Breaking the Broken
Twenty Two
Coincidence and Consequence
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I can't use what I can't abuse
And I can't stop when it comes to you
Ah, you burn and burn to get under my skin
You've gone too far now, I won't give in
You crucify me but I'm back in your bed
Like Jesus Christ coming back from the dead
Garbage
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It was not her scene. Not even a little bit. Not even at all. As she cast a dismayed look at the sticky Formica countertops and squeaky stools, Kathryn Merteuil wondered vaguely how the hell she had gotten here. An excellent question, indeed, because Mel's Diner was not a place she would normally go. More accurately, it wasn't a place Kathryn would go if she were starving in the desert and it was the only place around for five hundred miles. But then Jason took her soft, tiny hand in his own, and it seemed a little bit better.
He had called two hours early, leaving a message that could be deciphered as more than slightly cryptic. Jason Argyle had requested that she meet him at this tiny roadside diner to 'say goodbye'. Naturally, the petite brunette's interest was peaked, and she had left the comfort of her luxury suite for the chance to have her thighs stick to her seat.
She was actually having a relatively good time, she noted with a sort of amazement. Jason was funny and charming, and a tiny part of her was glad that she had come. However, her mood was perpetually weighed down, visions of blue eyes and blonde hair and cold gazes and slumped shoulders danced in her mind, Sebastian's anger and Juliette's disappointment mingling together until they became one. One being of extreme gorgeousness and extreme emotion, beautiful as it was ugly. Kathryn couldn't shake from her mind the way Sebastian had turned away from her, anger flaring in those eyes. Even more, Juliette's scandalized glare haunted her, the way those pools seemed to flash messages clear as day.
You're ruining everything, Kathryn.
It was as if she was warning her urgently, pleading with her to read the signals.
You're playing with fire, Kathryn.
The way her baby cousin seemed so desperate to deter her only served to make her more determined. She was Kathryn fucking Merteuil, and nobody told her what to do. If she wanted to date Jason Argyle, she damn well would. If she wanted to hurt Sebastian Valmont and Cassidy Merteuil at the exact same time, she would.
And oh, did she ever.
If she had been a person of conscious, Kathryn would feel vague guilt at so blatantly using a person. Fortunately for her, a conscious had never been a hereditary trait in the Merteuil clan. The look in Jason's deep brown eyes, a little bit like hope and a lot like contentment, did absolutely nothing to her, and she was relieved to see that she hadn't become a person who feels. After spending so much time with Sebastian and Juliette, they begin to grow on you. Hours spent in the hotel room, and she could almost feel herself thawing. It was frightening, honestly, to suddenly lose the firm grasp you've held onto for your entire life, but Kathryn's nerves were soothed by the fact that she was still immune to the rest of the world.
"Hold on… so why do you think Cassidy has ulterior motives here?" Kathryn pasted a puzzled look upon her beautiful face, features contorting into an expression of concern and confusion. Sometimes she just wanted to laugh at how easy the rest of the world was played. If Kathryn had ever been concerned or confused in her entire life, it certainly hadn't been displayed visibly. If Jason were more like Sebastian, he would've known…
Kathryn could feel her resolve steeling as her gorgeous stepbrother floated to her mind's eye. She loved him and she hated him and she wanted him gone but to never leave again. Right now, she just wanted to hurt him like he'd hurt her.
"Because she's sort of mad because of a joke Patrick and I played on her at the start of term," Jason shifted a little uncomfortably, but his eyes twinkled at the memory.
"Cassidy didn't tell me about any prank," Kathryn attempted to make herself sound more concerned than curious. She was aware that Jason had most likely already read Sebastian's journal, but she just couldn't bring herself to drop the Golden Girl routine. Either way, it didn't seem like the handsome boy minded too much. Knowing guys like him, it probably turned him on.
"It's probably not something she'd want you to know," Jason laughed, "It's kind of embarrassing on her part. She pretty much got duped into fucking Patrick."
The grimy silver utensil fit the floor along with Kathryn's jaw. Her eyes were wide and impassioned, and Jason wasn't quite sure whether she was shocked or angry. However, Kathryn Merteuil had never been quite so easy to read, and peels of laughter escaped her throat. Clutching her abdomen as she hunched over, her lithe body shook slightly as she attempted to calm down.
"She did what?" Kathryn choked out, tears of mirth falling down her cheeks. Jason thought he'd never seen anything more lovely than this beautiful girl showing genuine emotion.
Then he wondered when he'd become such a fucking pussy.
"No, I think it's a really good idea that you seduce Sheila in Catalina," Kathryn did a complete 180 during his moments of thought, recognizing the glow of adoration and longing to put it off for as long as possible. Jason was nice, and he was hot, but he was no Sebastian. Kathryn was now serious and calculating, managing to split her mind in half as she had done so many times before. One half was focused intently on Jason and the topic at hand, as the other part whirred away with exactly how she'd use that information against Cassidy.
"You do?" Jason paused, bewildered.
