Euphoria

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Rewinding Death

Disclaimer: Nothing to own, a lot to gain.

Note: So yeah, my bad. Sorry. Anyway, Bumblebee is introduced here, questions will emerge, and I will watch Pan's Labyrinth again. No, really. It was amazing, disturbing but still amazing. Spectacular movie. I'm thinking of doing a horror/fantasy fic soon cuz I was 'inspired'. Not sure what the pairing is though. Okay, I critiqued enough. Go read & review.

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Continuum Oaks

Apt E24

"It was interesting... Just interesting." Inside a luxurious apartment of Continuum Oaks two women occupied the living room. The one who had spoken was Raven. She was propped onto the nearby kitchen counter, hair loose, and a cup of herbal tea in her hand.

"Oh come on Raven!" Karen Beecher was the other occupant of her friend's living room. She was sitting on the black sofa facing her friend with a teasing look on her heavenly features. She faked a pout and spoke again, "I read his bio, hell I read your notes! And even better.. I saw his photo! How is it just interesting?" waggling her perfect eyebrows she snickered suggesting something mutely.

Raven, however, ignored the crudeness and focused on the fact that Karen had the audacity to go through her stuff. Glaring at her she warned, "Karen, just because you are a good acquaintance of mine doesn't mean the same rules don't apply to you. I dislike the ignorance of my privacy." She gulped down the last bit of her tea elegantly.

Karen laughed a bit anyway shaking her head as she watched Raven give her a pensive look. The psychiatrist turned to go put her now empty cup into the sink.

"I still don't get it. Isn't there just a dab of unspoken attraction in him?" Karen asked while Raven in response scoffed as she made her way out of the kitchen to her friend's direction. Sighing the brown eyed girl said, "From Blood to Ashbury this guy is like the biggest case you've had!" She then melted into a dreamy look, slyly adding, "Too damn hot to be a psycho serial killer if you ask me."

"Karen, even if there was some sort of pigmented enticement, I'm there to do a job. A serious job that involves ignoring what kind of image he holds. I don't care how he approaches me, I just need to crack him. Murder, numerous thefts, homicide, fraud...ignoring solicitation isn't going to be hard." She paused than scanned Karen and her clouded look. Raven mumbled, "Well, at least not for me..." She set herself onto the two person seat of the sofa across from disbelieving Karen.

Karen clicked her tongue and smoothed back her dark brown hair to then retaliate in the criminal's defense. In a low voice Karen Beecher stated more than questioned, "Thought you liked the bad boys..." at that she winked one honey colored eye at the flushed looking Raven.

"I-I.. Shut up." the only possible person who could ever make Dr. Raven Roth flustered or speechless would have to be the most personal of her companions. Karen was the one and the only.

The brown eyed girl cackled and threw her head back laughing to the point of tears while her friend sat silently grinding her teeth.

Raven burned a glare into the girl's head and spoke trying to avert where she knew the conversation was heading. In monotone she said, "Tomorrow at the warehouse I need you to grab this yellow paper with Slade's signature on it."

In an instance Karen's demeanor changed by both the iciness of Slade's presence and because they were now talking about her job. And her job was taken very seriously. Almost as seriously as Raven's.

She quirked an eyebrow at her friend's request. "Why? Internal Affairs is gonna bust my ass if I do anything above Slade's commands. And c'mon do you really wanna see your friend's life tarnished?"

"It's not going to hurt anyone but Slade. That paper has something I need to know."

"And what's there to know?"

"..." no answer.

"Raven..?"

"Scathe."

If it had been a different answer she would've pressed on but Scathe was confidential and blunt when stated. This was out of her reach. Scathe only concerned Raven. Raven... and Slade.

Karen sighed at the cold rigidness forming once again in Raven's eyes. It hurt her to know how deformed life always was for her consort. She knew the blame for this. She also knew there was nothing she herself, Raven, or even Internal Affairs could do about it.

