This is apparently considered the smallest chapter (wordwise) of the chapters so far.
Next chapter will leave off EXACTLY where this one ends, with a little segment of Audrey and Violet talking and her and Duke's relationship.
I didn't want that to be in this chapter, because I wanted this chapter to be focused on the actual episode.
Once again, I hope you enjoy and review, favourite, follow, etc.
X
"I call." Duke bragged triumphantly from the left side of me. It was Saturday night, and we were on his boat with Audrey and two of his poker friends, named Ezra and Tobias. "So, Audrey. Do you call, raise or crumble?" Duke asked as he looked to his left, where Audrey sat at the head of the table.
I looked down at my cards. Three jacks. I was never good a poker, but this time I have a feeling I might actually win. Tobias and Ezra had already dropped out.
I smirked and looked to my side, to see Duke smirking back. Ever since last week when we found out how we died, we've been sticking together for the most part. And for once, Nathan hasn't had a cow about it. And for once, Nathan also wasn't ignoring me anymore.
I looked across the table, to Tobias and Ezra. Ezra was nearest to Audrey who sat at the head of the table. Ezra weird-ed me out, especially because he had won the last time we played poker yet this time he dropped out. Ezra seemed to enjoy an off kilter sense of discussion, which made up for Tobias's lack of talking.
"What is your favorite kind of nut, Ms. Parker?" Ezra asked intently as he placed his hands on his knees and turned towards Audrey. I snickered quietly as to not bring any attention to myself and brought my feet up to my chair. Duke noticed however and put his hand on my foot. I ignored this and looked at Audrey, waiting for her to respond.
"He means beside Nathan." Duke added as he looked at me and squeezed my foot. I sneered at him and tried to bring my foot up to kick him, but he pushed it back to the chair. I rolled my eyes at him as he smiled at me then we both drew our attention back to Audrey.
"Why do you want to know?" Audrey asked Ezra skeptically.
"A nut says a lot about a person." Ezra stated, still intent on hearing Audrey's answer. Audrey looked at me and I shrugged, smiling.
"Pistachios." Audrey stated turning her attention to Ezra. Ezra nodded his head.
"Technically not a nut. It's actually a seed. Baker's would call it a 'culinary nut'. But, technically not a nut." Ezra stated, looking down at the table. Duke looked at me confused and I looked back at him, wide-eyed and trying not to laugh.
"So do you call or what?" Duke asked as took his hand off of my foot and stared at Audrey..
"She can't call." Ezra stated, and Audrey looked at him weirdly before looking back at Duke.
"He's right. As much as I'd love to call, I can't." Audrey said as she tossed her cards face down onto the table. Duke took this as his cue to turn his attention back to me.
"So, what will the lovely Violet Wuornos do?" Duke asked as he placed his hand on my knee, and jerked it around. I slapped it away, glaring. "Warning, I've got a good hand." Duke said as he brought up his previously slapped hand to point at his cards. I smirked at this.
"Can your good hand handle," I started as I brought my feet back to the deck of the boat, "My call of three jacks?" I asked as I slammed down my hand, my eyes never leaving Duke's.
"Two pair!" Duke shouted as he threw his cards down, and then realized I beat him. "Three jacks?! Damn!" Duke yelled as he looked at my cards. I laughed and settled back into my chair, smirking away at him. He looked from my cards to me repeatedly before smiling and shaking his head.
After a moment of silence Tobias went to collect all the cards from the table, but then Duke stopped him.
"Let's see how bad the damage was." Duke said as he turned over the cards that Ezra had. "Full house?! What are you, hustling me?" Duke asked as he looked at Tobias and Ezra.
"No. He just gets confused." Tobias said as he took his arm from the table and patted Ezra on the back.
"Can't get too confused, he took my money last week." Audrey said, looking at them.
"Yeah, mine too." Duke added. "What is this? A con? You trying to cheat us?" Duke asked wearily as he clasped his hands together, elbows on his knees.
"No I don't." Ezra started as he raised his hand, and then dropped it. "I felt bad for taking all your money last time, sorry." Ezra continued as he brought his hand back up and motioned to both Duke and Audrey. "I thought I should lose for a while."
Audrey chuckled at this. "Okay, well in that case you can definitely keep playing."
"Yeah, especially if it's me who reaps in the benefits." I said smugly.