"Yeah. Couples are stupid," Kathryn said, knowing from his wounded expression that her double-meaning had hit him. "I think you should definitely break them up."
"So this is Kathryn the Schemer," Jason remarked with amusement, crossing his arms over his muscular chest and leaning back against the bench. Irritability spouted up within her quite suddenly. Who the fuck did he think he was? He didn't know anything about her or Sebastian or what their lives in New York were like, no matter how many queer diaries he'd read. Speaking of, what a fucking stalker… how did he even get a copy of that? Realizing that her thoughts were carrying her away, Kathryn smiled venomously.
"You haven't seen Kathryn the Schemer until you've seen her in action."
"I plan to," Jason smirked.
Kissing her goodbye, Jason left the diner quickly after being assured that she did indeed have a way home. The trip to Catalina left in a little over an hour, and he had some last minute packing to do. It was just as well, as she had been looking for a way to leave ever since he'd decided it would be fun to ask about her past. This way, she could make him think that she still gave a damn. Jason Argyle was under the impression that upon his (hopefully) victorious homecoming, Kathryn Merteuil would be waiting there to have a private party.
You're playing with fire, Kathryn.
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The pitter-pattering of little feet is what many a parent longs to hear. Though it's highly likely that your child is up to no good at the time, the sheer joy the sound seems to admit strikes a blow directly to your heart: there is a child present. All that's left of the world representing true good, genuine innocence, and a living breathing example of it is in the area.
However, the soft footsteps diligently making their way around the room were not that pitter-pattering. Instead of rough, pounding steps, there were careful and measured. Breathe intake was shallow, and she moved with such precision it seemed like she was barely moving at all. Her soft blonde curls tickled her back as they swished silently from side to side, emitting the faint scent of coconut. The tiny girl moved in the shadows, avoiding attention from all the names and faces at the gala, stealthily making her way to the bathroom, where she had last spotted her prey heading. Opening the door only a crack before sliding inside, she made certain to lift the sky-blue gown off the ground to avoid additional noise. Hiding within a stall, she waited for her shot. Juliette Merteuil wouldn't have to wait long…
Sneaking out as silently as she slipped in, she made her way back up to their hotel room. It had been an awful lot of effort to get dressed up for the five minutes she was present at the charity function, but if she had been caught, it would all be worth it. Instead, she had exactly what she needed. However, she would hold on to it for a little while longer. Years of watching and waiting had taught her that there was no greater virtue than the patience bred into her. Her first action would be completely justified. She would not make the first move. Revenge was always so much more fun than sporadic attacks, though there was really something to be said about the latter. She would lie in wait for now, waiting for her chance to lash out at her tormentor. The lion waits for the grazing animals, and so Juliette would wait for Belinda.
Your move.
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Finally! He had finally found what he was looking for, and while Sebastian was not usually a fan of used book stores, he would suffice it this once. For years, he had been looking for a particular book, and it just figured that though he had scoured most of the world, he would find it in a second-hand store in California. He certainly looked out of place, his designer suit and dark glasses making him look far more than conspicuous amongst the dusty shelves and low-hanging reading lamps.
Sebastian Valmont had been dying for a distraction. After the spectacular demolition of his hotel room along with Kathryn's subsequent cold-shoulder, he had decided to refrain from seduction for a bit. Juliette was always amusing, but she valued her alone time. He could spend years psychoanalyzing Kathryn, but she never did appreciate it much. He'd have to turn to his first love for amusement.
Smiling fondly at the musty old hard covered book, Sebastian registered that he should probably get home before Juliette did, just so she wouldn't have to return to an empty suite. He hadn't a clue where the tyke had been disappearing to lately, but she had been gone for longer and longer periods of time lately, and her mood had been progressively worse each time. Regardless, he knew what it was like to come home and find yourself alone. He wouldn't wish that on anyone, especially not someone he loved as much as Juliette Merteuil. Bitterly, he knew that Kathryn wouldn't be home for a while.
Meandering over to the cash register, he placed the heavy book on the counter and took a moment to check out the young woman with her head buried in a book. She had wispy blonde hair pulled back into a messy bun and a cute figure.
"Oh sorry, I always get really caught up in this book. It's something my ex-boyfriend always used to read, but I never understood it," the blonde mumbled, biting her lip slightly without even glancing upward at him. A strange feeling let loose inside of him, excitement and anger and shock and disbelief, and he could feel his stomach drop. First instinct told him to back away and run quickly, but Sebastian Valmont found his large feet frozen to the sport as the cashier looked up at him with pretty blue eyes that were heartbreakingly familiar.
"Annette?"
"Sebastian!"
