He sits down at the table and waits.
"Hello, Alpha," a female walks up and greets him.
"Hello."
"Would you like some supplies?" she asks.
"Yes. I would like that."
"Just a second," she tells him, and walks over to a nearby cupboard. She pulls out paper, paint, a couple of brushes and a small unmarked box. "Here you are," she says, and lays the supplies out on the table for him.
"Thank you," is all Alpha says while looking down at the object with curiosity. He reaches over and picks it up.
"Hello. How are you today?" the female asks, and walks away from him. He is vaguely aware of a new presence in the room, but doesn't pay them any attention.
Alpha opens the box.
There are five pieces of charcoal, all various sizes, inside. Alpha selects a short one and rolls the object between his thumb and pointer finger. He stares at it and thinks about how he will use it to create a picture.
When he puts it to the paper, his hand moves of its own volition and a flock of birds soon appear. They fly in from the top right hand corner and dive hastily towards the bottom of the page. Alpha thinks the crows are attacking something, or someone, but can't see anything in the flurry of black chaos he has created.
"It's so dark," someone comments from beside him. Alpha looks up from the drawing to see a beautiful woman looking over his shoulder. "Here," she says, picking up a brush and dipping it into some paint, "this one is my favourite colour."
Alpha puts down the charcoal to take the brush she is holding out for him. His hand briefly comes into contact with hers as he grabs for it. It only lasts a moment, but long enough for him to know that she feels warm and soft. He also notices the colour of her skin changing to a wondrous shade of pink afterwards.
"Go on then," she encourages him.
He takes the brush and uses broad strokes to fill in the blank space, then weaves it through the flock of birds, until they fly through a beautiful blue sky.
"Is it better?" he asks the woman, whose hair shines bright like the sun.
"Yes, much better," she smiles fondly at him before returning to her own little project.
His gaze falls back to the blue paint.
It's the same shade of her eyes.
XXXXX
When he's out, dancing half naked and in front of the crowd, the feeling of being watched is a familiar one. It's when he comes off the stage, and senses a pair of eyes still following him, he takes notice.
He looks to his right and sees her then, though she is doing her best to try and stay hidden. Impossible, when like a bright light in the darkness, she stands a vision of pale skin and long, limber arms and legs. She has very little makeup on, but is covered in glitter. She is wearing shiny white boots that zip up the sides, a short white skirt that barely covers anything at all and a diamond studded bra of the same colour. It's similar to what a lot of the other girls are wearing except for the pair of white wings she has attached to her back.
Her body language sends off all sorts of signals, the most obvious to him being ones of attraction and curiosity. He also senses her uncertainty and perhaps, he thinks, even a little fear. "Are you nervous, sweetheart?" he asks the mystery woman. Even though he does not know her, the idea that she might be uncomfortable bothers him. It tugs at some emotion inside of him that he can't name. He doesn't think he has ever felt the like before.
"What? No!" she responds, and immediately stands up straighter. "I've done this, like, a million times." She steps towards him and out from the darkness of the shadows.
"My mistake," he apologizes. He licks his lips and grins smugly when she continues to stare at him. "Were you watching me, love?" he teases.
"I have a name, you know?!" she answers him with what appears to be annoyance. Her lack of clothing means he can spot the pink blush kissing its way up her body. She is avoiding answering his question, and they both know it.
"And what might that name be?" he asks, playing along.
"Candy," she tells him, and when he smirks at her, she just rolls her eyes.
"Well, Candy," he says the name with amusement, "I'm -".
"I know who you are," she cuts him off before he can finish. "You have quite the reputation," she informs him while crossing her arms over her chest. The action only serves to push her breasts further forward, giving him a better view of her milky bosom.
"So, you've heard of me?" he asks gleefully. "Fantastic."
The blonde raises her right brow and purses her lips as though to say 'seriously?' He laughs.
"Yeah well," she says, dropping the attitude just a little, "luckily for you, I like to make my own judgement calls."
"Is that so?"
She keeps her eyes on his face but nods her head the one time.
