Author's notes: Hey guys! I'm back with another fic I have been working on for months. Special thanks to Ice Queen1 for her help and advice with this story!
Disclaimer: I do not own Deception.
Trigger warning: Temporary character death
They had a plan. A good plan. One that ended with the Mystery Woman and Jonathan being caught. The Mystery Woman would finally pay for all of her crimes, and Cameron would finally learn why Jonathan did what he did. Of course, like in many of his magic shows, the plan went wrong. Cameron, Kay, and Mike had finally come face to face with the two fugitives, with Dina, Gunter, and Jordan observing from an FBI van close by. Kay and Mike had their guns pointed at Mystery Woman and Jonathan, with Cameron standing behind the FBI agents.
"Hands in the air," Kay shouted. She and Mike pointed their guns at Jonathan and Mystery Woman.
"Drop the weapon" Mike yelled at MW, who had a gun in her hand.
Mystery Woman smirked. "Or what? I think we all know how this will end. I'll just cut another deal with the FBI. I still have precious information that they would love to hear."
"That's not going to happen. They gave you a chance for some reason. Now that you're a fugitive, they will not be cutting you any type of deal," Kay informed her in a steely tone.
Cameron locked eyes with Jonathan, who was standing next to MW. "Johnny…"' he trailed off. He gave himself two seconds to compose himself. "Please, just give up. Please," Cameron begged, not wanting his brother to get hurt.
Jonathan looked like he was considering Cameron's words. MW noticed this. "Don't you dare, Jonathan," she warned, glancing at him. She returned her gaze to Cameron, Kay, and Mike. "Put your weapons down."
"No. You are not escaping this time," Kay responded.
"Fine then," was all MW said before she pointed the gun in Cameron's direction and fired. Cameron stumbled forward, but did not immediately fall. There was no blood in sight, which made the others confused. After a few seconds, he fell to the ground, unconscious.
"CAMERON!" Jonathan, Kay, and Mike all yelled. Kay took the opportunity to immediately shoot at MW's hand, causing her to drop the gun, and ran over to her to cuff her while she was distracted from the pain. Mike also rushed towards Jonathan to cuff him as he was struggling.
"NO! You have to let me go help him! Please! Just let me go to Cam. Let me go to my brother!" Jonathan begged as Mike cuffed him.
"We have them in custody. Cameron was shot. I don't think he's breathing. Get someone down here, fast!" Kay yelled, talking to someone via the earpiece she was wearing. Luckily, the Deception team was very close and Gunter ran into the scene and went straight to Cameron. Gunter didn't even register MW or Jonathan being dragged away and being put in cars. Jonathan's pleas fell upon deaf ears as Mike forced him into a car and locked it.
They probably didn't even know that was wrong with Cameron, Jonathan thought. Jonathan, however, instantly knew what was wrong. He had studied up on various injuries, especially uncommon injuries. Cameron always got hurt when they were younger, and Jonathan refused to feel helpless. The lack of blood was due to a bulletproof vest protecting Cameron from bullets, but it didn't stop the impact of the bullet from stopping Cameron's heart. Commotio Cordis was what it was called. Many athletes suffered from it when they are hit in the chest with a ball. It stops their heart, which Jonathan noticed when he saw that Cameron's chest stopped moving. However, it was an uncommon injury. But of course Cameron had to suffer the worst of it, Jonathan thought bitterly. Knowing his brother's luck, it was a miracle he was even alive. Was alive, Jonathan thought. His brother was dead. There's a high chance that no one knew what his injury was. How could they help him? Obviously they could try CPR, but that doesn't work all the time. Jonathan felt empty. His brother was dead, and he couldn't even save him. What kind of older brother was he if he couldn't protect Cameron? All the medical knowledge he had taught himself to be able to help him was for nothing, since he wasn't even allowed to go to his brother. He read so many medical books so he would be able to identify injuries and help Cameron if they couldn't get actual medical assistance. Tears rolled down his face as the driver began to drive. Jonathan could easily escape, but what was the point if Cameron wasn't alive?
Cameron stood in front of the prison Jonathan was being held at. After taking a few deep breaths, he went inside. "I'm here to see my brother," he requested, and was soon taken to him.
Jonathan looked down at the table as waited in the room where visitors and prisoners can interact. He didn't even know how much time had gone by. He didn't care who came to visit him. The one person who he wanted to see was gone. Cameron was gone. He watched his brother die. He remembered watching the light in Cameron's eyes go out. Jonathan wanted to run to his brother, and try to bring him back, but he couldn't because Mike was leading him into a cop car. Jonathan kept crying out Cameron's name, and kept begging Mike and Kay to let him go to him. Jonathan blamed himself. If he hadn't knocked Cameron out and left him in this prison in his place, the FBI wouldn't have had a reason to come after him, and Cameron would still be alive. If he could go back in time, he would gladly remain in prison if it meant Cameron would be alive. He was so lost in thought, he didn't realize who his visitor was until he spoke.
