. "A woman...? Interesting. I have yet to meet her, all I know is that she is new - from the mainland straigt to my level. They haven't had any new supervisors since the place opened... except for Robin, and she was an internal promotion."
He shrugged. "IS that what has gotten under your skin?" He shifted positions a bit
"Partly," she admitted. "Moreau... hired her off the mainland when I was sick. Didn't even mention her until she was here. She's... sick. Dibarred because of mental manipulation and drug manipulation of her patients." AUbrey snorted. "She looked virtually turned on when we explained what we were doing here.." Aubrey looked downa nd make a little nervous splash of the water with her hands. "..and she's prettier than me to boot." She shook her head. "its like a custom made to order Moreau dream-woman."
He leaned back listening with a quirked white eyebrow. "Hired while you were sick, eh? I hear she does psychology and biochemistry. Interesting combination there - seems cut out to the job and bordering on both of ours, no?"
"So you feel threatened by her? Why? Did not Moreau put that overpriced rock on your finger?"
Aubrey looked down at her ring and frowned. "I'm afraid I'm not entirely the woman Moreau wants me to be."
He shrugged. "And what is that?"
"Cold hearted. Able to survive on his presence alone. LIke being around him would sustain me." The bitterness was obvious in hervoice. "he's been getting on me again for being friends with some of the islanders."
"Hrmmmmmmm" He drew out pensively, glancing around to the corners of the room. He had never personally seeeen a moniter displaying the pool area, but most likely because it wasn't turned to it. He hoped that was the case now.
"Do you mind if I join you?" He gestured to the seat under the water. "Or would Moreau view that as an infraction?"
"Probably, but go a head. I'd like to see him ban me from being friends with staffers now, too."
He looked strangely at Aubrey but slipped into the hottub, facing across from her. He closed his eyes in a luxurious sigh for a moment, letting the warm water close around him and calming him before he opened his blue-grey eyes again to the doctor.
"Now what's this? Banning from being friends? He has always seemed very controlling to me, but that was nothing new. And I think he has always resented your connections with the islanders, but what is this about banning?"
"Billy," she sighed. "He basicallly...forbid me to speak to him anymore."
"Billy again, huh? What happened this time?"
Aubrey frowned. "He had this earring... he's had it for god knows how long... it looks pretty beat. But anyway.. I'm fairly certain it was pretty important to him. But he doesn't have any ears anymore so.. he gave it me."
"Okay... and then what?" He shook his head, a blank look.
Aubrey shrugged. "By the time Billy hobbled back to his duplex- oh yeah did I mentioned Billy crutched his way up here - Moreau evicted him and locked him out."
Sabin leaned back, absorbing these pieces of information. He felt out of the loop since he got his job back. He had - apparently incorrectly - assumed that most of the Moreau/Aubrey drama was mostly over after Moreau put the diamond on her finger, but apparently that was certainly not the case. There was a lot he had missed - a new woman that Aubrey felt challenged by, and apparently Moreau STILL felt challenged by Billy, despite being half octopus and having put a ring around Aubrey's finger.
"Last I checked a beat up gold earring was no match to a ...." He looked at the ring on her finger. "What... several hundred thousand dollar diamond ring?"
Aubrey looked ashamed, then shrugged. "He's... insecure, I suppose."
He snorted. "Moreau? He's not insecure. He's controlling....." He glanced at the ring. "Do you mind if I take a look?"
Aubrey held out her left hand, the blue diamond, 4ct stone glitening in the lighting and reflecting off the water.
He pursued his lips and went to take it off - presumably for a closer look. He squinted his eyes and turned it over in the light, looking at the stone and the band.
Aubrey watched him curiously. "What?"
"Hrmm.. Alright, My mistake." He handed it back to her. "I was looking for the 'propery of Moreau' stamp on the band. I was sure it would have been on the inside of the band or something like that."
Aubrey narrowed her eyes and snatched it back. "Very funny." She slipped it almost reverantly back in her hand, rubbing the stone with her thumb.
"Well, come on. That is what it is, is it not? A warning? And a declaration to you that you are HIS?" Sabin's French accent, in his presumable strain, was thicker, his voice more flippant than he usually dared. But he DID keep his voice down as he reclined in the hottup, up to his shoulders in the water.
"Has he even set a date yet, or is this stamp of ownership sufficient to him?"
"Isn't that what they all are, though? A symbol? That I'm taken?"
She paused. "But no. No date."
"Yes... though the timing is rather appropro." He mused with a look to her. There had been many things that he had been itching to say about her ring - but the last time they spoke he knew he had been under direct, live observation by Moreau himself. Now, weeks later, and in a chance encounter in the pool room of all places - he felt he had more privacy. Especially keeping his voice down near the bubbling of the water.
"Perhaps you are right. But I still say, if anything, Moreau is a man of control. And he does no like to think that you are outside of his domain. Even being threatened by an octopus man. But of course... this is not the first time.."
"Yes, he's controlling. I've always known that. He hates feeling like my loyalties are split. Even back in high school.." she trailed off, suddenly looking very sad.
"From what I have seen, he hates there being any other priority in your life.... which is a bit of hypocritical for him, no?"
She looked up at him. "What;s that susposed to mean?"
He shrugged. "He has his work first, then you, right? You.... he gets jealous if you put anything before him. He thinks that you are trying to undermine him if you stick up for me... or for an islander."
Aubrey shifted in the water, looking uncomfortble. "Our lives are intertwined with our work."
Sabin had been stressed. Much like Aubrey who, in a fit of despair and anger, had run to Billy to 'relieve stress' - be it through argument or something more... passionate, Sabin was also seeking a repreive from his stress. Coupled with the thoughst that had been on his mind that he had to hold back the last time he had seen her that had only grown an festered, he was bubbling forth with comments that he had been looking for a way to communicate to Aubrey privately. He was also goaded by the fact that she DID seem disgrunted with Moreau. He had half expected her to roll over and become Moreau's unquestioning pawn after the ring. But the hook... she wasn't his quite yet... it was certainly an interesting setup.
"Are they intertwined? All I remember of the argument you had with him was that he apparently thought that your physical relationship got in the WAY of his work..."
Aubrey shot him a dangerous look. "He was angry, thats all." Though the line seemed scripted, not like she actually believed it.
"Hmm." He tapped his long nail on the tile of the edge of the hot tub. "People tend to be more honest when they are angry."
Aubrey suddenly looked on the verge of tear. "What are yu doing to me, Duvert?! What are you saying? That he doesn't love me? That I'm fooling myself? Thats right. Why wouldn't someone, especially Moreau, love someone like me." Her eyes stung and she batted at it. "Yeah I don't think I would believe it either."
Sabin hesitated, blinking, not ready for the outburst. He reigned himself in for a moment and took a breath.
"I... I did not say that. I think you misjudge what I say. I think, Aubrey, that you are very loveable. And that is precisely what Moreau fears. Moreau wants you all to himself, but he does not return.... the same emotion that you invest in him. I think... i have been thinking.... that Moreau needs a ..." he gesticulated, searching for the right word. "Someone wholly loyal to him. Someone who will agree with him no matter what he says. In all of his power, this is his weakness. ANd he knows it, and he is doing all that he can to keep your loyalties solely with him. He is maybe doing it slowly. Pulling you back... you say that he says you can no longer speak with Billy? That certainly sounds like a step in that direction to me. I also saw how upset he was at undermining what he told me about the pets... probably not even stopping to think that you might be doing the wrong thing - he was upset merely because you did something other than what he told you to do. Because you valued your logic over your unquestioning obedience to him. Just like when you stood up for the Dude when he punched him. Do... you see the pattern I am seeing?"
Aubrey listened to what he said very carefully, though her expression was downcast. "In his defense, he doesn't have a reason to be weary of me and Billy I suppose. Do... do you know why I was down in the village, Duvert?"
"I.... I had heard pieces after the fact... you wearing his shirt? I... I saw the argument. You went to his duplex, didn't you?"
She looked down. "I did. I didn't... you know..g o there thinking... that would happen.. but.."
"But?" He prompted. "what... what did happen that night? Before.... you know...?"
"We started kissing..." she said, refusing to look him in the eyes. Then he started to change.. right befor the power went off. I got scared...so I ran out."
He nodded, thinking. "And Moreau knows this? That you kissed him...?" He opened and closed his mouth. "But... may I ask one thing? Why Billy? I mean... he is dirty, foul-mouthed.... I do not see the appeal..?"
"Yes, Moreau knows. I made sure he knew before I accepted his proposal. Thats why I thought he trusted me."
Aubrey was silent for a few minutes before she spoke again. "I don't know." She gave a dry laugh. "To be honest.. I have no idea."
"Hmm... that is interesting that he knows. So you think that might have something to do with forbidding you to talk to him? But it is late for that. But an earring seems inconsequential unless you think he might be seeing more into it. But then again, it might just boil down to the fact that you still talk to him, he gives you thinks, when Moreau sees you as HIS."
He shrugged broadly and gave her a wide toothy grin. "You just have bad taste in men?"
"I don't think he fully trusts me. Or him. I think he's just scared something is going to happen between Billy and myself. Which is silly..."
She splashed water at him. "And HEY...thats just mean,"
"well come now. A mad scientist and a skeezy coke-head?" He shielded his face from the water. "Can you blame me for saying it?"
Aubrey chucked softly. "I 'spose not."
"But... I am glad that I am getting the chance to talk to you. I have had a lot on my mind about this whole affiar since you were injured. You know... for a time I honestly believed Moreau himself might have set it up?"
Aubrey looked shocked. "You can't be serious! Moreau would never do something like that to me!"
"Oh I Know! I do not think he would have EVER meant for you to be hurt as bad as you were. But.." He took a breath, leaning closer to her and dropping his voice a few octives. "I COULD see him intentionally manipulating an islander to scare you. I do not think that he likes for you to interact with the islnaders more than passing. Perhaps except Colche who could not manipulate her way out of a box. If he thought you would be scare dby one... then maybe h would think that you would turn more to him and against them."
"Thats ridulous. Moreau doesn't have to go to such extremes measures to get me to obey him."
His eyebrows raised virtually up to his hairline. "Oh?" He tapped the side of his nose. "What about Billy. Months ago, when you started first your 'arguments' with him. When he nearly raped Colche? The man you had been getting close to ... your 'daughter' here on the island? And you saw the drugs in his system..."
Aubrey's eye twitched. "Are you implying Moreau had something do with that?"!
His other eyebrow raised to meet the first. "You hadn't thought of that? Who else would have had the motive and access to the drugs?"
Aubrey looked -distinctly- uncomfortable with the way this conversaton was going. "I don't know. But it wasn't Moreau."
"Then who?" He pressed. "Just beacuse you don't want it to have been him does not make that the truth... Besides. Who else would have been able to get him the drugs off camera?"
Aubrey looked away, and didn't answer. Her eyes burned and Sabin could almost HEAR the gears turning over in her head.
"You do not like the answer. I have given it plenty of thought after you accused me. Though... the reason you came to me first... is beacuse you knew it wasn't, right? Or else you would have gone to him?"
"No. I would have gone to you first. I don't like making unfounded accusations. Unlike you, apparantly."
He held up his hands. "I stand corrected. But I dare say that my reasons are founded. At least logically."
Aubrey glowered at him. "He's not as heartless as you probably think he is."
"touche. But I do not think he is as loving as you make him out to be either."
"And I don't think I'm as cold or heartless or detatched as Moreau thinks I am. So we're all even, I suppose."
He shrugged widely and expressively. "And where does this leave me? Sitting by my lonesome in my room concocting conspiracy theories? And if my hair wasn't already white, I am sure it would be peppered with grey from the stress of the last few weeks?"
"You and Dr. Frost can ejoy mentally torementing the subects together," she said bitterly.
He rolled his eyes. "I know nothing of this Dr. Frost save for what you have already told me. But I have not been doing much mental torturing recently. Besides. I have been too busy to do that, and before that I was suspended." He scowled.
"You're not going to get much 'oh noes work is hard' sympathy from me, Duvert," she said only half teasing. "I've been busting my a** since I was twelve."
" I know you have. And I have as well, but in a very different field. As I said earlier, I think that he is purposely putting me in a situation where I am too busy to do much else - like my own projects. But I hope that once I have my staff up to being trained, that I can start to manage in my own time. "
He stretched. "Speaking of... I don't believe I got the chance to thank you properly... for saving Beastie."
"Well, I wish you the best of luck, Doctor. I'll help I can."
Then she gave a genuine smile. "You're welcome.."
"Thank you. " He got the distinct impression that Aubrey had reached her limit of this sort of conversation for the day.
"Well. I suppose I Should leave before I become a prune. Or until Moreau turns me into one, yes?"
Aubrey laughed heartily. "Yeah, probably a good idea."
He stepped out, water running down his body in rivulets, once again displaying how little he was wearing.... and if Aubrey let her eyes wander, she would discover from the hair that peppered his legs and ran from his naval downwards that the carpet did indeed match the curtains.
Grabbing his towel from where he had left it, he began to dry off.
"You take care. And don't let yourself push those thoughts to the back of your mind again."
"Oh!" SHe said, after allowing herself to stare for a moment. "Look!"
Aubrey concentated and , very slowlyl, lifted her leg out of the water and wiggles her toes. "They're workin!"
He blinked and turned to look as she raised her leg with a smile. "That's wonderful!" He beamed encouragingly at her. "Keep it up! Hopefully you will be walking soon and not bound to that chair."
"God I hope so," she said with a nod. "Its not so much the nerve damage as the strain on my insides. As lovely as that sounds. But....gettng there." Aureby sank further down in the water. "Bye again."
He nodded, not seeming bothered by the more grizzly details of the injury. "well, that is good news then - if it is more trauma than nerve damage. It means that once your body recovers from the shock, and with the treatments can start to heal, you should not be hindered, yes?" He wrapped the towel around his waist after giving ther est of his body a once over and walked by where she sat, leaning down to give her shoulder a squeeze.
"And if you need a friend to talk to who is not a coke fiend. I am just down the hall."
Aubrey smiled and nodded, watching him walk off
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Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 1:13 am
Original RP
June 4, 2006Strike Two
Once again, Newt does not impress
Aubrey had stayed in the labs very late the night before, pouring over Billy's pre-surgery tox screem once again with Sabin's words resounding in her head. Why on earth would Moreau do that to Colche? Especially given how much he knew Colche meant to her? It made no sense. No one, not even Moreau, was that heartless.
When she finally had gotten back to the mans, she had found her precious pooch, Ein, to be sick. It didn't look serious, but he had made a few messes and was whining and whimpering up something feirce when she finally got home. Aubrey removed his collar and tags and gave him a bath after having to clean up his messes. Even the next morning, though he had yet to actually be sick, Ein was exceptioanlly good at the "sick puppy" act, so Aubrey found she had not the heart to leave him alone. What if he needed her, after all?
She wheeled him into the labs with her, and for most of the day Ein did well to keep himself occupied chewing on a bone on the couch in her office. Though at some point Aubrey had gone down to speak to a technition, and failed to close the door all the way behind her.
Eager to follow his master, Ein jumped off the couch after her, his big fluffy paws clicking along the tile floors. But the labs had a drary, sterile odor to them, and it stung his nose, and very quickly Ein, who dispite his namesake, was never the brightest pup and tried to find his master without the help of his nose. Soon, he got very, very lost. Feeling frightening and not able to find his way back to Aubrey's plush office, Ein backed himself into a corner and started to whine pathetically. He made a puddle in his distress, though all he did was pad helplessly away from it, sit down, and start whining again.
Newt had since recovered from his run in with Sabin, back on task although he was feeling severly down trodden. It didn't take much for the man to feel miserable. The janitor knew the smells of the labs by heart, each chemical he couldn't name he could identify at least in the air by his large pointed nose. But when the smell of ammonia, Newt stopped with a frown. The first thing he saw upon looking down was the little fluffy dog, followed by the large puddle. "Ah, b-blast..." He shook his head with a sigh. One of the animals must have broken free from their cage. Thankfully he had his cart ready, easily mopping up the mess befor turning to try to catch the little dog. "B-back wh-where you came from," He huffed, leaving his cart against the wall to carry the little wimpering thing into the animal holding facility where he found an empty cage. He made sure the tray under the wire mesh was clean and his water bottle filled befor moving to sit on the countertop with a sigh. No one was due in here for hours yet, he was sure, and there was a lovely window just behind him he could crack. He made sure the door was closed befor lighting up a cigarette. No one would mind if he took a little break, right?
Aubrey was quite distressed when she wheeled her way back from talking to the lab technition to find her door ajar and her dog missing. "Einy?" she called in the office, patting her lap. No resposne.
Frowning, Aubrey rolled back out of her office and begin dirving down the corridors. "Ein? Einstein? Baby? Where are you?"
