Chapter Twelve: Unexpected

Violet jumped back when the hot water hit her body. The warm temperature was a shock to her; it had been a long time since she'd had a real shower.

As much as she enjoyed the sensation of the warm water sprinkling over her, she couldn't help but shower quickly. Juliet had already promised her there were no cameras in this room, but Violet still didn't trust them.

Earlier that morning, as Juliet was taking her down to take a shower, Violet had voiced that she wanted to see Walt again.

"You already saw him, Violet." Juliet had sighed, as she turned Violet around a corner.

"Only once, for ten minutes! I want to see him again." Violet complained, feeling Juliet's fingers tighten slightly around her arm.

"I can't let you do that, Violet, I'm sorry." As much as Violet didn't want to admit it, Juliet really did seem apologetic. Violet still remembered clearly Juliet's strangely soothing presence when she was taken away from seeing Walt for the first time only a couple of days ago. It had almost seemed like she cared about Violet. That's impossible, these people are monsters. Violet told herself, but still, what did the Others have to gain from pretending to care? Violet couldn't understand.

Violet had also demanded to see Ben, in hopes that she could convince him to let her see Walt again, since it was him who let her in the first place, but Juliet said he was gone. That was when Violet remembered overhearing Ben's conversation with Juliet. "I'm leaving now, Juliet. It's time to put the plan into action. I should be just outside their camp in a few hours." Violet hated not knowing why Ben was going to their camp, what he was planning to accomplish. Violet tried not to think about it, but what if he was going there to hurt someone, or worse, kill someone? She couldn't bear the thought.

Violet turned off the hot water and quickly grabbed the towel they had left for her. She scanned the room that looked much like a gym change room nervously as she stepped out of the shower stall, seeing she was still alone. She turned to the bench she had left her clothes on and saw they were no longer there! Instead, a new set of jeans and a striped T-shirt laid in its place. Violet sighed, as she quickly put on the new clothes, cringing at the thought of someone coming in this room while she was showering to swap her clothes.

Once she was finished, she sat on the bench to wait for Juliet, like she had been told. She began to think about Ben's promise. "I promise you, you'll see Kate soon." Violet prayed that wasn't the reason Ben went to the camp. As much as she wanted to see Kate, she didn't want Kate to be taken like she was.

Violet gazed absently around the room, when she noticed something she hadn't noticed when she first entered the room. Her heart leapt in her throat when she saw it. In the corner of the room, right on the ceiling, was a wire grate, which covered up the air duct system. Violet breathed out slowly - if that air duct system led into another room, she might have a chance of escaping. But am I small enough to fit? Violet turned toward the door, as her heart began hammering against her chest. "I would advise you not to try and escape again, Violet. I don't think you would enjoy the consequences." Ben had told her, when she had first tried to escape. She didn't want to think about what those consequences would be, but then, what if she wasn't caught? If I can just get myself into that air duct, I can crawl my way out of this room, and figure out a way to get out. She wasn't feeling overly confident about her plan, but she couldn't pass up the opportunity. Not when Kate and Jack are out there, and Ben might be after them.

Violet jumped up and walked quietly over to the wire grate, staring up. She knew just by looking that she would be able to fit inside. She looked around and saw a stool leaning up against one of the stalls in the room. Grabbing a hold of it, she dragged it right underneath the entrance to the air duct system. Violet took a deep breath, and forced herself to think of Kate, of Jack, of being free from the Others forever. She took one final glance at the door, and jumped up on the stool.

Grabbing hold of the wire grate, she pulled. It wouldn't give. She pulled again, and made a loud noise. She held her breath as she stared, wide-eyed at the door, still hearing no sign of them coming for her. I'll have to do it quickly, or they'll catch me. Pulling with all her might, she yanked the whole wire grate off the entrance, and it fell with a loud clang to the ground. Adrenaline rushed through her veins as she stretched her arms up and grabbed hold of the entrance to the ducts, ready to pull herself up.

"Violet, don't move." She heard Juliet's voice warn from behind her. Violet stopped breathing as she remained where she was, rooted on the stool, arms still grasping the interior of the air duct. She managed to crane her neck to see Juliet standing at the entrance of the room, aiming a strange device at her. Violet recognized it immediately. It was the device they had used to shot a tranquilizer dart into her neck the night they took her from her camp. Her heart started pounding.

"Juliet, please don't." Violet pleaded, once she was able to find her voice. Juliet only stared at her, her eyes cold, yet sympathetic. It was hard to tell, but she didn't lower her weapon.

"I want you to get down from there right now." Juliet said seriously as Violet complied. She knew she was in for it now; Ben had warned her, and he had been serious. Still, Violet was terrified to find out what consequences Ben was talking about.

Violet waited as Juliet stared at her for a moment, until she finally put her device back in her pocket. Violet breathed out slowly.

"Come here, and sit down for a minute." Juliet said, her voice laced with a cool serenity. Violet wanted nothing more than to stay where she was, afraid of what was going to happen now, but she also feared disobedience. She was already in enough trouble.

She crossed the room to where Juliet was motioning, and Violet hesitantly sat on the bench in front of Juliet, never meeting her piercing blue eyes. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach; what if Ben's consequences meant killing her? She felt like she were going to faint.

Juliet stood there for a moment, and then turned to close the door behind her. Violet watched her, her heart thrashing wildly against her chest. She averted her eyes as Juliet turned and moved toward her, lowering herself to sit on the bench beside her. Strange, she didn't seem angry at all.