"Well then," he begins talking before he can even comprehend what it is that he's asking, "perhaps, once we're done here, you'd let me take you out for a drink?" He is surprised by his own question, but when it looks like she might turn him down he is desperate to change her mind. "That way, you can form your own opinion of me," he says, using her previous statement against her. "Maybe you'll even tell me your real name?" He notes the intrigue flitting across her face. "Come on," he coaxes, before pulling out his secret weapon. "I dare you."
She is trying hard to act indifferent, but the semblance of a smile tugs at her pretty bow lips until she is laughing. "Fine," she relents with a roll of her eyes but he knows now that she is just playing hard to get. "But only one drink. Understand?"
"Of course," he says, appeased. "I'll be the perfect gentleman."
They hear her name get called and a new song starts to play.
"That's me," she says and takes a deep breath.
"I'll be watching," he says with a wink. He feels a thrill of excitement at the prospect of watching her dance. Though another part hates that she going to strip in front of other people.
She smiles and goes to walk through the curtains, but whispers back "wait for me" before pushing forward. Once the spotlight hits her, she struts to the middle of the stage. There is an uproar of noise; men whistling and shouting to gain her attention
'An angel, dancing for demons,' he thinks.
Someone approaches him from behind. "Are you ready for your treatment?" a familiar voice asks him.
He doesn't want to leave.
He knows he wants to stay.
"Yes," is what he says.
XXXXX
"May I sit here?" he asks the beautiful woman. Alpha doesn't know her name but, with hair radiant as the sun and eyes blue as the sky, she draws him in.
She nods her head, indicating the empty seat beside her, and smiles shyly at him.
"Thank you."
He sits and watches her bring a spoonful of gazpacho to her lips and admires the movement at her throat every time she swallows.
"I'm Alpha," he tells her once she has finished eating. He hasn't so much as looked at his own food since sitting down.
"I'm Juliet," she offers in kind.
Alpha is glad to know her name.
Juliet's eyes travel down towards his untouched tray of food. "Are you not hungry?" she asks, curiously.
"Not really." He senses her eyeing the red strawberries he has. "Would you like some?"
"Yes," she nods enthusiastically, and accepts some from the small bowl he holds out for her. She takes a bite and Alpha finds himself transfixed. When her lips turn up in delight, he feels warmth filling his chest.
She quickly notices him staring and blushes. A sight he finds very compelling. "Thank you."
"Friends, then?" he asks a little unsure, but hopeful.
"Of course," she smiles, and takes another bite. "Friends are people who share with one another."
He is overjoyed to hear her say so.
XXXXX
He is in the kitchen, waiting to pull the pork tenderloin out of the oven, when he hears the front door open and shut. He eyes the minutes left on the timer before dutifully walking out to greet his wife. "How was your day, darling?" he asks, with just the right amount of concern and fondness to his tone.
"Work was dreadful," she complains and begins removing her gloves. "I don't know why I put up with such incompetence!" She spins around and he helps remove her fur coat. "Is this what all my hard work has come to? Settling for mediocrity, when I know that I can do better?"
"My darling wife," he says, hanging up the garment before turning back around to reach out and embrace her. "You are nothing short of amazing," he breathes against her ear, "and far too much of a perfectionist to ever settle for anything less than that."
She smiles up at him. "I suppose that's true, after all, I got you."
He smiles down at her, the woman he married. The woman he loves.
Her eyes are brown and dark with lust as she slips her hands under his shirt. He thinks they ought to be blue, like the sky.
She tastes of peppermint when he kisses her, and not strawberry, like he had hoped.
She undresses him and they fuck in the middle of the hallway.
The dinner he worked so hard on is ruined.
XXXXX
"Hey. Hey!" Topher tries to grab the other person's attention in what he thinks is a discreet way. "Pssstt. Man-friend!"
The taller male looks behind him, assuming there must be someone else around.
"I mean you!" Topher says, exasperated. "Obviously."
The other man heaves a large sigh before heading over.
"My name is Alaric," the man begins resignedly. "It's creepy when you call me man-friend." He stops and stares Topher down. "And we aren't friends."
"Of course we are," Topher says, his hand swatting through the air to dismiss the other man's comment.
When Alaric says nothing, Topher frowns.