Aubrey frowned, there was no way he could have made it that far could he?
She turned one corner and found a janitor cart parked in the hallway. She tilted her head to the side. "Hello?" she ventured. No response. Where had the janitor ran off to? She got increasingly worried when the janitor was no where to be found around his cart, and she quickly headed for the elevators down to the level where they keep the live animals.
He couldn't have possible been that ...stupid she thought bitterly to herself as she wheeled as fast as she could down the live animal corridors, opening each door as she passed. Finally she pushed opened one door to find the tall, lanky janitor in there. She blinked in a startle, and Ein immediately lept up in his cage, barking and making a fuss.
Newt jumped, giving a cry of alarm as the cigarette flew from his hands and he fumbled to try to catch it, burning his palm and giving another sharp cry of alarm befor he managed to hide it behind him, as though she hadn't already seen it, "Ah- I w-was j-just- I w-wasn't- ah- I w-was g-going to l-log my b-break ah..."
Aubrey just sat there for a moment staring at him as is trying to believe what she was seeing was true. She finally tore her eyes away from the man and looked at her precious dog in the cage. "EIN!" She pushed her chair forward and immediate went to unlock the cage. "What are you doing in here baby?" she cooed at the pampered beast, who started to lick her face immediately and whine as he huddled in her lab.
Aubrey gave her chair a quick turn towards the man. "What the hell did you think you were doing?? Sticking MY DOG in that cage?? ""Ah- y-your d-dog, D-doctor Lockheart? I... I hadn't- I had th-thought- I w-was t-told-" Apparently she hadn't noticed the cigarette, or so he hoped, dropping it in the sink as he hopped down to close the cage door for her, "I'm t-terribly s-sorry, m-miss I j-just..." Behind him, the smoke from the sink had grown thicker, a piece of paper towel he hadn't noticed sitting there starting to light.
Aubrey shook her head. "Can't you tell the difference between a prize King Charles Cavalier Spaniel and these... MONGRELS," she growed out. Of course, in comparison the other dogs did look less clean and more subdued. Aubrey sneered, more annoyed with the situation neccessarily than the poor janitor, but she certain didn't want her baby ending up like Brutus.
"And how dare you be smoking in here! This is a scientific facility - " she cut off mid-lecture when she saw the smoke. "My god! Something's burning" She gave a sharp point to the sink.
"Ah-" Newt turned sharply to gape at the flames as they drifted up, licking at the whole roll of towels above the sink, soon sending them aflame as well. "AH! Ah b-blast and d-damn..." He groaned, the dogs barking madly in their cages at the smell of fire and the janitor tripped and scrambled towards it, instinctively trying to beat it out with his own hands, singing his fingers and the sleeves of his coveralls befor it even occured to him to grab the fire extinguisher not five feet away.
Aubrey watched in horror, frozen in place as she clutched to her puppy. She should have probably done something, but she wasn't able to let go of baited breath until Newt managed to squealch the fire with the extinguisher. She was flaggergasted at his incompetence, putting her hands to her ears and having to scream over the barking animals. "What the hell is the MATTER with you?"
"I'm s-sorry! I'm s-sorry! It w-was an accident! It w-was... ah..." The fire out, Newt immediatly put his hands under cold water from the faucet, if only to hide his paled face, trembling with fear.Aubrey felt an uncoming migraine from the barking dogs, her having to yell over them not helping. "Do you realized what almost happened here? Can you IMAGINE what you might have just done?! Compromised this facility - our ******** lives because you had to have your smoke? That is unacceptable do you HEAR ME?"
"Y-yes, m-ma'am!" The poor Janitor moaned over the din, his hands cradled against his chest as he turned to face her, "I... I'm s-sorry, I'll n-never- I p-promise I w-won't- it w-was an honest m-mistake- p-please d-don't... aaah..."Aubrey wheeled forward and held out her hands. "Give them to me. All of them. I don't want those filthy things in the labs, you hear me?"
"Ah... b-but.. " He stopped himself from protesting, looking utterly heart broken as he scrambled to pull his pack from his jumper pocket, "Y-yes, m-ma'am..."Aubrey snatched them away and tossed them in her lap. "Clean this mess up this instant. You don't get your lunch break until this room is spotless." She narrowed her eyes at him, a motherly glower in them like scolding a child.
Newt huddled back, indeed like a child in trouble, ringing his singed hands, "Y-yes, m-ma'am."Aubrey was still frustrated - but the man obviously knew he was in trouble and there was no point just standing there berating him more. Plus the dogs were driving her batty. She show him one good, long, dissapproving look before shaking her head and wheeling her way out of the room. Ein jumped up in her lap and watched Newt over her shoulder as she slamed the door behind her.
Newt groaned, sliding to sit on the floor. He was not having a very good week.
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Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 1:29 am
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Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 3:59 am
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Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 4:06 am
Antony Calls Aubrey for Billy's InterventionOriginal Post (From Billy's Journal)The sun had long set and post-intercorsal cigarettes had been lit. Billy's duplex had been rendered even messier than he had already left it, spilt ink and water splattered about, the stink of fish and wet furr even thicker than befor. The octopus lay sprawled out on the ground, his many limbs limp where they were entangled, save for the one that was coiled around his cigarette. Having been the one to light said smokes, Antony tossed the lighter in the general direction of her discarded pants. She glanced down at a few, fishy smelling black stains on her fur and her stomach churned. Still entangled, her only option was to close her eyes and try to forget about the dark substance. Billy sighed, exhailing the thick grey smoke in slow, lazy clouds about his face. His face twitched anxiously, tentacles tentitively sliding across the damp carpet as though subconciously searching for somehting. As soon as she was able to slip free of his grips, the squirrel woman made her way to stand, offering him an arm up if he wanted. "Mind terribly if I use your shower before my fur is permenantly black?" She tried to make it sound as casual as possible, but she really didn't want to look like a dalmation squirrel on top of everything else. "Sorry bou' tha'. No' much I kin' do aboo' it," his teeth were stained in the cracks, his beard sticky with the dried substance. He had come to pretend those instances where his preverbial 'weak blatter' couldn't be controlled. He didn't blame her. He wrapped a tentacle around her arm, letting her help him up and continued to hold onto her as he stood for support. She waved it off, wrapping her other arm around his torso to help support him before pressing a quick, comforting kiss to the top of his head. "Bed or tank? I'll grab you a wet towel from the bathroom if you want too?" "Tank, an' a towel'ed be lovely," He murmured gruffly, violet eyes lockedo n the pillows of his dry-bed interestedly. Nodding, Antony helped him over to the tank before heading into the bathroom to retrieve him a wet towel, as promised. Once delivered, she ducked in to take a shower as quickly as possible. "Shouldn't take me -too- long." She called, having not bothered to shut the door. "Take yer' time!" He called idly, trying to sound non-chalant as he sat up in his tank, extending a tentacle out to grope under the tussled sheets and ink-stained pillowcases, finding what was left of Moreau's current provisions. Glancing over his shoulder to the steamy reflection of the squirrel woman, he filled a sucker at the tip of his tentacle, giving himself a little pick-me-up. Just a little. A tiny pinch. He didn't want to run out. The b*****d had cut back on the amount given- if he stretched it he could just barely get through the week untill the next drop-off. He sagged back into the water with a relieved sigh. Antony had no choice but to take her time, after all she had five tails to wash, among the ink stains on her white fur. After a deal of scrubbing, a grey spot lingered where the ink used to be, and it seemed to be as good as she'd be able to get it for now. Ugh. Eventually, she stepped from the shower, one towel wrapped around her while she used the other to attempt to dry her five extra limbs. She sat down on the edge of the bed, sniffing and wrinkling her nose a bit before shrugging it off. Probably some strange octopus smell that she wouldn't want to identify anyways. "Feeling better?" He gave a groan, grinning up at her fondly, "Ach, aye, much! Yerself?" She offered him a small, albiet sincere smile as she continued to towel dry her tails, "Good, and much better." "Excellent!" He certainly seemed to have perked up since they had finished, rubbing his tentacles over his chest and fiddling with his webbing as though fascinated by his own slimy texture. "Glad t'hear I wasn' a waste o' time!" At that, he laughed sharply. Her smile faded to a more placid expression, though the way he was acting brought back a bit of foul deja vu, and she gave him a perplexed look. But Sabin had taken it all away right? Of course he had. Just post sex high then. "I had more cigarettes, jes' don' know where they went to... where do y't'ink they coul' ha' gone? Feckin'- ah yeah! Look under th'bed there- carefull o' th'broken glass-" Antony gave him a second, more inquisitive glance before looking under the bed carefully. "Why the hell are they under here with broken glass?" Carefully, she plucked the carton and shook it just to be sure before making a questioning motion of tossing it to him. "I go' frustrated th'other moment," He huffed, glaring heatedly at her as though challenging his decision to drunkenly throw a bottle across the room. Her fur bristled at the sudden turn around of Billy's attitude, and she frowned deeply. "It was just a question... Where'd your good mood go?" Maybe she should ask where his stash of whatever was hiding. Unless octopi got PMS...? She was pretty sure that didn't happen though. "It aint gone no where!" She raised her eyebrows, expressing that she thought otherwise. "Wha' about you? Gonna' give me a bloody f** 'r no?" A tentacle-like hand uncoiled in her direction pointedly. Sighing roughly, she ran a hand through her hair and over her face before handing him the pack. "Have at it." "Thanks," He grunted, back to his recently usual ill tempered and bitter self, groping on the shelf beside his tank for his mathces. Her eyes were narrowed once more at his sudden dismissal of her, and she stood up, careful to avoid the broken glass, moving to get dressed. "You're on something, and I honestly rather like the man who was with me before I went to shower... Ink spills and all... To how you're acting now." It was obvious she was angry that she was just being tossed aside after they were supposed to be 'friends'. At least, that's one of the things he had bitched about earlier. "Wha' th'feck're y'talkin' abou'? Y'barge in here, demandin', an' now yer bein' tetchy because I go' a bit o' glass under me bed! I'll bet there's glass SOMEWHERE in yer's!" "It's NOT the glass that's bothering me!" She snapped, not really willing to get in range of eight limbs of angry Billy. "You... How are you getting it? I thought someone stole your stash?!" It was the only explanation. "How th'feck woul' y'know tha'?" He snapped, brows furrowed, and eyes widening. "This," she gestured to him angrily, "Is how you acted before you lost it. ******** Billy!" A growl escaped her muzzle, and she looked almost frustrated. "I thought you quit that..." "I di'! Wha'? Y'thin' I'm crazy?" He said in an offended tone, sitting back away from her in his tank. "Where th'feck d'y't'ink I got it anyway? Me purple arse?" She pursed her lips and ran her hands over her muzzled face, "It was taken away months ago..." Despite the question being addressed to her, she spoke to herself, as if trying to fit puzzle pieces together. "...Said it was too risky for the hard stuff..." Finally, she spoke to him, brain still mulling over things in the background, "You're a better, more attractive man without it... Just quit it! ******** I'll even help you get over it..." Somehow, she knew the offer wouldn't go over too well, but after seeing the Billy minus drugs, she especially didn't like this side of him. Besides, it's not like there was much to do on the island anyways. "Y'don' know wha' yer talkin' aboo!" He snapped back, his face reddening. "I've seen both sides, so I'm allowed to form my own opinions about which I like better thanks," she barked, tails bristling. "Tha's a bloody lie! I know fer a fact y'aint ne'er seen *my* side!" "I meant you being a pleasant guy you were before I took a shower, versus the guy you were when you tried to kill me! I can't see it from your side." "Then y'obviously can't see it from both sides, can ye??" "Stop twisting my words god damnit!" She snarled suddenly, shaking a finger threateningly in the direction of him in his tank. "You and your ******** pity party are getting old. No wonder no one visits you!" "I din' ask ye over here! Y'came over on yer own!" He grappled with the side of his tub, his right arm and tentacle wriggling for his fallen crutch. "If y'don' like me, than feckin' get OUT!" "I don't hate you Billy. I hate the coke, plain and simple." Her face contorted in a look of pained frustration. She wanted to help, but he was being an a*****e. A rough sigh later, she glanced over at him and tried to soften her voice and features, "I just want to help... Really. I'll even stay here for a while if you want?" Something told her this wasn't going to go over well either. He grunted, hoisting himself up and out to head towards the back door leading towards the bald patch of earth that had become of his forgotten garden. Antony threw her arms up in the air, but followed him outside after a while, too stubborn to let this die like this. He leaned on his crutches as he light another cigarette, ignoring her presence. "So now you're going to ignore me?" She asked, standing firmly in front of the way back inside. "I don' know wha' y'want from me," He grumbled, sitting in his lawn chair heavily as he exhailed a thick bout of smoke. "To give up coke," she answered honestly before rubbing her face and sighing, "Which apparently you can't do... So I'm offering to help. I'm sure the labs would help too. Maybe I could stay with you?" "Why d'I need t'give it up?" He grunted. "It aint yer problem, is it? I aint botherin' ye wit' it." "Because there are other ways to feel good other than drugs," she stated firmly, but in a kinder tone. "Because it's one of the few things you can choose not to do on this island." "An' I choose t'keep usin' it. ******** off." "Fine," she snapped, "I'm going to talk to that overly sympathetic doctor... Aubrey. Tell her you're back on coke and a danger to her precious Colche." It was far from an empty thread. "I didn't want to have to resort to this, just to let you know Billy." "How d'ye know I'm back on anythin'? How can y'make an assumption li' that? She aint gonna believe ye!" "But she'll check it out. If it'll protect Colche... You remember what she did to you and you were set up!" "I aint talked t'colche in ni' on a MONTH, lass." "Do you think Aubrey will take a chance when it comes to her?! You and I both know she won't. Besides, what's the big idea? If I'm wrong then I'll get on my knees and apologize to you." "Regardless," He chuckled, looking smug and missing the squirrel woman's point, "It aint gonna' be colche she's worried aboo'." She narrowed her eyes, "Oh? Then who will she be worried about?" Billy said nothing, but the smile didn't fade. She gave him a moment to reconsider, staring him down before turning on her heel suddenly and running for the back door. Once inside, she quickly shut and locked it, "You should have taken the help!" And then she immediately crossed the duplex to lock the front door as well. "OY! OY!! Wha' d'y'think yer doin'??" He snarled, rolling from the chair to pull himself back up on his crutch, "Get out o' there!!" "No." She said simply, disappearing into the bathroom to get a wastebin to put the broken glass into. Cleaning this place would be the best way to find anything. That and it wound't make her feel as guilty. He rushed up to the back window, pounding a tentacle against it frantically, only to get the suckers stuck, "Hoy! HOY! Get out o' there!!" She ignored him, carefully making her way to the bed, picking up trash along the way and generally tidying up. "OY!" He slammed the crutch against the window, shouting profanities and general disgruntled protest as he wobbled. Antony jumped at the sudden noise, but generally paid him no real attention as she cleaned, straightening his stuff as she searched. Trash was thrown away, and she honestly looked as if she were just cleaning. After the chests and drawers, she moved towards the bed. "YE FECKIN' b***h DONCHA' IGNORE ME!" "You're wasting your energy," she called back towards him as she shucked the dirty sheets off into a pile away from the broken glass and tank. From there, she began carefully picking up the larger chunks of glass and tossing them into the trash can. "Why've y'locked me out! Let me in, y'mad b***h!" "Because you won't take the god damn initiative, that's why," she replied, standing up and making her way to the closet. Maybe there was a dust pan or something inside? "I need WATER!" At this, she turned and looked at him with a frown, but she shrugged. "The cafeteria isn't far. I shouldn't be too much longer." Retrieving the dust pan and broom, Antony returned to the bed, pushed it out of the way with a grunt, and began sweeping up the broken glass and other dirty things. "Let me IN! Y'don' gotta' lock me out t'bloody CLEAN!" "Oh cool your jets," she snipped, dumping the contents of the dust pan into the trash can before setting the broom, pan, and can aside. Lifting the mattress, she scanned underneath it before her eyes caught sight of what she had been looking for. With a balanced lean, she picked up the baggy and eyed it before glancing over to Billy. "You know I hate liars." His skin bleached out white in splotches across his face and down his shoulders, tentacles still stuck to the window, "HOY!! HOY!! LEAVE THA' ALONE!!" He shreiked in horror. She jumped at his sudden skriek, tails bristling automatically before a look of pity came across her features. For a moment, she looked unsure of what to do, and tenatively glanced towards the intercom. He spluttered, ink dribbling from his beard in his panic as he wrapped a tentacle around the doorknob, rattling it desperatly, "C'MON! C'MON I KIN' EXPLAIN!!" "Explain through the door then," she said coolly, carefully folding the baggy and sticking it in her pocket for how. "I need it!!" "It needs to be better than that." "I bloody EARNED Tha'! Now give it BACK!" "How?!" "Aint none o' yer business!!" She scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest and raising an eyebrow. "Since I have the blow, you best be explaining." "I CAN'T!" He snapped, "Let me IN!" Antony shook her head and simply began to make her way to the intercom. "Get BACK HERE! Where're y'goin'? C'mere t'me!!" "I warned you. Dr. Lockhart needs to know about this." "STOP!" He screamed, slamming the crutch against teh window as though it would do something other than set him off balance. She jumped, again, and stopped her progress towards the intercom, placing her face in her hands. The squirrel woman was torn between what was 'right' and the pathetic screams of the man outside. Although he had fallen, his tentacles remained stuck