Chapter Eleven
The holding cell was small. Much too small to get comfortable in. A thin, metal bunk, attached to the wall, acted as a bed. Beside it was a sink and a strange, metal bowl that functioned as a toilet. Lucy was suddenly glad she didn't need to use the bathroom...she was in no hurry to use that thing. There was a single florescent light bulb above her. It flickered constantly, almost like it was supposed to be annoying. Which it was.
At that moment, the blonde woman was laid out on the floor. It was more comfortable than that steel slab that passed for a bed. Her arms were folded behind her head, pillowing her a little. She listened, intently, for any sounds coming from the outside. For hours, there was nothing. Just like everyday, for the past three days. The only time anyone came to see her was when Shaun brought her meals. And once, an unfirmiliar woman had come to talk to her. She'd asked about the happenings at the Temple-which Lucy tried to explain as much as possible-took her phone, then left.
The woman had looked a lot like Desmond, leading Lucy to believe that she was probably a member of his family, come to care for him. But, when Lucy asked her about him, she had only said he hadn't woken up yet and that she was asking the questions, here.
Three days. It had been three days since the Temple. Three days since Desmond passed out and never woke up. Was he okay? Was he even still alive? No one would tell her anything. They thought she was a Templar! Which...yeah, she was. But not anymore! Couldn't they tell by the way she stabbed Vidic and saved them all?! Didn't that amount to anything?
Lucy sighs, heavily and sits up. She was going to lose her mind if she didn't hear something soon. Then, as if on que, she hears the subtle tappings of footsteps outside her cell. She steps back, giving the door room to open. When it does, she is sorely dissapointed that it's the unfirmiliar woman who comes inside.
The woman studies her, suspiciously before saying, "You wanted me to tell you when he woke up." She brushes a lock of her long, black hair from her face when she says, "Well he's awake."
Lucy gasps, not even trying to hide her relief. "Desmond's awake?!"
The other lady nods. "He'll be in to see you soon. Right now, he's resting." There was such gentleness in her voice when she spoke of him. Nothing like how she'd been around Lucy when she'd been her interrogator.
"Is he okay?" Lucy asks.
"He's exhausted but he'll live." A thoughtful look crosses her face before she tells Lucy, "My name's Grace, by the way."
Lucy nods. "You look a little like him...are you related?"
Grace smirks in a way that shocked Lucy. Once again, there was no agressiveness or severity about her anymore. She was speaking to Lucy like they were friends. "I'm his cousin." She reveals. "His mother's side of the family."
"Oh?" Lucy offers a little smile of her own, testing the waters between them. "I guess that means you grew up on the Farm too?"
"Oh yeah..." Grace shakes her head, slowly. "Those were the days..." She mumbles, sarcastically. "If it weren't for Dessy, I probably never would have made it through training day after day."
Lucy clamps her hand over her mouth, snorting with badly suppressed laughter. "Dessy?" She giggles.
Grace's face goes red. "Oh...yeah, I called him that when we were little. I guess old habits die hard."
"Guess so." Lucy nods, still smirking a little over the fact that big-tough-Assassin Desmond Miles...used to be called 'Dessy' by his cousin. "So, I haven't heard much of what's going on out there. Are the others okay?"
"Shaun is perfectly fine. Rebecca's leg was pretty banged up so she's recovering in the room across from Dess-I mean...Desmond's." Suddenly, her face goes very serious. "There's a reason I came to talk to you, you know."
Lucy hesitates. "What is it?"
"Desmond's pretty convinced you're trustworthy. He tried to come see you earlier but he's just...too weak right now. Knowing him, he'll end up forcing himself and that'll only make things worse." Grace mumbles, eyeing Lucy closely. "So I've decided to let you out for a while. Just long enough so Desmond doesn't get himself hurt trying to find you."
Lucy nods, quickly. "You can trust me."
"I wouldn't say that..." Grace frowns at her. "I'll be keeping an eye on you the whole time. So don't try to pull anything because, despite my looks, I am a fully trained Assassin. And if I even think you'll try to hurt my people, I'll cut you down."
Lucy's face was equally as stony as Grace's when she says, "That's fine. I already told you, I'm not a Templar."
With that, Grace steps aside and lets Lucy out of her cell. "This way." The dark haired Assassin leads her down the hall to a door. She twists the rusty knob and it swings open, leading to wide-open area with dark-wood floorboards and brown walls. Baby was set up in one corner, looking lonely without Rebecca hovering over it. And across from it was a desk, stacked high with books and another computer.
Shaun's area while we're here. Lucy realizes.
Grace motions for her to follow while she walks to a door on the adjacent wall. Pushing it open, a bright light spills into their room. From inside, Lucy hears the monotonous beeping of an EKG machine as well as the hum of several other pieces of medical equitment.
"This is the infirmary." Grace tells her. "Desmond's in that room, there. I'll wait here to give you guys some...uh, privacy...I guess."
Lucy nods. "Thanks, Grace." Then she hurries across the white-tiled infirmary, which reminded her a lot of Abstergo, and knocks on Desmond's door. At first, she recieves no answer. Then, just when she's about to ask Grace if she's sure that's the right room, a rough, dried out voice calls,
"You can come in."
The blonde's heart sunk just hearing his voice. He must have been in worse condition than she'd thought...After taking a steadying breath, she pulls the door open and steps inside, letting it fall shut behind her.
Desmond was stretched out on a hospital bed. There was a thick bandage on his arm where an IV had been only moments ago. His skin looked oddly pale, despite how tan he was and his eyes were closed. Was he asleep again?
"D-Desmond?" She asks, timidly. How would he react? Grace had said he still trusted her but...
His eyes insantly snap open. The young man only stared at her for the longest moment before saying, "Lucy...?"