"If we're not friends, I suppose there's nothing stopping me from reporting to Dewitt how every morning your coffee smells suspiciously of Kahlua..." Topher lets the threat linger as the two engage in a brief staring contest.
Alaric eventually relents. "What's up, buddy?" he asks sardonically.
Topher grins triumphantly before asking his question. "Have you noticed anything peculiar about your doll's behaviour?"
"Juliet?" Alaric asks, turning to lean over the railing and look down at the lower level. "No. Why?"
"They're sitting and eating together," Topher stresses, walking over to join him, then points to the table where Alpha and Juliet are.
"That's normal," Alaric comments with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Um no. It's not normal. The same two dolls sitting at the same table every day for the past three days? Very not normal."
"It's been going on longer than that," Alaric responds, unconcerned.
"What?!" Topher asks loudly, before remembering the need to keep his voice low. "Why didn't you say anything?!"
"It's just - lunch?" Alaric offers, awkwardly.
"And that, man-friend," Topher begins, and Alaric cringes, "is why you are doing field work and I'm in charge of programming." He continues to watch the two unsuspecting dolls, with a new and calculating gaze. "This goes deeper than memory," he comments absently, "it's instinct."
"I could really go for a coffee right now," Alaric sighs, pulling his hand down the front of his face.
XXXXX
"Juliet, it's time for your treatment."
"Okay." She nods, getting up from her spot. "Alpha, would you like to come with me?"
"Yes, I would like that," he says, and is already moving to follow her.
"No," Alaric tells them and shakes his head. "Alpha can't come."
Juliet frowns. "But why?"
Alaric doesn't know how to respond to that. There's never been a need to explain the reasons behind procedure before. "He just - can't," he finishes, lamely.
"I'll wait for you here," Alpha offers.
"Promise?" she asks.
"I promise," Alpha says, and sits himself down at the bottom of the stairs. He watches her walk away and enter the room on the second floor.
He waits.
XXXXX
"Alpha, it's time to rest," a female informs him.
"I am waiting for Juliet," he replies, remaining seated on the floor.
"Juliet will be back when you wake up," the female explains with some perplexity, "you need to go and join the others."
"I will always wait for her," he informs the female, and continues watching the stairs.
The female signals someone to come over. "Mason, your doll is non-complaint," she whispers harshly. The two people exchange a look before the stocky male steps out in front of Alpha.
"It's time to sleep, Alpha," his handler orders.
"Where is Juliet?" Alpha asks, unwilling to speak of anything else.
Mason Lockwood looks to the other employee for assistance.
"Is there a problem?" a male, wearing a navy blue suit, asks.
"Alpha will not go to his chamber, Sir," the handler states, uneasy and a little embarrassed.
"I am waiting for Juliet," Alpha repeats, his eyes still trained on the door to the upstairs room.
"I see," the squinty eyed male says. "Get Dr. Saunders ," he orders, speaking to the female employee. "Tell him I want a full assessment."
She nods and makes a quick retreat.
The authoritative male rolls the cufflinks up on his suit jacket. "I am to be notified immediately if your - doll," he uses the term with obvious disapproval, "has been compromised."
"Yes, Mr. Dominic." When the other man walks away, the handler groans. "Why does this shit always happen to me?"
XXXXX
"So?" Adelle Dewitt asks, pushing her brown locks away from her face and tucking them behind her ear.
"He says that he fancies her," the elderly man supplies, while cleaning the inside of his glasses with his white lab coat
"What does that mean?" Topher asks. All key staff have been made aware of the situation and are waiting to hear the Doctor's professional opinion.
"He is attracted to subject Juliet," Dr. Saunders explains patiently, while everyone absorbs what he is telling them.
"How is that even possible?" Dominic asks. "I thought that wasn't possible."
"Topher? What do you have to say about this?" Adelle asks, her gaze narrowing in on the Head Programmer.
"Don't look at me!" he shouts defensively, hands up in the air. "He's been wiped, same as everyone else!"
"Are you sure?" the Chief Security Officer asks, standing stiff with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Yes, Mr. Tight Pants," Topher clarifies, "I'm sure."
Dominic subtly looks down and tugs his slacks to the right. "My pants aren't tight," he grumbles.