to the glass and he was able to slowly pull himself up, "Don'cha' t'ink I'm miserable enough already??" He moaned. "Billy," she croaked between her fingers, "He has that much more control over you with this." By then, she had put two and two together. God she felt like crap. "Wha' do I care??" He moaned, "Wha' do I bloody care?? He's go' EVERYTHIN' let 'im jes' give me SOMETHIN'!!" "God damnit. If you're not going to have any resolve, then I will for you. I can't sit here and let someone I care about fall to pieces." As a friend she added in her head. "Look at yourself Billy. Look at how pathetic this drug has made you?" The squirrel woman pulled the bag back from her pocket and shook it. His wide, violet eyes were glued on it hungrilly, terrified that it would meet some sort of horrible doom, leaving him stranded untill Moreau's next deposit. "I aint pathetic! Y'don' understand!" He babbled. "So if I flushed it down the toilet, you wouldn't have a breakdown?" She asked point blank, her own discolored eyes watching him intently. "Ye wouldn'!" "Try me," she countered. "N-now... c'mon, now, aint no reason fer tha'-" He pulled himself upright again, leaning against hte window iwth a desperate, hungry expression, "If ye were me.... friend.. ye'd leave me be!" "No, because I'm your friend, I'm going to help you. It's made you fall so far that you can't see a way out, so don't try and guilt me." She frowned, trying and failing to keep the pity from her eyes. "Fine," she snapped. Her frown deepened, and once more she turned on her heel and headed directly towards the intercom. Pressing zero, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the baggy. "Main Facilities," the bored male voice on the other end chimed. "Who do you need?" Still, Billy seemed to refuse to move or say anything, his coloring greying slightly with light shades of brown in splotches akin to the ground he sat on. "Aubrey," she stated clearly and almost angrily, "It's an emergency." The line clicked over the moment she finished her sentence. "Dr. Lockheart, what's wrong?" In her office she frantically tried to pull up Billy's video feed on her computer, cusring under her breath when she couldn't seem to. "It's Antony... Listen, I'm at Billy's duplex, which you probably know. Long story short... I uh, locked him out and searched the place. I found a bag of blow under his mattress..." She said quickly, lifting the bag into clear view and shaking it lightly. "See." "That.... HOW? I had this place searched top to bottom before he was released from the hospotal! Do you know where he got it? Is he okay?" "That's what I was trying to find out!" Antony exclaimed, "Well, depends how you define 'okay'. He's not in mortal peril or anything, but he has one large stick up his fishy a** that's for sure." "Thats pretty par for the course for him." She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "Maybe I should come down there/" She shook her head, "But before I showered he was... God this sounds strange, but sweet? Well... He was being nice, is all." The question was left unanswered, as Antony still wasn't sure if that was a good idea. "Someone's supplying him, I think... But Dr. Duvert said that you all couldn't get hard drugs..." "The only person who even could get hard drugs if they wanted to is..." Aubrey stopped mid sentence as you could almost hear the click of comprehension. "I'll be down there in a few minutes," she said, her tone changed, the line clicking dead before giving Antony a chance to respond Billy remained oblivious to the conversation, still giving this "non violent protest" thing a try. Antony blinked as the line went dead, closing her mouth and frowning, but moving towards the front door quietly nonetheless. Several minutes later a Jeep could be heard coming down the path. An armed guard was in the driver's seat and a perturned looking Aubrey in the passenger seat, holding down her hat from the wind. The car pulled up near Billy's duplex, Aubrey quickly getting out and heading directly towards the door, knocking quickly. Hearing the jeep, Antony carefully made her way to the front door, opening the door before Aubrey could even get a second knock out. She didn't want to alert Billy. "He said something, earlier, about having 'earned' the coke... I just put the pieces together. Oh, I think I still have the shirt you left here. Ah, before you were attacked. You look good," she added as an afterthought. " Earned it?" she said, sounding very confused. "How the hell-" She was cut off by Antony's mention of the shirt, making her flounder and turn red. "M..mmy shirt? Oh, uh.. that thing.." she clearned her throat. "Thanks... I'm feeling better, too...where is he?" Antony waved her stuttering away, "I didn't want it to stay here, considering what had happened." A meaningful look was given before she motioned her inside. "He's out back. I cleaned up a bit. Felt bad for locking him outside, but damnit he needs to detox." "Uh, thanks," she said, giving her a tiny, embarassed smile. She went towards the back and opened the door. "Mr. Woodrow," she said on her way out, "We need to talk." At the sound of her voice, the octopus-man's usual color returned in a flush, befor his face went pale, "Nuh-UH I don' want any!" He scrambled for her crutches, fumbling as he stood. The squirrel woman followed, stuffing the coke back into her pocket before stepping off to the side, but between the two. Just in case his cranky attitude turned violent again. She blinked as she watched the color shift, but shook it off. "Where are you getting it, Billy?" "I flushed that bag Billy," she said sternly, raising her eyebrows at his sudden urge to flee from Aubrey. Hopefully the doctor would remain discrete. "I don' know wha' yer talkin' aboo'!" He snapped, crutching away from them towards the other side of the garden. "The blow Billy," Antony explained, knowing damn well he knew what they were talking about. "I showed Dr. Lockhart." Aubrey crossed her arms, looking over Billy with a hard to read expression. "I want to know where you're getting it. Who the hell is supplying you?" "It's too late now! Ye've gone an' spoiled it, so it's too late, aint it??" He snapped back unhelpfully, making no move to stop his slow-paced flee. As she moved to absently block the doorway back into the duplex, she glanced to Aubrey. "My guess is he can't say who, or else the line goes dry... Maybe worse." "This doesn't make any sense. There's no way anyone can get hard stuff." She looked back to Billy. "Which means your supplier's going to run out eventually anyway. Unless you kill yourself first." "No' tha' I haven' TRIED!" "Remember when you tried to kill ME too?" She countered suddenly, "Because you thought I had stolen your precious white, powder lover?" "You have a problem, Billy," she said, shaking her head. "I'm -" she galced quickly to Antony, "we're trying to help. Maybe you won't be sure a hurry to die once you're off this s**t!" At that, the octopus man turned sharply, ""Why do either o' ye feckin' CARE?? Y'don' know me! Y'don' got any use fer me other'n scratchin' bloody ITCHES in yer UTERISESES!!" His tentacles flailed and coiled angrilly, his teeth and the corners of his lips glistening with seeping ink. It was Antony's turn to get angry, but she made sure to take a step back so that she didn't get inked on, "********. You. I don't ever ******** want anything in my uterus ever again." She gave a snarl, shaking her head as her tails bristled behind her. "If I promise that I won't ever ask you for sex again then would you believe I'm really just trying to help?" This was obviously, not a lie. Aubrey bristled as well. "Oh please," she planted her hands on her hips. "Nothing happened between us and you damn well know it! But I do care about you, and I'm sick of seeing you do this to yourself. I don't care if you believe me or not but I won't stand for this." "FECK BOTH O' YE!! If y'had any RESPECT Fer me, ye'd jes' LEAVE ME ALONE!" "If you had any respect for YOURSELF, then you'd have kept with the first god damn detox and we wouldn't all be here like this!" "Thats the problem," Aubrey said to Antony. "I don't think he does. Probably thanks to this vicious cycle." "Neither o' ye got ANY IDEA!" He spat, taking a few steps back towards them, looking utterly livid. His skin had splotched with red about his face and down his shoulders. "I'm sure we don't, but it's not like you've let anyone in I'm sure." If at all possible, Antony seemed a little more on her toes, the squirrel ready to flee like the wind should he lash out. "You're not the easiet person to crack," she said in response to Antony. "You don't exactly treat the people who might actually give a damn with much reason to stay around." "Than why don' ye bloody GO already?? If ye don' got a reason t'stay??" He reached them again, gritting his altered teeth in anger. "Because we're here to get you HELP, regardless of what your emoing brain seems to thing." Antony took another step out of tentacle range, clearly paying attention to his movements much as a prey would. Aubrey on the other hand stood her ground, staring Billy in the eyes, though her confidence seemed only skin-deep. She motioned and nodded along with Antony. "Exactly." "I DON' NEED ANY BLOODY HELP! Now GIVE IT BACK or GO!" He hollared, "I'm sick an' tired o' bloody GAMES!" "I TOLD you. I flushed it! And I'll ******** wait outside your door in case you have an appointment with your lovely lady white. If I'm buzzed down... It won't be hard to put two and two together, now will it." A pointed look was given to Aubrey, signalling that she had a damn good idea what was going on. "******** Billy, I said I'd stay with you for support." "You're not getting it back. YOu're not getting any more. I'm going to find out where you're getting it and put a stop to it!" "I DON' NEED SUPPORT! I DON' NEED A BLOODY INTERVENTION! I *KNOW* I'm addicted!! It's bloody obvious!! Th'thing is, WHO BLOODY CARES?? We're trapped on a God Damned island bein' turned unto ANIMALS! I'm vomitin' ink, bein' hunted an' attacked an' harassed an' tested on! So wha' if I DIE?? It'll be better than changin' again, won' it??" "Because," Antony said seriously after her face fell into an almost pained expression, "They aren't going to let us die. We're more valuable to them alive... Besides, we all know I'm stubborn, and not only do I want you off the coke, but the lady in charge does. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be a choice for you Billy." Aubrey's expression faltered as Antony spoke... though there was a truth to it, Aubrey's reaason were far more personal than that, whether or not she could voice them. "Everyone changes. And there are people here that would help you through it if you let them. How could death possibly be a better solution than that?" "Are ye kiddin' me?" He huffed. "I jes' want a little buzz, is all! It keeps me goin'! There aint no harm in tha', now is there?" He huffed. "I think I'm tired of arguing in circles. If you're going to take him Doc, you might as well zap him and take him in now." Aubrey faltered for a moment. "I can't help him if he's not willing to help himself. If he some kind of supplier on the outside taking him to the labs isn't going to do much good." She shook her head, the confusion evident on her face. "He could forcibly detox him only to come back and get more." She turned her attention back to him, pleading. " Please tell me where you're getting it!" Billy thought for a moment, his chemically imbalanced brain mulling things over. He wasn't supposed to tell anyone about his drugs. He hadn't told anyone, technically- they had found out. Did that count? Would Moreau go back on his deal because of this? No... no, he wouldn't. But he was supposed to avoid Aubrey- and here she was, not leaving him alone. Would he go back on the deal now? His stomach was in knots. s**t. s**t, ******** and damnation. That was it, then, wasn't it? He'd find a way... another way. Moreau wanted to play games with him? Fine. Billy would play games. "Y'wanna know where I got it?" The octopus man tried to look as dignified as he could, purple, naked and on crutches. Antony blinked, not expecting Billy to actually spill the beans. This was a surprise, and she had a feeling that they had put him into a damned if you do damned if you don't sort of situation. Regardless, she nodded cautiously, giving a sidelong glance towards Aubrey before bringing her attention back to Billy. Aubrey crossed her arms and nodded. She had no idea what Billy was about to say, but she didn't expect a straight answer. Regardless, she couldn't deny her anticipation to see what he came up with. He stalked towards her, violet eyes locked on the she-doctor's face as he came up to her face to face, "Who d'y't'ink? Someone who wanted t'keep me occupied. Someone who was... threatened." His mouth twisted into a wicked grin. Her inklings were confirmed, and Antony turned her entire attention onto Aubrey. No words came to her, and she held her breath. This could either go really well, or really sour. Aubrey felt her the corner of her eye twitch as she struggled to keep her expression neutral. The suspicion had been there for a while, but she had nearly refused to believe it. She didn't allow herself to examine it too closely... and she knew deep down it was because she was afraid of finding an answer she didn't want to find. It was several moment before she felt confident enough to talk without her voice wavering. "You can't possibly be seriously implying what I think you are..." "Tha' dear ol' Doc obviously is fascinated by th'effects o' cocaine on octopusses. At least enough t'keep me from ooglin' his girly." He spat to the side, a mixture of siliva and left over ink. The only noise she made was a deep sigh as she took a slight step out of the way of the spit spot. "That's absurd!" she exclaimed, though there was an unmistakable look of panic in her eyes. "Moreau is not the kind of man who's going to feel threatened by.. by..." she looked him over, motioning with her hands, stopping herself some saying something too damaging. "...by a subject." She gave a flustered sigh and reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose, something she always did out of nervous habit. "Don't you hate me now, anyways? What's the point... this makes no sense!" Billy didn't answer, "There. Ye lot happy now? Get off o' my damn property." He was frowning, his face splotching with red. "Oh come now dear, men are inately territorial, regardless of whether they're being turned into an animal or not. Don't tell me -you- wouldn't feel threatened if there was suddenly a hotter, skinnier, and sexier woman that not only had the brains to match, but also had the same... Love of playing God as your lover does. Would you not feel threatened? And then, on top of that irking feeling of jealousy and betrayal, you catch him with his pants down and that other lovely lady rubbing her body up against his. Up against something that belongs... To you." Antony made sure to accentuate many of the details, and her tone had an edge to it. "Now, tell me. If that happened, are you saying that you wouldn't feel the least bit... Threatened by this other woman? Would you want her to stay away from your lover...? How about fired?" She shrugged suddenly, smiling, "Hypothetically speaking, that is..." Aubrey's voice sounded much less confident now, but she leveled her gaze on Antony. "First of all that argument is implying that Moreau would view Billy as an equal, which he most certainly does not." There was obviously a nerve struck somewhere... her eyes barely concealing a rage of some kind. "And just for your information there is someone like that... but...but I trust Nicholas! I certainly am not trying to plot to get her fired..." Well, that was certainly bordering on a flat out lie. Maybe not fired... but definitely undermined. "...and I certainly wouldn't reduce to getting her high in order to "distact" her from him. That's just absurd! We're running a scientific experiment around here if you two haven't noticed and though they might not have covered this in freshman biology, pumping up your subjects full of cocaine interfered with the scientific method!" She shot looks between the two of them. "Moreau wouldn't risk wasting his investment on you because of some stupid crush. And don't fool yourself, this isn't your property." Billy nodded, his expression blank, "Righ' then. Why don' ye go ask him yerself where I got it. If I aint welcome here in this home ye lot so Bilious42: graciously gave me and take away constantly, then I know where I belong." That said, he turned to crutch his way towards the path that cut through hte jungle from his back yard. "Touche," she commented, obviously not phased by the other woman's defensive rant. It was to be expected, after all. "Well considering I'm the one around her with the extensive experience with men, both sexual and friendly... I'd like to think that I've had the opportunity to test out my hypotheses on a wider sample size, and not just one. Though, I may be wrong on that little bit." She gave Aubrey a look up and down before continuing, "What do you think would anger someone more? Having their lover..." Trailing off, she smirked somewhat, "Or rather fiancee, leave you in the middle of the night to ******** some guy he considers an equal, or someone he's utterly disgusted with?" "Listen, I'm glad you can see that Billy can be a good man at times, but we all know his weakness for blow... And that's a pretty powerful bargaining chip if you ask me." The squirrel woman shook her head before reaching into her back pocket and pulling out the baggy, which she immediately thrust toward Aubrey before turning her attention to Billy, "Oy. Come back here! I just cleaned your duplex for you!" " We were on a break!" she exclaimed, throwing up her hands. "And that's not why I came here. AND we didn't do anything - for Chrissakes..." She fumbled as the baggie, taking it and shoving it in her labcoat pocket, taking after Billy right behind Antony. "Billy, please, stop!" She reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "I didn't kick you out that once." He turned, knocking her arm away with a tentacle, although it coiled around her wrist uncomfortably tight, "Don' y'DARE touch me!" "And whether you had sex or not, you still ran to Billy, shirts came off, snogging happened... I'd be jealous if I were him." She said calmly over her shoulder until the other woman was next to her again. "Think about it, we use our feminine wiles to get what we want, why wouldn't someone bait a drug addict with his favorite white powder to get what he wanted." God this woman was in some serious denial. At the yell, Antony cringed, stepping in between them and after a moment's thought, attempted to pull the doctor's wrist free. "Let go Billy." She gave Aubrey a chastizing look, "You're going to have marks from this." Moreau was not going to be pleased if he saw them. Aubrey opened her mouth to respond to Antony when Billy's tentacles went around her wrist. She had to stop herself from knee jerking into screaming the sleep code, instead she just hissed something between her teeth. But she didn't pull away... she just stared Billy straight in the eyes. She didn't think he would really try to hurt her, a fault in her own arrogance and misplaced confidence. "My has your tune changed," she said after a moment. "What happened? I haven't spoken to you sense you visited me in the labs and now this?" "Maybe because I was bloody LOCKED OUT O ME HOME fer weeks after our last visit!!" He snarled, a wetness edging his voice showing that his half formed ink gland was itching to give him trouble again. Antony could both smell it and hear it, and after giving up on freeing Aubrey, she side stepped out of the projectile inking range. "Well there you have it." She said, a bit insulted. "I'm certainly risking something being down here trying to help you. Obviously a wasted effort. Fine." She made a flippant motion with her free hand. "Go ahead and choose Blow over the few people who still actually try to be your friend. See how that works out for you in the end." to be continued...