Fearlessly she stood up and positioned her body to plop next to Raven's. She lifted a hand to rest comfortingly on Raven's covered shoulders. They were stiff in her usual posture, cold as ever.

Raven didn't turn around to face her just stared rigidly into space.

"I-I'll see what I can do..."

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Jump City Asylum

Cell 32

"Ever seen someone die?"

She raised an eyebrow, shrugged and replied, "No." Sarcasm was evident next, "Why, did you?"

A perfectly placed grin. He proudly said."From the inside out."

"Then why ask?"

"Is it a crime to know my doctor better?"

" I know you knew the answer already." X was going to interrupt but she was faster. "In your line of association and your undeniably high IQ nothing is out of your grasp. So why, might I ask, did you question the obvious?"

Cillian chuckled, his perfect teeth in view. Standing up from the steel chair he strolled across the room.

"Just wanted to hear you say it."

The urge to roll her eyes and 'tsk' took over. Their conversations were always beginning and ending like this. A question from either of them, both professional to the point of personal, a heated debate. More questions. Finally him complimenting her or something like that and ending the discussion.

Raven had arrived at exactly 3:57PM at Jump City Asylum. Stealthily avoided Grayson as she planned to, ignored an insulted looking blonde man she had no memory of, and was escorted by a friendly detective named Stone.

"Mr. Barrett, I don't think you fully realize where you are."

He snorted, "I thought we already discussed this. Call me X, doc."

She growled silently at his use of the nickname. Frowning she retorted, "It's unhealthy to be ignorant in such a fatal position."

"Meaning..?"

"I'm the only hope you're ever going to have to get out of this hell hole."

A massacre of laughter took over him after the last statement. His breathing became beautifully short as his mouth trembled. The urgency in his eyes were forgotten as humor blew his mind apart. Was it for the fact he never took this vivacious woman as the cursing type? Was it because her statement seemed bottomless? Or was it just because he found everything jesting? The tips of Raven's lips pressed harder down as her eyes became even more narrowed.

How could this pathetic man be a serial killer? How could he cause deaths with the way he was going on and on? He didn't even seem threatening enough to be her assignment. She dealt with the worse cases Jump City ever had to offer. She killed every bit of courage a criminal had.

She violated the boundary between decency and imprudent content. If you were insane once, the last bit of sanity would dissolve when she got what she wanted. And yet this man, this cautioned man, the man that would lead her into the height of her career, got under her skin. There was no sense in being frightened, how did this pile of arteries manage to kill thirty-nine people? One by one? From the inside out? How?

Interrupting her thoughts, said person was closing his eyes and now leaning against the wall. "If I wanted a lawyer Raven, I'd get one."

Puzzled? Not at all. She could fully find out what he meant. Crossing her arms she stared at him focusing on the soft curves of his eyelids. "Are you telling me you want to stay here?"

A smile. Slow and beautiful..slow and horrific. His sunken irises came back in view capturing her glazed ones. And she was enthralled by it all, in that qualitative observation, dropping all senses.

His hand shot up.

A pull.

A bullet.

A crash.

In that second of paralyzed confusion X ran, his lean body entrapping her. Trying to get her to question him. Trying to choke all logic into mute secluded sound. He was reenacting his killing scenarios.

She felt the palms of his hands touching her, violating her. His breathing was again like his laughter. Beautiful..bottomless...admiring her helplessness. A cold object grazed the side of her face. It was gripped by an ivory hand. Their eyes were set in a line.

And then, he sighed.

A deep, somewhat regretful sigh.

She focused on how his eyes shifted as his face got closer. At that moment she knew he was going to talk to her, but confusion swept over Raven.

A flashback of SVU's serial rapist came back to her. Malchior had done this before. But one trait observed was how he whispered in her ear. X... he wasn't near her ear. His face was right in front of hers. Just millimeters apart.

"Raven...Raven.." He whispered tauntingly. She watched the movement taking place. "By now you know I'm not the average homicidal maniac..right?" he questioned her. She glared, a little dazed, but conscious. No she wasn't going to move, not when she was getting close to an actual answer.