Duke paused for a moment before shrugging. "Yeah, that's good enough for me."
Duke scooped up all the cards, and started shuffling. I looked around the table, and noticed Audrey and Duke were almost out of beer. "Should I grab another round?" I asked, looking around the table. Duke smiled and nodded.
"Actually, I should have rum down there, in the cabinet. Everyone fancy a shot?" Duke asked as he continued to shuffle.
"Sounds good to me, want me to help you get glasses Vi?" Audrey asked, looking at me. I smiled and stood up, nodding.
"That would be lovely, thanks." I said as I walked around Duke, being sure to ruff up his hair a little on my way around. Audrey also got up, and followed me into the boat.
"Okay, so the glasses are right here." I said as I opened the cabinet next to the liquor cabinet. Audrey went up to it and started grabbing shot glasses.
"So, what's the story with you and Duke, anyways?" Audrey asked as she stacked 5 shot glasses into her hand, and then closed the cabinet door.
I chuckled at this as I opened the liquor cabinet and started looking for the rum. "A lot longer of a story then you would guess." I said as I spotted the rum, and grabbed it. I closed the cabinet and looked at her. "I'll tell you later. Promise."
Audrey smiled at this and turned around to go back to the poker game. When we got to the deck she turned to me and said "I'm going to hold you to that promise."
I laughed and settled back down next to Duke, while Audrey passed out the glasses. "What promise?" Duke asked as I took a glass from Audrey, and started pouring rum into it.
"Audrey wants to know about us." I said as I finished pouring, and gave Duke the bottle.
"That could be a dangerous promise." Duke mischievously said as he took the bottle, and started pouring himself a shot.
"I hope you're not trying to scare Vi into backing out." Audrey said as Duke handed her the bottle. I laughed at this.
"He's just worried I'll tell you about all those embarrassing quirks he had as a kid." I said to Audrey, before looking at Duke.
Duke glare at me quickly turned into a smirk, and he looked around the table. Everyone's glasses were filled. Duke grabbed his glass and raised it. "Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends."
"You realize you told me to get the rum, right?" I asked Duke jokingly as I raised my glass.
"It's just a saying." Duke said back, and I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, or a song by Fall Out Boy..." I mumbled under my breath as everyone clinked glasses. I then slowly sipped on my shot, never being one for doing shots. I noticed Audrey had just thrown the rum over her shoulder. I put my glass down once I was half way finished. Duke rolled his eyes at this and took my glass, finishing it for me.
He then smiled at me, and I smiled back. That was always our thing, I would drink little, and he would finish it off for me. It was a weird system but it worked.
"Right, so is there a signal on this rust bucket?" Audrey asked as she pulled out her phone. I giggled at this.
"Whoah! Rust bucket?!" Duke asked, acting appalled, which made me only laugh more. I watched as Audrey got up, still looking at her phone, and went into the corner.
"Deal me out." Audrey said as she pointed to Duke.
"Gotta call the wifey?" Duke asked as he grabbed the cards in front of him.
"Ha, that I do." Audrey said as she started pressing buttons. It was now Ezra's turn to put in his two cents.
"Uh, same sex marriage is illegal in the state of Maine. Is she from Vermont? Because it is legal in Vermont." Ezra asked as he pointed over his shoulder at Audrey. There was a long pause after this which included Duke and I exchanging glances for Ezra added "I was joking."
Duke started passing out cards, and I looked over at Audrey as she conversed on the phone with Nathan. I noticed behind her a man walked up, and I tilted my head curiously at this.
"Audrey!" I yelled as I jumped out of my seat and pointed behind her to the man. Everyone at the table was startled by my actions. Audrey ended the call on her phone, and turned around.
"Don't worry Violet, this is my boss." She said as she looked back over at me, and the man came up on the boat. "This is Agent Howard." Audrey introduced us.
"Can we talk in private?" Agent Howard asked Audrey.
"Yeah, use the boat." Duke said as he started picking up the cards he had been dealing. He then looked at me and I slowly sat back down, embarrassed.
"I thought it could be a serial killer." I whispered to him as I looked at the deck and he started reshuffling the cards.
"In a suit?" Duke whispered questioningly back, moving his head closer to mine to talk.