"Calm down Violet, I'm not going to hurt you." She said in a quiet whisper. Violet looked up in surprise - why was she whispering?

"W-what?" Violet asked, looking around again for cameras.

"I already told you there were no cameras in this room," Juliet sighed, "So, here's the deal. I'm going to pretend like this never happened, okay? I'm not going to say anything to Ben, or anybody else, but Violet, you have to promise me you won't try this again. Ben is serious when he says there will be consequences. Next time, it might not be me who catches you. Next time, you might not be so lucky that there aren't any cameras watching you." Violet stared at her in incredulously. Juliet looked nervous, as she kept peering back at the closed door. Violet shook her head.

"Why? Why would you do that for me?" She paused. Juliet stared at her and for the first time since Violet had been here, she saw something in Juliet she hadn't seen before. Emotion - Juliet looked like she had tears in her eyes.

"I understand how much you want to leave, Violet. I feel your pain, more than you can understand right now. I know you miss Kate, and Jack, and your life with them. I know you're scared, and I know you want nothing more than to get out of here. I know you think I'm just one of them, but it's complicated, Violet. You just have to trust me - as much as you don't want to do that, I'm asking you to. I don't want to see you hurt, and I know Ben. If he knew you tried to escape again, the consequences really wouldn't be pleasant for you. I don't want to see that happen to you." She said calmly. Violet could only stare at her, unsure of how to feel. Juliet seemed very sincere, but what did she mean by it's complicated?

"I don't understand," Violet said quietly, "I-" They both heard footsteps down the hall, and when Violet saw Juliet startle and press her finger to her lips to motion Violet to be quiet, she understood. Juliet was risking her position with the Others to help her. Why, Violet couldn't understand, but was grateful all the same.

"We have to go back to your room now," Juliet said as she stood up, resuming her cool, serene expression, "Just remember what I said." Juliet took hold of Violet's arm, and began leading her toward the door. Violet breathed out a sigh of relief as she followed. As they walked out into the green corridor, Violet saw another one of the Others passing down the hall, and stare at her with horribly cruel eyes. Violet swallowed hard - Juliet was right, she really was lucky this time. It could have been him who caught her, not Juliet.

Violet couldn't bear thinking about Ben's consequences; she didn't dare imagine them, but what she couldn't puzzle out was why Juliet wanted to help her. Why she would keep a valuable piece of information from Ben, who was apparently in charge? Why was that so important to her?

Violet had so many questions she wanted to ask Juliet, but was distracted immediately when around the corner came a man, holding a young boy by his arm, leading him down the hallway. Violet recognized him immediately. It was Walt.

"Walt!" Violet cried, pulling herself away from Juliet, who hadn't been holding on tightly. She faintly heard Juliet call after her, as she ran up the hallway.

"Violet!" Walt screamed out as the man holding him tightened his grip and began to walk Walt faster down the hallway.

"Let go of him! You're hurting him!" Violet screamed as she tried to grab hold of the man's hand to loosen his grip. It was no use though; Juliet had a hold of her in seconds, pulling her in the opposite direction.

"No! Walt! Where are they taking you? Where are you going?" Violet yelled.

"I don't know, Violet! But I saw my dad! He's alive!" Walt replied, struggling to escape the man's clutches as strongly as Violet was trying to escape Juliet's.

"What?" Violet screamed out, just before Walt and the man were about to turn a corner.

"He was here, and they sent him back!" The man dragged Walt around a corner. "Violet..." His voice trailed off in the distance.

"Walt!" Violet tried to go after him but Juliet's grip tightened as she pulled her into her room, closing the door behind her. She let go of Violet, who rubbed her arm where Juliet had grabbed her. Violet began to breath heavily.

"Where are they taking Walt?" She demanded, tears forming in her eyes. She knew they weren't taking him for a shower - they had turned down the wrong corridor.

Juliet was silent as she looked at Violet seriously. Violet wanted to lash out, to scream and demand answers, but at the same time, this woman had, for some unknown reason, saved her from Ben's promise of harsh consequences. Instead, she turned her back to Juliet as she felt a tear escape from her eye. She sat on her bed, forcing herself not to let anymore escape. She heard Juliet approach her from behind, sitting on the bed behind her.

"Violet, I can't-"

"You can't tell me, I know." Violet replied, swallowing the lump forming in her throat. Juliet sighed.

"I can't tell you where he's going, but...I can tell you...you won't see him again." She said. Violet turned around quickly and stared at Juliet, who was absolutely serious.

"What do you mean I won't see him again?" She began to cry. "Are they going to kill him?"

"No Violet, they aren't going to kill him." Juliet said with a bit of a smile on her face, as though that would make all the difference in the world for her.

"Then why won't I see him again? Where is he going?" Violet demanded.

"I told you I can't tell you, but I can promise you he'll be okay." Juliet replied.

"But why can't I see him?" Violet screamed out. "He's my best friend!" Juliet stared at her, considering her as Violet's tears continued to fall. Juliet only shook her head, and stood up.

"Juliet, please just tell me." Violet pleaded, one final time. Juliet turned and looked down at her.

"I'm sorry, I can't. You'll know soon enough, but now isn't the time." Juliet opened up the door, and left the room, leaving Violet in tears and, for the second time so far, believing she would never see her close friend Walt again.

Only this time, she didn't get a chance to say goodbye.