"Right," Adelle rolls her eyes at the two men under her employ and taps her perfectly manicured nails on the side of the table she's leaning against. "If it's not the wipes, then what is it?"
The room goes silent.
"Very well," she surmises, and pushes herself off the desk, "we need to separate Alpha from the other dolls until further notice."
As Director of the Dollhouse, her word is law.
So it must be done.
XXXXX
The door opens, just as they start trying to pull him away.
"Juliet, where did you go?" Alpha calls out when he sees her, but Mason is holding one of his arms and Dominic is holding the other.
"I had a treatment," she says, looking confused. "What is wrong?"
"You were gone! For hours," Alpha tries to explain to her.
"I don't remember," she tells him. "I fell asleep."
"I want your doll assessed too, Alaric," Dominic informs the other handler, as they pull Alpha to his feet. "Whatever is going on with Alpha," he grunts as the doll struggles, but then turns his attention to Juliet, "has to do with her. She may need to be placed in the attic."
Alaric does not adequately hide the unease he feels after Dominic mentions 'the attic'. Juliet picks up on this.
"I try to be my best," she says, looking down at the floor, ashamed.
"What are you going to do with Juliet?!" Alpha demands, reacting immediately to her obvious distress. They could do what they wanted with him - but they had to leave her alone.
His captors offer no answer, merely hold on to him tighter, and continue trying to drag him away.
"Alpha!" she cries out his name and he can hear the apprehension in her voice. Something inside of him snaps. It feels like he's just woken up from a deep slumber, but now - he is awake.
With ease Alpha breaks free from his captors; elbowing Mason in the ribs before flinging him over his shoulder and stomping on Dominic's foot so that he can slam his head back to break the other man's nose. His handler is dazed but Alpha spots the Security Officer reach for something. He brings his foot down again, hard, efficiently breaking the other man's arm. Dominic drops his gun and Alpha is quick to pick it up before kicking the man in the head, rendering him incapable of retaliation.
"Don't get up," he warns Mason, pointing the gun down at him, but it doesn't look like his handler intends to anyways.
The room goes quiet and everyone seems to freeze in place. The dolls don't know how to react to all the stimulation and frankly, neither do the staff. There's never been a problem before. No one has seen anything like this, and they aren't prepared.
"Juliet!" Alpha cries out and runs towards her, using everyone's shock to his advantage.
"Easy, Alpha," Alaric says in a calm, yet firm, manner. He attempts to get between the two.
Alpha doesn't so much as blink and shoots Alaric in the foot. When the other man goes down with a groan, Alpha hits him with the bottom of the gun, knocking him unconscious.
"I'm sorry;" Juliet whispers to Alaric. "I try to be my best," her voice sounds broken.
"I can make you better," Alpha cups her cheek and assures her, "I promise."
She turns into his touch and then looks up at him with so much trust that he takes, what feels like, his first breath since this whole thing started. He allows himself a few more seconds of that feeling, but when people in suits start pouring into the downstairs area, he knows that they need to move. There's something they need to do before they can leave though.
"We have to go, sweetheart," he tells her, grabbing hold of her hand.
"Where are we going?" she asks him, with the innocence of any doll.
"To talk to a man about a chair." He sends Juliet up the stairs before dragging Alaric along behind him; to use as a shield. "Stay back!" he yells to those attempting to approach them. He fires a shot, blowing out one of the giant light pillars next to the bottom of the stairs. Pieces of glass and wood crash to the ground; sparks fly and people scatter.
When they get to the top of the stairs,and turn right, Alpha turns around and kicks open the door to Topher's office. He sends Juliet ahead of him before shooting the gun off once more, this time into a fire extinguisher on the wall. It explodes and he slams the door shut and drops Alaric to the ground.
"Help me prop the door shut, love."
"Ok," she responds, but it is clear she could use a little more instruction when she grabs a small potted plant and places it in front of the door.
"Try the chair," he offers, patiently.
"Hey there, umm - peeps?" Topher asks, addressing them wearily. "What are you doing here, in my office, with my furniture and erm - is he passed out?" he questions, head tilted in question at Alaric's current condition. "Oh! Whoa!" Topher exclaims, pointing at his man-friend's foot. "That's blood!"
