A light flickered on in the narrow room. The girl made her way to a bay of rattling, grey, graffiti covered lockers,she found her own one and from it she exchanged her uniform for the jeans and hooded sweatshirt she'd worn earlier. She ran fake nails over her head and pulled off a bright red wig, she stuffed it in the locker.
Clang, and it was shut.
Her watch read two thirty, her shift had ended much earlier this time.
She returned to the front of the bar, there were now the more hardened drinkers left. Stragglers, strewn over tables staring at glasses, their eyes and faces glowing from drink. She waved goodnight to the girl taking over and as she walked out, she picked off acrylic nail, after acrylic nail. Stuffing them into her pocket.
Outside the cold hit her like a dead weight, she bristled in the cold and strode forwards, cars passed her, here and there but for the most part it was quiet.
She should have waited for a ride, God knows she was risking it.
Walking alone in the dark like this, never mind that she was in Detroit, in that kind of neighbourhood, never mind that she was who she was.
It was just stupid risk, but every so often, she liked to take risks.
Shrugging her shoulders of snow she walked faster, avoiding key streets and taking a longer route. Street lights glimmered dully above her and vast expanses stretched out before her, mysterious and plain but she wouldn't get lost. She knew the place like the back of her hand. Even after being in far off places of the world up until a week ago she would never forget these streets.
Her eyes were tired and red.
Stupid contact lenses.
Green eyes with her skin? They were an asset at work, she got a lot of tips that way. Even with her own normal eyes she was impressive. She wore the lenses as if they were a costume, that wig, that outfit, those eyes.
A different person.
It was fun.
But for everyday life the lenses were impractical and were prone to making her eyes water. Especially with the weather she was experiencing.
A siren wailed in the distance, and she almost smiled.
There wasn't a night that went by when she didn't hear that cry of an ambulance or a squad car. It took her a few minutes to realise the sound was getting closer. As she adjusted to the sound a firetruck screeched past her, ringing its deafening warning into her ears.
The girl's eyes followed its path and her blood ran cold.
She broke into a terrified run down the street, powdery snow flying as she sped away into darkness.
The whole place was ablaze. A searing bright torch burning against the night sky. Men in clumsy yellow fire proof gear struggled to control the blaze.
Bystanders watched in their bed clothes, awoken by the display, police officers vaguely kept the curious watchers from coming too close, whilst keeping an eye on the fire.
The girl with her naturally light blue eyes still staring, felt a slow scream rise up inside her and explode out of her. She ran, half mad, half horrified; towards the burning house.
She was aware of arms pulling her back, but she kicked so violently that another person had to hold her back.
Her heart jumped as somewhere, part of the house exploded. She stumbled to the ground and sobbed, her heart tearing into pieces.
Two hours later, the fire was out. She had watched the entire thing with teary eyes and an ashen face. Every minute that had passed, more of her had died till all that was left was a shell of the woman she had been, staring blankly at what had been her home. As her mother and her twin brother's corpses were carried out under black canvas she finally decided to leave. It was enough.
"Miss?"
Her eyes went up, she found herself looking back at the grey worried eyes of an EMT who had no idea what to say to her.
"I'm so sorry, did you know the family?..." said the man
She shuddered at the words and got to her feet, she became aware of the cold again. "I have to go" she heard herself mumble
The EMT stammered "The-the police want to take down your details"
She cast a blank gaze over to a cop she recognised and then back at the EMT "They know who I am"
She began to walk away, first slow and broken and then she began to run.
Jeremiah Mercer swept his kids into his people carrier, sighing as his wife hissed at him,warning him not to be late for their recital later on.
"Camille, baby. I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'm just going to play hockey with my brothers. Is that all right" he smiled all too sweetly
She kissed her teeth at him and stepped into the car "You know how you all get carried away, ending up drinking late and then coming back, dragging your tired drunk ass into bed. What kind of example is that for the kids?"
He shut the door behind her and stood by the window "Baby...I haven't seen Bobby or Angel in a while. We're catching up. Jack's back from his tour up in New York...its a family affair"
Camille rolled her eyes, but he flashed her one of his charming smiles and she relented. "Just don't be late or your ass is mine, Jerry"
'Jerry' smiled back "Are you flirting with me?"
She rolled her eyes but she was grinning as she did, the wheel spun in her manicured hands and she retreated down the road. His daughters waved goodbye as the car disappeared from view. He watched the empty space where it had been before re-entering his house.
He went into his kitchen, scanning the calender on his refrigerator and mentally running through the various appointments he had to keep before he met up with his brothers later.
"Hey Jerry"
He didn't jump but he was startled, he twisted around and saw her; red eyed and small in a sweatshirt that didn't fit.
"You should really watch who you let in here" she murmured
He sighed, as she'd expected, he knew about the fire "I'm sorry girl."
She nodded dully "I'm sorry I just...showed up like this...but I...I just needed to speak to you...all of you. I didn't want to worry Camille"
He walked to her and hugged her warmly, she let him do so, taking comfort in the familiarity of an old friend.
He pulled out a chair at his dining table and she walked over, sitting down, her eyes lowered to the ground.
"Where've you been? You know your father's back in town. He came here not too long ago, looking for you" said Jerry quietly as he too sat down
The girl rolled her eyes "Fuck him". Suddenly she was desperate to smoke, but she knew all about Jerry's rules on that topic.
"Do you want some coffee?" he offered and gestured towards his cupboards, although if he remembered correctly, Camille disapproved of coffee, especially after one of his girls had gotten a hold of some and kept them awake the whole night with worry.
She shook her head dismissively. She didn't need to relax, she needed to do something. Anything.
"I need to speak to Bobby. I need his help. All of you" she stated firmly and fixed him with an unwavering gaze
Jerry shrank back from the idea and shook his head "I'm sorry girl, I really am but I can't get involved. Leave this to the police"
She stood up and the chair scraped at the tiles "Thats not what you did when Evelyn died"
He let out a long sigh "You're right, but I'm serious. This is bound to be some dangerous shit, you need to keep your head out of it. Your father will deal with things, as will the police"
Her bitterness flared up behind her eyes "The hell my father will and like those corrupt pigs give a damn about me!" she softened "Please, just...let me tell you what I know"
He hated to sound rude, but he was sceptical. It had only been three days since her mother and brother's were killed.
"What could you possibly know so fast?" he asked
She studied him, he was showing signs of relenting. She was glad she'd come to him first. Bobby would have sent her packing.
"Get Bobby to listen to me and you'll find out"
Jerry shook his head, he wasn't about to let himself get caught up in whatever she was involved in, or thought she knew about but for old time's sake he was willing to humour her.
"All right. Listen, I've got some things to do, take a shower, get something to eat and I'll come pick you up around four okay?"
She ran at him, hugging him tightly as the first flashes of hope spread through her. "Thank you Jerry. I always said you were my favourite"
He smiled "Liar"
A/N: In some of the stories I've read, there's potential for good stories but not enough characterisation and some of the characters are neglected in favour of Jack (and you know, I sort of understand that ; ) but I hope I don't have those problems in my fic. Yes, I know the 'fifth Mercer...is a girl' thing has been done, but I think you'll see that I've tried to be a little different as you'll see over time.
Hope you enjoy this : )
