Alec came up behind Logan and Wil who stared intently at the computer screen.
Sensing his arrival more than hearing it, Wil gazed up at Alec. "You'll never believe it but this prophecy says that, when you get older, you'll be bald and overweight."
When he didn't laugh or even smile at her small attempt at a joke, the happiness on her face faded to be replaced with concern. "What's wrong?" By this time, Logan's attention was drawn into their conversation.
He held out his hand to her. "Let's go to my place. I have to talk to you."
Placing her hand in his, they went to his place. She couldn't help but notice the tense silence between them and the concerned glances he kept throwing at her. She also noticed that Alec never once tried to or even let her hand go.
When they entered his place, he just stood watching Wil silently.
She helped herself to a glass of water, all too aware of his constant scrutiny. Sighing, she rested her hands on the edge of the sink. "Alec, tell me what's wrong. Why do you keep staring at me?"
Suddenly deciding to avoid her eyes, Alec looked away. "Um, I talked to Rift and told him about your rune and what the prophecy said." He cleared is throat." He thinks the merging that supposed to happen between us is sex."
"So?" She didn't seem to think anything about it.
He met her eyes. Looking at her pretty face and eyes so full of emotion, he wondered if he should even bring it up. But it bothered him and it didn't even happen to him. He couldn't begin to imagine how she felt. "He told me what happened to you during the breeding program," he said softly.
Visibly, she tensed. Her hold on the glass of water tightening, she turned away from him. "Rift talks too much."
He took a single step towards her. "Wil..."
"No," she shook her head forcefully. "I don't want to talk about it. It was a mission that
had to be completed and it was. End of story."
"Just because it was a mission, doesn't mean it had to be completed the way it did."
"No," she said quietly. "Just because it was a mission, doesn't mean that 598 didn't enjoy it. Just because it was a mission didn't mean that I didn't cry the entire night. Just because it was a mission didn't mean that it only had to be completed once."
Alec could see her struggling to control herself. He took another hesitant step closer. "Just let it out."
She faced him again, anguish tormenting her face. "No, I'm not going to let it out. I won't let myself remember how he forced himself inside of me. I won't let myself remember how the fact that I loved you made it hurt ten times more." Tears streaked her face by now, and she wasn't seeing Alec anymore. She only saw the past and what was done to her. "I won't remember how I cried as soon as he left because I knew I'd let you down. I won't remember how any of it shouldn't have mattered because I'm just a fucking soldier and soldiers aren't supposed to feel." She tightened her grip on the glass and it shattered spilling water and her blood when shards of glass sliced her skin.
It didn't even phase Wil. Her voice had escalated to a scream. "Soldiers aren't supposed to be weak!"
Body shaking violently, Wil refused to surrender to the sobs she knew were just underneath the surface. All she wanted was to be numb, to never feel again.
Alec stood by her. Unsure of what to do, he reached for her, but she jerked away still caught in the memories. "Wil,"his voice was gentle. He needed to earn her trust and remind her that he wouldn't hurt her. "It's me, Alec. I won't hurt you, you know that. I'm the one who held you every night when we were kids. I'm your safe place, remember?"
She finally focused on him and her lip quivered. "I'm not supposed to feel, Alec."
He nodded. "Yes you are."
Finally letting go, heart wrenching sobs wracked her body, and Alec wouldn't have been able to stop himself from wrapping his arms around her for anything. Her legs began to wobble so he slowly brought them to the floor not letting her go. Gently rocking her back and forth, Alec let her cry, each tear and each wail ripping at his heart. If Alec ever saw 598, he swore to himself that he'd make him pay, and what Alec did would be a million times more painful than what that bastard did to Wil.
Long minutes went by where Alec let Wil cry herself dry. Eventually, her tears slowed and her sobs stopped. Blinking her tears away, she peered up at Alec. "I'm sorry I let you down."
"Don't you ever say that," he ordered. Wiping away the trails of tears, Alec held her face. "You could never let me down."
"I should have fought him, I just didn't want to go to psy-ops or where ever else they would've put me."
"You didn't do anything wrong, don't you see that? It was Manticore and 598, they did everything wrong." He searched her eyes to see if his words got through. She didn't respond, just pondered his words. He stroked her hair comfortingly. "I'm sorry that your love for me made it worse."
"My love for you is what kept me going," she informed him. "Everyday since the day they separated us when we were ten, I held onto the hope that we'd somehow get out of there and that we'd be together. Like we're supposed to be."
A lopsided smile decorated his face. "We're supposed to be together?"
She nodded. "Of course we are. Even some ancient Minoan prophecy predicted it. I know it probably seems silly considering we were only ten the last time we were really together..."
"No," he jumped in. "It's not silly at all. After they separated us, I don't think we went through the exact same training. They did stuff to me to make me forget you. They knew I had grown attached to you, so they did different brainwashing on me. But I couldn't forget you. I didn't remember who you were but I knew there was something-someone missing. I felt the void. And then I went on a mission that changed everything."
