PROLOGUE:
She looked at him the way a suffocating man looks at an oxygen tank just out of reach, desperate. With all her heart she wished the mere expression alone would be enough for him to piece it all together, but that hope had been slowly slipping through her fingers with each glance into his cold eyes. He was harder than the others had been, both in terms of personality and convincing him of the truth. This world was so deeply seeded within him that she feared his repressed self would never overcome it. She had to get through! Whatever he thought he'd been through, it wasn't real! She was real, they were real! No amount of mental manipulation could destroy that. They had survived worse!
"Please!" She begged softly, taking a tentative step towards him. He remained hauntingly calm, his fingers still firmly clasped around the gun pointed directly at her. His eyes set, hard, in the same way she recognised from the years she stood by him facing enemy after enemy. It was jarring to be the one on the other end of that glare! "You know me! Deep down you know me!"
He lowered the gun slowly and the relief that flooded her felt incredible, she'd reached the oxygen tank! Her legs catapulted her body into action, moving her forward at lightning speed but just as soon as she had moved she stopped short, noticing the unmistakable twitch in his neck. It was a clear warning to proceed with caution. she likened the experience to wandering upon a wild beast in the woods; stay quiet, be cautious, remain calm, and try not to spook!
"You have to believe me!" She whispered, pleadingly. Her fingers twitched with the need to caress him, run her hand gently down his face; Convince him with her touch.
He stared her down with a stillness that sent a shiver of unease down her spine. The moments they stood staring at each other felt like hours before finally he spoke, the words sounding hollow and unforgiving, "No...".
The unease that had hit her earlier turned to full blown terror as his eyes turned black. He'd been frightening before, with his stone cold demeanor, now however, he looked unpredictable...dark. She didn't know what to expect!
"...No I don't!"
The following seconds flew by in a horrifying blur. A piercing shot rang threw her ears, the first indication that things had gone south. His face remained set, devoid of emotion as the pain of the bullet cut threw the flesh of her upper thigh and sent her crumbling to the floor. A fierce scream tore from her lips as her hand flew to the rapidly bleeding wound.
"Oh god!" She gasped, her body shaking in shock, tears falling freely. Blood soaked her pants and covered her hand. The pain had her gritting her teeth through a growl of utter frustration and anger! Its not real! Push through it, its not real!
"I don't know you!" He said menacingly, crouching down to flick her hair out of her face using the gun. The act terrified her and she flinched at the touch. Her teeth clenched, fighting the urge to bite at him verbally. He's not himself! Its not real!
"I don't know how you survived the first time," he snarled, "but lets see you try with a bullet wedged right..." He tapped her forehead three times with the gun and she flinched again, "...here!"
"Jack!" She sobbed, the pain in her leg throbbing intensely, the ache in her heart even worse. "I wont quit on you!" She whispered.
He'll remember! He has to!
Its not real! its not real!
Author Note:
Just a heads up, S/J take center stage in this story but it will be very much a team bonding outing with a dash of D/V thrown in :)
Also, this is a WIP and I will attempt to update as often as possible! I have notbeta so any mistakes are all my own! Future chapters will be much longer. Comments most definitely encouraged and appreciated *thumbs up*