"You could at least look at me," Cameron said dryly. Jonathan's head flew up so quickly that Cameron thought he would get whiplash. He watched as a mix of emotions dance across Jonathan's face, until it settled on looking shocked. It was the first time Cameron had seen Jonathan speechless. "Huh, I think this is the first time I have ever seen you speechless," Cameron noted.
Jonathan opened his mouth, trying to find the right words. He settled on "You were dead," which was not the best thing he could've said.
"I was," Cameron said coolly.
Cameron is alive, Jonathan repeated in his thoughts, feeling nothing but joy. He looked closely at his brother, and his joy diminished slightly when he saw the cold look in Cameron's eyes. It was the first time Jonathan had seen a look like that in Cameron's eyes. His eyes were always warm and kind, despite everything that had ever happened to him. Now, his eyes were different, and it was all Jonathan's fault. Jonathan didn't even know what to say. He can't just apologize for starting a chain reaction that led to his brother dying.
Cameron looked at his brother. He knew that Jonathan was thinking of something to say. To speed it up, Cameron got up. "If you're not going to say anything to me, then there's no point in visiting you," Cameron stated, knowing that Jonathan would try to stop him. He began walking towards the door.
"Wait!" Jonathan exclaimed. Cameron paused and turned back around. "Please. Stay." Jonathan took a deep breath before saying "I'm sorry."
Cameron looked at his brother, the cold look still in his eyes. "You're sorry? For what? For giving MW access to the Archive? For knocking me unconscious and leaving me in this prison? For joining MW?" Cameron ranted angrily, as he walked back to the table to stand across Jonathan.
"Yes. And that you died because of me. I'm so sorry. When I saw you, I felt like I truly lost everything. I did lose everything. I would've given anything to bring you back." Jonathan is pretty sure he has never spoken with that much emotion before, but hey, watching a sibling die in front of you and not being able to help them can do something to a person. He was surprised that Cameron was expressing such a high level of anger. I guess all those years of shoving his anger down finally caused him to burst, Jonathan thought, thinking back to all the times Cameron had to play peacemaker between him and Sebastian.
"Really. Is that why you told the FBI everything?"
"Yes. I didn't care about anything except you." Jonathan said, watching as Cameron's expression remained unchanged. He was so used to seeing Cameron smiling and his optimism, but now, those aspects of Cameron were gone, and it pained him. His mind wandered to Cameron's recovery. Did he experience any personality changes as a result of what happened to him? Or did Cameron truly hate him for everything he has done? Why didn't anyone tell him that Cameron was alive? After that thought, Jonathan demanded "Why didn't anyone tell me you were alive?"
Cameron hesitated, but he quickly covered it up. However, Jonathan, being the person who knows Cameron better than anyone on the planet, easily noticed his brother's hesitation.
"Cameron," Jonathan started, almost dangerously, "Why didn't anyone tell me you were alive?
"Does it matter now?" Cameron scoffed, obviously trying to poorly change the subject.
"Yes it does!" Jonathan yelled, slamming his hands onto the metal table. "Even if you couldn't physically come here, someone else could've! Or they could have at least called! So why keep such a big secret from me? Did you want to purposely con me for some reason?" Jonathan instantly regretted that last part when he saw the cold look in Cameron's eyes evolve into rage.
""No, I didn't purposely almost die, but you know what? I'm glad you thought I was so at least I could get something honest from you!" Cameron shouted.
"You're glad that I thought you were dead this entire time?!" Jonathan shouted back, anger evident in his voice.
"Yes, I am! Wanna know why? Because it literally took my heart stopping for you to say that you're sorry! For you to say that you cared about me, even after leaving me in this prison to go off with MW, who ruined your life, by the way!"
"I always cared about you! Why else would I have stuck around to do all these magic shows? Why did I stay with you and dad after we both turned eighteen? Why I put up with dad's bullshit all these years? Why I agreed to be hidden from the public for thirty years?" Jonathan shouted back.
"YOU THINK IT ONLY SUCKED FOR YOU?! I HAD TO BE THE GOOD ONE IF I EVER WANTED A MOMENTS PEACE IN THE HOUSE!" Cameron exploded. He took a few deep breaths before continuing. "I was angry all the damn time. But I shoved all that anger down and tried to look at life positively. And that part was easy. Do you know why?" Cameron didn't give Jonathan time to answer. "Because I had you! You made life bearable! So I became the calm, optimistic one. I couldn't get angry because someone had to play the peacemaker for you and dad whenever you two argued! I had it bad too, Johnny. I always did."