Alpha continues to move furniture in front of the door, knowing Topher isn't any kind of a physical threat. Once the door is secure though, Alpha turns the gun on him. The programmer immediately throws his hands up in surrender.
"We're here for the memories."
"Um, memories? Not sure that I know what you mean." Topher stumbles through the words before Alpha shoots a single bullet in the floor right between his feet.
"Oh, you mean, your memories?!" Topher asks with sudden clarity. "Sure. No problem. No problem at all."
"Juliet," Alpha says, to get her attention, but realizes now that it's not likely her real name, "I need you to trust me. You are going to have one last treatment, and then we can go, alright?"
"Okay," she smiles. "I like my treatments."
He bites his tongue and grins at her. They walk further into the room, following behind Topher. "Get in the chair, sweetheart." Alpha keeps one eye on her and another on Topher, gun still pointed at the programmer. "Don't do anything stupid, mate. You do anything other than what I tell you, I'll blow your brains all over this place."
"Got it," was the other man's reply. He turns around with a case marked 'Caroline' in his hand. He walks over to the back of the chair and inserts the disk. "I just need you to lie back, and relax."
Juliet looks to Alpha, who nods his head with a reassuring smile, before doing as Topher says.
The chair starts to tilt backwards and Caroline's eyes close, as though she has fallen asleep. Just before the chair lights up though, Topher presses a button and it stops.
"What, do you think you are doing?" Alpha asks through clenched teeth. He is angry and the other man should be terrified, but is not.
"There's something I need to tell you," Topher begins to explain, "before I do this."
"No, there isn't," Alpha says, cocking the gun and holding it back out, arm straight and steady, aimed at the programmer's heart.
"Yes," Topher says, but he isn't looking at the gun. He is looking up at Alpha's face with determination in his eyes. "there is."
When Alpha makes no further threats, Topher takes that as a sign the other man's willing to listen.
"A lot of the people who get brought here... they're not good people." Topher's entire demeanour makes it obvious that he is referring to Alpha, whose eyes turn to slits even though he makes no attempt to argue the point. He has figured that much out for himself already. "Others, come to us-" and he pauses when the weight of what he is about to stay washes over him, "because they don't have any other options."
"Juliet?" Alpha asks, eyes glancing down worriedly at the woman.
Topher shakes his head. "She was brought here," the programmer admits, albeit a bit sorrowful, before adding, "but not because she is a bad person."
"Then why?"
Topher runs a hand through his dirty blonde hair. "She wasn't well."
"Is she sick? What is wrong with her?" Alpha instinctively moves closer to her, looking Juliet over for any signs of illness.
"She's not, there's nothing physically wrong with her."
"What are you saying?"
Topher sighs. "We brought her here from the hospital. She was a drug addict. She suffered from delusions and tried to kill herself."
The enormity of what Topher has told him crashes into Alpha like a tidal wave. It threatens to pull him under and until he loses all sense of direction. Was restoring Juliet to her former self the right thing to do? The other man could be lying, but why? "Give her, her memories back," Alpha says decidedly. "She's not on drugs anymore."
"We helped her," Topher goes on to explain. "I helped her." There is something sad, almost lonely about the boy standing in front of him. He is not Alpha's concern though.
"The fact you believe that is the only reason I don't plan to shoot you dead," Alpha tells him honestly. "Now do it."
"Alright." Topher reluctantly pushes the button and the chair fires up. Her body gives a series of small twitches before it relaxes again and the machine powers down, moving back to its upright position. Juliet's eyes flutter open and once she realizes she is in an unfamiliar place, promptly falls off the chair. She is disoriented and very afraid.
"Easy, love. Easy." His voice is calming and, when he reaches a hand out to soothe her with his touch, she lets him.
"Do I, know you?" she asks him and he smiles and offers his hand to help her up off the ground.
"In a manner of speaking."
Loud voices can be heard outside of the office, before someone starts banging on the door.
"Now your turn," Topher says, and turns to look for the case with his name on it.
"No," is Alpha's unexpected and firm reply.
"No?" Topher asks, spinning around to look at the other man. Alpha wasn't looking at him though, his full attention is on the blonde leaning in to his side, taking comfort from it.