"Like you haven't seen weirder." I shot back in a hushed tone, turning my gaze to him. Duke smirked at this and nodded, before re-dealing the cards, this time not dealing for Audrey.
Two games later I was starting to get concerned. Audrey still hadn't finished talking to Agent Howard. My mind eased at the idea that she probably was just giving him a verbal report about Haven.
"Ugh!" Duke groaned as he threw down his cards and stood up. Ezra seemed back on his winning streak and within the first game had taken all the money I won, and within the second game cleared all of Duke's money.
"I told you." Ezra said as he smiled at Duke.
"Yes you did. I have never met a player like you. And no offense, but I hope I never meet another player like you." Duke said to Ezra, and he waved his hand around at Ezra. I rolled my eyes at this. "I'm out." Duke continued as he turned and looked at me. He then looked back at Tobias and Ezra, and added "Good night" before dropping his hand.
"Wait. One more round." Tobias said, with a beer in his hand.
"No thank you, I'm out." Duke sighed repeated to Tobias. Duke turned his back for a moment before Ezra started talking.
"Hey, I will put double what I won into the pot." Ezra said as he put his hand on the table as if he was trying to grab Duke's attention. "Double is times two. And I will even give you an extra draw, which is also times two."
I looked curiously between Duke and Ezra. Duke seemed very interested in this offer, but I also knew that like me, he was wondering what the catch was.
Duke scoffed and scratched the back of his head before asking, "Why would you do that?" and pointing at Ezra.
"You have something that I want." Ezra stated, pointing at Duke. My eyebrow raised at this. "Uh, need. It's important to me. Big time important to me. See? I've got my reasons." Ezra continued in is awkward manner.
Duke slowly nodded his head at this. Duke and I exchanged confused glances.
"So, you in?" Tobias asked, still holding his beer bottle.
Duke groaned and then slowly walked back to the chair next to me, and slowly sat down. He then looked from Tobias to Ezra. "What do you want?"
Duke once again threw down his cards. "Unbelievable." Duke said in a ill tempered manner as he glared at Ezra.
"I had a feeling he was going to go for the flush." Ezra said from the top of this hands as he leaned on the table, smirking at me. I merely glared back. "Lots of feelings about it, actually. Tons."
"How nice for you." Duke said, trying to keep his calm. I looked at Duke sympathetically. He smiled weakly back at me.
"So, we can collect on that," Tobias said as he reached into the middle of the table and lifted up the sheet of paper that said the object in question, "And be gone." He continued as he dropped the paper back down. "Far, far away." Tobias finished as he looked from Duke to myself.
"Finally. A silver lining." Duke replied sarcastically to Tobias. A look of imcomplacentness washing over his face as he looked back at the table.
"Violet." Duke said to me as he patted my hand and grabbed it. I looked over from Tobias to him, and smiled. "Will you join me as I fetch this for these boys?" Duke asked as he started getting up, tugging me along.
"Sure?" I asked skeptically as I got up with him, and let him pull me into the boat behind him. "Any reason I had to join?" I said quietly to Duke once we were out of earshot. He shook his head and didn't reply. "Will you tell me what you lost then?" I asked, starting to get annoyed. He opened the door for me and let go of my hand, and I walked into the hull of the ship behind him.
"Oh. Just a baseball card." Duke brushed off. I scoffed. "What?" He asked, not looking up as he moved a barrel.
"You? Collecting baseball cards?" I asked incredulously. He looked up and sighed.
"Look, I don't think that's what they wanted. That's why we are down here." Duke said as he looked at me. Suddenly the door behind me slammed shut, and I jumped. Duke swooped right up to me, and spun me around so he was closer to the door than I. He then looked back at the door and let go of me, sighing. "I was afraid that might happen."
"Oh, well at least one of us has a clue what's going on." I mumbled sarcastically as I sat down on the barrel he has just moved. Duke went to the door and tried opening it, only to fail. He groaned as we felt the boat shift, and start moving. I looked around and then back at him. "So, if you knew that this-" I said motioning to the boat around us, "was going to happen, why did you let it?"
Duke chuckled at this. "Well, it wasn't my first choice I promise you that." He said as he walked up to me. I stood back up. "But it seemed better than leaving you alone with them." He said seriously as he placed his hands on my waist.