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Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 4:07 am
Intervention continued... Billy let go, his suckers freeing with terrible wet pops as he gave a damp snear, "An' how's me end WITHOUT blow, eh? I won't turn into a bloody hideous FREAK? I won't be used in one way or another? I gain any sor' o' control o'er me body? NO! S'jes' one more thing, eh? Tha' what this is? One more thing for ye t'control o'er me!"
Frowning, she looked between the two of them, tails moving nervously behind her. The squirrel wanted none of this, but Antony didn't want to leave them. She was involved too.
Aubrey lowered her eyes and shook her head. "You can end up sick, alone, hanging to life by the brink of death living high to high.
Samantha Blaire: Or you can accept what's happening to you and start working on a life here. Take comfort in the FACT that it's happening to everyone else here. Realize you have a whole community of people here that you could reach out to if you gave it half a chance."
"Like any o' them give a flyin' FECK wha' I think!" Billy snapped, stubborn and horrible as ever as he backed away from them. His skin had gone greyish from his time out in the sun, but was still splotching with various colors, betraying the emotions he was busy bottling up.
"Do I not ******** count anymore Billy?" She suddenly bristled. Granted she hadn't been visiting him for a while, but from what it smelled like in his room, she was the only one who was even making an effort to see him.
For the moment, Antony ignored the fact that Aubrey was talking about how this was going to be their prison until a ripe, old death.
Aubrey rubbed the sore flesh on her wrist, glaring after him. "Maybe they would if you weren't such a foul tempered crackhead!
Samantha Blaire: You think no one likes you because you're turning into a ******** octopus?
Here's a reality check - you're not the only one here who's got the short end of the stick. But everyone else still makes friends. Lovers.
Samantha Blaire: Are actually attempting to move on. No one gives a ******** what's you're turning into. No one cares that you're slimey or crippled or losing your hair. People don't like you because of you. Because you're angry and stubborn and violent and always hopped up on coke."
There was little arguing with a statement like that, but Billy's features trembled in a look of horror and rage, his mouth opening and closing a couple times befor he managed to speak, "Maybe they aren't worth me bloody time!!" He staggered backward away from both women as fast as his gimpy, half tentacle-like legs could manage, tripping and stumbling on the uneven gnarled dirt of his forsaken garden.
Antony couldn't help but silently agree with Aubrey, though she did take pleasure in the fact that she too was angry, stubborn, and violent. And people liked her. Her conclusion was it must be the coke, and this satisfied her somewhat. "I'd say it's the coke mostly... Considering I'm not ******** boy scout and not hated by all."
She paused a moment, before looking between the pair, eyes settling on Billy, "Jesus, ******** calm down already... Please?"
Aubrey flicked her gaze over to Antony and shrugged, looking back at the retreating octoman. "That's right," she sneered. "Its obvious that everyone else is no where good enough for you." She motioned at him, rolling her eyes. "Why didn't I see that before." She turned and headed to the door, though she looked like she was seeing if anyone would try to stop more than any real desire to get out of there. "This is just a waste of time."
He continued untill he came to the edge of his make-shift fence and nearly fell as he tried to climb over it. It was as though he was trying to run away from Aubrey's accusations when he knew deep down that she was right. Of course he didn't want to admit it! He couldn't admit it! They had no idea what they were talking about! Antony just wanted to use him for sex. Whatever boy toy she had been busying herself with the past few months hadn't put out, and so it was off to Billy for a quick, reliable shag. Just a friend. Nothing more. A friend with benifits. And what the ******** did Aubrey care? She was one of them! One of the people doing this to them! His crutch got caught on a thick knot of uncut grass, pulling out from under his webbed armpit and did indeed dump him to the ground in a tangled heap of cepholopodian limbs.
When he spilled, Antony cursed under her breath and immediately moved to help him right himself. She felt horrible for putting him through this, guilty even, but deep down, she knew it was the best to get him off coke.
He'd be a much better person, inking while snogging aside, and she felt that she, among several others, would be more inclined to visit him more regularly. Had he not been as distraught as he was currently, he'd probably be able to notice that Antony actually did care. If she hadn't, she would have stopped and left the moment a bit of ink dribbled from his chin. But she knew what it felt like to be self conscious of one's changes, and wasn't mean enough to just rile him up and then up and leave him. In fact, if it had been someone other than Billy in the same situation, she probably would have left, disgusted and ready for an immediate shower. But, she cared for Billy, and the guilt would have gotten to her not long after had she left him high and dry.
Aubrey reached for the handle to the door, but couldn't help but look over at the commotion. She cursed under her breath as she saw Billy on the ground and Antony rushing to help him. She tried to ignore it for half a beat, but instead found herself joining Antony by his side, kneeling down beside him, giving him a sad, pitying look.
"Leave me alone! Ye've done enough!" Billy snarled, trying to shake them off of him weakly. The wetness that had been left in hsi features looked to be drying out in the afternoon heat. He needed water. Moreau was probably watching, waiting, seething in his skin to see the red-headed woman there with the octopus man. How worse could things get from now? What would happen if he spilled everything? There was no doubt now that the continuation of his supplies would be nullified anyway, either by Moreau himself, or by Aubrey. What was the point in continuing to push her away?
She simply rolled her eyes at Billy's comment, and it was obvious that she wasn't going anywhere regardless of how much he cursed at her and struggled. "You may think I don't care about you, but unfortunately, I do. So stop bitching."
Aubrey motioned to Antony, looking at Billy. "See? If you'd just open your goddamned eyes, you might notice there are people who do give a damn. Imagine how many more might if you'd give them have a chance."
Despite her words, her tone and eyes were much softer than they had been a moment before.
Finally, Billy made a decision. He stopped struggling, limbs limp in their arms, his crutches dropping on either side of him. His mouth twisted into a smile once more, a quiet, bitter sort of smile as he began to laugh.
Blinking at his sudden change in attitude, Antony watched him warily, tails continuing their movements behind her.
Aubrey blinked, looking as confused as he started to laugh. She shifted her weight and tried to pull Billy up a bit, making sure he was in no danger of falling into the dirt. She threw an uneasy glance at Antony before looking back to him.
"S'really funny," He managed finally.
She had expected something a little more than just... that. Antony glanced down at him before mirroring Aubrey and offering two hands up. Strangely, she looked more worried than annoyed now.
Aubrey swallowed, debating whether or not she should even ask. "What's funny, Billy?"
"He tried so hard, y'know? An' th'thing is... I jes' don' care anymore. He said t'act mad if'n I had t' bu' it aint worth it. I fecked either way, so wha' the hell?"
Antony stayed silent, and simply watched the exchange between them for now.
Aubrey's brows knit as she listened, trying to catch what he was saying between his disjointed articulation and heavy accent.
"Who said to act mad? Moreau? Mad at what, Billy? What's not worth it?" She was so confused, and her frustration was bubbling to the surface again. There were ten thousand scenarios running through her head and none of them were very good.
"Yer hubby gave me th'blow, lass!" He snapped, laughing even harder now, "T'get me t'stay away from ye! Thank y'Lass," He turned to Antony with a nod. "Fer callin' her here an' save me a load o' heartache an' trouble!"
"Since when would you have 'heartache' with the woman who sliced off one of your balls?" She snapped, turning to give Aubrey a hard gaze, as if she were trying to detect what else was going on. Soon, she got irritated and just looked back to Billy, putting her hands on her hips while waiting for an answer.
Aubrey's eyes widened a little, before glaring knives back at Antony for a moment.
"I got that he gave you the drugs. I'm just.. I'm not sure what you're saying about why…" Aubrey felt the color draining from her face, her voice losing its confidence, which kept her from continuing.
As the look of comprehention came over her, Billy laughed even harder. "WATCHOUT! William th'heartbreaker's on th'loose!" He was sick, he was tired, he was dehydrated, he was still buzzed, and he was ready to go back inside. He hated himself. He hated this island. He hated these women, he hated all women, he hated everything.
Antony ground her teeth, returning Aubrey's glare in full, and then some. She wasn't sure where her anger was stemming from, but she pinned it on the fact that she was emotionally drained and her patience had worn out. That was her story and she was sticking to it.
"You're sick," Aubrey said, after she replaced her confused expression with a more deadpan one. "And you look hot. We… we need to get you inside." Aubrey stood up, struggling to bring Billy up with her.
"He's afraid ye'll feck me an' like it better! Wha' d'ye think, Antony? Maybe th'two o' ye can swap stories an' then we'll see! Or maybe he's scared cause I'm bigger. Tha' it, do y't'ink? Is he watchin' now, d'y't'ink?"
I'll get back to you when I get the ink stains out of my fur," she commented dryly, tails lashing behind her as she attempted to keep her anger at bay. "Well if he's watching now Billy, why don't you finish the show you started with her months ago? That'll be sure to tweak some nerves."
Aubrey did her best to ignore Billy's crudeness, avoiding his eyes and trying to pull him in the direction of the duplex.
Her eyes twitched, though, at Antony's words, looking back at her dangerously. "Please, don't encourage him when he's like this."
His tentacles wound around both women's arms and waists, elegedly for support, although they squeezed and clung in ways that were rather unsettling for a woman.
"I hope he's watchin'! I hope he's watchin' an' I hope he's seethin'!"
Her eyes widened, but she simply ignored both his gropings and Aubrey's scolding, attempting to shift an arm around him for added support. "You do know he's probably going to chop off the rest of your equipment right? Or something equally as cruel, probably."
"No, he won't," Aubrey snapped. "He's not that paranoid. Billy's sick, he doesn't know what he's saying is all."
Aubrey also shifted a bit under his touch, but she was too determined to get him inside to argue. She led him towards the water bed of his, knowing he needed to stay moist.
"Why don'cha' ask him, then?" Billy turned to hiss into her ear as he leaned on both of them, slipping a leg into the water.
"It's called denial," she stated curtly to Aubrey, "And I'd be shocked if there wasn't some sort of punishment for breaking the supposed agreement." If Antony saw the nibble, she was doing her damnedest to seem like she hadn't.
"I am going to talk to him," she said to Billy, helping him in. "I'm going to put a stop to this.. whatever the hell is going on. You don't need this s**t … why did you agree to that in the first place?"
She shook her head, already knowing the answer. That's what druggies did.
She looked to Antony. "I'll take the punishment," she said between clenched teeth. "I'm the one who came here."
"Oh good, he can cut off yer balls this time," The octopus cackled, slipping into the water with a sigh. His standard color was starting to come back, but his nerves were still shot.
"I don' care wha' he does t'me no more."
An eyebrow cocked in Aubrey's direction, muzzle forming into a thin line. "Be careful what you wish for." She sighed and ran her hands over her face and then into her hair, looking over to Billy with a bit of pity. "Well, I'm going to wash the sheets since I stripped them already." Suddenly, she thought it best to get out of there. Now that he was safe in his tank.
"Very funy," she said to him sarcastically as she grabbed a towel off the floor and sank it into the water, dabbing at Billy's forehead and squeezing some of the water into his hair.
"I know what I'm doing," she lied to Antony.
"Please. Jes' leave me th'feck alone," He finally sighed, sinking deeper into the water moodily, his previous merriment gone like so many of his mood swings.
"You're a bad liar," she murmured, looking over to Billy with a frown as she stuffed the sheets and whatnot into one of the pillow cases. "I'll drop these off tomorrow." The doctor received a hard look of either pity or slight distaste, either way it was a generally sour look. And at a loss for words, Antony simply gave Billy a nod and headed for the front door.
Aubrey set the towel down with a sigh. "Fine," she said heavily. "I don't know what else you want me to do." She stood up and gave him a long, forlorn look before turning to head out as well.
He didn't answer, keeping his eyes down at his tentacles swirling in the water. Who cared what those dumb women thought about him? They would just use him like everyone did. He was done being used. He was even more tired of that than of people trying to get him to quit smoking, snorting and anything else he found made life tolerable. His old boss had used him, Edel had used him, everyone used him. That would stop. Moreau watned to cut off his last testical? Fine. Cut off his d**k? Fine. Cut off all of his limbs? Fine. Leave him soemwhere to die slowly and painfully? What the hell, why not? At least it woudl be his own choice.
One last sigh, and Antony left, dirty laundry in tow. She was utterly exhausted, and had simply had enough.
Aubrey made a decision to talk to Billy once he was sober. And privately. Somehow.