"I heard about that," she commented offhandedly.
He stared at her in shock. "How? They keep all the information on away missions confidential."
She shrugged. "Those stupid guards and doctors were easy to bribe. I think Manticore was a little stingy with the pay. I tried to keep tabs on you."
"I see. Well, that mission, Rachel, made me remember you. And it was like I lost you all over again. And Manticore tried to make me forget and when they couldn't do that, they made me not care." His eyes saddened. "After that I didn't have the hope you did. Just pain, a dull ache in my chest to remind me I was missing something."
"Alec," she grabbed his hand. "Manticore's gone. They can't hurt us anymore."
"No," he said quietly. "They can't."
"And we're together now, we're not missing anything."
He smiled lightly. "No, we're not."
She smiled. "Good." Standing, she pulled him with her. "We'll be fine."
"I have to get going. Max had something she wanted me to do." He looked around his apartment. "You're welcome to stay here, if you want."
"I might stay, or I might give Rift the beating of his life ... or a hug." She shrugged. "Most likely both." They both chuckled.
A moment passed where they said nothing, just stared at each other taking each other in. Wil stepped foreword placing a hand along his cheek. Gradually, she urged him closer to her and her heart raced as his sparkling hazel eyes drifted close. Their lips converged in a warm, longing kiss.
When Wil pulled back, she couldn't help but laugh at the stunned expression on Alec's face. His eyes questioned her and she shrugged again. "I just thought we should. You know, just because of what 598 did, doesn't mean I don't want to do anything with you."
Alec started to protest but she hushed him with a finger to his pouty lips. "Alec, I'm bruised, I'm not broken. It was horrible what he did to me, but I'm strong." She smirked. "My name even says I am. I'll get over it. I have you to help me."
He finally smiled. "I do what I can." He gave her a short, sweet kiss. "Just for your information, about a third of my surprise is because you got to make the first move. I'm not used to that." His smile turned wicked. "I kinda like it."
Moving her face a scant few hairs from his, she teased him. "Maybe I'll have to do that more often." Just as they were a hair away from each other, she grinned. "But not now." Stepping back, she smiled brightly. "Didn't you say Max had something for you to do?"
He gaped at her for a second, then firmly shut his mouth, and squared himself. Squinting his eyes at her, his head tilted. "Cute, real cute. You sure know how to kill a mood." He headed for his door.
"Aw, come on, Alec! You're a bigger baby than Rift!" She called after him.
"Whatever," came his response.
She rolled her eyes. "Men. The biggest pansy asses in the world."
Sensing his arrival more than hearing it, Wil gazed up at Alec. "You'll never believe it but this prophecy says that, when you get older, you'll be bald and overweight."
When he didn't laugh or even smile at her small attempt at a joke, the happiness on her face faded to be replaced with concern. "What's wrong?" By this time, Logan's attention was drawn into their conversation.
He held out his hand to her. "Let's go to my place. I have to talk to you."
Placing her hand in his, they went to his place. She couldn't help but notice the tense silence between them and the concerned glances he kept throwing at her. She also noticed that Alec never once tried to or even let her hand go.
When they entered his place, he just stood watching Wil silently.
She helped herself to a glass of water, all too aware of his constant scrutiny. Sighing, she rested her hands on the edge of the sink. "Alec, tell me what's wrong. Why do you keep staring at me?"
Suddenly deciding to avoid her eyes, Alec looked away. "Um, I talked to Rift and told him about your rune and what the prophecy said." He cleared is throat." He thinks the merging that supposed to happen between us is sex."
"So?" She didn't seem to think anything about it.
He met her eyes. Looking at her pretty face and eyes so full of emotion, he wondered if he should even bring it up. But it bothered him and it didn't even happen to him. He couldn't begin to imagine how she felt. "He told me what happened to you during the breeding program," he said softly.
Visibly, she tensed. Her hold on the glass of water tightening, she turned away from him. "Rift talks too much."
He took a single step towards her. "Wil..."
"No," she shook her head forcefully. "I don't want to talk about it. It was a mission that
had to be completed and it was. End of story."
"Just because it was a mission, doesn't mean it had to be completed the way it did."
"No," she said quietly. "Just because it was a mission, doesn't mean that 598 didn't enjoy it. Just because it was a mission didn't mean that I didn't cry the entire night. Just because it was a mission didn't mean that it only had to be completed once."
Alec could see her struggling to control herself. He took another hesitant step closer. "Just let it out."
She faced him again, anguish tormenting her face. "No, I'm not going to let it out. I won't let myself remember how he forced himself inside of me. I won't let myself remember how the fact that I loved you made it hurt ten times more." Tears streaked her face by now, and she wasn't seeing Alec anymore. She only saw the past and what was done to her. "I won't remember how I cried as soon as he left because I knew I'd let you down. I won't remember how any of it shouldn't have mattered because I'm just a fucking soldier and soldiers aren't supposed to feel." She tightened her grip on the glass and it shattered spilling water and her blood when shards of glass sliced her skin.