"Is that supposed to me sweet?" I asked as I placed my hands on his elbows, and looked up into his eyes.
"Well, yes." He stated as he leaned down. He quickly kissed me on the lips, and then took one of his hands off of me, and banged the metal next to us. I looked at it surprised as it swung open like a door, showing four guns. I looked back at him to see him smirking, and I smirked back. "I've got Violet, and I've got options."
"Now that's romantic." I said as I placed my hand on his neck, and brought his face down to kiss.
The kiss was broken when we felt a jolt of the boat, reminding us of the situation we were in. He grinned at me as he grabbed a gun, and gave it to me. I smiled at the gun as he grabbed a gun for himself. Having been raised my father, also known as Chief of the police, I had learned how to shoot a gun at an early age. Never had to kill anyone, but at least we had some method of defense.
I looked back up at Duke, who was now moving another piece of metal. I smiled at this and jumped up and down excitedly. "The escape hatch! You still have it?!" I asked eagerly as I stopped jumping up and down.
"Of course I do." Duke said smugly back as he placed the metal on the floor beside the barrel. He then looked up at me and smiled.
"Hello in there!" Tobias said from the other side of the escape hatch, causing both Duke and I to aim our guns. "I have to hand it to you, that was smart." Tobias said, causing Duke to shoot. Except he didn't have any bullets. I groaned at this and opened the barrel of my gun, to see I also had no bullets. "Very smart." Tobais continued as I threw my gun down on the floor. Tobias then closed the hatch from his side, locking it.
"I thought it felt too light." I groaned as Duke opened his barrel to make sure he had no bullets.
"He took my bullets." Duke stated, shocked. I nodded at him, still frowning. Duke then went into thought for a second before whipping out the gun he always cared tucked behind him, and opened the magazine. "He took all my bullets!" Duke yelled and he dropped that gun and grabbed a box that was supposed to be full of bullets, and threw it on the ground as he pointed at the escape hatch. "How could he know about this? Only we know about this!" Duke said in a tone that suggested he was trying his hardest to not yell.
"It's okay." I said as I went up to him and put my hand on his arm in a comforting manner.
"These guys have been one step ahead of me since they got here. It's not annoying when you are, but with these guys its both annoying and insulting." Duke said as he grabbed the hand that was on his arm, and held it in his.
"So, are we out of options?" I asked as I swung my hand around, thus swinging his.
"Yeah. We just get to wait now." Duke said and I nodded.
"Well, might as well just sit down." I huffed as I sat down exactly where I was standing, Duke being pulled down next to me. "Are they going to kill us?" I asked as Duke sat down next to me, our knee's and shoulders touching as we sat cross legged.
"Nah. We're no good to them dead." Duke stated as he looked at me, an empty smile on his face.
"What do they want?" I asked, my eyes never leaving his. "Well, so here's what I'm thinking." Duke said as he looked at me, and I nodded for him to continue. "They cased the place. Found a box that isn't here now, and now they want it." Duke said, and I nodded once more, this time not really understanding.
"So, we've been played?" I questioned, and Duke looked at the floor in front of us and nodded. "Well, I've always wanted to be played." I muttered sarcastically, as I looked at the floor as well. This caused Duke to chuckle. I heard a creak and my eyes immediately flashed to Duke, who was also looking back at me.
"Do you feel that?" Duke asked, as he started to get up, dragging me up with him. He let go of my hand as he started to look around.
"That shouldn't happen unless we are on the titanic, right?" I asked as I stayed completely still, my eyes darting around the room.
Duke brushed past me to the wall we were just sitting by, and touched the metal. I watched him as his eyes picked up from the ground to myself. "We are starting to list." Duke muttered before looking back around. "We must have sprung a leak."
"The boat is leaking?" I yelled questioningly at Duke. He nodded, the anger in my voice matching the look on his face. I backed up, placing my hands on my head.
Suddenly the door behind me flew open. Duke was too far away to grab me before I was being grabbed by someone. I yelped as they roughly grabbed my arm, and I whipped around to see Ezra with a gun pointed at me, and beside him Tobias with a gun pointed at Duke.
"Let go of her." Duke said as he looked from me to Tobias, while putting his hands in the air in surrender. I glared at Ezra and Tobias. Tobias smirked at Duke's reaction, realizing I was indeed important to Duke.