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Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 4:10 am
Original Post
The next morning there would be a simple note slipped under the door. On a plain peice of folded paper, in very small (legible, but probably too small for cameras to read...) handwriting:
Quote: If you want to talk, meet me behind the waterfall on the east side of the river this afternoon at 6pm. Be sober, or I won't bother. ~ Aubrey
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Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 4:12 am
What happened behind the WaterfallBilly and Aubrey cross the lineOriginal Post (From Billy's Journal) Aubrey made her way there after she clocked out from the labs. She had been avoiding Moreau all day... but the fact that he hadn't approached her bode well for him having seen anything. The little package of coke that Antony gave her was locked away in her desk drawer next to Billy's earring. She promised Billy she would confront Moreau about that...and she intended to. Just not yet. There was too much going on in her head just yet to feel like she could face Moreau with steady footing. She took the Jeep to right outside the village and dropped off a basket of basked cookies on Colche's doorstep. The armed guard was ever-present with her in the village, but when she instructed the Jeep pull over near the river, she insisted he stay in the car. She was fairy certain the Jeep was out of range, but like all major pieces of equipment there was a GPS tracker on it that Moreau could check up on later. She walked the rest of the way, finally slipping under the waterfall, trying to keep as dry as possible. But of course the rocks were slick, the air was damp, and the spray from the fall had her thoroughly damp in a matter of minutes. She paced in the small cover, huddling her labcoat around her. It was a long while after the appointed time befor there was sudden movement in the water under the falls, and several somethings slithered over some of the lower slick rocks, "Wha' d'ye want?" Aubrey jumped as Billy made his appearance. She had been considering leaving for a while, but was enjoying being in a place she felt alone. She new the camera's didn't reach here... subjects coming out this far would activate the GPS tracking in the monitor room. Not a big security risk unless there was a congregation. "Good god!" she exclaimed, getting her breath back. "There you are." She looked him over for a moment, trying to assess his mental state. "I... I figured you might want to talk. They can't hear you here, you know?" She chewed on her bottom lip. "You were pretty strung out yesterday... I just wanted to make sure what you said was the truth before I confront Moreau." He pulled himself up onto the rock, trying to make himself as comfortable as possible as he glared at her quietly, "I migh' be a bloody mad druggy, bu' I wasn' lyin'. S'too good a truth t'be fuddled wit' a lie." Aubrey frowned, a small part of her hoping it had been a drugged up illusion. "Oh," she said quietly, looking disappointed. "I just had to be sure..." She twirled a strand of hair around a finger nervously. "Well.. that aside... anything you want.. to say? I mean... I know you don't want to believe me but I wish there was some way I could... help you some how." At that, he gave a chuckle, pulling out the ziplock bag he had found to keep his cigarettes dry while he swam, digging one out, "Ye coul' find a way t'make me human again. An' get me off this rock. Maybe import me Ex an' turn her into a turtle." "Realistically..." she frowned, shaking her head. She should have seen that coming. "Its more complicated than just slipping you an antidote and hiding you away in the cargo." She tapped a finger to her lips. "Though the third... that's a distinct possibility." She stopped the moment she said that and blinked. Did she really just say that? No no, she wasn't like that. This was not a place of revenge for her. She wouldn't stoop to that. He laughed outright when she seemed to humor him, "Bloody brilliant!" Aubrey waved her hands. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm not like that." "Aw, snap." He feigned dissapointment, taking a long drag on his cigarette. Aubrey peered over at him, the curiosity getting the better of her. "What's her name?" His eyes twitched over her, brows furrowed as he debated whether or not he should tell her. Finally, he caved. Why not? "Edel." "Nice name. I'd need more than that, though." "Ye'd really go an' find her an' bring 'er here?" His mouth twitched into a grin. Aubrey sighed and gave a defeated shrug. "I could flag her name and our sources would let me know in their reports if she came up. Its not just as simple as plucking someone from their home, you know." "Especially someone li' her," He grunted, "Bloody power hungry b***h. S'nice though', though." Aubrey raised an eyebrow gave a small snort. "Would you really want her here because if revenge, or so you'd be around her?" She did her best to make not sound like she was jealous. He shook his head, "Woul'n' matter anyway. It was all a joke on me anyway, wasn' it?" "What? Getting Edel here?" She shrugged and shook her head. "Its a big bad world out there, but do really think all of Moreau's enemies end up here on accident?" "No, I meant-" He shook his head, waving a tentacle-like hand, "Ne'er mind." "No... what did you mean?" She crossed her arms, curious. He fell silent for a few moments befor tossing the cigarette intot he water, "So that all y'wanted t'know? If I was serious yesterday or no?" Aubrey gave an annoyed huff as he ignored her question. "No, thats not all. I mean, that was something I wanted from you. I wanted to know if there was anything you wanted from me. Dammit, Billy.. I'm trying to be your friend here!" "An' look at how far tha's gotten me thus far." Aubrey thew up her hands, frustrated. "Fine. I should have seen that coming. You know I have a lot on the line here, too. You're not the only one who has been giving a no contact mandate!" "So wha', y'want me t'sit an' pour out me heart an' soul abou' me ex fiance?" He growled irritably. "I didn't say that! You're the one who even brought her up in the first place! I just wanted to talk." She sighed irritably back at him, then backpedaled. "Wait... fiance?" His skin started to blotch red as he turned, ready to slip back into the water. "I'm sorry!" she said quickly, holding up a hand, not wanting him to leave. "I just.. its surprising is all." "Suprisin' I coul'a' had a normal life b'fer all o' this?" He snarled. "I just.. don't see you as a get down on one knee, forever and forever amen kind of guy." She decided to sit down and relax, leaning back against the wall of the small cove. "I.. I don't mean that as a bad thing. Its a nice, thought, really. Just makes me wonder what it would have been like to know you... before all this." "Don' t'ink y'woul' ha' liked me," He resettled, fidgeting a bit with his many limbs befor pulling out a fresh smoke and his matches. "An' it wasn' like she loved me or nothin'." Aubrey balanced her elbow on her knee and rested her head on it. "Why not?" She gave him a sympathetic look. "Then why was she your fiancé? Or is that the obvious reason for the 'ex" part?" "She wanted me t'do somethin' fer her. An' used her bloody feminan wiles fer it," He answered simply. "Ah..." Aubrey didn't really know what to say to that. She had never thought herself as very feminine, so she had never, really tried to pull the 'feminine whiles' card to get something out someone. Well, perhaps she had tried... but only on Moreau. And that never worked.. until they were already an item.. She shook her head, getting lost in her own thoughts. "I'm sorry abour that, then. That's not fair to you at all. No matter what." He gave a sharp laugh, "S'her fault I'm here, I suppose. I'm sure y'know all aboo' tha' from me handy dandy file, eh?" "Actually Moreau handled your arrival on his lonesome. There's very little background into in there. Just a splattering of medical records and a few legal documents." "Then y'don' know wha' I did?" He glanced up, honestly suprised. She made a so-so motion with her hands. "I know you were running from the police. And killed a cop in the process. That's why you were so desperate to get away and hide out." "I was desperate t'get away an' hide out on account o' bein' wanted fer murder back home." Aubrey couldn't shake the kinda of creepy feeling... realizing that not only was she talking to a murder, but doing so rather casually. She scratched her neck in a sudden fit on nervous energy. She didn't know what to say for a moment, then a few puzzle peices fell together in her head. "Ohmy.. that wasn't what Edel wanted you to do...was it?" He gave a sharp laugh, "Apparently she wasn' as much of a Daddy's gel as people believed." Dispite his laughter, Aubrey looked on the verge of horrified. "That's unforgivable." She looked down and messed with the hem of her sleeve. "You have to really love someone to be willing to kill for them." "I woul' ha' done anything fer her," He answered gruffly, "Th'problem was, she knew it." "I know the feeling," Aubrey mumbled, averting her eyes. She gave a small disgruntled huff before chancing a glance back up to Billy. "I'm sorry." "No y'aint," He took another drag of his cigarette, tentacles coiling into a more comfortable position on the rock. "If it wasn' fer her, y'woul'n have me aroun' t'feck wit'." Aubrey narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't flatter yourself. Jesus. Believe it or not, I do a lot more with my life than finds ways to mess with you." "Like wha'?" Aubrey shook her head, not wanting to fall in that trap. "For one, I have a whole mess of other people I could mess with besides you," she lightly teased. "Aye, bu' do ye' got jars filled wit' bits o' them on yer desk?" He gave her a wink. Aubrey chuckled, but a red flush came over her cheeks whether she realized it or not. "No, I can't say that I have." "So yer sayin' I'm no' yer favorite pet?" He feined looking hurt and disapointed. "I never said that," she consoled, her mouth turning up in a small smirk. "I just meant if you weren't here I'm sure I would have found," she sighed out the next word overdramatically, " someone to replace you and I would have never found out what I was missing." "So I am yer favorite pet," He gave her an ink-stained grin. "Maybe," she suggested with a scandalous smirk. "You certainly keep me on my toes the most." "So wha', gonna' keep me in a fishtank in yer office once I'm all done?" "No no, I think you'd be much happier frolicking in the wild with your little friends," she said, motioning in the general direction of the village. "But no promises about Moreau. Something tells me that idea might actually appeal to him. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer and all that." Billy grunted, shaking his head. He couldn't help the shiver that ran down his back, "So it will get worse'n... this?" He gesticulated to his many limbs, taking a last drag of his smoke befor tossing it into the river. "Shoul' I be glad I don' got gills?" Aubrey pulled her knees up to her chest, her smile fading quickly. "Well, worse in the fact that yes, you're not done with your changes. But better in the fact that you shouldn't be so... awkward when its all said and done. You should be fully mobile and more control over your ink and stuff." "Well, aint tha' a bloody relief. Will I still be a bloody human mood-ring?" Even though he had had access to books and resources and the like, Billy still refused to do research on the creature he was becoming. Octopi were as foreign and mysterious to him as the swiss alps were to an american house cat. "Most likely. Octopi change colors depending on their moods. But they're also the world's greatest camouflagers. Make chameleons look like amateurs. I'm sure you could find some devious use for that." At that, his brows raised again, "Is tha' what it is, now?" Aubrey nodded. "Maybe this all wouldn't be as scarey if you did a little bit of research. At least you could prepare yourself for some of the things that may happen." "I've seen pictures o' octopusses. Don' think I *want* t'know wha's gonna happen t'me," He grunted, giving a nervious sniff. "By an' by... the... bag y'took from me yesterday..." Aubrey opened her mouth to argue, but then stopped and gave a dissapointed sigh when the drugs were brought up. "You're incorrigible." "Ye lot work hard t'keep me miserable, y'know tha'?" He sneared, starting to slip back into the water, tentacles reaching for the rocks where she was sitting. "The drugs aren't helping, you know? Its what's pushing you from being unhappy about your situation to down right suicidal!" "I coul' argue tha' point!" "Fine. Get clean and sober - for real - past the point of withdrawel and then we'll argue about it." "I'm clean now! I'm sober now! Was hungover all morning, but I'm feelin' better!" "Being sober for a few hours is hardly the same thing as being really clean," she chastised. "And anyway, see how much better it makes your attitude?" "Aye, I hate meself more," He snarled. Aubrey rubbed her temples. "I think if you gave people an honest chance you'd fine that you could have some really great friends." "Ach, aye, like tha' sniveling green man tha' tried t'clean me windows the other day? Oh, aye, les' all hold hands an' skip aboo' merry-like as we're mutated into freaks t'gether!" "Whatever," she said, holding up her hands in defeat. "I'm tired of arguing this with you. Everyone else has managed, so why can't you?" "Because I'm a randy b*****d who's tired o' bein' used. I want some control back in me life, is tha' too much t'ask?"* "I find a guy as addicted on drugs as you are talking about control to be highly ironic." "It's me CHOICE t'be addicted to drugs, thank ye'!" "Not anymore it isn't! That's what addiction is." God, she felt like a DARE officer. "Look, I'm sorry but you're not going to get your drugs back. Find a new hobby or something. One that won't interfere as much with our research." She didn't really know if she even meant what she said anymore. It sounded tired and rehearsed by now. "Obviously it don' interfere with th'research if th'top dog himself is supplyin' me, eh?" "That has nothing to do with research, just Moreau's posessiveness." "Bu' it proves me point aboo' perogitives!" "Not really. Moreau may be willing to throw away all legitimate scientific research in order to dope you to impotence but I'm not. I still have some power around here, dammit." She looked highly aggitated as the subject was breached again, her voice much higher than it had been a few moments before. "Impotence! Yer talkin' t'me aboo' IMPOTENCE after cuttin' off me damn TESTICAL!" He laughed sharply. "Oh please, you can function to your full capacity and you know it." She averted her eyes and tried to shrug it off nonchalantly. "Fine. Fine I'll go find some glue t'sniff," He huffed, pulling back away from her again into the water. "Leaving already?" she asked a little too quickly, sitting up straight. "We're jes' arguin', an' I aint gettin' anythin' out o' this, am I?" He grumbled, glancing up at her. Aubrey cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, I'll drop it for now, okay. I just wish you'd give it a try. Why can't you smoke dope like everyone else here?" She shook her head quickly. "Nevermind, I said I would drop it. "And as for 'getting' anything out of it, I thought that maybe you'd just want to .. talk, or something. You seemed to have a lot of your mind yesterday." She gave him a pointed look. "Always got a lot on me mind," He huffed, resettling to coil his tentacles over the rocks near her, content to float for just then. "I hate meself an' the blow makes me *no*hate meself. There, that a good argument? An' let me tell y'somethin' aboo' Coke vs. Dope. Th'ferst brings y'UP. Pumps y'up. Get's y'goin'. Th'other bogs y'down, slows y'down, y'understand?"* "But drugs is only masking the problem, not fixing it!" She sighed and waved her hands helplessly. "Whatever, fine. I'll think about it, okay?" "I aint sayin' there's anythin' wrong wit' dope, mind ye," He muttered, strategically ignoring her argument. "Noted," she said tiredly, looking over him floating in the water. She rested her chin on her knees in defeat. "Why are y'doin' this, anyway?" He suddenly spoke up. "Becuase you seemed so convinced no one gave a 'feck' about you, so I figured you might appreciate it. Becuase I wanted to. Was I wrong?" "I mean th'island. Th'whole... turnin' people into monsters thing." Aubrey's face paled, not expecting a bomb like that one. "Oh." She glanced down at her left hand, using her thumb to twirl ring around her finger. "Isn't it obvious?" His eyes flickered to the ring and then back up to her face befor he gave a short laugh, "Ye don' got control o'er yer own life either, do ye?" Aubrey forced a small smile, "I don't know anymore," she said quietly. "Th'factwe're sittin' behind a waterfall jes' t'have a chat's proof enough o' tha', aint it? Is tha' worth tha' shiny there on yer finger?" "I love him," she said, though it was said more because it was the right thing to say rather than a statement hat had any true belief behind it. At least that's what it would have seemed like. "You were willing to commit murder for someone, you have to be able to understand." "Aye... bu' I'm a dumb man pulled around by me c**k. Fill me up with enough fizzy, an' I'm on top o' th'world wit' a pair o' tits an' a round arse tellin' me wha' t'do. Y'really want t'compair yerself wit' th'likes o' me?" "You've never seemed too happy with me telling you what to do." She was too obvious not to go for it, and a lame attempt to lighten up a topic that very quickly became dark and unsettling for Aubrey, but it fell flat. She cleared her throat and continued. "I think why the circumstances between us might have been different, there's a lot of overlapping concepts." "Aye, bu' y'aint sleepin' with me, are ye? There's th'difference there." "Oh, I see...thats the catch," she let her eyes drop over Billy again, then shook her head. "So y'love him," He nodded, "Good reason. Good reason. Can'tsee why, personally, bu' I suppose that's whacha' get, eh?" "No one understands." she said, disgruntled. "None of you guys, not my parents..." she huffed. "Guess you had to be there. I've known him since I was a freshman in highschool." "Yer right. I don' understand. Obviously, ye've seen a side o' him tha's not a cold, calculatin', manipulative b*****d. Y'sure he aint jes' marrying ye t'get something out o' it?" "Get something out of me?" She gave a snort. "I couldn't fathom what he would want out of me that would require marrying me." "Maybe b'cause he couln' find another who'd be gullible enough t'love him despite th'fact he's a feckin' nutter?" "You know what's funny... Duvert warned me he would pop the question in order to smooth over some huge argument. I didn't even realize he was right until well after I accepted." She shook her head sadly. "I wonder how long he would have waited otherwise. If at all." "He seems as much o' th'type t'marry as me," Billy laughed, swimming back and forth along the rocks lazily. "So he wanted somethin' out o' the marriage, aye? An' it wasn't you." "We wanted me back," she said with a shrug. "He learned the hard way that if he was going to push me away..." she stopped and smirked. "Well, he realized I could be lost to him, in more ways than one. Both driven into the arms of another man and nearly killed in the same night. Lucky me." She learned forward a bit. "That's... almost romantic, right?" "Or he wanted t'tighten th'leash on ye. Control, lass, tha's all this proposal is. No' love." Aubrey sneered. "Sadly you're not the first peron to tell me that." "There y'have it, there it is!" Aubrey tossed her damping (and frizzing) hair out of her face. "Look, I now he might not exactly be Don Jaun, but he does love me. Just in his own...way. Like everything else in his life. He's hardly conventional." "Woul' he do anythin' fer ye?" The heavy pause was answer enough. "There's more to love than just that," she finally said after a moment of deliberation. "Give an' take, lass. Wha's he give tha' aint material, eh? An' how much does he take?" Billy was grinning. Aubrey just watched him for a good few moments, the gears turning in her head, obviously thinking carefully how to respond. "You're more perceptive than you let on, you know that?" she finally said, sidestepping. His grin widened, noting her evasion, "There's a reason I was able t'do wha' I did, and be good at it. More'n jes' a condom o' blow shoved up me arse in an airplane." "I suppose so. My bad for underestimating you I guess." "I think yer underestimating a lot o' things, lass." "Am I?" She quirked an eyebrow, pondering over what he was referring to. "Enlighten me." "Or at least misestimating." Aubrey gave a small chuckle. "I'm a scientist. There's a good reason I feel much more comfortable around hard numbers and facts." "Fact. Yer fiance's crazier than I am. Fact. When was th'last time he showed y'*real* effection? No' jes' bribin' ye with shinies and promises?" "Actually he's been very sweet to me since I woke up," she said in 'now you know' tone. She paused and twisted her fingers a bit. "I mean, he's busy, like always. But he's not... cold to me. We just have a professional air we have to present when we're working." "Ye've known him since highschool, an' now tha' ye've woken up he's been nice. Wha' aboo' befer?" he raised an eyebrow, "Obviously no' or ye' wouldn' ha' come runnin' t'me, now would ye?" She gave an exasperated sigh. "We had just had a fight. A BIG fight. We said we needed to just keep things professional." She chanced a glance at him. "Anyway, what happened.. that's wasn't my intention for coming over." "An' wha' was yer intention?" She huffed, flustered, like she always did when this was brought up. "To get out of the labs mostly." "T'get out o' th'labs. No' t'see me." He looked dissapointed. "Well I didn't say that...I just wasn't expecting.." she motioned hesitantly with her hands "what happened to happen." "An' wha' where y'expectin' t'happen, then?" "I don't know." She hid her face a bit with her hands. "I just... I thought that maybe coming down to pick a fight with you would distract me. I don't think I had any idea what was, or wasn't, going to happen. I think that's why I went..because I didn't know what to expect." Billy nodded, looking away from her. "So yer hubby really is bein' silly wit' all this over-protective crap, aint he?" Aubrey regarded him carefully. "Is he?" She learned forward again. "Demanded me to stay away from you I can understand. To be honest I'm rather surprised he was willing to bargain with you. Moreau doesn't ... barter, usually." "Oh, he bardered. Tha' vicodin he gave me mixed wit' them crazy pills o' tha' other doctor's wha' sent me over th'edge. Don' know if y'heard aboo' me gettin' sick," He shrugged nonchalantly. "I heard," she said, almost sadly. "I was watching from afar." "He kicked me out, y'know. I was livin' in th'lake for a good couple weeks." "I know," she said, frowning still. "Punishment for coming to see me. I confronted him about that..." "He's a real nice guy, yer fiance. I hope yer happy t'gether. Birth a million mutant babies an' all tha'." Aubrey was surprised in the sudden turn in maturity level. Though she shouldn't have been. "Hey now, don't resort to petty insults. ********, you could almost take his insane jealousy as a compliment." "Aye," He huffed, "So y'don' really got no feelin's fer me, then? It was all jes' spurr o' th'moment." Aubrey faltered. "I...." Wow, that came out of left field. "I mean you... I- I'm getting ma-" she shook her head. "Oh what? Like you wanted anything with me but to get back at Moreau!" He shrugged, "Then we're both on th'same page, then." Aubrey just shook her head, confused. She reached up to rub her temples. "Oh god, what's happening here?" "I don' know. You tell me." "I... " she shook her head, trying to find the words. "Yeah, I have feelings for you, I guess. I mean, we're friends... right? At least I'm trying...." He gave a chuckle, "Friends. Aye. Right." "Well, what about you, hm?" "What aboo' me?" Aubrey knew she shouldn't ask... because no matter he said would open up one can of worms or another. "What do you feel about me?" "Tha' don' really matter, now does it?" Aubrey shifted, crossing her arms. "Why the hell not?" "Yer' gettin' married. An' I'm turnin' into a fish." "Billy I.... " she fished for words for a moment, and failed. "I guess I don't know what to say to that." "Shouln' y'be goin'? Don' want hubby gettin' pissed an' cuttin' off me other ball fer lookin' at ye." He swam backwards, heading towards the falls again. Aubrey sprang from her sitting position, slidong over the rocks and attempting grab him by the shoulder. His skin was slippery and gross in the water, her grip sliding down from his shoulder to a tentacle that instinctively wound around her, "Gerroff!" He growled. "Please don't leave like this. He doesn't know I'm here, I promise!" She tried to pull her arm back towards her with Billy attatched. "He doesn't have to know..." He didn't let go, frowning up at her with pursed lips and narrowed eyes. "We're pretty ******** up, aren't we?" she laughed out nervously, looking down at him. For a moment she looked like she was going to try and pull away, but in a split second she changed her mind and learned quickly forward, pressing her lips to his, though rather haphazardly. He flinched in suprise at first, but after the initial contact, he kissed back. His tentacles snaked up around her legs and waist in an attempt to use her to pull himself up out of the water a bit- no one could embrace quite like an octopus. She held the kiss for a moment before gently pulling away. "Hey, you didn't throw up on me this time..." she whispered out with a smile. "I don' th'ink I'm changin' this time," He said in a deep voice, his tentacle-grip keeping her from going far. He brushed her hair from her face with an octopussian hand, climbing from the water while using her as a support. Why had she done that? Why? It made no sense. She was already skating on thin ice by even being there. Now she just cracked right though and was treading freezing water. She was shaking and everything. She watched Billy carefully as he slowly climbed up her and out of the water. The tips of their noses were touching, his wet hair stuck to his face as his inhuman eyes remained locked with her's. They were a lot alike, Aubrey and Edel... a lot alike... but Aubrey was different. Different in a good way. He turned his head, lips pressing against her neck, his beard scratching at her skin as he pulled her against him, "He don' have t'know..." Aubrey let a sigh escape as she turned her neck a bit to allow him better access. "But you realize what might happen, to both of us, if he found out somehow..." "He won' find out," The tentacles wandered, and so did his lips, finding his ear to nibble at her earlobe with his strange pointed teeth. Aubrey's breath was coming quicker and her body started to warm under his touch despite her shaking shoulders. She raised her hands to cup his face for a moment, before one of them slid into his hair, fingernails grazing lightly over the ridge that used to pass for an ear. "Let's hope not..." Using her to keep himself up with his lack of crutches, he led her back over the rocks to lay her down on the wet and slimy inlet. His arms slid and coiled, suckers tugging at her skin, sensitive tentacle tips exploring inside her wet shirt. After his practice with Antony, he was able to snap the catch to her brasire this time without much trouble. "He won' find out. An' so wha' if he does?" She squirmed a bit under his touch, though out of nervous excitement rather than disgust. "If he does... well I'm not as eager as you perhaps to throw my life away..." She stopped herself from that train of thought, it was certainly not helping the situation. She was in too far by now. Moreau couldn't know...could he? She knew the cameras didn't reach here... at best he could figure out she met with Billy, right? That wasn't so bad... she could always just say they talked. She could face the repercussions from that. "It doesn't matter...he won't find out," she finally said, pulling him back in for another kiss.. "I'll show y'wha' love really feels li'," He chuckled, tentacles tightening around her in a thourough, groping squeeze as his lips returned to her's, "Ferget aboo' him." "Your confidence is intriguing... " she said around a small moan. She nodded, though it was a lie. She could get Moreau out of her head, at least for the moment. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, letting the feel of his touch distract her away from less pleasant thoughts.