It didn't even phase Wil. Her voice had escalated to a scream. "Soldiers aren't supposed to be weak!"
Body shaking violently, Wil refused to surrender to the sobs she knew were just underneath the surface. All she wanted was to be numb, to never feel again.
Alec stood by her. Unsure of what to do, he reached for her, but she jerked away still caught in the memories. "Wil,"his voice was gentle. He needed to earn her trust and remind her that he wouldn't hurt her. "It's me, Alec. I won't hurt you, you know that. I'm the one who held you every night when we were kids. I'm your safe place, remember?"
She finally focused on him and her lip quivered. "I'm not supposed to feel, Alec."
He nodded. "Yes you are."
Finally letting go, heart wrenching sobs wracked her body, and Alec wouldn't have been able to stop himself from wrapping his arms around her for anything. Her legs began to wobble so he slowly brought them to the floor not letting her go. Gently rocking her back and forth, Alec let her cry, each tear and each wail ripping at his heart. If Alec ever saw 598, he swore to himself that he'd make him pay, and what Alec did would be a million times more painful than what that bastard did to Wil.
Long minutes went by where Alec let Wil cry herself dry. Eventually, her tears slowed and her sobs stopped. Blinking her tears away, she peered up at Alec. "I'm sorry I let you down."
"Don't you ever say that," he ordered. Wiping away the trails of tears, Alec held her face. "You could never let me down."
"I should have fought him, I just didn't want to go to psy-ops or where ever else they would've put me."
"You didn't do anything wrong, don't you see that? It was Manticore and 598, they did everything wrong." He searched her eyes to see if his words got through. She didn't respond, just pondered his words. He stroked her hair comfortingly. "I'm sorry that your love for me made it worse."
"My love for you is what kept me going," she informed him. "Everyday since the day they separated us when we were ten, I held onto the hope that we'd somehow get out of there and that we'd be together. Like we're supposed to be."
A lopsided smile decorated his face. "We're supposed to be together?"
She nodded. "Of course we are. Even some ancient Minoan prophecy predicted it. I know it probably seems silly considering we were only ten the last time we were really together..."
"No," he jumped in. "It's not silly at all. After they separated us, I don't think we went through the exact same training. They did stuff to me to make me forget you. They knew I had grown attached to you, so they did different brainwashing on me. But I couldn't forget you. I didn't remember who you were but I knew there was something-someone missing. I felt the void. And then I went on a mission that changed everything."
"I heard about that," she commented offhandedly.
He stared at her in shock. "How? They keep all the information on away missions confidential."
She shrugged. "Those stupid guards and doctors were easy to bribe. I think Manticore was a little stingy with the pay. I tried to keep tabs on you."
"I see. Well, that mission, Rachel, made me remember you. And it was like I lost you all over again. And Manticore tried to make me forget and when they couldn't do that, they made me not care." His eyes saddened. "After that I didn't have the hope you did. Just pain, a dull ache in my chest to remind me I was missing something."
"Alec," she grabbed his hand. "Manticore's gone. They can't hurt us anymore."
"No," he said quietly. "They can't."
"And we're together now, we're not missing anything."
He smiled lightly. "No, we're not."
She smiled. "Good." Standing, she pulled him with her. "We'll be fine."
"I have to get going. Max had something she wanted me to do." He looked around his apartment. "You're welcome to stay here, if you want."
"I might stay, or I might give Rift the beating of his life ... or a hug." She shrugged. "Most likely both." They both chuckled.
A moment passed where they said nothing, just stared at each other taking each other in. Wil stepped foreword placing a hand along his cheek. Gradually, she urged him closer to her and her heart raced as his sparkling hazel eyes drifted close. Their lips converged in a warm, longing kiss.
When Wil pulled back, she couldn't help but laugh at the stunned expression on Alec's face. His eyes questioned her and she shrugged again. "I just thought we should. You know, just because of what 598 did, doesn't mean I don't want to do anything with you."
Alec started to protest but she hushed him with a finger to his pouty lips. "Alec, I'm bruised, I'm not broken. It was horrible what he did to me, but I'm strong." She smirked. "My name even says I am. I'll get over it. I have you to help me."
He finally smiled. "I do what I can." He gave her a short, sweet kiss. "Just for your information, about a third of my surprise is because you got to make the first move. I'm not used to that." His smile turned wicked. "I kinda like it."
Moving her face a scant few hairs from his, she teased him. "Maybe I'll have to do that more often." Just as they were a hair away from each other, she grinned. "But not now." Stepping back, she smiled brightly. "Didn't you say Max had something for you to do?"
He gaped at her for a second, then firmly shut his mouth, and squared himself. Squinting his eyes at her, his head tilted. "Cute, real cute. You sure know how to kill a mood." He headed for his door.
"Aw, come on, Alec! You're a bigger baby than Rift!" She called after him.
"Whatever," came his response.
She rolled her eyes. "Men. The biggest pansy asses in the world."