"Give her to me." Tobias said, his eyes not leaving Duke's while he motioned for me to be handed over. Ezra's grip tightened before it loosened and he shoved me over to Tobias. I stumbled but was then grabbed by Tobias, who now had his gun pointed at me. I looked back at Ezra to see his gun was now pointed at Duke.
"Tell us where the box is." Tobias said as his grip on my arm tightened. I involuntarily yelped at the pain searing in my arm. Once again my trouble was being used against me. The pain shouldn't have been as bad as it was, but that's what happens when you have a trouble like mine. Nathan gets a cut and doesn't feel it, and I get a cut and nearly faint from pain.
"Okay, okay, I will." Duke said pleadingly as he kept his hands raised up, but slowly moved closer. "Just please, stop hurting her."
Tobias jerked me closer to him, and put the gun on my head. "Tell us now, or Violet becomes red." I closed my eyes at this, trying to imagine myself in a situation where there wasn't a gun on my head, or pain radiating from my arm.
There was silence for a moment in which Duke was figuring out his options, but that was enough for a pause in negotiations for Tobias to change his plans.
"I'll take this one up to the deck. You keep working on Duke." Tobias said as he started to back up, forcing me to back up with him. I shared one last look with Duke before being pushed in front of Tobias, and being forced up the stairs and onto the deck.
I carefully walked up the stairs, my hand over the bruise forming on my arm from where Tobias and Ezra had grabbed me.
"Keep your hands where I can see them!" Tobias yelled as he jabbed my back with the gun. I quickly raised my hands up in the air as we walked into the middle of the deck. Tobias kept the gun aimed at me as he backed up, and grabbed a chair. "Sit." Tobias commanded and I grudgingly sat down. He then went behind the chair with some rope, and tied me to it. He then stood up and came in front of the chair.
"He won't tell you." I said cautiously as I watched Tobias pace in front of me. At this he laughed and pointed at me, while continuing pacing.
"He will if he thinks you're in pain." Tobias stated, and before I could even comprehend what he said, I screamed from pain. I carefully placed my cheek on my shoulder, trying to cushion it from the hard blow I had received.
"You're an ass." I commented as I lifted my head up and looked at him. He nodded at this as was about to place another punch when Ezra ran past him.
"We got it!" Ezra stated happily as he went to a rope that was hanging off the boat, and pulled up a box.
Tobias smirked at me mockingly and then turned his back on me, and went to help Ezra with the box.
"Let's go tell them we got it." Tobias said in a hushed tone to Ezra as he untied the rope that was on the box. Ezra nodded at this and without a second glace at me they left.
Ten minutes later and they still weren't back, so I started looking around and trying to devise a plan of escape. Luckily I didn't need to look any further, for Audrey came sneaking out of the boat towards me. We smiled at each other as she ran up to me, and knelled down beside the chair to untie the ropes binding me.
"You have no clue how happy I am to see you." I said to her as I looked down at her. She smiled back up. "And you have no clue how happy I am that you went into a room with an escape hatch." I continued as she finally untied me, and I dropped down to the other side of the chair, looking around as she did for any signs of Tobias or Ezra returning.
"Some game of poker, huh?" Audrey asked as she looked over her shoulder then back.
"They weren't here for poker. Apparently they wanted some box." I replied to her and I continued to look out for Tobias or Ezra. "Oh!" I gasped as I looked at Audrey, and grabbed her arm for attention. She looked at me curiously. "The boat is sinking."
"Okay. So we need to outsmart someone who knows your next move-" Audrey started, but I cut her off.
"He knows our next move?" I asked as I let go of her. She nodded, and continued.
"Who knows your next move and fast because the boat is sinking." She finished, and I nodded. "Follow me." She whispered and darted off behind me. I quickly got up and followed.
She led me to the room where Agent Howard and herself were once locked in.
"No time for introductions." Audrey said hastily as she grabbed Agent Howard's briefcase, opening it. "Here, put this on and then go outside. " Audrey said as she gave me an ear piece that was inside the briefcase that belonged to Agent Howard. I nodded and put it in, and then went back onto the deck, Audrey following me then hiding behind a large crate.
I wasn't quite sure what they plan was, but I trusted Audrey enough. I nervously walked farther onto the deck, looking around for any sign of Ezra or Tobias.