* * * * * * strategic fade to black (which is almost as obscene as if we had actually played this bit out) * * * * * *
The tide had begun to come in a bit by the time the two found a stopping point, laying entangled with eachother half in the water. Ink was still dripping from Billy's beard from the excertion as he panted, his head nestled quite contentedly between the scientist's bouxom chest. Aubrey lay there, breathing heavily through her nostrils. Her fingers twirled absentmindedly through his hair as she stared into the roaring pour of the waterfall, trying to wrap her mind around what just happened. Her hair was soaked from water and sweat and plastered against her face, neck and shoulders. She skin was splattered with ink stains and rows of tell-tale suction marks from the tryst and her mind, though reeling, was finding no easy way to explain them away. She got her breath back quickly enough to speak, but she opened her mouth and nothing came out into several minutes later. "I have to get going before he realizes where I am." . He kissed her neck, limbs sliding around her, "When will I see y'again?" She swallowed, hoping there would be a chance for again. No, there she was being paranoid again...he couldn't know. This would be okay... somehow. Oh my god...what did I just do.... She swallowed a wave of panic and slowly started to sit up. "I don't know. I'll have to secure some things... I'll let you know." She planted a kiss on his forehead before reached over for her clothes, trying to figure the best plan of action. "It'll all go on me if'n we are caught, y'know." Aubrey gave a nervous, bitter laugh. "No, I don't think so. Not for this. I'd get my fair share, trust me." She climbed under the falls and went to work trying to rub off the ink. As clean as she was going to get, she got dressed. "But he's not going to find out, so its okay." Billy watched her silently, sitting on his rock, his mind mulling over many points. Fully dressed and fussing with her coat to cover any obvious marks, she finally broke her distant, cold demeanor to look back over at him. She gave him a warm smile and came over to him for another lingering kiss. "See you soon," she smiled encouragingly. He kissed her back, drinking it in eagerly befor letting her go, "By th'way... when is th'wedding schedualed fer?" Aubrey gave another bitter snort. "Haven't set a date.." At that, Billy grinned, "He got commitment issues?" "He's probably saving it for our next big blowout." At that, the octopus man laughed. "G'bye, Doc." Aubrey forced one last quick smile before heading back out towards the trail, her mind trying to come up with some excuse to why she was gone so long. And Billy sat on the rocks, watching her go. What hurry was he in to go anywhere, afterall?
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Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 5:11 pm
Caught Red-HandedSabin finds Aubrey on her way back.Original RP There was a rumbling noise that echoed over the beach long before the white feral labs jeep rounded a bend and into view, headed directly towards the waterfall. Sabin had been put in charge of keeping tabs on Billy after Aubrey was "relinquished of her priviledges" of speaking with him. Aubrey had also been emphatic about keeping him clean, and Sabin had done his best. He had made sure that his room was clean before he released him from the labs for detox, and he had kept an eye on him. However, he was still getting the drugs. Which meant that Sabin was sure that he knew where they were coming from - since it sure as hell wasn't him or aubrey, or any of the other islanders, nor was there any hidden stash. He would disappear from the cameras for an hour or so, and then his biometrics would shift, and he'd have a new baggie of powder. He had tried to tell Aubrey what was going on, given her his insight well over a month ago now, but she had'nt... no, she hadn't wanted to listen. And Sabin had been busy since then - between playing babysitter for Billy despite the fact that Moreau was stacking the deck against him, getting caught up on his research and finally getting to the point of maintenance with his team... But now, now he was caught up and he had the ever-dangerous time on his hands. He was going to get to the bottom of this. When there were secrets being kept between Moreau and Aubrey... there was the opportunity to gain a measure of control. And... once again, Billy was mysteriously off camera. And his biometrics were picking up. He was getting high again, no doubt. And THIS time, Sabin was going to catch him, and ideally, Moreau in the act. So when Sabin was on the trail to the beach and saw Aubey walking in the opposite direction, looking .... well.... like that... it was more than enough to get Sabin to slam on the breaks. Aubrey was quickly heading back towards the Jeep, walking along the trail and running her hands constantly through her wet hair trying to get it dry. The Jeep rounded the corner, causing her to jump. Her first hope was that it was her guard, for whatever reason, but seeing Sabin behind the wheel made her heart thump into her throat. "D-d-d-Duvert..." she stuttered.
She looked like a mess. Hair damp and frizzy, all her clothes dampened and dirty. There were suspicious looking marks around her mouth and neck, which at first glance might appear like bruises but on closer inspection looked more like stains of some kind. There was also a splotchy red mark on her neck near her shoulder he would catch before Aubrey in a very nervous fashion, pulling her lab coat's lapel up and pulled the coat tight around her. "What are you doing here?"
: A white eyebrow arched dramatically on his forehead as he took in her disheveled - to put it kindly - appearance, and her state of repressed panic. She was wet, black stains splotched all over her, and suspicious red marks..... But she didn't look hurt per se. Considering the tracker, where she was coming from... Sabin raised a fist to his mouth and coughed into it. "You know.... I was expecting to drive out here to find Billy doing drugs.... not... " His eyes played over her, letting her mind fill in the gaps instead of his words; a smirk found its way onto his lips. He didn't know what had happened by any means, but he knew what would make Aubrey squirm. Aubrey's eyes widened and she quickly looked over herself again. Was it really that obvious. "What? Billy? What do you mean? Why are you looking for Billy anyway.... explain yourself.." her voice high and panicked, and by instinct she looked around the trees lining the trail, knowing the camera were there somewhere. All the trails were monitored. Thankfully, visual only unless needed otherwise. She went over to the Jeep, feeling more comfortable talking with the sound of the engine masking what might be exchanged.
: Interesting... he had expected some sort of vehement denial... not this spike of panic. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and opened the passenger door for her. "Get in." He said seriously, taking the opportunity to get a better look at her. There were red welts around her wrists, in spots on her neck... inkstains all over her, matting her hair, staining her clothing... "He is the only islander I am aware of that leaves such a noticible ... stains. Besides I had him on the tracker as being out in this area. Judging from his vitals, how his heart rate was increasing dramatically.." He let that pause for a moment, looking at Aubrey again. "I assumed he was getting his drugs. I intended on catching him in the act." Aubrey got in the passenger side, listening to Sabin as her color drained visibly from her face, making the ink stains and welts all that much more blaring. "Oh my god," she breathed out, burying her face in her hands. "What I have done," she mumbled into her palms.
: Sabin kept the motor running, and began to drive slowly, keeping them moving. He eyed her, begining to think that what he stumbled onto might be infinately more interesting and useful than Moreau giving Billy drugs. "I... am not completely certain, Aubrey... what have you done..? Did you go to him again? Why?" Aubrey looked up after a moment, her fear and guilt already getting her on the verge of tears. "I wanted to talk to him, off camera. Antony called me yesterday after she caught him getting high." She paused and looked down at her lap. "Billy told me where he was getting the drugs."
: "Did he now..?" Sabin queried. "I.. had tried to tell you before hand. I assumed that's what he was in the process of doing. How did you find out? I didn't think you had spoken to him since Moreau threatened you." "I tried to keep him clean, keep the drugs away from him, but I can't exactly keep up with the head honcho when he wants to keep Billy high." He said quickly, in his own defense. “I know you warned me. I just didn’t want to believe it.” She took a few deep breaths. “Anyway, Antony called me in a panic because he was getting violent so I went down there and tried to calm him down. He told me everything… that Moreau gave him drugs to stay away from me. I wanted to talk to him because accusing Moreau. Just to make double sure that he wasn’t just… you know. He was pretty buzzed…”
She sighed and opened up the glove compartment, hoping there was a bottle of water there. No luck. She slammed it shut and looked back over to Sabin. “I asked him to meet me off camera so I could ask him sober.”
: “That sounds like a pretty risky situation…” Sabin spoke carefully, his mind racing at the implications of what he stumbled into. “ And what did you find out? It sounds like you are fairly certain now that Moreau is the one channeling him the drugs. I haven’t been able to catch him in the act yet, but there is pretty much no other alternative. But I am happy that you no longer thing that it might have been me.” He pronounced with a modicum of offense. “But… it sounds like you did not exactly end up… just talking…” Aubrey covered her face again. “Yes, I believe its Moreau. Yes it was stupid. And yes… “ she sighed, her voice dropping to just audible enough to pick up over the sound of the engine. “…did more than just talking.”
: He whet his lips, trying to keep himself from blurting out the first thing that came to mind, instead reigning himself in in order to get more information. However, it was all he could do to keep himself from driving off of the road and into a tree… again. “ So…..” He looked at the ink in the .. varying locations, the tentacle-sucker marks. “re-enacting some of those hentai…?” He couldn’t help it.. Aubrey looked up and gave him a dangerous look. “This is not funny.”
: He smiled, her reaction all but confirming the allegation. “So you did sleep with him…” Her eyes dropped to her lap again, twisting her fingers around. “Is it that obvious?”
: He rolled his shoulders and gave a wincing sigh. “Eeehhhh….. welll… one does not often look like you do unless they got into a fight…. Or…. Another sort of tussle. And seeing as how you don’t seem injured… or in tears…..” He swallowed, taking a turn to keep driving away from populated areas. “So….” He gave her a sidelong glance. “The big question… is what exactly you plan on doing now.” Aubrey pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t have a ******** clue,” she admitted. She turned a pleading look to him. “Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.” She paused for a moment, eyes widening a bit again. “Duvert, I’m begging you. You can’t tell him what happened!”
: He figured that she’d say that, and so he gave her a well-anticipated, sincere nod. “Of course not. No… no…. because you both would be dead if he found out. I just do hope that you had the foresight to at least be a bit discrete. And trouncing back to the laboratories covered in ink and soaking wet isn’t going to garnish you any points with the man upstairs. He gave her a very serious look. “Aubrey… I don’t know if you’ve exactly thought this through… but you just cheated on your fiancée… Moreau himself. The man who holds all of the pieces of the pie, and the man who has sent no less than two employees over the fence for mistakes. You’re playing with fire.” Aubrey’s fear spiked as Sabin verbalized the fears that had been through her head since it happened. She cringed visibly at ‘cheated.’ She felt a tear slide down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly. “We were discrete. The camera’s can’t get behind the waterfall… I checked.” Her voice was quiet and hesitant, the reality of the situation weighing down on her. “I didn’t… I didn’t exactly plan this, Sabin…”
: His smile widened for an imperceptible moment. “Well…. I.. kind of assumed that. Aubrey, while your taste in men is not always… understandable, you don’t seem the sort to have a pre-meditated affair with an octopus. Moreau won’t hear it from me, but he is all about control – over himself, over this island, and over his ‘possessions’ and knowing what is happening in his little playground. I know that you like to paint a pretty picture with him, and don’t get me wrong- yes, I think you could do better…. But dear lord… Billy?! And… I do admire Moreau, he IS brilliant, but he’s also a whack-job. I think that it must come with the territory. The project is fascinating, but especially now that he is put into a position where he has so much control, he doesn’t like it when things don’t go his way, and he can enact his whim without any fear of repercussion. Aubrey leaned back against the seat, letting the wind break on her face. “Billy can be surprising…” she said quietly. But otherwise she had little else to defend him with. “Moreau just … doesn’t need to know. It was a stupid.” Her voice was shaky and broken as she said the rest, which would question the truth behind it. “It won’t happen again.”
: “Surprising…” He echoed dubiously. “It sounds like Moreau might be a bit to predictable for you then? Do you think this will help? Do you think that he will change? If you are sleeping with Billy before you are even married… that’s assuming that he even agrees to set a date before your next argument – which, by the way thing are looking may not be very long from now…. Then it is not a good sign of things to come.” “Are you more upset… because you slept with Billy… or because you are scared of Moreau? The answer to that question should tell you a lot.” Sabin was enjoying being on top in this conversation. He needed it – after working so hard for the past several months and feeling like he was toiling off Moreau’s residual anger because of neglecting to ask for permission for an experiment…. Sabin needed to reassert his own control. “This wasn’t about Nick,” she said, shaking her head. “I love him. I really love him.” She was getting frustrated, trying to express some of the things she was feeling. “Haven’t I proved that yet? What else can I possibly give him that I haven’t already. Okay… I ******** up. I’ve made one mistake. I don’t like this feeling like the whole world is going to fall down around me because I messed up one time.”