Jonathan was shocked, even though Cameron's rage fueled statements confirmed his previous theory of Cameron's hidden anger. "Cam, I had no idea. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you couldn't get any peace, and I'm sorry that was partially my fault," Jonathan said sincerely and quietly.
Cameron sighed. "You kept me sane, you know. Sometimes all the stress and anger would really get to me, but you kept me together." Cameron laughed bitterly. "You kept me from losing my mind. You kept me going. But all of that stopped when you left with MW."
Jonathan realized what he put his brother through. He knew that Cameron did rely on him, to an extent, but he never knew it went this far. "Cameron…" he started. "I can't apologize enough."
Cameron smiled bitterly. "I know."
Jonathan sat down. He didn't even notice that he stood up when he and Cameron were yelling at each other. Then, a thought popped into his head and he repeated the question that led to the shouting match. "Cam, why didn't anyone tell me you were alive?"
Cameron sat down and looked at his brother. "You were telling the FBI everything you knew about MW and what she was after. They figured the only reason you were talking was because you thought I was dead. So they withheld that information from you to keep you talking." Cameron hesitated before he continued. "When I woke up in the hospital, they asked me if I wanted them to inform you that I was alive."
Jonathan stared intensely at Cameron. "And you said no."
"I said no," Cameron said quietly.
"Why? You thought it would be best if I was stuck in this prison believing that you were dead? What kind of sick mind game is that?" Jonathan yelled.
"It was no mind game, you paranoid bastard! You broke my heart!" Cameron shouted back, tears forming in his eyes while he said the latter statement. Jonathan looked shocked at Cameron's confession. He opened his mouth to say something, but Cameron cut him off. "I guess I wanted to break yours. So you would know how I felt," Cameron said softly, looking physically tired after all the shouting. Cameron got up and walked to the door. His doctors told him to take it easy, and staying in this prison, having a shouting match with his brother is not going to help his health. The guard opened the door to let him out. Cameron had one foot out the door when he turned around and said "You broke my heart, and I think you broke me" before walking out, ignoring his brother calling out his name.
Cameron walked back to his car and leaned against it. He may have been too harsh with Jonathan, especially the part where he said he wanted to break his brother's heart. God, what kind of brother says that? Cameron thought, while a tear rolled down his left cheek. And what kind of brother actually means it? Cameron didn't realize how much he relied on Jonathan. He didn't realize until he had to live without him, and he briefly wondered if Jonathan could live without him. Probably, he thought bitterly. Cameron was furious when he got out of the hospital. He was furious at Sebastian, Jonathan, himself, and his life. He took that anger out on Jonathan, who didn't even deserve it. Okay, maybe he deserved a little bit of it, but not all of it.
Cameron sprinted back into the prison. He made his way to the room where he met with Jonathan, ignoring all of the questionable eyes. He arrived only to see that the guard was escorting Jonathan out of the room.
"Wait!" Cameron shouted. The guard and Jonathan turned around, with a hopeful look appearing on the latter's face. "I'm not done. Visiting hours aren't over yet. Please."
The guard, looking at Cameron with a sympathetic look, merely nodded and escorted the twins inside. "I'll be outside if you need anything," he added to Cameron as Jonathan sat down.
"Thank you," Cameron said gratefully as the guard closed the door. He sat down across from his brother.
Jonathan noticed Cameron's tear streaked face. "Cam-"
Cameron cut him off. "Don't. I just came to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for yelling at you like that and I'm sorry I let you think I was dead. That was a really shitty and messed up thing for me to do to you."
Jonathan shook his head. He was the one who messed up big time, yet Cameron is here apologizing to him. His brother really is too good for this world, and he's especially too good for him. "You don't have to apologize. There's nothing for you to be sorry about. You were right. I should've helped you instead of arguing with Dad when we were growing up. I should've stayed in this prison instead of switching places with you and going off with MW. I should've been a better brother. I deserve all the pain in the world."
"No you don't. You went off with MW because we failed to prove your innocence. I failed you."
"You didn't fail me, Cam. You could never fail me. When I thought you were dead, I thought I would lose my mind. You help me just by being alive. And I'm sorry it took such devastating circumstances for me to say all of this to you now." Jonathan was beginning to tear up. Cameron couldn't remember the last time he saw his brother with tears in his eyes.
Cameron stood up, and Jonathan followed. Cameron moved around the table and put his arms around Jonathan, who reciprocated. Jonathan realized that this is the first time he actually touched Cameron since he punched him. He did not deserve to have a brother like Cameron.
"Yes you do," Cameron said, not realizing that Jonathan said that last part accidently. Cameron pulled away from the hug. "Look, I know that neither one of us will ever forget this, but can we try to move past it?"
"Definitely," Jonathan agreed. "I swear that I will never do anything to hurt you again."
"Me too," Cameron responded, with a small smile. It was going to take some time, but everything will be okay, and that's what matters to the Black brothers.