Hello, beautiful readers! I wanted this up Friday, but life just get's busy this time of year. I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas/holiday! Also, I don't own any FF stuff. Happy reading!
Confrontations
Jason led Evie down the hall to the nearest exit. The car crash outside must have drawn everyone away. She now knew that it was definitely not an accident. It had to be a diversion. Hank probably. He was always reckless and a devoted friend to Jason for reasons she did not understand.
They passed by the now empty conference rooms and offices and were nearing the library. She hoped that someone would be there to at least see her predicament. Her hopes were realized when Jason stopped to look around the opposite corner and she made eye contact through the window in the door with Ignis. He was there with Prince Noctis, probably making him study. Ignis started to get up, seeing she was in trouble, but she shook her head and raised the keys slightly for him to see where he was taking her. Jason was obviously dangerous when he was this desperate, and she did not want Ignis or Noctis hurt. Ignis' duty was to protect the prince. He stopped, but looked at her with both confusion and concern in his eyes. She looked at Noctis who was sitting nearby and noticed that he kept looking at her and his phone. He was texting someone. Thank you, Noctis.
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Cor was sitting in front of a familiar face in the interrogation room. It was Hank, the boy they had seen at the mall that Evie knew and was afraid of; Jason's friend, who was likely helping him to harass Evie. Titus was sitting next to him while Nyx and another kingsglaive were guarding the door. Cor had sent the Crownsguard to guard the king and prince as a precaution. Hank just stared at the two men with a smug smirk and a newly forming bruise under his left eye.
"You want to tell us why you decided to ram a car through a security gate and into a wall near the Citadel" the Captain asked.
Hank didn't answer, but looked at Cor instead.
"How is Evie?" He asked the Marshal, "We miss her a lot."
"I will not be discussing her," Cor answered shortly.
"Why not? You don't think I would commit such an act for just anyone do you?" Hank cocked his head and laughed heartily.
"Was she your target, then?" Cor asked, looking dangerous.
"I would't hurt Evie like that," he answered, suddenly looking away.
Cor saw something he didn't expect in the man's eyes. He loves her. Or at least he thinks he does.
"We just want her back. Just want to talk to her for awhile, ya know?"
"You keep saying 'we,'" Titus brought up, obviously confused.
"He means Jason," Cor explained, "the man that has been sending threatening messages and who broke into her apartment."
"Oh come, now," Hank said, suddenly getting angry, "they weren't threatening."
"He broke into her apartment and carved his initials into her bedroom closet door," Cor went on, "oh, and left dead rose petals on her bed."
Hank said nothing. He only stared, but Cor noticed a change in his eyes. It was shame. It was there for only a moment.
"Where is Jason, now," Titus asked.
"I couldn't say," Hank looked way.
"And the kingsglaive who was helping him get personal information?" Titus tried again.
Hank seemed amused by this question. He started chuckling and shaking his head.
"Thomas? That boy is an idiot. He's got it bad for Evie. Jason promised to let him have a night with her if he helped us. But that isn't happening."
Cor's head shot up.
"What do you mean if he helped you?" He asked, anger obvious in his voice. Hank's eyes widened as if he had said something he shouldn't have. Cor stood up and grabbed Hank by his collar.
"What is he helping you with?" He bellowed at the boy. Hank remained quiet. Cor suddenly realized what all of this was. A diversion. Shit. He shoved Hank back into his seat and moved quickly for the door.
"Nyx, come with me!" He shouted without looking back, knowing that the man would follow without pause. He pulled his phone out to call Evie when he noticed a message from Noct.
Prince Noctis: Evie in trouble…man with knife…heading for South exit towards garage.
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Jason pulled her forcefully out of the door and she knew she was already bruising. They were almost to the garage and Evie feared she would be lost to help.
"Jason!" Cor's deep voice roared out in anger, "let her go! Now!"
Jason turned and Evie saw the Marshal approaching them with his sword drawn and ready to kill. Gladio was not far behind him, having seen what was happening. He drew his own sword and stood next to Cor, ready to help. Jason pressed the knife closer to Evie's neck and pulled it slightly, causing her to whimper in pain as he drew blood.