She blinked back the tears, trying her best to keep her composure. “I’m upset…” she paused, thinking about it. “I guess I’m upset because of both. I mean, I’m not like that, Sabin. I’m not the kind of girl that has affairs.” She looked out the window. “But I’m terrified out of my mind.”
: “Maybe that’s the problem? You are giving and giving and giving… and you’re not getting anything back to fill that void. You know as well as I that he certainly does not put as much into the relationship as you do. And normally the whole world wouldn’t fall down around your ears if you were dating a sane man who wasn’t hermited away on an island where he is God. While being in a relationship puts you in a special position of power, and a special position of attention, it also puts you in a very special, dangerous position if you ever fall from his graces. And all that you are involved with. I have been warning you since day one, Aubrey, you have been painting yourself into a corner. I hope that you are correct in that this was an exception… but if he ever finds out…. Or if it ISN’T just an exception, but a cry that you aren’t happy… then you need to start thinking one play ahead of him.” She was silent for several moments. “So… what do I do, Sabin?”
: Sabin paused. Sabin had a clear view of the problem. The solution, on the other hand, that was a little foggier. So, he diverted. “How do you feel? Was.. it what you expected… with him? Billy has an addictive personality, even if you have satisfied your curiosity, he may not feel quite the same. You have pity for him, and I am certain that his situation will not be improving.” “Know that whatever you decide will have its repercussions… on you and the people you care about. There IS no right answer.” “How do I feel? I have no idea how I feel? I mean. Was it what I expected? I don’t know. I don’t know what I was expecting. I wasn’t expecting to sleep with him!’ She gave a flustered sigh.
Repercussions. That word scared her, though she didn’t want to admit it. Even if she could get away with never having Moreau find out, would that do anything for her guilt? And now, more than ever, she couldn’t deny to herself that she didn’t have feeling for Billy. It may not be love, but it was definitely something. How would she act around from now? She couldn’t handle just cutting off all contact… could she? And… what Billy had feelings for her?
That was silly. His confessions about Edel aside, she had a hard time picturing Billy being romantic.
The whole notion of running away from everything she ever wanted: her job, her fiancé…her life’s work to run away with a grimey, smelly, coke head octopus… was just ridiculous.
But if staying with Moreau and never seeing Billy again was the right decision… why does she feel so unhappy.
: “Well, there is never any right answer per se…. at least, there may be a right answer for you that is completely different than what is expected of you. You have to learn that sometimes. I did, and it was a hard lesson. But…. In the end… at least I knew that I followed my heart.” He sighed, rubbed his temples for a moment and shook his head. What a mess. .. an interesting mess, and he couldn’t help but wonder what lay at the end of this particular tunnel. “But I don’t know what I want.”
She sighed and shook her head. “Actually, I do know what I want. But its nothing I can do.”
: Sabin lifted his brows, curious and smiled. "So you DO know what you want then? What might that be? And don't tell me it is to have your cake and eat it too..." "No, of course not," Aubrey sneered.
She was quiet for another moment. "Billy said I was just as much under his control as any of the islanders.:"
: Sabin nodded. "Well.... that's true, isn't it? You can't leave on your own volition... you can't get any message out to mainland... and even worse, you have to work, AND unlike the rest of even us staff, you can't even have the freedom to care about who you want to... or... let me rephrase that, you can love who you want, just so long as it's Moreau." He gave her a small roll of the eyes. "I don't think its unresaonable for a mant to expect love and loyalty to his fiance," she countered.
: "No, of course not. But most people don't have the 'or else' clause." "He's never said that," she said as a knee-jerk reaction.
"Well. Not exactly like that."
: His smile turned to bemusement. "He doesn't NEED to say it for it to be true. His actions have spoken through megaphones." "Well..." Aubrey was picking her words carefully, searching for justification. "All I ever wanted was him, what kind of message is that susposed to send? I mean.. I kept it no secret how much I felt about him. He had to put no effort into getting me. Why should he expect to have to work to keep me."
She gave a heavy sigh and sank lower in her seat. "That's kind of... underhanded of me, isn't it? Like a double standard."
: Sabin opened his mouth, trying to think of how to phrase his thoughts for a moment. "I will repeat... I think that the Moreau you have been after for years and years has turned more into an ideal that any sort of realistic characterization of the man. He became a prize, a goal. And once you had it... you were not sure if that was what you really wanted. You have a ring on your finger - which to you has been the mark of the finish line... to him it has been a brand of ownership. Now you are standing there, he is yours in name, but he does not give you the love or attention that you have wanted. And he is possessive, and you have begun to realize, dangerous. But you do not exactly have... room to reacess or back out. You are in his world, his playground now. And you can either play by his rules, or try to make your own." Aubrey watched him from the corner of her eye. "What happened to 'reap what you sew'? I knew what I was getting myself into with Nick. That was always enough before."
: "Was it? Or was it just.... the forbidden fruit? I am not trying to put words in your mouth.." just enjoying playing mind games "But I think you are losing sight of the current situation. You wouldn't have slept with Billy if you were completely satisfied by Moreau." "Moreau was never 'forbidden' to me, Sabin. If anything everyone thought we were together anyway. It makes sense that it would happen eventually." She grumbled out another sigh. "But no, I probably wouldn't have slept with Billy if I wasn't angry with him."
: "Well... sleeping with Billy isn't going to make those feelings go away. If anything, it is only going to make them more acute." Sabin cautioned. "Even if this was just a one-time-thing... you're playing with fire. Moreau is a control freak and until the day that you're just a mindless yes-woman who adores him for sneezing on you, then he's going to be a miserable paranoid." She pinched the brigde of her nose again. "I KNOW I'm playing with fire. I know I ******** up, okay? I know what Moreau's capable of - you don't have to keep reminding me!! The question is what do I do now."
: "That's what I keep asking you and you keep overanalyzing." Sabin chided with a shake of his head. "The way I see it... you have only a few options.." He paused, letting Aubrey squirm for a few more moments, get frustrated with how easily that he was taking this since he wasn't the one in the fire pit. "I'm listening," she said, glaring at him from the passenger seat.
: "You can.... pretend this never happened. Push Billy away and try to alleviate Moreau's suspicions as best as you can. You can weave some story about perhaps getting into a fight with him, trying to take his drugs... maybe even think I've been supplying them to him since I was supposedly in charge of keeping them from him. And go off and live 'happily ever after' with Moreau, slowly being stripped of any free will or even ability to argue with the man...." He held up a finger on one hand that was lifted from the steering wheel Aubrey crossed her arms, a very unpleasant look on her face. Sadly, this was close to the only thing Aubrey could comprehend. "Or..?"
: "Or... you could continue this charade... it would be dangerous. You could continue a relationship with Billy behind Moreau's back. Not listen to Moreau and try to live your own life in a secret, silent protest. But... considering the technology here, and Moreau's paranoia.... you will eventually be caught and subject to whatever repercussions that he can dream up for you AND Billy." He held up a second finger. "There are a few other options, however. You can try to go to Moreau first. You can tell him before he finds out otherwise and instead of BEGGING him and apologizing all over yourself and thus giving the man MORE power over your life - which would likely end up like the first scenario, except with Moreau taking out whatever vengence on Billy in addition to your life of servitude. You tell him that you are your own woman, that you have other options and that you're not afraid of him and try to appeal to whatever twisted version of love the man has for you and try to garner his respect instead of his materialistic possessive nature." He held up a third finger. "OR...." He lifted an eyebrow, taking his eyes off the road long enough to see if she wanted him to continue. "I don't know if what I'd call what's happening between Billy and I a 'relationship'.. but go on."
She chewed over the next suggestion. Confessing? It had certainly crossed her mind. But Sabin was right. What got saved on her hide would only be taken out on Billy's...and she wasn't sure if she could live with that guilt.
Trying to appeal to Moreau's love for her? Tell her she's not afraid of him? Intriguining thought... but more than she figured she could do. But she filed that one away for further consideration later.
"Or...?"
: "Perhaps not... but you being with Billy is an expression of your freedom and wanting to be able to do what YOU want to do. Be friends with... or at least experience a relationship with someone other than Moreau." He waved the hand. "But that's beside the point. Other options... You can try to play his own game back at him. Try to garnish a measure of power over him to ensure that you never have to crawl to him - put him in a position where he has to come to you - there are enough devices at your hands - but it would turn your relationship into a power struggle where Moreau already has a few aces up his sleeve with being on a higher chain of command as well as access to more areas, and the ability to likely moniter most of your work if he sees fit. But from what little I have seen, Moreau is testing your love for him daily, and gets furious if you disagree, or as he puts it "undermines" his own orders. That seems to be what ignites your biggest arguments with him." He thought, after raising his fourth finger. "There are two more options that I can think of.... you can try to escape. Play along with him long enough for him to agree to take you to mainland and try to escape there. Change your name and use your resources to hide from him." He took a breath, after holding up all of the fingers and thumb on his right hand, returning it to the wheel and switching hands, where he stuck out his thumb. "Or face the 'punishment' he might dish out now. Hell, or serve it to yourself would be a better idea so he couldn't extract vengence. Inject yourself with something that isn't too miserable and take the keys to a duplex. You might be a prisoner here, but at least you'd have say over who you could love. Besides, it's not like the lot of us aren't already prisoners." Aubrey's eyes widened. Escaping? Injecting herself? "You're ******** insane," she said with a wave of her hand. "I never said I was ready to go against Nick. To cut him out of my life? Please..."
She scratched at her neck, as one of the suggestions sank into her brains. "I don't think I could play his game as well as he does..."
: "I'm just saying these are the only options I can think of" Sabin said holding up a hand. "Not all of them might be good options, the first one being a case in point where you go along with it all... but they're the options. Can you think of any more? And hell, the injecting yourself or escaping might not be so bad in the long run all things considered. You talk all the time to the islanders about how their lives aren't that bad. But aren't willing to take it on yourself, eh?" He flashed a toothy grin to her. "There lives aren't that bad. Never said I thought mine wasn't better," she mumbled, turning her nose up.
: "Well then, don't sound so scandalized, or calling me insane at the suggestion." Aubrey gave him a very critical look, her eyes lingering over his ears. "Something you've maybe taken to heard, Dr. Duvert?"
: Sabin opens his mouth and closes it quickly, strategically looking intent on the turn that he takes in the road, not answering the question. Aubrey snorted. "Of course. It all makes sense. Why you experiement behind his back.. why you don't seem very afraid of him."
: Sabin rolled his shoulders. "Well.... perhaps... I just see him as a man. With a lot of influence, perhaps.... But.... he's powerful because of the people under him, and he's frightening because it's gone to his head. And that's what I keep in mind..." Aubrey learned forward and gave the tip of his ear a hard pinch, "Of course, that's all."
: Sabin batted her hand away with a wince. "Hey, quit that." He darted a glare in her direction, but there wasn't much fire behind it. "I'm trying to help you if you hadn't noticed. That wasn't very polite." "You're hiding something, dammit. You're no better than him!" Aubrey punched the side of the Jeep, then winced and recoiled her hand, tears springing to her eyes. "Goddammit I'm sick of all these ******** secrets. No one just tells it like it is. What the ******** did I get myself into!? I'm sick of subversion and power games, goddamit!"
: Sabin looked quickly over to her with a frown at her sudden outburst. "Everyone is entitled to their secrets. Besides, it's not like you are going to be any better now if I had to hazard a guess as to what yoru reaction to this situation is going to be. And when one man holds all of the reins in one hand, you have to have a few secrets or else you're going to be puppeted to whatever whim he wants." "I think I'm kind of screwed no matter what I do..." she mumbled. "Why did I do it. What was I thinking."
: Sabin was eager for the change of focus back to Aubrey's current plight. "You were either not thinking... or tired of being penned into a situation you were not comfortable with." "I was angry with Moreau... and Billy and I were talking. Just talking. Actually having a mature conversation." She sank alittle further down in the seat, rubbing her temples.
: "I do believe you... obviously things escalated from there..... what were you talking about?" "Things he said yesterday. About Moreau bribing him with drugs to keep his feelings for me at bay." She shrugged. "Why he was here. His ex-fiance." She gave a somewhat inbittered laugh. "Actually Billy and I found that we have a very surprising common ground."
: "Fiancee?" Sabin questioned, looking somewhat surprised by that notion as well. He nodded consideringly at the common ground. "Talk with anyone long enough and you're likely to find something to talk about, something in common.... But I think I see why you like him. He forces you to look at things, at your life in a different perspective. He is willing to listen to your problems and he is a way of stress relief. A way to expunge your frustrations at Moreau without doing anything to him or saying them yourself." "Yeah, fiance. We both have fiance's that we dud stupid, hurtful things to people because we loved them." She shook her head, scared at how.. affectionate her voice was becomming. "I'm sure you're right. For some reason talking, or arguing, with Billy was always both intriguing and frustrating at the same time."
: Sabin nodded. He had learned over the years to read into the human psyche in certain areas - especially in areas of conflicts and control. Sympathy and empathy were never his strong suites, however. "So.... You have frustrations with Moreau that you don't always feel like expressing -especially to him. So you express them with Billy. And that has built a sort of... commiseration and connection. You two used to argue like an old married couple, if I recall. But strong emotions bleed into eachother. So your question is the same. What now?" Aubrey sat in silence for several minutes. "I think the first thing I want to do is confront Moreau about the drugs. See what he has to say about that."
: Sabin nodded. "That sounds like a reasonable place to start. But if he notices your attire somehow, or gets any wind of this, are you going to lie or tell the truth? If you like, you're setting yourself down one path, same for the opposite. But if you're unprepared for that situation it will be even worse." "I can get changed, clean up..." she said, nervousness back in her voice.
: "And just hope that he doesn't see you on camera like that. Right. I'm just saying if he asked... what would you say?" "This wouldn't be the first time Billy's put his hands on me."
: "Granted..." He conceded. "So.... do you want me to take you back to the labs..? Or do you need more time to compose yourself?" Aubrey pulled down the sun visor on her side of the Jeep and flipped down the mirror. "I think I'm as clean as I'm going to get without a shower..."
: "I didn't mean physically." Aubrey licked her lips, considering. "I think if I avoid going back too much longer its going to look even worse than it already is."
: "Alright then. And.. if you need to talk to anyone else.... I am willing to listen. You know how to get a hold of me." "Thank you, Sabin," she said, throwing him a small smile. "Though I can't help but thing you're reveling in my misery."
: He tisked with a scandalized look. "Aubrey.... what would make you think so poorly of me?!" She arched a brow. "That silly grin on your face."
: "I do not know what you are talking about." He said elusively with a small smile and a raise of his chin as he turned the jeep back North, towards the labs. "Can I tell you one more thing, just because I need to get it off my chest?"
: His expression was serious again as he returned his full attention to her. "Of course..." Aubrey gave him her own scandalized little smile, still fussing with her hair in the mirror, but shooting him a quick glance. "He was really good."
: Sabin coughed a couple of times as he realized exactly what she was referring to. Clapping himself on the chest after he recovered from something he was not expecting to hear at all. A smile curled his mouth as he realized that she had to tell someone and no one else exactly qualified. "Well, perhaps next to Moreau who doesn't strike me as exactly the most.... sensous of individuals. You likely don't have much else to compare himself to." He gave her a smug smile with a wink. Aubrey just gave a coy shrug and let the light humor mask some of her more serious concerns at the moment. This was the closest thing she was going to have to a calm before the storm.
: Sabin let her to her peace for the rest of the drive back to the labs, dropping her off before going off to catch up with his duties for the day... and check on Zach after his injuries.
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Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 5:14 pm
Confrontation It was coming. Her stomach felt like a solid steel knot in her body, and she couldn't stop shivering, no matter how hot the water the water got. The shower dragged on, as Aubrey used the choking steam as a diversion from the inevitable. She finally let herself cry: huge racking sobs that she had held in. She was crying because of her guilt, because of the love she knew she could never drain herself from with Moreau. She also cried in guilt for whatever horrible punishment Billy would endure, because no matter what Moreau was going to find out at the very least that Billy spilled the beans to Aubrey. She cried in fear... for the first time in her life she felt truly scared for her life and what might happen to her if Moreau found out. On one hand, she kept trying to tell herself that Moreau could never really hurt her... but the seed of doubt in her mind was blooming.
She scrubbed herself clean in the scalding water before finally getting the nerve to turn it off and face the mirror. The shower had managed to rid the ink stains and reduce the very obvious sucker-cup markings over her neck and torso into more undefined red splotches, but it still was enough to raise a the red flags. Wrapping her wet hair up in a towel, Aubrey went to meticulously covering all the marks from the shoulder up with make up.
