CHAPTER SIX

I stared at the dark, alien ceiling. It had all sunk in, but I hadn't figured out what I was going to do, yet. Since getting on the Prometheus, I had done whatever others told me to do because I felt so out of place. But… perhaps I had always been that kind of person. I relied on others because I lacked conviction.

Covering my eyes with my arm, I realised how ridiculous and childish I had been. I always hated David fro following orders all the time, but I wasn't any better. I was a fake. I clung on to the people around me, hoping that they would give me a purpose, but all I had accomplished was making a fool of myself.

Even the Engineer, I had hoped he would decide what to do with me. I had hoped that I could leave it all behind.

I heard the door slide open and didn't have to open my eyes to figure out who it was.

"Go away. I don't want to see you," I mumbled.

He sighed and pulled my arm away. He looked at me with half-hooded eyes. "Do you believe that this is the end?"

In his hand was the glint of a knife.

My eyes widened when it came down upon me.

The pain was swift, as was the steady stream of blood. I found myself completely shocked, staring at David as if he had finally lost it. "W-why?"

He held a jar below the flowing wound, collecting the blood that was my life-force. When I tried to move away, he held on tight. "Let go, David."

"This is necessary," he told me. "Don't you trust me, Cassandra? I won't let anything happen to you."
His words no longer felt reassuring. After everything that had happened, I was starting to realise that what I had been turning a blind eye to was getting out of control. David may be a good listener and secret keeper, but that only meant that he had an advantage over everyone. I fed my entire life into him and now, I was finally beginning to see what I had done.

He continued to smoothly tell me that I had nothing to worry about, but I knew better.

"Where's Elizabeth?" I asked him, wondering I he had done something to her.

He placed the container down and retrieved the bandages. His hands were gentle as he bound my hand. "She is currently roaming the ship. Would you like to do the same? I can accompany you."

I narrowed my eyes at him. What was his end goal, at this point? Father was dead. Everyone was dead. What was his purpose, now?

Despite everything – all the suspicion and distrust – he was still all I had left. "Show me around," I told him.

He bowed his head. "Of course, Cassandra."

As I walked around, I knew I had made the right choice. It was better that I knew my way around here and David already seemed to already have everything memorised.

It felt as if we were strangers, again. The resentment I had for him back then was rearing its head, but I knew that there was always going to be a part of me that will love him. I didn't know if it was that inhuman perfection or the way he'd cradle me so gently in his arms, but it was a lingering feeling that wouldn't dissipate.

I shook my thoughts away and made sure to be more observant of everything around me. One day, David may not be there to save me. A darker thought entered my mine. Perhaps one day, he'd turn on me. It wasn't something I wanted to contemplate, but I had to be prepared.

I stopped. My mind was like two conflicting forces. On one side, I wanted to do everything I could to survive. On the other hand, I was tired of fighting this impossible battle. How hard would it be to just end it all? I had been so close before… But David…

"Cassandra?" He had stopped beside me and was watching me with dark eyes. "Is something the matter?"

I sighed. "No, continue on."

We went through the entire ship with him being the perfect tour guide. He told me everything he knew and I made notes on anything I found important. There were still several rooms that were blocked off. He claimed that he hadn't figured out how to open them, yet, but… I took that with a grain of salt.

At the end of the tour, we saw Shaw coming back from her own exploration. She looked slightly flustered and barely spared us a greeting as she hurried away.

I saw how David's eyes were fixated on her the entire time and a sudden jealousy surged inside me. My irritation for the redhead grew.

If I was being honest with myself, they were perfect for each other. They both enjoyed discovering new things to a fault and they were both far more composed than me during dire moments. I was rather useless here, completely out of my elements.

When I was back in my makeshift room, David excused himself to tend to her, whatever that may mean. I forced myself not to give into the petty jealousy that I always had for the archaeologist. What did it even matter, now? The world I knew had ended and it was just the three of us.

Not long after he was gone, Elizabeth slipped in. She looked rather paranoid as she looked around as if David was hiding in one of the dark corners, but I reassured her that I was the only one here.

Without asking, she sat down beside me. Her tired eyes were red and she appeared as if she was about to pass out. "So, you and David? I'm surprised none of us ever knew."

Was that what she wanted to talk about? Out of everything, she was concerned over my relationship with the synthetic? "Yes. We are together. We sleep in the same bed. We kiss and we fuck." My words were crass. This wasn't a topic I wanted to speak to her about. Besides, did she think we were going to have some sort of female bonding time?

"I'm sorry. I guess that wasn't a good subject for small talk…" Her dejected tone made me regret my scathing remark.

"No, I apologise. I think we're both out of sorts after what happened, but… David and I are complicated, especially now…" I added the last part under my breath. "Never mind that. What did you want to talk about if it isn't about David and me?"