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Padding softly down the hallway, these were the pitter-pattering of little feet that parents dreamed of. However, Juliette Merteuil's parents were far away, and she'd honestly prefer to keep them that way. Sebastian had arrived back only seconds after she did, a dazed look in his beautiful eyes, his curls rumpled from running his hand through it one too many times. Not allowing time for questioning, he dropped a kiss on the little girl's cheek before stumbling into the bedroom and shutting the door behind her. Golden eyebrows knitted in concern, Juliette thought she had never seen a man look so lost… not since…
Opening the medicine cabinet, she paused for a second to admire herself in the mirror before continuing with her task. Brushing her tiny pearly teeth, she briefly contemplated spying on Sebastian. Figuring he was probably sitting at the desk, staring off into space as he was prone to, the show wouldn't be too interesting. Placing her toothbrush beside the other two there, and making sure to reorganize them so they would be in rainbow order (Kathryn's toothbrush was green, and so she went first. Sebastian's was blue, the manliest color available at the time, and so he went second. Juliette's little purple toothbrush stood at the end.) Juliette reached for the translucent orangey cylinder and sigh, knowing what was to come. After fifteen minutes of struggle with the childproof cap, she finally got the pill jar open. Though her operation had been years ago, and she had gotten better in leaps and bounds, she had been continually medicated from that time until the present. Sebastian would murder her if she forgot, and though Kathryn feigned disinterest, she made casual inquiries. However, instead of the capsules shooting about the pristine bathroom as they normally would with the force behind the frail girl yanking the cap off, a single white sheet of paper fluttered to the ground. Sickly heart pounding wildly with anticipation, her trembling fingers managed to secure the note.
Looking for something?
--your loving sister
Instead of being seized by instant panic, Juliette could feel a familiar numbness sweep over her. It was as if she could feel Kathryn and Cassidy sitting on her shoulders, her guardian angels with equally twisted purposes. Stiffly exiting the bathroom, she made her way over to the fax machine in the lounge. She'd show her. Juliette was a Merteuil through and through, and her Snow White mother hadn't tainted her a bit. The ice pumping through her veins, her fractured heart circulating the same malice that had driven generations before her was going at a faster rate than every before, and she was beginning to understand exactly why Kathryn loved the carnage. Six years old, and Juliette Merteuil could almost feel the last vestiges of her goodness slip away as she placed her call.
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Slipping quietly in through the heavy wooden door, Kathryn's tiny exhausted frame nearly collapsed as soon as she crossed the threshold. Dragging herself to the king sized bed; she dropped lightly beside a sleeping Sebastian. His muscular arm found its way around her thin waist almost immediately, and a small smile fleeted across her lips. Regardless of how angry she was at him, she would always feel for him in the way she was scared shitless to feel for anyone else. Cautiously brushing a soft kiss against his cheek, Kathryn froze as she felt his hand move. She could've sworn he was asleep…
His breathing was steady and shallow, eyes moving slightly beneath their lids. His pouty lips were slightly parting, and his bare chest rose a bit with each breath he took. However, contrasting with his peaceful rest was his hand, which was slowly undressing her.
Staring incredulously, she wondered exactly how far he was planning on going with his, consciously or not. As his fingertips brushed against the lace of her bra and panties set, his calloused hand stopped roaming. Snuggling closer to her, Sebastian wrapped his arms around her as his head dropped to her neck. Feeling his curls tickle her slightly, Kathryn allowed herself a single smile before drifting off to sleep. Thoughts raced in her mind of exactly how long they could live like this, at peace at night and at each other's throats during the day. It was a vicious cycle they had yet to break, but for now she would just enjoy the feeling of his arms around her when he wasn't awake to see her raw. You never know how long it will last.
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Dun dun dun… hahaha.
I was actually very pleasantly surprised that I had some new reviewers last chapter! Hey guys, welcome to Breaking the Broken, I hope I'll keep hearing from you.
Arrowhead-water: I'm glad you thought that my transition between the two movies worked. To my knowledge, this is the first crossover story, which is really weird to say. But, you know, I don't know anything. There could be a whole website devoted to CI and CI3 crossovers, and I just think I'm original. Hahah. Anyway, I'm glad that you liked it.
CheeryJana: Thanks! Never fear, I'll be writing this story for quite a while. Hell, I don't even know how to end it; it's like part of me now. So until I find something else to obsess over, yeah, this story continues haha.
WashedOut: Hehe. Yes, we shall see…
Babeekim: Believe me, my heart belongs to K/S. But hey, a little drama never hurt anybody…
y-x: Thank you very much lol. There's a gigantic twist coming up in that storyline that I'm like giddy over. Nobody will see it coming…
Katie: Lol as I told you, the "having your cake and eating someone else's too" line was written with you in mind. This isn't the chapter where I secretly kill every A/S fan… this isn't…
B: Yep, Juliette's all Merteuil, and she's about to show Belinda that Kathryn's not the only one with claws. I'll definitely e-mail you spoilers later because I was just about to say something but I don't want to destroy the plot for everybody else lol. I'm always so happy when I manage to shock you lol.
Keri: Yeah, Kathryn's definitely going to get more integrated with the other storylines playing out. This chapter was actually a step in that direction. Lol I'm glad that you liked the last chapter title… nobody ever seems to notice them. I'm pouting now. (just thought I'd let you know, because you can't see me.) How creepy is Patrick? Very. Muah ha ha…
Thanks for reading, guys!
Xo Sam