"I remember everything from before," Alpha admits. "And I remember all the things that came after."
"Are you telling me -" Topher begins, hardly able to believe what he is hearing, "you had a composite event? You can access, all those other personalities? What? How?!"
"All I know is, I couldn't let them hurt her."
"Ok. That's really, super nice of you, or whatever?" A bewildered Topher comments and dares to look at the other man as though he is a complete imbecile. "But seriously, how did you do it?"
Alpha looks at the other man with sympathy. "You wouldn't understand."
Alpha leads Juliet towards the elevator hidden in the wall as the pounding gets louder. He's got his back to the wall so he can keep an eye on the door, and Topher. Juliet shifts to press the up button, but Alpha keeps her tight at his side. When the elevator stops he moves her behind him just in case there are people inside.
It's clear.
They get in and Alpha pushes the button that he somehow knows will lead them out of this place. The doors close and Topher is left completely puzzled.
"I'm a genius!" He declares animatedly to the empty room. "What wouldn't I understand?"
"Where are we?" Juliet asks him once they are alone and moving in the elevator. "Who are we?"
He doesn't respond right away, licks his lips before answering her. "I'm not a good person, I remember that." She looks up at him and he feels her go stiff beside him. "But I won't let anything happen to you, sweetheart. I'd die first."
"Why?" she asks, confused. The woman has only just woken up and nothing seems to make sense.
"Because - I think I loved you before I met you."
It feels like all of the air has been sucked out of the confined space. The words hang heavy between them, but there's no time for reflection as the elevator comes to a stop and the doors start to open. He pushes Juliet aside once more and just in time, because there are two armed men waiting for them.
Before anyone can blink, Alpha shoots one man in the head, while swinging his arm out to knock the other's weapon out of the way. Then he shoots him as well.
"Oh my god," Juliet manages to say. "How did you do that?"
"They made us do things, and we were supposed to forget. But I didn't."
"Things are still foggy for me," she admits. "How can you remember everything?"
"I don't exactly know. It's like I was trapped inside my own head. You brought me back." He turns to see her looking at him with bewilderment. "It was all for you, Juliet."
"Caroline," she swallows, her intense blue eyes continuing to meet his gaze. "My name is Caroline."
"You can call me Klaus, Caroline," he says with a dimpled smile. "Now, let's move." Klaus immediately works on finding them a vehicle. He'll break a window if need be, but that would be a little conspicuous, driving around in the city. He checks the first SUV to their left and then moves to check the next.
There's no sound or movement coming from behind him and when he turns, Caroline has stopped walking entirely.
"Hey, hey. Are you alright?"
"Huh?" she responds, as though in a daze.
"You look like you're in need of comfort," he comments, and wraps his arms around her. They barely know each other, but it feels like the most natural thing for him to do.
"My boyfriend, Damon," she says, lost in a memory, "he-" she begins again, but needs another moment before she is able to continue, "he abused me. No one would believe it. Not even my mom." Her voice starts to break at the mention of her mother, and her whole body is shaking. "He put drugs in my body and told people I was an addict. They said I was sick, that I was imagining things. They said I was hurting people with my addiction. But I wasn't lying! He was lying!" She is crying and screaming by the end of it. All he can think to do is hold her until she's finished. "He's a liar!"
"Then we'll get him," he promises her, and leans back so he can look Caroline in the eyes. "You understand? I. Will. Get. Him."
She nods her head, with a sniffle. "What about after that?"
"We're going to go far away, and we are never coming back." He takes her hand in his and places a kiss on the back of it. He continues holding her hand and when they get to the next vehicle, he sees that it isn't locked. They get in and he immediately sets to hotwiring the car. Caroline watches him with a sense of awe.
"What did they make us do here?" she wonders aloud. When the vehicle hums to life, Klaus throws his hands on the wheel and starts pulling out of the garage. They are at the bottom of the ramp when they see sunlight.
"It's a whole new world out there," Klaus acknowledges. "What do you say?"
"I want to see it," Caroline speaks with new found determination and confidence. He's already looking at her when she turns to him and adds, "Together."
beta'd by cuteasahybridpuppy