She took a moment to continue. "I feel like there's something strange going on. Besides the fact that everyone else is dead, I don't think this is the end of it. We're heading towards the Engineer's home planet, but… I have a feeling – maybe it's childish – but this feeling, I can't ignore it. I don't think we're going to make it there. David isn't who I thought he is. How long have you known him?"

"Since he was made four years ago," I told her.

"A-and has there been anything… weird about him?" she asked me.

Of course, there was. David had never been normal. "That depends on your definition of weird. He's a synthetic. He's not exactly human, no matter how much he looks like one."

"I mean, do you think he'll ever ki – "

She was cut off by David re-entering the room. His eyes found mine first before flickering over to Shaw. "Hello, Dr. Shaw. I was just looking for you."

"D-David!" she exclaimed. "I just wanted to talk to Cassandra for a little while. We're the only ones left and I was feeling lonely. What did you need me for?" She cast a glance my way as if I could somehow help her out of the situation.

"Why don't we talk on our way out. We shouldn't disturb Cassandra any further. I'm sure she's tired from today's ordeal," he stated.

Elizabeth Shaw looked over to me again for help, but I averted my gaze. There wasn't anything I could've done. I couldn't be around her forever.

Despite that, after she followed him out, I couldn't help but pace the dark, foreign chamber, worrying about everything. Had I made a mistake? Would she have been a helpful ally to have? No, I was jumping into conclusions. Just because she followed him out, just because she was worried about David having less than benevolent intentions, didn't mean that he was going to kill her or anything. He seemed to like her enough from the times I had seen them converse.

When David returned, he had a tray in his hand.

"I thought you'd be hungry," he stated, placing the mildly rehydrated food in front of me. "I apologise for the appalling preparation, but I was hoping to save the water until I found a substitute that these Engineers used. Perhaps it is best if you go into Hyper sleep. I have already helped Dr. Shaw into one of their pods."

So that was what he was doing. Worry for Shaw still nagged at me, but I pushed it aside. Whatever he had done, what could I have done about it? Nothing.

I pushed the hard food with my utensil. "That is fine, but tell me, David, with father dead, what are you going to do, now? It could take years, decades to reach their planet. I'm sure you'd know everything about them long before then."

He smiled cryptically at me. "Even though Peter Weyland is now deceased, I can assure you that my purpose has yet to be fulfilled. I will need the time to… experiment."

Experiment.

I hated the way he said that. Who else was there for him to play with? There was only Elizabeth and me left. "So you're going to be the one to end my life?" I threw at him. It was a rhetorical question. I didn't want the answer to it.

"No, but finish up your meal and I will prepare you for rest." He took a seat beside me, humming a tune that was far too merry to be appropriate. We spoke no more as I ate, wondering if I was ever going to wake from this sleep.

I looked at my bandaged hand. What did he use my blood for? What kind of experiments was he planning? If it was like anything that happened to Holloway, I was sure that at least one, but probably both of us were going to die.

After I swallowed down the last bit of sustenance, he took a clean towel and wiped me off as if I was a child or an invalid. He knelt down in front of me, his other hand parted my thighs, and he grazed between my legs. "David…" I half-heartedly tried to push him away.

"Once you wake from your slumber, you will finally come to trust me," he told me, kissing the exposed skin.

"I trust you, now," I lied.

He chuckled. "Not yet, but for you, it'll be soon." His breath made the tiny hairs on my leg stand on end. "Would you like me to help you relax before I put you into the pod?"

Yes, I did, but I shook my head. Perhaps it was to spite him, to show him that I still had control of myself, if only a little.

"Very well."

When I stepped out of the room, I noticed that the corridors were considerably cleaner. "With your torn suit, I didn't want any accidents. I've sealed all the remaining doors that are unsafe for your fragile flesh," he explained when I gave him an inquiring look.

My bare feet softly fell on to the cold floor. It was smooth, similar to the texture on the Prometheus. It was strange how they were made light-years apart, but could still be so similar in so many ways.

As I neared the pods, I saw Elizabeth Shaw's sleeping face. A part of me was surprised and relieved to see her actually there.

"She'll be fine in there," he told me.

Instead of waiting for me to get into the pod myself, he lifted me up and gently placed me on the bed. It was surprisingly comfortable. "You'll see me again before you know it." He kissed my forehead.

Once everything was hooked up, I looked at him one last time. The transparent door slowly closed over me. I touched the top of it. His hand rested on top of mine. "Dav…" My eyes drooped as the familiar sensation of forced sleep washed over me.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

This chapter is a little short, but I promise to make up for it next time.

Thank you Dreamer4life16, Zerousy, JinXx4440, Love Fiction 2017, MageVicky, vampgirliegirl for reviewing!

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