"You know why? Cuz you're a smart lady. Oh yes, I've read about you in the past, no identification at all... Every article states you as the significant iceberg in breaking apart the criminal." He paused and tilted his head, grinning. They were still millimeters apart. "Oh, but they hate your methods, a lot of them, don't they? The same people who appose the death sentence. Hmm..but who gives a crap about mixing humanity with justice? You certainly don't do.."

She was bit by the curious bug again. Her full, naked lips opened to function. "You've stated my job, you've praised me. You've shown your indifference. Now tell me, X, how do you suppose I set you apart from every other case I've had?" She narrowed her violet eyes in sordid scrutiny. Then she leaned in closer. "So far all I've concluded is a petty, prehensile, thief." she spat out the last part hoping to get a rise out of him.

No such luck.

"Doc, you enjoy fuckin' in deep waters?"

"Not as much as you do."

He chuckled and grinned. "See, this is what I like about you," He pressed the icy gleaming object harder onto the side of her face. Raven finally concluded it to be the same gun he had shot with before, she then wondered how he got it past security. Her thought's were pulled back due to his firm voice continuing. "You always, always, have an answer."

"Good for me." the characteristic he noticed came to play again.

Cillian chuckled, boyishly. He shook his head. "Bad for you."

"And why is that?" she asked not really wanting an answer.

He leered at her, dangerously fixing the gap. His answer? "Because I myself have that trait too."

Raven glared and lifted a hand that pushed the gun away from the side of her face. Pocketing it, she then pushed X away, surprised he didn't protest.

"I'm not stupid enough to believe that they just let you keep that gun."

"Didn't think you would."Cillian turned around and lazily walked back to the other side of the room. He didn't care that she had his only gun. He didn't care if she was going to even report him. Where could he go next, worse than this?

"How did you get this past them? I admit some of the occupants of this building are dim, but security is always carried out to an extent." said Raven. She looked away from his form to observe the damage done by the bullet. It wasn't too big, but it was noticeable. She wondered if anyone heard the explosion or the crash. Would she have to report the fact that a dangerous criminal was armed in the confines of this asylum? But to who? To Wilson? To Grayson? Or maybe to the higher authority. She tried to remember the name of one of the most powerful men in the criminal justice system. 'Wayne.. Bruce Wayne?'

She turned he attention back to Cillian. He still wasn't facing her, but was sighing. He then opened his mouth to lowly say, "Like I said, you know I'm not the average homicidal maniac. I have my ways, don't look so deep."

"I'll have to report this. You'll probably be taken to a new cell so they can fix that wall." she replied.

X rested his forehead memorizing the cool texture of the unharmed pasty white wall. After a few seconds he asked, "It just occurred to me how peculiar your reaction to the gun was. No high-pitched scream, no flinch, no wide-eyed expression."

She didn't say anything, just glued her lilac eyes to the damaged wall.

"You've never seen someone die. Except yourself."

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A/N

I feel bad for stopping there, I really honestly do, but the next part wouldn't fit well with this chapter.

But to the important part, APOLOGIES.

I started school on July 23rd, ouch. On top of that it was a new school so I had to adjust. It's been 40 days since I've updated..wow. I suck. I suck hard.

So anyway just want to show my adoration for the people who read and reviewed, or just read.

So now for an analysis of this chapter. One big thing I'm concerned with was my dialogue. Was it appealing? Were they in character? Did it keep you interested?

The last part of this chapter, the last line, some of you will be confused. Good. I intend to keep you clouded till everything is explained. Then I want you to gasp and smack yourselves.

Also Bruce Wayne, YES, Batman shall have a minor part in this fic. Sure he's a billionaire but here, well, he's also one of the highest authorities of the criminal justice system. Meaning, X's in trouble.

I'm hoping to update in these two weeks, if I don't you have the privilege of harassing me. :D

Sincerest apologies, and truckloads of respect.

REVIEW:D