Shaun sat at his desk, caressing the new Piece of Eden in his hands. He felt it pulsing in rhythm with his own pulse. It was reaching out to him. And why wouldn't it? It was his, by all rights. Handed down to him my the Lady of the Lake, he used it in many battles and scored victory after victory with this blade in hand. Wait, no. That isn't right.. is it? It's mine. It must be. It's.. so familiar.
Shaun was still lost in the sword's glow when Desmond and Rebecca came in, unheard by him. "Shaun!" Rebecca's sharp tone snapped him out of his daze and the sword fell to the desk. "Wha- what? Christ, can't a bloke have some privacy?"
"Shaun, you weren't given permission to take the sword from storage." Desmond's tone was stern. "What's gotten into you, buddy?" Shaun had refused to get help with the bleeding effect because - according to Shaun - there were no problems.
"Rebecca, Desmond." Shaun stood up. "I assure you, I'm perfectly fine." He took a glance to the sword on his desk.
Rebecca stepped up, her face showing the evident worry she held for her boyfriend. "Shaun. Please, listen to me. You haven't been yourself now for a while. We don't see each other as much as we did, you became obsessed."
"We're fighting a war here, Rebecca, in case you hadn't noticed! Of course I'm obsessed with finding the sword! Bloody hell, Juno is out there plotting global slavery, and you're here worried about going on a date!" Shaun was getting angry, uncharacteristically angry. His voice was getting fierce and definitive. When he spoke, his chest stuck out and his arms flexed. Reminiscent of King Arthur when addressing a threat.
Desmond walked around to Shaun and turned him from the beckoning sword on the desk. "Jesus, Shaun! Listen to yourself! This isn't about the fight, this isn't about Juno. It's about you! You've become obsessed with that Piece of Eden! I know the Bleeding Effect when I see it. Yours and Arthur's personalities are blending together and fucking with your head."
"I have not become obsessed! And I should damn well know the bleeding effect when I see it because I watched your shattered little mind do its work as you stabbed Lucy!"
Desmond stepped back breathless, then walked closer to Shaun enraged but keeping his cool as best he could. "Fuck you Shaun! You know Juno took control of me and you know that!"
"Oh come off it! Desmond Miles, The Golden Boy, the Chosen One, couldn't ward off a little hologram's hypnotism eh? What the hell makes you one in ten thousand then?!"
"You know what? I'm just trying to help a friend who is suffering but you're acting like a total dick! I can't tell if it's the pompous King Arthur or the Royal pain in the ass Shaun that's talking!"
With that Shaun swung a punch at Desmond who didn't see it coming. He opened up a cut on Desmond's lip sending him back a few feet. Desmond didn't know the strength Shaun actually had. Beyond the confusion and anger, he was also a little impressed.
By now Shaun had grabbed Excalibur and bore it facing Desmond. Then lurched forward. Desmond's inherited reflexes allowed him to dodge in time, then carry his momentum into a parry. He grabbed Shaun's wrist and gave Shaun a shunt below the rib cage to wind him. Standing behind him he swung Shaun around to pin his chest to the wall, extending his arm in a hold causing him to relinquish his weapon. "Shaun! Snap out of it!" Desmond had him pinned in a hold that would only cause pain should he try break free.
Rebecca was on the brink of tears at her boyfriends sudden outburst. "Shaun, baby.. please.."
Shaun wrenched his neck to look at her, and Desmond gave him a little release to do so. His eyes widened and he stopped resisting. Desmond let go and Shaun turned to see him. He saw the blood trickling down Desmond's cheek, and the sword scattered to the ground. He began to realise what he had just done. He was blinded by his desire of the sword, and the ongoing effects of prolonged animus exposure. "I.. I'm so sorry..." Shaun fell seated on the floor bracing his back to the wall. "I didn't mean to try and hurt anyone.."
Desmond sat next to Shaun, Rebecca sitting to his other side. She held his face and turned him to her line of sight. "Shaun, you need help to get out of this.."