I tripped over a piece of rope, but didn't fall. Tobias and Ezra who were on a part of the deck not in my sight ran into my sight when they head this, guns raised.
"How did you get loose?" Tobias asked as they both came closer.
"You know, magic and such." I stated sarcastically as I raised my hands in the air.
"Don't come any closer." I yelled. I then heard Audrey in my ear.
"take off your shirt. Pretend you know what you're doing."
"Why?" Tobias asked. And I sighed and then grinned.
"Because!" I yelled and I ripped open my flannel shirt, beholding my tank top underneath it. I then threw the shirt off of me. I looked from Tobias to Ezra, who both seemed extremely startled.
"Dance"
I smirked and started doing the Charleston. "Yeah? You like that?" I asked and I spun around and continued. The look on their faces alone was enough for me to know this must be working, somehow.
"What's happening Ezra?" Tobias yelled to Ezra, while still watching me change to random dance per Audrey's instruction.
"I don't know! It's like her head is completely blank!" Ezra yelled as he placed his free hand on his head, gun still aimed at me.
"Well that's rude!" I yelled at Ezra, while stopping an Irish jig.
"I don't know, maybe she has a gun or something, I don't know!" Ezra yelled to Tobias as he continued to hold his head.
"Maybe we should shoot her." Tobias said as he re-pointed his gun.
"Strip"
"Look!" I yelled as I carefully placed my hands on the hem of my shirt. "No gun!" I yelled again as I slowly started lifting my shirt up over my head, and doing a 360 for them to see. "Nothing!" I yelled again as my shirt fell to the deck, and I slowly started taking off my jeans. I had a hard time kicking them off while wearing converse, but I managed. I stood back up in front of them, in only my underwear and bra.
"Say this, 'it's moments like these where your life flashes before your eyes'"
"In moments like these, your life kinda flashes past your eyes, am I right?" I asked, trying to stop myself from wrapping my arms around my bare abdomen.
"I don't understand what she's doing!" Ezra yelled, Tobias looking from Ezra and then to myself.
"I never learned to saddle a horse."
"I never got to saddle a horse!" I yelled, throwing my hands farther into the air.
"I never ate cottage cheese."
"I have never eaten cottage cheese!" I yelled, waving my arms around frantically.
"I never learned how to do the electric slide."
"I never learned how to do the electric slide!" I yelled as I pointed at Tobias, a look of sadness for my lack of sliding on my face.
"I don't know whats happening!" Ezra yelled pathetically, his hand leaving his head.
"I need a hug."
"I need a hug!" I yelled exasperatedly as I continued to point from Ezra to Tobias.
"Look, birds."
"Look! Birds!" I yelled as I pointed out in the distance. They both looked and then I kicked Tobias in the chest, knocking him down. I quickly bent down and grabbed his gun before Ezra could get it.
"Don't try me!" I yelled at Ezra as I pointed the gun at him. Audrey came out from behind the crate, gun pointed at Ezra as well. Ezra put his hands in the air before dropping the gun.
I looked at Audrey quickly out of the corner of my eye before running into the boat. "Where are you going?" Audrey yelled.
"To get Duke!" I yelled back. I heard a muffled come from her as I ran down the stairs, but I knew she had it handled up there. I nearly broke the door open when I slammed into it, realizing I was going to regret that later when it hurt.
When I got the door open I found Duke tied into a chair, looking at me extremely confused and worried. I smiled at him but then looked down, realizing I was still in only a bra and underwear.
"Stop gawking." I muttered to him as I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks.
"You haven't changed much." Duke said smirking as he looked me up and down.
"Pig." I remarked as I started to leave, to go get my clothes.
"Violet! Don't leave me down here!" Duke said as I walked out the door. I smiled and ignored this, running upstairs to find Audrey at the top the the stairs with my clothes.
"Thanks." I said as I grabbed them from her, not even bothering to change anywhere else. I quickly pulled my jeans up and put on my tank top. I threw the flannel on without bothering to button it as I went back downstairs, and Audrey went to talk to Agent Howard.
I walked back into the room to see Duke exactly how I left him. I smiled and leaned on the door frame as he looked back up at me. "You going to stop staring?"
"Doubtful." Duke replied. I laughed at this, nodding and pulling myself away from the door frame.
"Fair enough."