"No closer or I will kill her," Jason announced, "Is that what you want, lover boy?"
Cor ignored the name, staring now at the blood seeping from her pale neck. His jaw flexed and his eyes seemed to flash with rage as she winced in pain. Seeing this man even lay his hands on her made Cor want to end him.
"I'm not letting you leave here with her," Cor stated. "And I will have your blood for spilling hers."
Jason laughed.
"Does he always sound so serious?" Jason whispered in Evie's ear, "Tell me, love, have you given yourself to him yet? I need to know if you've been whoring around. I mean, I get it, you're mad that I cheated with Emily. But she was nothing to me. I just wanted her while you were busy. You are the one I want to keep." The hand that he had around her waist began to move up her shirt. Evie struggled against his grip as much as she could without getting herself hurt. She closed her eyes as she felt tears escaping.
"Mind your hands, boy," Cor growled. The hand holding his sword was getting restless. He wanted to cut the boy's hands off.
"Ya know, darling, I was planning to have him killed," Jason continued whispering, "Pay one of his own men to sneak in his private quarters and do it while he was asleep. Maybe I'd even have some of the other men I saw you chatting with killed too. That man there with the tattoos, the boy with the glasses, maybe even that bratty prince and his little excitable friend, if I was feeling extra cranky. You know I get jealous. But if you come with me without fighting, I'll forget they even exist. I'll never bother them again."
Evie watched Cor and Gladio in front of her. They looked lethal; armed and angry as hell. She wanted so bad to be in Cor's arms; to be comforted by him. But if they attacked Jason, she could only see two outcomes: she would die, or they would be injured or worse.
"C…Cor," Evie called out, shaky and hoarse. His eyes flew directly to hers. "Just…just let him take me. He'll leave everyone else alone."
"Absolutely not," he responded without hesitating, while Gladio shook his head. "I'm not letting him have you, Evie. We aren't going to let this asshole hurt you."
"That's the damn truth," Gladio piped up.
Evie's eyes didn't leave Cor's and she noticed him glance quickly out the corner of his right eye and back at her again. He moved his arm up and down in a familiar motion, in a way that only she would understand. He wanted her to attempt to break the hold she was in. But he has a knife. What if I can't? What if I fail again? Sure she had gotten better, but no where near perfect. She nodded. She trusted Cor. And if she failed and Jason killed her, then they could attack him before he could hurt anyone else.
Evie closed her eyes, slowly and sneakily moving her hands into position. She made a sudden move to ram her elbow just under his ribs then grabbed his arm, pulling him in to her to get a good grip. He grunted in pain, loosening his grip. Her actions also surprised him, making the next part much easier. She swung out as hard and quick as possible and as soon as she did, she felt a gush of wind behind her and heard a loud snap. She flew forward and felt familiar strong arms catch her and hold her. Cor pulled her underneath him to shield her from any possible injury. When the sounds of struggling ended, Cor helped her to her feet. She realized soon after what had happened. Nyx and Gladio were holding Jason down, and other glaives were finally arriving to help take him in. The wind and snapping sound must have been Nyx warping in behind her at just the right moment to take him down.
Cor had his hand on her back to help steady her, but she turned and wrapped her arms around him, holding onto him with surprising strength. He grunted in surprise, but hugged her back.
"Are you alright, Evie?" He asked softly.
She pulled back a little and wiped any remaining tears from her face. She nodded, not trusting her own voice after such an ordeal. Cor gently moved some stray strands of hair out of her face, then assessed the rest of her. He moved his thumb along the small cut Jason's knife made on her neck.
"I'm going to give them some orders, then I'm taking you to medical quarters to be checked out," he said solemnly, rubbing her shoulder, before walking over to where Jason was being held down and handcuffed. Evie just nodded and tried to stop shaking.
She watched him gesture to a building nearby and three men, including Nyx escorted a nearly unconscious Jason in that direction.
Cor walked close to Evie as he led her to the Citadel's medical center. He kept glancing worriedly at her. She hadn't spoken since she told them to let Jason take her. He explained everything to the medical staff and allowed them to take her back to be looked at. The nurse told him that they would probably want to keep her a few hours so Cor decided he would go have a "chat" with Jason.