She got dressed, fixed her hair, and applied just a hint of cosmetic make up as well, something to give the illusion of color to her ghostly pale face. She swung by her office and unlocked her desk drawer, pulling out the small white plastic baggie she had tucked by Billy's earring. Letting out a shuddering sigh, she pulled out the ring and fondled it between her fingers for a moment before placing it back and closing the drawer. She slipped the baggie in the pocket of her lab coat and headed towards the main office.
She headed in, tapping on the door as she entered but not bothering waiting for an invitation.
"Nicky...?" she asked quietly, trying to sound neutral, maybe even affectionate as opposed to accusatory. "Can we talk?"
Moreau beat his fingers across the desk in front of him. Normally he was content to tap, but at this point he was angry enough to scratch the panelling off the desk. He wasn't sure everything of what had happened. But he knew the most important things, he knew that Aubrey had been with Billy for quite sometime. He also knew as he tapped his computer screen that her biometrics had read extreme increases in body heat. He knew all of this because of the chip he had implanted in her after the last time she had gone out and gotten herself hurt. Of course, no one knew about this, the personal control panel was only accessable to him. Because of this information though he had strong feelings about what had gone on, and of course, being himself, was prone to assuming. Of course he wasn't completely sure, but he was fuming none the less. Not only had Billy defied him but Aubrey had most likely betrayed him.
When he heard the knock on the door he practically snarled. He backed down a bit when he heard her voice though. "Come in Aubrey." Moreau said in a very, very cold tone.
She forced a smile, then cleared her throat. She was shivering again already, her heart racing in her chest. She took a deep breath and reached in her pocket, taking out the drugs. She walked quickly forward and dropped them on his desk in front of him. "Billy told me where he got these," she managed out, though her voice was far from steady.
"Did he...?" Moreau said with a cold gaze. It was more of a statement than a question. Had Aubrey just brought this to Moreau by itself, he would have been suprised, possibly defensive, possibly sorrowful. As it was though Moreau was none of those things. He looked strait into Aubrey's eyes with a glare that seemed to say "I know." without saying it.
Aubrey felt the icy glare and swallowed, feeling her own nerves cracking. "Nick..." She took a deep breath. There's no way he knows. "I know you were bribing Billy to keep him away from me. And, I never told you this... but I found evidence that suggested from kind of.. of.. mind control drug in Billy's blood after the Colche incident." She was pacing violently in front of his desk, averting her eyes from his cold stare. "Drugs that only you, I, or Duvert could get a hold of. I thought it was Duvert at first but...after this..."
She swallowed and hazarded another glance at him. "Nick, I love you. But for this relationship to work you can't just... hurt the people I care about. Trying to drive them away.. whatever it is you're doing..."
"So you care about him." Moreau swept his hand across the table and knocked a paperweight and some pens across to the wall. "And you don't trust me. Not the way I tried to trust you, as undeserving of it as you are."
"I thought the point was clear, the point that he'd rather take his drugs over you. I thought that Billy was the one that was keeping this going. Now I see it was you all along, looking for the first greasy disgusting excuse for a man to come along." Moreau's eyes continued to glare right at Aubrey's.
He was taking the issue away from him, as he was prone to do. But he hadn't actually said what he suspected, he had hoped what he was implying would make her admit it herself.
Aubrey yelped and jumped at his outburst, never having seen Moreau get violent before. She felt herself start to simper as he reprimanded her. She felt her heart pounding in her chest. Did he know? HOW?. He seemed so angry... what should she do?
"He's a friend!" she pleaded at his accusation that she had feeling for him. "Nicky, please... you don't seem to trust me.. that's the point I'm trying to make. Going behind my back.. putting Colche at risk?" Despite the accusatory words, her voice was high pitched and defensive. She looked scared to death...and extremely guilty.
Moreau laughed a bit, an angry laugh, one that sounded somewhere between forced and maniacal. "Friends?!? That's all eh?" His tone mocked her lies. Moreau knew she was lying, if he knew absolutely nothing else he knew that Aubrey's feelings went beyond friends. He also was almost certain it was more than that. "Then you come in here and acuse me of putting Colche in harm's way? After all that you've done?" Moreau slammed his hand into the desk, hard enough to turn it red. He didn't seem to care or flinch. "Do you care so little for me and so much for them... after all I've done for you. After all I've given you!" Moreau screamed that last part.
Aubrey flinched, taking a few steps back, feeling a hot tear roll down her cheek. He did know! The panic rose in her chest and for a dizzying moment she thought she was going to be sick. "What are you saying, Nick... I don't care so little for you! I love you! I never said I never loved you..." She was barely talking, more like a jumbled mix of squeaking and breathy mumbling towards the end.
"Do you? Because it certainly doesn't feel like it lately Aubrey! Tell me one way you've shown me that you loved me since I saved your life all you've done is accuse me and attack me and run off with freaks." Moreau pounded the desk again. "I offered you the world... my world... but if you'd rather be out there, with them, then on that I can deliver as well!" He said the last part with a mix between anger and sadness. He wasn't sure if his threat was serious, but it was just about there. Nothing disgusted him more than the thought of her with Billy.
Aubrey managed to get a small foothold with that one, and she felt a flash of indignance push her voice back to her. "What about agreeing to marry you?" she shot back. "Staying silent as I watch children and pregnant women walk into this deathtrap? What about giving you every ******** day of my life since college!"
She shut up real quickly at his threat, through, and the small glimmer of confidence drifted away in the blink of an eye. "You know?"
"So you can't handle the research then? I'll remind you how much of the research here is benificial." Moreau pushed his face up close to hers. "Perhaps you did give me every day since high school, perhaps you were more loyal then, but since I've brought you here you've done nothing but betray me again and again. I can't trust you. I'm done trusting you. You've taken what trust I have given you and flung it out the door with your betrayals of me."
"And agreeing me marry me? I proposed for you... because it was what you wanted. I didn't think I needed a wedding ring to have you with me, but I wasn't stupid to the way you reacted in Paris when we saw that proposal. I offered to marry you because it was what you wanted. Because I wanted to give you the same commitment from me that I already expected from you." Moreau laughed again. "Little did I know that even I would have more respect for our engagement than you did."
Aubrey floundered, a few more tears slipping down over her face as it took every fiber of her being not to burst out in sobs. His words cut her to the core, but she was at a loss at what to say.
She had betrayed his trust. She knew that, and she regretted it. No matter how angry or hurt by Moreau she was feeling, she had no right to sleep around. She wasn't like that.
But what hurt the most of Moreau telling her that he only asked her marriage for her sake. He didn't 'need' the ring. One of her biggest fears revealed. "Only because of what I wanted?" she chocked out around a sob. She reached up and pulled the ring off her finger with a bit of effort and slammed it hard against the desk. "The commitment you expected from me?" Her words, while still shaky, clung with the sting of bitterness. "You expect me to be loyal little lap dog, not your lover. God forbid I so much as seek friendship in someone else. And you wonder why I..." she trailed off, not able to finish that sentence.
"Why you what Aubrey?" Moreau almost gave a cynical smile. "You're questioning my love now? I didn't need a ring to prove how much I loved you... that was my point. I would rather give you my trust, my research, my everything, put you above it all. But you threw all that away!"
"And friends?!? FRIENDS!?! I didn't realize that part of friendship these days was to <********> them." Moreau screamed this last part, the part that made him the angriest.
Aubrey gasped and clasped her hands over her mouth, leaving the ring on the desk. He had been hinting at it, and it wasn't just her imagination. Her eyes went wide and fearful. "How did....?"
"I know everything that happens on my Island Aubrey.... everything." Moreau snatched up the ring and held it in front of her. "Does this mean so little to you? When I gave it to you because I loved you. Maybe I do expect someone who cares about me above her friends and doesn't sleep around with those friends. Is some loyalty so much to ask?"
"No, it doesn't mean so little, Nick...I made a mistake!" She broke, putting both hands on the desk and lowering her head, her hair falling down around and hiding her face. Probably for the best for it was screwed up tight as she attempted to retain enough control of her crying to keep coherent. "I'm so sorry, I did betray you. But I felt betrayed because of the drugs...and I had been loyal before that! So loyal, but it seemed like you didn't trust me..."
"I was trying to prove a point, of the kind of man you'd put your heart into. I know you ran to him the night the electricity was out, I forced myself to believe it hadn't gone any further than that but now... now I have trouble believing anything you say in regards to that." Moreau sneered, "I don't blame Billy, he was only acting according to his vile nature, but you, I thought better of you..."
Moreau turned his head and pounded against the wall, the ring clasp tightly in his hand. "Is he what you want? To be trapped out there with him, instead of with me? Have I ever done anything to harm you... to actually harm you? Yet you have betrayed and questioned everything I do again and again and again."
"We were on a break!!" Aubrey squealed. "I was upset and I was lashing out! Its not fair for you to hold that against me! You drove me away. You didn't want me!"
"..I don't want to be trapped out there, Nick! I don't want to be trapped anywhere!"
"But you ran to him... you didn't run to Colche, or to any islanders that would comfort you. Not girlfriend or a male friend that atleast has some respect for relationships like Mr. Maurlias. You ran to him. When I found out, I was enraged, but I decided you just didn't know how much I did still love you. I tried to show you, to prove it to you, and you still betrayed me. Whatever love you claim to still have for me, how can I believe it after this! How can you expect me to? How would you feel if I did this to you?!?" Moreau screamed more. He didn't know where his emotional state was, he was somewhere between furious, grief-stricken, and completely driven off the edge.
"You don't have to believe me," she said quietly, looking down. She was defeated, the guilt of her indiscretion pressing down hard on her. "I can give me word, but you obviously find that useless now. If there was a way I could prove it, Nick, I would."
She wiped at her face, trying to regain control of her emotions. "I'd be heartbroken, Nick. I can't deny that."
Moreau brought his face close to Aubrey's. He ran his fingers through her hair, he hated to see her like this. He was glad she felt regretful for her own betrayal. "I still love you Aubrey. But you'll have to earn this back," Moreau gripped the ring. "I... want to trust you. I need to know I can trust you. I have to know that you'll only be with me." Moreau sounded increadibly remorseful as he said that. He was testing her, yes, but he needed trust, he needed loyalty. She was involved in too much, too close, that was obvious from her attempts to hide from the cameras. He knew what he'd have to do if he couldn't trust her... and even he didn't like it.
Aubrey avoided his eyes. Part of her was screaming to be careful... that Moreau was doing exactly what Sabin warned her he would do. She was making deals with devils..
But nothing seemed to come out. She couldn't seem to manage the courage to say anything.
After a moment, she hesitantly looked into his eyes. "What would I have to do...?"
"Something both a test and painful for us both. I can't seem to keep you away from them, so I'll do the opposite. Spend some time among the islanders. I'll decide when your ready to return to us." Moreau turned away.
"It's the only way I can know I can trust you, if he's so important to you, then that's where you'll want to be. But if you make that decision, there is no comming back ever again." Moreau did his best not to look into Aubrey's eyes as he said all this.
Aubrey was quiet for a few moments, thinking. It made sense.. it seemed like a fair solution. Maybe some time away from Moreau is what she needed.
But the fairness of it worried her. Would she be even so much as allowed to talk to Billy without sealing her fate? What about Jamal or Zach?
Her tears had subsided for the moment, and she reached up to wipe away her face. She knew that in her heart, even IF she chose that fate, Moreau could never live to see her happily ever after with someone else... especially Billy.
She would ultimately have to choose to be a prisoner on the inside, or a prisoner on the outside. But that was a fate she chose for herself when she came to this place. She sold her soul to Moreau long ago.
"I understand," she finally said softly, after several minutes.
"Pack the things that are important to you. I wouldn't take much more than you can carry. I'm hoping you'll just be a visitor. If you ever get your own place, then you'll know you've crossed that line." Moreau turned and kept his back to her. Moreau had no intention of clarifying what he expected of her. It was better that she didn't know, that she had to figure it out for herself.
"Goodbye Aubrey, I'll miss you dearly." Moreau hoped this was not their final goodbye.
Aubrey stood there for several long moments. So many thoughts rushing through her head. Possibilities, both good and bad. Part of her was trying to convince her that this would be a good exercise. Another part of her was terrified beyond words that she would never see the inside his office again. Moreau was not a man who seemed to change his mind very easily.
And that ever present part of her that wanted to fling herself to the ground at Moreau's feet and just cry and beg until he took her back.
She swallowed the urge down and ran a hand through her head, looking at his back and chewing on her bottom lip.
"No matter what happens, I hope you always remember how much of myself I gave to you." She fought back the new wave of tears threatening to fall, willing her voice to stay strong. "If its not enough... I guess I understand. But I hope it counts for something." The tone and sadness in her voice spoke volumes. The part of her that believed she would never come back was winning at the moment, and this was her subtle request that when it came time for Moreau to pick her serum, he was kind. That was the best she could hope for at this point.
"Goodbye, Nicholas."
She let that hang in the air for a second, then turned and slowly made her way out of the office.
Moreau sat down, buried his face in his hands for a moment. He kicked the underside of his desk hard. After a moment he turned back towards his laptop and began to resume work on his newest project. Atleast it would be easier to continue his loyalty research when he wasn't keeping it from Aubrey. He really did hope she made the right choice. As he tapped swiftly away on the keyboard.
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Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2006 12:34 am
Departure A few sets of clothes. Her toiletries. Some books and a laptop computer. She wasn't sure if the laptop would be allowed, but she figured she'd try. It was like packing for a simple vacation, but no matter how innocent the act Aubrey couldn't help but feel like she was descending into hell.
She had no idea how long she would be down there, so she compromised and packed as if leaving for a week. She knew it would probably be longer, but there were facilities to wash her clothes down in the village. She couldn't bring herself to bring much more of her things... what that would imply.
But at the same time she knew this was very likely the last time she'd ever see any of it again. In her office, mused over the jars on her shelf, and the ring in her drawer. She couldn't justify the jars, but the earring she slipped into her bag. So did the photo album from Europe. Last but certainly not least was Ein himself. Tucking her puppy under one arm and her travel bag under the other she slowly, solemnly made her way down to the lobby. She expected a driver to be there, but if there wasn't she would just walk out on her own. The fresh air would be nice... and so would the idiom of dignity.
Moreau waited in the jeep below. He couldn't let her go without a final goodbye, besides, he need to make sure she knew the rest of the circimstances. The things he was saving till she was already being dropped off outside.
He sorely hoped she wouldn't fail this most crictial test then. Of course, if she did... well... he wasn't going to dwell on that right now.
He saw her comming out of the labs, knowing that this may be the last time she saw him again forever. Although, Moreau was certain in the comming weeks he'd see a lot more of her.
"Nick..." she breathed, not expecting a personal escort. She swallowed the little knot of nervousness and tried to keep her emotions in check. "I get a personal sendoff I see." Her tone was a confusing mix of bitterness and sadness. She opened the door and climbed in, clutching her bag in her lap, and putting her dog on the floor by her feet.
"Well, this is a rather personal thing. Besides... I'm going to miss you." Moreau shrugged and started the jeep. He then began to pull out towards the village. "I want you to know Aubrey, that I'll being seeing to your safety personally."
"Tough love, huh?" Her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes drilled into her lap.
"You know there will be attacks on my life. Jamal will rip out my jugular before I can put him off."
"That won't happen, I won't let him get that close. Again, I'll being seeing to things personally. After all, your going to be living like an islander for a time." Moreau half hoped she understood, and half hoped she didn't as he made the short drive to the village. He had already worked it out, having the equipment moved in to his office aleady. He would suprvise a trusted staffer to spend there time assisting him in watching Aubrey with all of the cameras and tracking her and the other islanders. If anyone who had any kind of malicious intentions tried to get near her, they'd go out like a light. He wasn't going to give her the kind of control she had right now. No, she needed to learn what being one of them was like.
"Living like an islander." She said the words and looked up. "I.. I won't have my speach activation will I? What else can I expect? A tail?"
"No, but you won't be able to buzz them unconcience anymore." Moreau pulled in front of the duplex. "Don't worry, I'll be maintaing a round the clock video and audio on you.... I'll make sure nothing happens to you. I love you." Moreau said as he softly brushed Aubrey's cheek. Circimstances aside, he already wanted her back, she was his after all. But she'd have to learn, or he'd have to learn that he couldn't trust her.
"I will always love you, Nick." she said as he touched her, though she refused to look him in the eye. "Goodbye."
She quickly got out the Jeep and helfted the bag onto her shoulder. She let her hand linger on the door before turning around to finally face him. She didn't say anything, instead she let the pain in her eyes do the talking.
Moreau returned her sad look. Then he drove the car off without any other words exchanged between them. He had made his point. Now he could only hope that she would listen to it. He headed back to the labs, he had a few things to discuss with Sabin.
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